Destination
Meneng District, Republic of Nauru
The destination
On the doorstepAbout 1.5 km by road
The large bay in Anibare district on the east coast — the view from the hotel. White sand, coral pinnacles standing in the shallows and clear water over the reef. Currents beyond the reef can be strong, so swim only in sheltered spots and ask at the front desk about conditions.
NatureAll around the island
A fringing reef surrounds Nauru. When the tide goes out the reef flat is exposed: rock pools, coral heads and pinnacles, and long evening reflections. Walk out with care, in reef shoes, and come back before the tide turns.
NatureAbout 5 km by road
A landlocked, slightly brackish freshwater lake in Buada district, ringed by coconut palms and gardens — one of the greenest and most peaceful corners of the island.
LandscapeAbout 4 km by road
The central plateau, where phosphate was mined for most of the twentieth century. Where the rock was dug away, tall pillars of coral limestone were left behind — an extraordinary landscape, and a reminder of how the island’s wealth was made.
HistoryAbout 6 km by road
Command Ridge, roughly 70 metres above the sea, is the highest point on the island. Japanese troops occupied Nauru from August 1942 until the end of the Second World War, and bunkers and gun positions from those years remain on the ridge and along the coast.
By roadThe whole loop by the coast road
You can drive around the whole country in well under an hour. Along the way: Yaren, with Parliament and the government offices; Moqua Well, a small underground lake; Anibare Harbour; and the phosphate cantilevers at Aiwo on the west coast.
How far is it?
0.5455° S, 166.9500° E
Climate
March – October
Hot and very humid all year, with daytime temperatures of about 30–35°C and nights around 25°C. Rain is generally lighter outside the monsoon months, though it varies a great deal from year to year.
November – February
Monsoon rains arrive between November and February, often in heavy showers that pass quickly.
All year
Rainfall swings widely with El Niño and La Niña, and the island has known long droughts. Much of Nauru’s water is imported or collected from the rain — please use it with care.
Customs
Practicalities