How to Find Hotels in Kiribati

Kiribati is a low-lying archipelago of islands in Micronesia. The island nation's capital, Tarawa, is on the largest of the lush tropical islands. Since it is just to the west of the International Date Line, you can celebrate the New Year here before anyone else on the planet!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Passport
• Visa

Know Your Destination

1. Expect sparse population. Kiribati is a small nation and is not densely populated.
2. Understand the culture. Its fragile economy balances on aid from surrounding countries and tourism, though it was once one of the world's primary suppliers of phosphate.
3. Travel in the summer. The islands have a very active typhoon season from November to April. Frequent seismic activity can also occur on the islands.
4. Know that Kiribati uses the Australian dollar as its official currency, though any major currency is accepted. Traveler's checks can be cashed on the island.

Use Caution While Traveling

5. Fly into the Marshall Islands or Fiji, then take a small plane. Kiribati does not have an FAA-approved international airport, and there are no direct commercial flight accommodations from the U.S. to Kiribati.
6. Drive on the left side of the road.
7. Drive carefully. The highway system in Kiribati is not well maintained. Many streets are subject to flooding, erosion and poor lighting.

Know What to Expect in Accommodations

8. To book accommodations, contact Kiribati National Tourism Office at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources below).
9. Expect comfort but not luxury. The hotels on Kiribati are nearly all bungalow-style, with few luxury amenities. Air conditioning and private bathrooms are available in most hotels.
10. Accommodations are surprisingly inexpensive, ranging from 20 to 60 USD.
11. Bring cash. Most hotels will accept credit cards for payment but some do not.

Find a Piece of History

12. See the artifacts from the sea exploration of Europe. Pieces of armor, pirate artifacts and traditional weapons are commonly found on the islands, especially the uninhabited and less traveled areas.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not bring firearms or ammunition into the country. Violators will be jailed.
• Drinking while driving is common on Kiribati, mainly during the weekends. Walking and driving at night is not recommended.
• There is virtually no police presence or breakdown assistance in rural areas, so don't accept rides from strangers or get out of your car at night.
• Some areas of Kiribati do not have electricity, including some hotels. Check with the hotels to see what kind of services they provide.
• All phone numbers include the United States international prefix "011." When calling internationally outside the United States, substitute that "011" with "00." All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Make sure that you have a valid passport with more than six months of validity left. Get a visa to enter the country.
• Know and follow all entry rules. Violation can lead to detainment.