Kiribati

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WorldSouth PacificKiribati
Kiribati
01°25.000'N, 173°00.000'E Chart icon.png
Kiribati map.png
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Kiribati
Line islands flag.jpg
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Flag
Capital South Tarawa
Language English, Gilbertese
Currency Kiribati dollar, Australian dollar (AUD)
Time zone UTC+12, +13, +14
Calling code +686

Kiribati (pronounced Kiri-bass) is an island group in Micronesia straddling the equator and, until 1995, the International Date Line. Kiribati's 33 atolls, with a total area of only 811 km², are scattered over an area of 3.5 million km². Kiribati saw some of the worst fighting of the Pacific theatre during the Second World War, including the infamous Battle of Tarawa in November 1943.

Kiribati is most emphatically not another Tahiti, Hawaii, etc. where you can go to relax and have nothing to worry about. It has few visitors, and they have to be prepared to "rough it." That said, there aren't many countries where the people are more friendly.

South Tarawa is one of the most densely populated, severely poverty-stricken places in the world. Other islands have far fewer people, but getting to them can be difficult, and conditions are even more primitive. Most tourists, especially from the USA, go to Kiritimati (Christmas Island). It received some attention on January 1, 2000 as the first location in the world to experience the new millennium. Conditions there are somewhat better than in the rest of Kiribati.

Also see the Line Islands

Charts

  • US General Area Charts No’s:
    • 504, 505, 506, 525, 526, 541, 604, 605, 76030, 83500,
  • Gilbert Islands
    • US 81012
    • US 83005
  • Pheonix Islands
    • US 83010
    • US 83037
  • Line Islands
    • US 83015 - North Line Islands & Jarvis
    • US 83158 - Tabuaerean (Fanning Island)
    • US 83130 Kiritimati (Christmas Island)
    • US 83153 Kingdom Reef
    • US 83116 - Jarvis Island
  • Fr 7368 - Central Line Islands
  • GB 4654 – Southern Line Islands

Weather

Whoever coined the phrase, It's not the heat, it's the humidity may have had Kiribati in mind. Actually, the average high temperatures are quite reasonable compared to other well-known places in the tropics, but the humidity more than makes up for this, making it feel very sauna-like. The wet season varies, but is usually December to March, give or take a month. Severe drought also occurs at times.

Also see the Line Islands

Weather links

Sources of weather forecasting here.

Passages

List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Islands

Kiribati consists of about 32 atolls and one island (Banaba), with at least three in each hemisphere. The groups of islands are:

  • BanabaBanaba/wiki/Banaba Island icon – island |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Anchorage icon – anchorage |Needs data icon – needs data |
    - an isolated island between Nauru and the Gilbert Islands
  • Gilbert IslandsGilbert Islands/wiki/Gilbert_Islands Island icon – island |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |Needs data icon – needs data |
    - 16 atolls located some 930 miles (1,500 km) north of Fiji
  • Phoenix IslandsPhoenix Islands/wiki/Phoenix_Islands Island icon – island |
    - 8 atolls and coral islands located some 1,100 miles (1,800 km) southeast of the Gilberts
  • Line IslandsLine Islands/wiki/Line_Islands Island icon – island |
    - 8 atolls and one reef, located about 2,050 miles (3,300 km) east of the Gilberts
    Tabuaerean (Fanning Island) Tabuaerean (Fanning Island) /wiki/Tabuaerean_(Fanning_Island) Island icon – island |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Anchorage icon – anchorage |Needs data icon – needs data |
    Kiritimati (Christmas Island) Kiritimati (Christmas Island) /wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island) Island icon – island |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
    Caroline Island Caroline Island /wiki/Caroline_Island Island icon – island |Needs data icon – needs data |
    Vostok Island Vostok Island /wiki/Vostok_Island Island icon – island |Needs data icon – needs data |
Key to symbols: |Island icon – island |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |Anchorage icon – anchorage |Needs data icon – needs data ||

Communication

Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Entrance

The authorities insist that the first port of call (for clearance) in the archipelago must be at Tarawa (Betio Isle).

Arrival

Details?

Departure

Details?

Customs and Immigration

Customs

Details?

Immigration

Nationals and citizens of the following countries are exempted from obtaining a visa before entering Kiribati where the intended duration of their stay is 30 days or less: Belize, Micronesia, Macao (only in respect of holders of Macao Special Administrative Region Passports), Marshall Islands, Palau, Republic of China (Taiwan), Republic of (South) Korea.

Nationals and citizens of the following countries specified are exempted from obtaining a visa before entering Kiribati:

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Grenada, Greece, Hong Kong (only in respect of holders of British Nationals Overseas passports and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports), Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Poland, Portugal, Romania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Bahamas, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United Kingdom Overseas Territories of (Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands), United States of America, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Fees and Charges

Restrictions

Health and Security

Health

  • Don't drink the water without boiling or filtering. Chemical treatment is not recommended as it may not prevent giardiasis. The lagoon (especially around Beito) is heavily contaminated, and may make the entire island segment smell bad at times. Always ask first before going out in the water at each location on South Tarawa -- no matter how inviting it looks. This is a good idea on other islands too.
  • Get a hepatitis A shot, and be up-to-date on all your other vaccinations, preferably several weeks beforehand.
  • Mosquitos can be very bad at times, so use repellent. Be sure to bring your own insect repellent and sunscreen, as these are not available locally.
  • There's no malaria, but dengue fever outbreaks (mosquito transmitted) do sometimes occur.
  • The fish caught locally may give you food poisoning (ciguatera), so be extra careful. Ciguatera is not preventable by cooking or freezing the fish.
  • Promptly treat even the smallest cut, sore, or insect bite, as these can become infected very easily.
  • Don't expect any needed medications to be available. (Some are, but you never know what is or when.)

Security

Kiribati is generally a safe place to travel. However, it may be risky to be outside after dark in Beito or along the beach in South Tarawa, especially for single females. However, virtually all problems are caused by drunk males, not career criminals.

Berthing

Key to symbols: |Island icon – island |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |Needs data icon – needs data ||
  • Tarawa Tarawa /wiki/Tarawa Island icon – island |Needs data icon – needs data |
    BetioBetio/wiki/Tarawa Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |
  • Kiritimati (Christmas Island) Kiritimati (Christmas Island) /wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island) Island icon – island |
    LondonLondon/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island) Port of entry icon – port of entry |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • Tabuaerean (Fanning Island)Tabuaerean (Fanning Island)/wiki/Tabuaerean_(Fanning_Island) Island icon – island |Needs data icon – needs data |
  • NapiaNapia/wiki/Tabuaerean_(Fanning_Island) Port of entry icon – port of entry |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • Banaba Banaba /wiki/Banaba Island icon – island |Needs data icon – needs data |
  • Banaba AnchorageBanaba Anchorage/wiki/Banaba Port of entry icon – port of entry |Needs data icon – needs data |

Amenities

See individual islands and/or ports.

Provisioning

See individual islands and/or ports.

Eating out

See individual islands and/or ports.

Transportation

Tourism

History

Give a short history of the island.)

Places to Visit

List places of interest, tours, etc.

Friends

Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

References

  • Sailing Directions (Enroute)- Pub 126 Pacific Islands (Seventh Editon 2005).
    Prepared and published by the NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Bethesda, Maryland

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

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