Category: Kiribati Top List Travel
Source: https://top-list.co/top-things-to-know-before-traveling-to-kiribati-v2311.html
- Where is Kiribati
- History of Kiribati
- Kiribati people
- How to get to Kiribati and around
- Visit Beautiful beaches
- Kiribati cuisine
- Best time to visit
- Where to stay in Kiribati
- Snorkeling and Diving
- Take part in Festivals in Kiribati
Where is Kiribati
Kiribati is made of three island groups, the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands, a UNESCO site and one of the world’s largest marine protected areas. From the Marshall Islands in the west to the Cook Islands in the southeast, all three island groups are located near the Equator. Since its independence from the British Empire in 1979, the country has been known as the Gilbert Islands, but it now uses the local translation of the name, similar to Tuvalu.
Despite its large size, land makes up only about 811 square kilometers of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer country, with the Kiritimati Islands accounting for 75% of the total (also known as Christmas Island). Kiribati is made up of 32 coral atolls, the majority of which are highly vulnerable to climate change due to their low altitude. Banaba, a raised coral island, is also present. Tarawa is the capital of the Gilbert Islands, and it is where the majority of the population lives. However, the population is dispersed across 21 islands, and the main islands are connected by a network of internal flights and ferries operated by Air Kiribati.
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History of Kiribati
Before the arrival of Samoans and Fijians between the 14th and 16th centuries, Kiribati was populated by Micronesians thought to have come from Southeast Asia or Indonesia. Gilbert, an English explorer who visited the islands in the 18th century before they became a British Protectorate in 1892 with Tuvalu, and a colony in 1916, gave it its English name. Kiribati, unlike Tuvalu, was invaded by Japanese forces during WWII and severely damaged. The Japanese guns discovered on Tarawa’s shore are some of the war’s relics.
Phosphate was discovered in some parts of Kiribati and mined by the British, who even relocated the population of Banaba Island to Fiji at the end of WWII to facilitate mining. Kiribati, along with the Marshall Islands, was the site of several British and American nuclear tests after WWII, mostly on Kiritimati Island and the Malden Islands, between 1957 and 1962. The test had disastrous consequences for the local population as well as civilian and military personnel from the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia, which were all British colonies at the time. Marine and wildlife populations were also impacted. Kiritimati is now a protected area and a popular fishing destination around the world. This is unquestinably one of the interesting things to know before traveling to Kiribati.
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Kiribati people
The Kirati people, also spelled as Kirant or Kiranti, are a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group. They are indigenous peoples of the Himalayas, mostly the Eastern Himalayas extending eastward from Nepal to North East India. Locals continue to live a traditional lifestyle and have a strong sense of personal pride. These people have mutual respect. The locals are ecstatic to see tourists arrive and enthusiastically welcome them. Tourists who come here are often surprised by the behavior of the locals. In terms of Kiribati’s western society, residents, religious leaders, and tourists are all treated with great respect, regardless of sect. The learning path of interesting facts about Kiribati will astound you.
It has a number of different communities, each with its own set of rules. This particular law is decided by the village head or elders in order to maintain order and harmony in cities; these laws should be respected and followed. The people of Kiribati are ecstatic and will warmly welcome you.
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How to get to Kiribati and around
The majority of the passports do not require a visa for Kiribati making it a relatively easy country to visit. You will have to fill in a landing card when you arrive, and complete customs and agricultural quarantine questionnaires. You can find the visa requirements via the Emirates website which uses IATA information.
Renting a car or scooter is the best way to get around Kiribati. There is limited public transportation, and a car makes more sense than a scooter if there are at least two of you. Because of the heat and the 80+ speed bumps on Tarawa, it is also more practical. If you want to rent a car, you should inquire at the hotel where you are staying. You can probably rent a car from them. There’s no need to sign contracts or show your driver’s license; you’re basically borrowing someone’s car, and everything is very informal. Because the speed limit is only 40 km/h, driving Tarawa from beginning to end takes about an hour.
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Visit Beautiful beaches
If you visit Kiribati, you must see the beautiful beaches. It is one of the most exciting things to know before traveling to Kiribati. Beautiful golden beaches, empty streets, and crystal clear waters are all features that many people seek when planning a dream vacation, and they are the norm in some of the world’s least visited destinations. Kiribati is located in the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Australia and Hawaii. Kiritimati is the largest island in the republic, covering 384.4 square kilometers.
Kiribati is known for its beautiful beach shorelines all over the world. Kiribati has a lot of beautiful beaches, and the vast majority of them are clean and serene. Sea Beach shorelines are plentiful and of generally high quality, boasting some of the best shorelines on the planet. Tourists keep their beaches clean and free of trash. With so many to choose from, it’s difficult to narrow down the top ten best sea beach shorelines in Kiribati. The following are some of Kiribati’s most recent best beaches.
Aside from that, if you enjoy swimming or the sea life, Phoenix Island can meet your needs. The world’s largest marine protected area is the island of Phoenix. A grand landscape is created by the stunning combination of sandy sea and blue lagoon. One of the most fascinating aspects of Kiribati is its beautiful sandy beach. Kiribati should be visited at least once in your life if you want to have a memorable journey.
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Kiribati cuisine
In Kiribati, everything is perfectly designed for visitors. The best beach, sand, sun, and, most importantly, the food can all be found here. The delicious food is one of the cool things about Kiribati. Kiribati’s cuisine is distinct from that of other regions, and this can be attributed to the country’s rich cultural heritage. Tourists come to Kiribati for the seafood. Although rice and fish vegetables are the most popular foods in Kiribati, you will have the opportunity to sample a variety of seafood. If you’re a non-vegetarian, Kiribati’s finest non-vegetarian seafood can be found between the beach and the natural views.
Kiribati’s traditional cuisine is based on rice and fish, with sashimi that is as good as it gets. The palu sami (a coconut cream-curry powder-taro leaf-seaweed concoction) is a Kiribati specialty, but visitors should try it with chicken or pork rather than plain. Try the pandanus fruit with coconut cream if you’re in the south.
In Kiribati’s main towns, there are numerous eateries, including fast food and Chinese restaurants. Amms Restaurant (Betio, South Tawara), Matarena’s Restaurant (Bairiki, South Tawara) near the wharf, and the Café are all options in Bairiki and Betio (Bairiki, South Tawara). In Betio, you can also get fish and chips. The Ambo Lagoon Club (Ambo, South Tawara), which has a pool and sports on TV, is a good place to eat and drink. There’s also a maneaba meeting house nearby, which hosts local feasts and movie screenings
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Best time to visit
Kiribati is a sea Iceland, so the weather is pleasant from April to October. Traveling to Kiribati between April and October would be ideal. Rainfall occurs in the western region from November to March. More gentle winds and currents flow here in May, making the tourists happy. Travel is discouraged in December due to the weather, which includes strong winds and heavy rains.
The dry season, which lasts from July to October, is the best time to visit Kiribati. When it rains, flooding and bad weather occur due to rising sea levels, making a visit difficult because most of the activities are outdoors and rely on good weather. Temperatures in Kiribati are relatively constant throughout the year, ranging between 24 and 31 degrees, but high humidity heightens the sensation of heat during the stay, especially when the sun is shining. Tarawa is a city in Kiribati, a pioneer in tourism. Every year, tourists from all over the world visit Tarawa, so you should do the same.
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Where to stay in Kiribati
Although the number of visitors is slowly increasing, Kiribati is not a tourism-dependent country, so the facilities are limited and often fall short of international standards. Fortunately, Kiribati lacks the luxury resorts that have spoiled other tropical paradises such as French Polynesia and Fiji, which is part of the fun.
There are some 3 star motels in South Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island), but on the smaller islands, there is almost nothing more than very simple houses built in Kiribati style, where you can experience real life (at least some nights in this kind of accommodation, for example in Abemama or in North Tarawa or in Abaiang, is definitely recommended to better enjoy local culture and traditions). Most accommodations, particularly those provided by local families, are difficult to find or book online, but your travel consultant (see below) will assist you in planning the ideal experience for you. This is unquestinably one of the important things to know before traveling to Kiribati.
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Snorkeling and Diving
Many tourists travel to sea destinations because they enjoy snorkeling or diving, one of the most interesting things to know before traveling to Kiribati; therefore, before planning a trip to Kiribati, consider whether the islands provide opportunities for these exciting activities. In general, snorkeling and diving are possible in Kiribati, but they pale in comparison to other destinations in the South Pacific, such as Indonesia. The issue isn’t so much with the atolls’ geology or biology as it is with the local outfitters, who are frequently unprepared to organize these excursions. The boats are frequently unfit for use, and no one knows where the best snorkeling spots are.
Furthermore, the coral reefs on the ocean or lagoon sides of the atolls are not connected to the island by appropriate docks, making swimming from the beach impossible (and quite dangerous). Kiritimati (Christmas Island), in the Line Islands archipelago, is an exception, where some operators offer snorkeling excursions to nearby coral reefs, and a spot in the lagoon offers some good chances to swim with dozens of manta rays. Instead, if you’re interested in fly fishing, Kiribati (especially Kiritimati) is the place to go, with plenty of opportunities for enjoyment. Other activities in Kiribati are hiking, biking, visits to traditional villages, excursions to deserted islands, sightseeing, island hopping: the islands have so much to offer, that the only limitation is how long you can stay there.
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Take part in Festivals in Kiribati
Kiribati’s holidays feature a diverse range of activities, from the first New Year’s celebrations to a lively Independence Day “week” and a raucous Christmas season. Traditional singing and dancing can be enjoyed at any time.
Some of Kiribati’s best festivals include:
- New Year’s Day. It is the first day of the year. Kiribati is the first country in the world to welcome the New Year, albeit on the Line Islands, with celebrations taking place all over the country. There is something going on in every bar and guesthouse, as well as traditional celebrations at the local maneaba (meeting house).
- Independence Day. This is the main event on the Kiribati social calendar, celebrating the day the Gilbert Islands gained independence from Great Britain in July of 1979. Though the holiday officially takes place on July 12, the festivities last for several days, starting around the 9th. You can sees most of the action, including obligatory canoe races, kite-flying and traditional dance, along with wrestling, rugby and other sports ventures.
- Youth Day. August 4 sees the forward-thinking government focus its energy on the Kiribati youth, with the promise of better opportunities through various workshops and programs. Churches and meeting houses see most activity.
- Betio Game Fishing Competition. This is a popular event among expats in South Tarawa, with a monthly competition and weight-ins at Captains Bar in Betio to see the biggest catches.
- Kiribati Music and Dance. Kiribati folk music and dance is unique to the region, with chanting accompanied by body percussion and guitar, while dance is typically bird-like with costumed performers. Maneaba have music and dance nightly in-season.
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