South Tarawa
Kiribati
- Safety rating
- 6.5/10
- Best time to visit
- The drier months from April to October are the most pleasant for visiting. Conditions are hot and humid year-round given its equatorial location.
- Population
- 0.1M
Overview
The densely populated capital atoll of Kiribati strings together islets along a turquoise lagoon in the central Pacific. Remote and rarely visited, South Tarawa offers a raw glimpse of atoll life, WWII history, and the realities of a nation on the climate frontline.
Top attractions
Explore WWII relics from the Battle of Tarawa, visit the Betio battlefield sites and gun emplacements, and experience daily life along the lagoon and maneaba meeting houses.
Getting around
Shared minibuses run along the single main road linking the islets, and taxis are available. Distances are long and stretched out along the narrow atoll.