The Phoenix Islands Protected Area covers 408,250 square kilometers of ocean and stands as one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2010. The area encompasses eight atolls and two submerged reef systems in the Phoenix Islands group, lying roughly 1,800 kilometers southeast of Tarawa. Kanton Atoll holds the only permanent human presence within the protected area, with a small population maintaining a weather station. The protected area contains 14 recorded seamounts, documented coral communities across 800 species, and over 200 coral species. Divers require expedition-level logistics to reach these waters. No commercial tour operators run scheduled trips. Private yacht expeditions and scientific research vessels account for nearly all visitation.
Betio islet on Tarawa Atoll preserves the visible remains of the Battle of Tarawa, fought between United States Marines and Japanese forces from November 20 to November 23, 1943. Red Beach marks the primary landing site where U.S. forces came ashore. Japanese concrete bunkers, gun emplacements, and coastal defense structures remain in place along the shoreline and throughout the settlement. Several eight-inch naval guns sit in their original positions. The tide that morning remained too low for landing craft to clear the reef, forcing Marines to wade several hundred meters under fire. The battle killed approximately 1,000 U.S. Marines and 4,700 Japanese and Korean laborers over 76 hours. A memorial on Red Beach lists the names of American dead. Additional memorials mark Japanese positions. Visitors walk freely among the fortifications. No admission fee applies.
Kiritimati Atoll, known internationally as Christmas Island, encompasses 388 square kilometers of land area, making it the largest coral atoll by land area in the world. The atoll lies 232 kilometers north of the equator in the Line Islands, approximately 3,200 kilometers east of Tarawa. Britain and the United States conducted 33 nuclear weapons tests on and near Kiritimati between 1957 and 1962. Operation Grapple by Britain in 1957 and 1958 detonated nine hydrogen bombs. The United States conducted 24 tests as part of Operation Dominic in 1962. The main settlement of London houses approximately 6,500 residents. The atoll contains more than 200 lagoons, most hypersaline and separated from the ocean. Bonefish, giant trevally, and several species of sharks inhabit the flats and lagoons. Fly fishers travel to Kiritimati specifically for bonefish averaging 2 to 4 kilograms. Fiji Airways operates the only scheduled commercial service, with flights from Nadi approximately once weekly depending on season.
Millennium Island, previously named Caroline Island, became the first land area to enter the year 2000 under the standard time zone system. The uninhabited coral atoll lies at 150 degrees west longitude in the Line Islands. Kiribati moved the international date line eastward in 1995, placing the Line Islands one day ahead of the previous arrangement. Millennium Island sits 2,200 kilometers southeast of Tarawa. The atoll measures roughly 3.7 kilometers long and 1.6 kilometers wide, with a land area of approximately 3.8 square kilometers. Scientists documented 44 breeding seabird species on the island during surveys in the 1980s and 1990s. The atoll remains uninhabited. No tourism infrastructure exists. Access requires private vessel or chartered expedition.
Tabiteuea Atoll consists of two main sections, Tabiteuea North and Tabiteuea South, separated by a channel. The combined atoll population numbered approximately 5,200 in the 2020 census. The atoll lies roughly 200 kilometers south of Tarawa. Tabiteuea North contains one of the largest lagoons in the Gilbert Islands, measuring approximately 50 kilometers in length. Traditional canoe building continues on both sections of the atoll. Craftsmen construct te wa, outrigger sailing canoes, using techniques passed across generations. Wood comes primarily from breadfruit trees. Coconut fiber forms the lashing. Pandanus leaves create the sails. Racing canoes reach lengths of 8 to 10 meters. Villages on Tabiteuea North and South maintain several dozen active sailing canoes. Inter-village races occur during national holidays and local celebrations. Air Kiribati operates irregular service from Tarawa to landing strips on both Tabiteuea North and South, with flights dependent on weather and aircraft availability.