Kiribati Hotels and Resorts

Abaiang

The island of Abaiang is in the Northern Kiribati Group. It has a population according to the 1978 census of 3,608 and a total area of 16 square kilometres.

Most Gilbertese (I-Kiribati) people believe that their ancestors were spirits, some created in Samoa and some in Kiribati, and that it was the movement from Samoa that populated the Kiribati Islands for the first time. Modern researchers would agree that a recent migration did probably occur from Samoa to the Gilberts about 500 to 600 years ago.

According to the legends of Beru and some other islands Te Kaintikuaba, was made from the spine of Na Atibu. It was a tree, in Samoa, which was the home of spirits who, together with Nareau the Wise, made the islands of Tungaru (the Kiribati islands). It is a legend that has many variations.

As one legend goes, Nareau the Wise was in Samoa, procreating with the spirits there. One day, he decided to trace the whereabouts of his two children who left Te Kaintikuaba. He left Samoa, heading north, and on his way he created a resting place by trampling the sea and uttering powerful magic. Behold, land was formed with spirits inhabitants on it. This land is now called South Tabiteuea. Feeling satisfied with his marvellous work, he left and went further north. At last, he sighted Tarawa. He stayed on Tarawa and started his work of creating new lands. He used his power to create Makin, Butaritari, Marakei, Abaiang, Maiana, Kuria, Abemama and Aranuka. These are now referred to as the islands of North Kiribati.

The land mass occupies fully a third or more of the shallow reef structure and is positioned mostly towards the northeast edge of the reef. In maximum dimension the islet is 13.9 km long, and varies in width between 0.5 and 2.9 km. Extensive spit development has created the nearly enclosed Tabiang Lagoon at the north end. Mangroves are present here.

A small lagoon or barachois at the northern tip is surrounded by man-made fishponds, as is a similar feature at the south end of the islet.  A 3 km long barachois with extensive mangroves occupies the interior south of Nuka Lagoon. A causeway is present across the inlet mouth and a landing strip is present on the interior flats.

Travel to Tabiteuea

By Air Kiribati from Tarawa, or by Kiribati Shipping Corporation from Tarawa.

Yachts may call travelling southwards having entered Kiribati at Tarawa. Beru is not a port of entry, so special clearance is required for yachts trying to enter directly. Note: Policy with respect to yachts tends to evolve fairly rapidly - please let me know of any recent experiences.

Butaritari is wet and green, with around 4m (157in) of rain a year, and its name roughly means 'smell of the sea' in I-Kiribati. It lies in the northern Gilberts, placing it just over the line in the North Pacific. Described as 'the land that Time picked up but dropped', Butaritari is not far from Tarawa but may seem a world away. One of the main features of the island is the fried breadfruit, a different variety from that found elsewhere in Kiribati.

You can get around by canoe to nearby Makin Island via a beautiful passage through the reef. The island is littered with war relics, including downed aircraft. Fierce fighting took place here in 1942 when a group of US Marines slipped in behind Japanese lines in a feint operation designed to draw attention from the main front through the Solomons. Hollywood later immortalised the operation in a film that had little similarity to the real events, appropriately enough called Gung Ho, and starring Ronald Reagan.

Location & Geography

Butaritari is one of the larger atolls in the Gilberts chain of Kiribati, located just south of Little Makin at 3° north of the equator. The atoll is roughly 4-sided and nearly 30 km across in the east west direction, and averages about 15 km north to south. The reef is more submerged and broken into several broad channels along the west side. Small islets are found on reef sections between these channels. The atoll reef is continuous but almost without islets along the north side. In the northeast corner, the reef is some 1.75 km across and with only scattered small islet development. Thus, the lagoon of Butaritari is very open to exchange with the ocean. The lagoon is deep and can accommodate large ships, though the entrance passages are relatively narrow.

The south and southeast portion of the atoll comprises a nearly continuous islet, broken only by a single, broad section of interislet reef. These islets are mostly between 0.2 and 0.5 km across, but widen in the areas where the reef changes directions. Mangrove swamps appear well developed in these latter areas as well as all along the southern lagoon shore. Narrow islets is somewhat characteristic of Kiribati atolls running E-W.

Bikati and Bikatieta islets occupy a corner of the reef at the extreme northwest tip of the atoll, bordering what may be a second small lagoon to the north of the main lagoon. Larger Bikati (2 by 0.5 km) harbors a village. The main village is Butaritari, population now probably about 1800 to 2000. This is the largest village outside of Tarawa. The total island population must now be close to 4000.

Travel to/from Butaritari

Ship from Betio, Tarawa. Air from Tarawa several times per week, perhaps including direct links to other islands of the northern Gilberts (Makin, Marakei and Abaiang). The runway in Butaritari has been extended to the full length of the old WW2 American strip (about 5000 feet?) and a service Tarawa - Butaritari - Majuro operates. [If my memory does not deceive, this is just what the Island Council were clamouring for back in 1969!]. The new airport building is in the old GEIDA soft drink factory (sic transit Peoria mundi! for the Kiwis amongst us). The international schedule is up in the air somewhat. Canoes can travel from Butaritari to Makin through an artificial reef passage - a beautiful trip. Make sure you stop at Kiebu on the way.

Tarawa is not a single town but a group of islands surrounded by a coral atoll, and apart from the south where causeways link the islets, you'll need a boat to navigate around the main features. The international airport is on Bonriki in the south-east corner, which also hosts the new hospital and fish ponds. The central government offices, Parliament building, President's Office and Residence, central post office, bank, library and archives, and various other official buildings including the Air Kiribati Travel Agency are all on Bairiki Island.

Betio Island, probably the most populous in Kiribati, has the port, shipyard and main power station, and it's where you'll go if you need to cool your heels overnight in jail.

The name 'Tabiteuea' means 'chiefs are forbidden', and the society of the islands is egalitarian with no nobility. It is the largest and most populous outer island, and parts of Tabiteuea South are among the most beautiful in Kiribati. Traditional culture remains strong, with traditional dancing, singing, and magic still playing a significant role in people's lives. While Tabiteuea is not geared up for tourists, you could contact the Catholic Mission if you are stuck for a place to sleep.

Location & Geography Tabiteuea is about 400km (248mi) from Tarawa, and you can reach it by Air Kiribati from Tarawa, or by Kiribati Shipping Corporation from Tarawa. A large populous island in the Southern Gilberts, running north to south with the atoll on the east and a lagoon open to the sea on the west. Split into many islets and divided administratively and politically into Tabiteuea North (Meang) and Tabiteuea South (Maiaki). The central portion is sparsely populated. Parts of Tabiteuea South are some of the most beautiful in Kiribati. There are two airports, one in the north and one in the south. Ships can enter the lagoon in both the north and the south, but can not come too close in shore.

Travel to Tabiteuea

By Air Kiribati from Tarawa, or by Kiribati Shipping Corporation from Tarawa.

Yachts may call travelling southwards having entered Kiribati at Tarawa. Tabiteuea is not a port of entry, so special clearance is required for yachts trying to enter directly. [Such clearance might be more easily obtained if you offer to pay for the air fare and subsistence of a customs officer to fly down from Tarawa - this would give you access to the less visited islands with yacht capable lagoons without doubling back on yourself - Nonouti, Abemama].

North Tabiteuea is the refuelling point for Air Kiribati 'long haul' flights to the Southern Gilberts. this means that there are many planes through each week going southwards to Tabiteuea South, Onotoa, Beru, Nikunau, Tamana and Arorae. Seats on inter-outer island flights are usually easy to come by - it's getting seats to and from Tarawa that is the difficulty. If you ever get stranded - go back to Tarawa in hops. If you can get to Maiana you should be able to hire a boat. Tabiteueans have learnt the hard way that aviation gasoline is not a suitable motorbike fuel.

Accommodation

Current status unknown. There is probably a rest house run by the island councils in the north and in the south. In emergency I suggest that you contact the Catholic Mission in Tabiteuea North. Bring a good supply of stick tobacco (couple of blocks) as presents and you should be able to find somewhere to stay. Definitely bring your own mosquito nets, but leave attitudes behind.