Kiribati Hotel Tips by ollyf

I went straight to Tabon Te Keekee Homestay on arrival at Tarawa. It's situated in Abatao village in North Tarawa, the rural half of Kiribati's capital island and a world apart from its urban neighbour, South Tarawa. I stayed in a traditional thatched bungalow on stilts over the lagoon. It was basic but very comfortable and quiet. There was electric running to the bungalow but toilet and washing facilities are shared. There is no running water so you have to slosh rainwater over yourself to wash. A basic breakfast and dinner is included in the price (AUS$45 per night). For lunch, you can get the short boat ride to South Tarawa or, if you are lucky like me, be befriended by locals who will invite you to eat with them (actually a common experience in Kiribati).

Unique Qualities: The location is the attraction here. North Tarawa is really beautiful and you can walk for many miles between the various islets when the tide is out. When I did this, I met very friendly locals and was a repeated source of open-mouthed amazement for some of the younger children who may well have never seen a white person before. When the tide is in, the lagoon looks stunning; an absolutely brilliant blue, with South Tarawa on the horizon. There is no fan or air conditioning but a good breeze keeps you cool at night and the sound of lagoon lapping underneath you lulls you to sleep quickly.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$20-40  » Currency Converter
Address: Abatao village, North Tarawa
Directions: Take a bus to Buota, the furthest eastern point on South Tarawa, then get a to Abatao (5 minutes). Alternatively, arrange the accommodation and transfer in advance by going to the Air Nauru office in Bikenibeu, South Tarawa and speaking to Veronica.

The Otintaai was at one time the ONLY hotel in Kiribati and even now remains the best one, although elsewhere in the world would be rated as a two-star. This is where most of the business travellers go. It was evidently once a much better place but not been maintained much in recent years. As a result, they now offer budget rooms as well as superior ones. There's a decent but not outstanding restaurant and bar there and a loud disco on Friday nights. Good fun if you go but annoying if you don't, as you can't escape the noise until the early hours. All the budget rooms are large, with a double bed, fridge, air con, desk, cold water bathroom and balcony facing the lagoon.

Unique Qualities: Beautiful lagoon views, very friendly staff, free internet if you have a wireless laptop (AUS$10ph otherwise), reasonable location, reasonable price. They also offer islet tours on Saturdays (didn't go). Cockroaches occasionally a problem, but you can't avoid that in this part of the world.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$20-40  » Currency Converter
Address: Bikenibeu district
Directions: Everybody knows the hotel, so any bus or taxi can take you there. Otherwise, if you're using your own car, there's only one main road that goes through Tarawa, so you won't miss it! (Head west from the airport)

I stayed in King's Motel simply for a change of scenery and also because Betio is the only place in Kiribati that has any kind of bar culture. I was due to take a domestic flight, but it was cancelled, so instead of returning to the Otintaai in Bikenibeu, I headed for Betio. It's a squalid, overpopulated town, full of rubbish and a horribly polluted lagoon. There are some interesting war relics, though, and as said, the only chance of a proper night's drinking in Kiribati outside of Friday nights. If you're not into that, there's no reason to stay in Betio. The war relics can be seen on a day trip. Anyway, I stayed here after a bit of searching around since the Betio Motel has closed down. The Seaman's Motel is apparently a real dive. King's Motel is decent - clean, comfortable and new. You get a doubled bed, air con, desk, telephone and cold water bathroom. For an extra AUS$20 you can have self-catering facilities.

Unique Qualities: Not much, just a decent room and the convenience of being in Betio (also a commercial centre, by the way, so you might want to be close to the workplace if you're here on business). You can't get out of Betio after 8pm as the buses stop running then, so an overnight stay is the only option if you want a night out. Friendly staff.

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Theme: Motel
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$20-40  » Currency Converter
Address: Betio district
Directions: A bit difficult to describe and no street addresses in Kiribati! Go to the tourism office in Betio and ask for directions from there.