Kiribati Transportation Tips by ollyf

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Kiribati has two international airports, at opposite ends of a country that is as wide as the United States (although most of it is water!). I went to Tarawa in the west, which is only accessible from Nauru or Fiji. Christmas Island in the east is accessible via Hawai'i.

I haven't been to Christmas Island, so can only tell you about getting to and from Tarawa. Fiji would be the more convenient route for most visitors, as it's a lot easier to get there than it is Nauru. I went via Nauru because I visisted there too, but if you don't want to stay in Nauru you can stay on the same flight, the full route of which goes Brisbane-Honiara (Solomon Islands)-Nauru-Tarawa and back once a week. The service is operated by Air Nauru, although they are currently running charters with Alliance Airways of Australia due to not having their own plane at present.

It's a long and expensive journey. My ticket was AUS$1670 for a return, although it's cheaper if you don't get off at Nauru, or more expensive if you get off at Honiara as well. All the way from Brisbane to Tarawa takes about 10 hours, including three refuelling stops. The plane is small, likely to be full, and has no entertainment facilities (not even a magazine), so take your own.

The flight from Nadi in Fiji to Tarawa is also once a week and similarly an Air Nauru charter by Alliance. However Air Nauru lost its bid to renew the leg, so Air Pacific of Fiji will take it over in the near future.

As long as the charter situation continues (no end in sight), it's difficult to plan well in advance because Air Nauru only releases each month's schedule about four to six weeks prior. Check www.airnauru.com.au for the latest information and contact details for their various offices.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Domestic travel is through Air Kiribati, which currently uses the grand total of ONE plane with 19 seats. It goes to all the Gilbert Islands from Tarawa, with each island being serviced once, twice or three times per week, but with the limitations of only having one small plane, plus a heavy sprinkling of "island time", you can expect delays, cancellations and unannounced rescheduling of timetables. Also, book well in advance and check in with plenty of time to spare because the flights are usually full up and/or reach maximum weight limits. Arrange to come back to Tarawa a few days before any international flight, just in case you are hit with one of the problems above.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: There are regular boat services around the Gilbert Islands and, inter-Kiribati, your only option is by boat, too, as Air Kiribati doesn't fly to the Phoenix or Line Islands. To get from Tarawa to Christmas Island (Kiribati's two most popular points), you either fly out of Tarawa to Fiji or Australia, transfer to Hawai'i, and fly to Christmas from there, or get the boat, which takes TWO WEEKS!

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'Mode': TO
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: There are occasional cargo boat services to and from Tarawa ex Tuvalu and Fiji. If you have enough time, the Tuvalu-Kiribati boat is a MUCH cheaper way of getting between these two isolated countries than the overpriced flights.

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