Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a scattered constellation of 29 coral atolls and 5 isolated islands strewn across nearly two million square kilometers of the central Pacific Ocean. Yet all that land adds up to just 181 square kilometers—roughly the size of Washington, D.C. This is a nation defined not by land but by water: the endless blue of lagoons, the deeper blue of open ocean, and the navigational genius required to connect such far-flung specks of coral.

Life in the Marshall Islands revolves around the lagoon. These calm, sheltered waters—some among the largest enclosed lagoons on Earth—provide food, transportation, and the rhythm of daily existence. Outrigger canoes still ply routes their ancestors charted centuries ago. Reef fish, coconut crabs, and breadfruit sustain communities. And the traditional knowledge of wave patterns and star paths represents one of humanity's most sophisticated non-instrumental navigation systems.

For visitors, the Marshall Islands offer world-class diving (including the ghost fleet of Bikini Atoll), pristine beaches with virtually no crowds, and a glimpse into Micronesian culture largely untouched by mass tourism. But this is not an easy destination: flights are infrequent, accommodations basic, and the islands face existential threats from climate change.

⚠️ Travel Advisory: The Marshall Islands are safe but remote. Bikini Atoll requires special permits. Climate change poses an existential threat—several islands are already being abandoned due to rising seas.

The islands are named after British explorer John Marshall, who sailed through in 1788. But the Marshallese people call their homeland "Aelon Kein Ad" — "these islands of ours" — a phrase that captures the intimate relationship between people and place. The Marshallese language belongs to the Micronesian branch of Austronesian languages.

Marshallese society is matrilineal: land rights pass through the mother's line, and the iroij (chiefs) derive their authority from complex genealogies tracing back to legendary ancestors. Christianity, brought by American missionaries in the 19th century, has become deeply woven into Marshallese identity. Church is the social center of village life.

The Marshall Islands form two roughly parallel chains: Ratak ("sunrise," the eastern chain) and Ralik ("sunset," the western chain). Together, these 29 atolls and 5 single islands stretch across 1,200 kilometers of ocean. Each atoll is a ring of coral islets surrounding a lagoon—the remnant of a volcanic island that sank beneath the waves millions of years ago.

Kwajalein Atoll boasts the world's largest lagoon by enclosed area—2,174 square kilometers of sheltered water. The average elevation across all islands is just 2 meters above sea level—making the Marshall Islands among the most vulnerable nations to sea-level rise.

Micronesians settled the Marshall Islands at least 2,000 years ago, developing remarkable navigation traditions. Germany purchased the islands from Spain in 1885, establishing copra plantations. Japan seized control during World War I and fortified the atolls. World War II brought devastating combat.

Between 1946 and 1958, America conducted 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands—including the catastrophic Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb at Bikini Atoll, 1,000 times more powerful than Hiroshima. The Republic gained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States.

Majuro is home to roughly half of the Marshall Islands' population—about 25,000 people crowded onto a narrow ribbon of land rarely more than a few hundred meters wide. The main islets are connected by causeways, creating a single road that stretches 35 kilometers.

The Alele Museum preserves Marshallese artifacts including traditional stick charts and canoe models. Laura Beach, at the atoll's western end, is considered one of the finest stretches of sand in Micronesia. The weekly flight from Honolulu brings tourists, returning islanders, and supplies.

Kwajalein Atoll encompasses the largest lagoon on Earth—a vast expanse of turquoise water stretching 120 kilometers long. Kwajalein Island hosts the U.S. Army's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site; the Marshallese population lives primarily on Ebeye, where 12,000 people occupy just 0.36 square kilometers.

Diving in the lagoon reveals a ghost fleet of WWII Japanese ships and aircraft, remarkably preserved in the clear, calm waters.

Bikini Atoll's name evokes the nuclear age's most powerful explosions. Between 1946 and 1958, 23 nuclear devices exploded here, including the 1954 Castle Bravo test—at 15 megatons, the largest American nuclear explosion ever. The Bikinian people were relocated and have never fully returned.

Today, Bikini is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lagoon floor holds sunken target ships including USS Saratoga and HIJMS Nagato. These wrecks offer some of the most extraordinary diving on Earth—though only accessible via expensive liveaboard expeditions.

Marshallese navigation represents one of humanity's greatest intellectual achievements. Without instruments, navigators crossed hundreds of miles of open ocean, detecting subtle changes in wave patterns caused by distant islands interrupting ocean swells.

The famous "stick charts" (rebbelib, mattang, meddo) were teaching devices made from palm ribs, encoding information about wave refraction and reflection. This knowledge nearly vanished but has experienced a remarkable revival through programs like Waan Aelõñ in Majel.

Marshallese cuisine is shaped by atoll resources: coconut in every form, breadfruit, pandanus, and reef bounty. Fresh fish—tuna, mahi-mahi, parrotfish—forms the protein foundation. The traditional earth oven (um) steams fish and pork wrapped in banana leaves.

Coconut crabs (birõ), the world's largest terrestrial arthropods, are a prized delicacy. Modern cuisine reflects American influence—rice has replaced breadfruit, and Spam appears in countless dishes.

Jadrik

Pandanus Fruit Preserve

Ingredients: 4 ripe pandanus fruit sections (keys), or substitute 200g canned jackfruit + 50g coconut cream + 15ml pineapple juice, 100g sugar, 100ml water, 1g vanilla extract (optional).

Preparation: If using fresh pandanus: extract the soft flesh from between the fibrous core. If using substitute: drain jackfruit and blend coarsely with coconut cream and pineapple juice to approximate pandanus texture and flavor. Combine fruit (or substitute), sugar, and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, as the mixture thickens. This takes 30-45 minutes. The preserve is ready when it reaches a thick, jam-like consistency that holds its shape. Add vanilla if desired. Pour into a clean jar while hot. The jadrik thickens further as it cools. Serve spread on bread, with fresh fruit, or as a topping for coconut rice pudding.

💡 Fresh pandanus is rarely available outside the Pacific. The jackfruit substitute captures the texture and some flavor notes, though nothing truly replicates the real thing.

Mackerel and Coconut

Ik Ko

Ingredients: 300g fresh mackerel fillets (or any firm white fish), 250ml coconut milk, 1 small onion (sliced), 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 small tomato (chopped), 5ml lime juice, Salt and pepper to taste, Fresh cilantro for garnish.

Preparation: Cut fish into serving portions. Season with salt and pepper. In a wide pan or skillet, combine coconut milk, onion, garlic, and tomato. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Nestle fish pieces into the coconut milk mixture. Spoon some of the liquid over the fish. Cover and simmer gently for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness of fish, until fish is just cooked through and flakes easily. Carefully remove fish to serving plates. Stir lime juice into the sauce and taste for seasoning. Spoon sauce over fish, garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

💡 Don't boil the coconut milk vigorously—gentle simmering keeps it smooth and prevents separation. The sauce should be creamy, not oily.

Pinikei

Sweet Coconut Balls

Ingredients: 150g fresh grated coconut (or desiccated, rehydrated), 75g sugar, 30ml coconut cream, 2g vanilla extract, Pinch of salt.

Preparation: If using desiccated coconut, soak in warm water for 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture. Combine coconut, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add coconut cream and vanilla, mixing until the mixture holds together when pressed. The consistency should be moldable but not wet. Use your hands, form small balls about 3cm in diameter, pressing firmly so they hold their shape. Place on a parchment-lined tray. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up. Pinikei can be eaten as is, or lightly toasted under a broiler until golden on top for added flavor. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

💡 Fresh young coconut makes the most tender pinikei. If using desiccated, choose the finely shredded variety for best texture.

Visa: US citizens enter freely. Most others receive 30-day visa on arrival.

Getting There: United Airlines' "Island Hopper" from Honolulu/Guam, twice weekly.

Getting Around: Shared taxis in Majuro. Inter-atoll travel by Air Marshall Islands or boat.

Money: US dollar. Credit cards accepted at major hotels only. Bring cash.

Health: Limited facilities. Bring medications. Evacuation to Honolulu for serious cases.

Best Time: December-April (drier). Consistently warm year-round (27-30°C).

Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Site (2010): Inscribed as a symbol of the nuclear age. The site includes the sunken target fleet and craters left by nuclear detonations, acknowledging both its historical significance and the ongoing tragedy faced by displaced Bikinians.

"The Marshall Islands teach a paradox: that people can master the vastness of ocean while remaining vulnerable to its smallest rise. In their stick charts lies wisdom; in their atolls, a warning."

— Radim Kaufmann, 2026