Flight Destinations
Flights to Kiribati
Places in Kiribati
Flights to Africa
Flights to Asia
Flights to Australia
Flights to Caribbean
Flights to Central America
Flights to Europe
Flights to Indian Ocean
Flights to Middle East
Flights to North America
Flights to Pacific Islands
Flights to South America
Situated in the Central Pacific Ocean, the Republic of Kiribati is an island nation which consists of 32 atolls and one island, but is spread over a huge area of 1.351 million square miles. Despite the great tropical location, just above and below the equator, Kiribati is not the world’s best tropical destination for a number of reasons, including the difficulty of getting there!
Travellers planning flights to Kiribati will encounter numerous flight transfers as there is no one airline offering flights to Kiribati all the way from the UK. Flight reservations will first have to be booked to Nadi in Fiji (airport code: NAN) with a connection in the United States, Australia or Korea, depending on the airline. From Nadi travellers can book a flight with Air Pacific who offer non-stop flights to Kiribati (airport code: TRW) twice a week from Nadi.
The Tourist Attractions of Kiribati
Kiribati (pronounced Kiri-bass) has the potential to be a popular tourist destination, though unfortunately things aren’t looking too good for it. This is a very poor nation and the money to make the infrastructure up to Western standards is just not there. There are some hotels in Kiribati but facilities may be more basic than expected; Kiribati certainly would not make a good destination for travellers looking for a luxurious tropical island getaway.Travelling Around Kiribati
Kiribati has three island groups, called the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands. The Gilbert Islands are the easiest to get to and around, as it is here that Kiribati’s international airport (Bonriki International Airport) is located.
Air Kiribati offers flights between the atolls within the Gilbert Islands, so exploring these is relatively easy. However, due to the vast distances between the Gilbert Islands and the Line and Phoenix Islands, Air Kiribati does not have planes capable of flying this distance, and hence these are not linked. Travelling by boat would be possible, but again due to the huge distances this would take a long time, and is not something that tourists would generally do.
Kiritimati (Christmas Island)
One of the top destinations of Kiribati was Kiritimati, within the Line Islands group of atolls. Up until 2008 it was possible to fly here with Air Pacific who flew between Honolulu and Nadi, Fiji. However, because the runway has deteriorated it is no longer safe to land large planes at Kiritimati’s international airport and so services were suspended.
This will be a huge blow to Kiritimati as this was a popular destination, and with far fewer tourists visiting now the economy is bound to suffer.
All of the above makes Kiribati sound like a terrible place to visit, though this isn’t entirely true! The people are very friendly and welcoming and there are places to stay. If you’re looking for a relaxed pace of life where you can enjoy beaches with hardly a sole in sight, and great scuba diving, Kiribati is worth the effort required to get here!