Kiribati will present the tourists with an unusual and most remote tourist destination. Tourism in Kiribati is in its developmental stage. Kiribati is a group of islands in Micronesia situated across the equator, and till 1995, it was spanning across the International Date Line as well. The country moved ahead in the spotlight in the year 2000, by changing the International Date Line and announcing the isolated Caroline Island as the first place to see the dawn of the New Year. This, however, caused heated arguments with the neighboring contenders of Tonga and Fiji, who also vie for the position of the first dawn. The islands of Kiribati are replete with numerous coral reefs, dazzling beaches of white sand and crystal clear azure waters of lagoons.
Kiribati is pronounced as Kiribass and earlier, the islands were called as Gilbert Islands during the colonial rule of the British. UK granted Kiribati self rule in 1971 and total independence in 1979. Kiribati comprises of 3 main island groups that are situated in Central Pacific. The main island groups are Phoenix Islands, Line Islands and Gilbert Islands including Banaba. All the 33 islands are low lying coral reefs with coastal lagoons, except for Banaba, which is a coral reef formation rising up to a height of 265 feet. The major vegetation of the island is made up of pandanus trees and coconut palms. The island is completely devoid of streams and hills. Drinking water is procured from wells and storage tanks.
Kiribati has experienced fierce fighting during WW II in the Pacific region. The worst fighting was seen in November 1943 in the Battle of Tarawa, wherein there was a loss of thousands of Japanese and American lives. You can see many relics of this war in the islet of Betio. Krk Island is a historical site of great importance, as it was the first island where the Union Jack was hoisted by Captain Davis in 1892. The famous Robert Louis Stevenson lived on this island in the year 1889. Krk Island is also home to wildlife sanctuaries. The tourists will find ample opportunities of enjoyment and recreation at Kiribati. Betio has a diving club and North Dakota has the facility of a diving resort. Christmas Islands have beautiful bird sanctuaries.
Weight belts and bottles are supplied to the divers, but they have to get their own masks, fins and regulators. It is necessary to do advance booking as the rental equipment is in short supply. Tarawa is a popular spot for swimming and the hotels guide the tourists regarding the accessibility. You can take advantage of a chartered trimaran of 36 Norman Cross type with auxiliary power and sail. Other sports like tennis, squash, soccer, fishing and many water based activities can also be enjoyed at Kiribati. The tourists can reach Kiribati by flying to Fiji. You can also explore the possibility of Round the world fare from Star Alliance or OneWorld. Air Pacific operates two non stop flights in a week from Fiji and Nadi. Fiji and Nadi have fight connections with Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and United States. Kiribati is also accessible by cruise of the Norwegian Cruise Lines. The inter island travel in Kiribati is possible with the help of two turboprop aircrafts of Air Kiribati.
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