Top Nauru hotels
There are very few stores on Nauru; the only large store is Capelle & Partner on teh north coast. This is a type department store, with a wide range of imported products. There is almost nothing to buy that is produced in Nauru, except for some paperweights made from Nauru phophate rock.
The east coast of Nauru is the only part of the island that I would call beautiful. This is also the least populated part of the island. It is possible to swim among the coral pinnacles here. But there is no real beach. In fact, if you are looking for beaches, don't come to Nauru; there is really only one small sand beach, and it is very dirty.
Here is a photo of the coral pinnacles, near the Buada Lagoon. The phosphate was found between these coral pinnacles, and was built up from centuries of bird droppings. Now that the vegetation of the interior is all gone, Nauru's temperatures have heated up. The heat and humidity in Nauru now are quite extreme for a small island.
When I was in Nauru in 2001, the phophate train was still bringing phosphate from the interior to the coast, where it was loaded onto ships. Here is a photo of it. It's a small train on a narrow track.
It is impossible to discuss Nauru without talking about phosphate. In the 1970's, Nauru became one of the richest nations on earth, on a per capita basis, by mining phosphate from its interior. Now, its interior is mined out, and what remains is pinnacles of coral, which used to be hidden beneath the soil. Unfortunately, the phosphates are now gone, the money has dried up, most of the savings are gone, and Nauru is quite a poor country again.
Here, the Air Nauru jet is crossing the main ring road around Nauru, on its way to the terminal. Sadly, Air Nauru no longer exists, having gone into bankruptcy a few years ago. This might have been anticipated, as it had a very large jet, but very often only a few passengers. When I flew it, there were only 25 to 30 passengers on a very large plane.
Just because it's a Pacific island doesn't mean it's all beautiful beaches! Far from it, sadly. The beaches in Nauru are usually too shallow and rocky to make for good swimming, plus there is danger from strong currents, so you really have to be careful. However there are options if you know where to look.1) Boe/Yaren beach - this is a nice beach and the shallows are OK to bathe in. You can swim properly in Boe Channel, although its pretty thin and you can't go very far out. It's just a few minutes walk from Aiwo.2) Anibare harbour - the best swimming spot. A relatively new harbour which sees very little boating activity so it's still very clean and safe. It's also deep and wide, so you can have a proper swim here rather than just a paddle or bathe. It looks gorgeous in the afternoon, too. A short walk from the Menen Hotel or five minutes by car, 25 minutes by pushbike from the...
The number one attraction in Nauru is the "moonscape" in the centre of the island, known locally as Topside, where the phosphate mining takes place. After the phosphate is removed, only coral pinnacles are left, which creates a most bizarre landscape. Now that mining operations are scaling down, vegetation is returning to the area, so it is no longer the blazing white wasteland of yesteryear.There are no tours and no public transport in Nauru so you'll need to either get a local to take you to Topside or have your own wheels. It's too far to walk from "town"or either of the hotels.
Not much. Well, if you like fishing and you've got a boat to use, they have great Tuna fishing. umm, what else.....I can't think of anything. In 2003 there was no night life. They had one bar at the hotel but that was it. There's a little China Town to browse around. Lots of little Chinese Restaurants to eat at. They're mostly small restarants with plastic chairs and tables. The power use to go out all the time so I was always worried about eating meat from any place that didn't have their own generator.
Moqua Well - I haven't been there but there's an underground lake which is good for swimming and also some caves to explore. I didn't go because I didn't have a torch. But apparently it's worth checking out, so head to Yaren district, then go to the M&M shop to the right of the airport and ask somebody in there to show you to entrance (you won't find it otherwise).Command Ridge - the highest point in Nauru, from where you can see all around the island, as well as some war relics. Again, I haven't been there because I didn't realise I needed a car and by then it was too late. As with Topside, ask a local to take you or get a car and ask for directions.Other war relics - there are Japanese pill boxes at various locations dotted around the coast. I also saw some rusted relics on Yaren beach. I just stopped for a look whenever I saw something that looked like a war relic. For more precise...
Reviews and photos of Nauru attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Nauru sightseeing.
Q: Hi all! I am a spanish traveller planning a trip to the Pacific. Does anyone know how to get a visa for Nauru? is it upon...
A: Not a problem Jose. Here is a website that tells you all you need to know. http://nauru.visahq.com/
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