More a sprinkling of far flung coral atolls than dry land, more deep blue ocean than sandy beach, more coconut trees than people, more Catholic church than ancient island beliefs. Kiribati (pronounced kee-ree-bus) is far away, hard to get to, untouristed and deeply religious. It is also blessed with myriad reefs, billions of gaudy fish swarming over the coral, and host to plenty of WWII wrecks. The atolls are scattered over the equator so the weather is dependably warm, though often tempered by cool breezes off the sea.
Tarawa, Kiribati's capital, may not be the Venice of the Pacific, but you do have to negotiate the main sights by causeway and inter-island boat. While modernity is rearing its ugly head, locals still welcome travellers as rarely seen curios. Although there's not much organised activity, it's not hard to find diving and game fishing in most places. And idyllic beaches are never far from anywhere if you want to escape with a book or a diving mask.
The Micronesians populated Kiribati sailing in from the South Pacific between 200 and 500AD. Sighted by Spanish explorers in the 16th century, they were named the Gilbert islands after Captain Thomas Gilbert who passed them in 1788. Kiribati gained full independence in 1979.
Nature
There is a wildlife sanctuary on Christmas Island plus extensive populations of birdlife. Fish are found in profusion in Christmas Island's lagoon and the ocean waters are home to bonefish, trevally, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, groupers and sharks.
Sights
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