Top Five Reasons Why You Should Travel To Nauru

Aerial View of Nauru

Nauru as seen from an airplane (source: Wikimedia Commons)

For those of you that would like to venture to the South Pacific Ocean and vacation near the Marshall Islands, you’ll find a wonderful tropical island and country by the name of Nauru. However, if you plan to travel there, a visa for Nauru will be required. Although the process for obtaining a visa for Nauru is a little complex, you’ll find that it will be necessary to adhere to the visa requirements in order to obtain one. Once you’ve obtained the proper documentation, you’ll be able to travel to this beautiful island and observe many of its beautiful sights, sounds, and experiences.

The Island of Nauru

Nauru is a beautiful tropical island located southwest of the Marshall Islands and northeast of the Solomon Islands. The climate in this wonderful area is tropical, which means that during the months of November thru February you may experience quite a bit of rainfall. Nevertheless, with year-round daily temperatures of 30°C, there is always abundant sunshine to be enjoyed.

Formerly known as Pleasant Island, Nauru was first settled by Micronesian and Polynesian people some three thousand years ago, when it was home to twelve tribes, all of which are represented on the twelve-point star of the nation’s flag. In 1798, British explorer John Fearn became the first Westerner to discover the island and since then it has seen many changes. Annexed to Germany in 1888, phosphate was discovered by the British in the early 1900s which became a great source of income. During WWII, Nauru was occupied by the Japanese and eventually gained independence in 1968.

This island consists of a number of beautiful sandy beaches, coral reefs, and lagoons that provide comfort, activity, and excitement. If you’ve been thinking about the ideal vacation destination on a beautiful tropical island in the South Pacific, the island of Nauru might just provide exactly what you’ve been looking for.

For those planning a vacation to this wonderful location, below you will discover five of the top reasons why you need to travel to this beautiful island:

1. Viewing the Island by Air

Landing into Nauru

The approach into the Nauru International Airport (source: Flickr)

Have you ever wanted to see an entire country by air? Well, flying over Nauru is surely the way to do it. As you approach the island and begin your descent to Nauru International Airport, you’ll be able to gaze out of the window at palm-fringed beaches and crystal blue water, green hills and moon-like landscapes. This is a once in a lifetime photo opportunity, so have your camera at the ready.

2. Sightseeing

It may be famed as a beach island, but Nauru is also home to some interesting historical sights, in particular the older government buildings in Anibare Bay and Command Ridge, Nauru’s highest point where you will find remnants of a Japanese WWII stronghold in addition to being presented with spectacular views of an entire country. One place not to be missed on the island is Buada Lagoon. This lagoon is the only body of water located on the entire island. It is surrounded by vegetation and large dense palm trees. This is an ideal location for those that simply like to relax and spend some time enjoying the tropics.

3. Outdoor Pursuits – Hiking, Exploring, and Climbing

If you are the type of traveler that likes to do more than relax on stunning beaches, there are plenty of active pursuits to enjoy on Nauru. The area surrounding the island’s phosphate mine is perfect for hiking as it is encompassed by a picturesque green belt. Furthermore, with a circumference of only 18km, you might want to spend a day walking around the whole island. Make sure to take plenty of water and stop off at the different beaches to cool down.

4. Shopping

For those that would like to enjoy shopping, you’ll find that Nauru will be able to accommodate your needs. Arts and crafts shops are sprinkled around the villages selling locally-made artifacts representative of the island’s culture.

5. Water Sports

If you are a diver, swimmer, or a lover of game fishing, you will have your hands full when it comes to these activities. Surrounded by colorful and unspoiled coral reef, Nauru is the perfect destination for scuba diving and snorkeling  and you’ll find numerous dive centers offering excursions and equipment rental. For keen anglers, Nauru’s waters are filled with barracuda, marlin, skipjack and yellowfin tuna, amongst others, thus perfect for game fishing trips. April to December is the prime fishing season and locals are more than happy to take you out on their private boats.

Getting There and Around

The pleasantly named Our Airline (aka Air Nauru) is your route to the island. Flights depart from Brisbane, via Honiara (Solomon Islands) and continue on to Tarawa (Kiribati) and Majuro (Marshall Islands). Once landed, there is no public transport, but being such a small island, many things are within walking distance. For travel between the various villages and beaches, you’ll need to ask around for bike rentals, or hitch a ride with a local.

Visa Requirements

A visa for Nauru will come in two types, a tourist and a business. The process is a little tricky if you don’t already have one. If you plan to find information at the US State Department, don’t bother because they don’t provide instructions on how the process works. Of course, with any visa, you need to make sure you’re eligible. Once you’ve determined that you are, you’ll want to consider the steps below.

* Book a flight from Brisbane, Australia into Nauru
* Book a hotel in Nauru
* Email the Nauru Consulate from Brisbane asking them to provide a visa for Nauru
* Obtain the permission email allowing you to enter Nauru
* Present your passport on arrival allowing Nauru to process your visa
* Don’t forget to pick up your materials once the process has been completed

Once you’ve obtained a Nauru visa, you’ll be able to enjoy this beautiful island paradise by yourself, with your friends, loved-one, or your entire family.

Further Reading

About Addison Sears-Collins

Hey! I'm Addison Sears-Collins, the founder of Visa Hunter. You can learn more about me here. Connect with me by liking my fan page on Facebook, connecting with me on Twitter, or check out my website Automatic Addison where I build robots and embedded systems.

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