Why is a trip to the Marshall Islands worthwhile?
In the Marshall Islands, extraordinary history and extraordinary nature meet: Bikini Atoll holds one of the most striking wreck-diving sites in the world, remnants of 23 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958, while outer atolls such as Arno or Jaluit still show largely traditional island life. At the same time, the country is among the states most threatened by climate change on Earth.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands lies in the central Pacific, around 3,700 km southwest of Hawaii, and consists of 29 atolls and 5 single islands with a total of around 1,225 larger and smaller islands. Since 1986 the country has been in free association (Compact of Free Association) with the USA; formal independence under international law followed in 1990.
Variable details – fees, entry rules, flight schedules – reflect the status as of September 2026.
What kind of destination are the Marshall Islands?
With around 42,400 inhabitants on just 181 km² of land area, the Marshall Islands are among the most sparsely populated countries on Earth overall and, depending on the atoll, at the same time among the most densely crowded. Touristically, the country is a niche destination: those who come are usually seeking either technical wreck diving or a deliberately very unspoiled Pacific experience.
Around half of the population lives in the capital atoll of Majuro, a large part of the rest in Kwajalein Atoll around the densely populated island of Ebeye. On the numerous outer atolls, often only a few hundred people live from fishing, copra production and subsistence farming.
Traditional society is organised matrilineally: land rights are inherited through the female line, and traditional chiefs ('iroij') still hold real influence alongside the parliamentary democracy, especially on the outer atolls.
Economically, US support payments under the Compact of Free Association, fishing licences, and – since the nuclear tests of the 1950s – an ongoing compensation process shape the country more strongly than tourism does.
What belongs on a trip through the Marshall Islands?
Practically every trip starts in Majuro, the only place with tourist infrastructure and an international airport. From there, Bikini as a specialised diving destination and Kwajalein with its military history are the best-known destinations, while the numerous outer atolls can only be reached with a lot of time and one's own logistics.
Majuro – the capital lagoon
Majuro consists of 64 islets along a roughly 40 km long, elliptical reef surrounding a 114 km² lagoon. The urban centre is spread across the three merged islets of Delap, Uliga and Djarrit (known as 'DUD'); at the western end of the atoll, around 50 km away, lies the quieter district of Laura with the country's most popular sandy beach.
Majuro's only road follows the narrow ring of islets between the lagoon and the open Pacific – in places the island is barely wider than the road itself, a striking image of the atoll's vulnerability to storm surges.
Bikini Atoll – diving into history
On Bikini, the USA detonated 23 of the country's total 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958, including on 1 March 1954 the 'Castle Bravo' test with around 15 megatons of explosive yield – the most powerful hydrogen bomb ever detonated by the USA and around 1,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. The population had previously been relocated and, because of continuing radioactive contamination, has to this day been unable to return permanently; since 2010 the atoll has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a memorial to the power and consequences of nuclear weapons testing.
In the lagoon, war and test ships sunk by the detonations still lie today, including the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga at a depth of around 51 m – at just over 270 m long, the largest diveable wreck in the world – as well as the former Japanese flagship HIJMS Nagato. Access and dives are possible only through a few specialised liveaboard operators and in coordination with the Bikini island community, which manages the ships itself.
Kwajalein and Ebeye
Kwajalein encloses, at around 2,170 km², one of the largest lagoons in the world and has hosted the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, an active US missile testing facility, since the 1960s. Marshallese employees of the facility are not permitted to live on Kwajalein itself and instead live on the neighbouring island of Ebeye, with around 13,000 people on just 32 hectares one of the most densely populated islands in the world – a direct consequence of the relocations that accompanied the missile tests.
The outer atolls
Atolls such as Arno, Jaluit or Ailinglaplap are barely visited by tourists, but in return show a still largely traditional island life with copra production, fishing and outrigger canoes. Without a fixed ferry schedule, they are usually reachable only by small aircraft or cargo ships and with a lot of planning of your own.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Marshall Islands Guide (infomarshallislands.com) · Wikipedia · Wikipedia
When is the best time to visit the Marshall Islands?
It is driest from December to March, with around 137 to 162 mm of rain per month in Majuro, while the second half of the year is noticeably wetter with up to 276 mm in October. Bikini diving trips take place exclusively from May to September, when the sea is calm enough for the multi-day crossing by liveaboard.
Majuro: average daily highs and lows and monthly rainfall
| Majuro | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 |
| Low °C | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 |
| Rainfall mm | 161 | 137 | 162 | 227 | 211 | 223 | 252 | 234 | 260 | 276 | 267 | 224 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station MAJURO ATOLL WEATHER CENTER (7 km, 4 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
The Federal Foreign Office notes strong, at times typhoon-like winds as well as possible flooding and landslides as infrastructure risks; unlike the parts of Micronesia further west, the Marshall Islands do not lie at the centre of the classic typhoon tracks, but regularly feel their tail ends.
Even outside the actual storm season, temporary flooding must be expected on the low-lying islands during spring tides – a circumstance that has less to do with the season than with the generally rising sea level, and can be practically relevant when planning a trip to Laura or the outer atolls.
Water temperature stays at around 28 to 29 °C year-round, so the time of year plays a smaller role for dives on Majuro's reefs than for Bikini: there, the severely restricted accessibility outside May to September rules out any trip planning from the outset, regardless of the weather.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany
What do you need to enter the Marshall Islands?
Swiss, German and Austrian nationals do not need a visa for tourist stays, but do need a passport valid for at least six months beyond the trip as well as a return or onward flight ticket. On departure, an additional airport fee of USD 20 is charged, from which children under 12 and people over 60 are exempt.
Accepted travel documents are a passport, a temporary passport and a children's passport; an identity card is not sufficient. A particular rule applies for longer stays: the Austrian Foreign Ministry requires a mandatory HIV test for a stay of more than 30 days or if taking up employment is intended.
The relevant official bodies are authoritative: the Federal Foreign Office, the BMEIA, and the immigration authority of the Marshall Islands. The FDFA does not maintain a dedicated country page for the Marshall Islands; the general travel information for Switzerland applies.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria
What vaccinations and precautions do you need for the Marshall Islands?
One particular feature compared with many other Pacific nations: the BMEIA names proof of measles vaccination for all travellers aged six months and up as a requirement. The CDC additionally recommends hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid for most travellers; malaria does not occur.
According to the CDC, dengue fever is a year-round risk with outbreaks roughly every two to five years, plus a Zika risk – consistent mosquito protection with DEET-based repellents of 20% or higher is recommended. Other risks named by the CDC include leptospirosis and the rare hantavirus.
The Federal Foreign Office describes basic medical care as ensured only in Majuro and Ebeye; on the outer atolls there are at best simple health stations. Travel health and repatriation insurance as well as a well-equipped travel medical kit are therefore especially important, as is medical evacuation insurance for Bikini diving trips far from any infrastructure.
Sources: CDC Travelers' Health · Federal Foreign Office, Germany
How safe are the Marshall Islands for travellers?
The Federal Foreign Office and the BMEIA describe the domestic political situation as stable; check the current situation with the FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office and the BMEIA. Violent crime against travellers is rare; occasional pickpocketing or bag snatching occurs in Majuro.
A bigger practical risk than crime is natural hazards: the seismically active location brings earthquake risk, and strong, at times typhoon-like winds as well as flooding and landslides can temporarily affect the limited infrastructure between the atolls.
A particular feature applies on Kwajalein: access to the actual island is severely restricted because of the active US missile testing facility and is only possible with prior authorisation; travellers there move almost exclusively on Ebeye.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria
How do you get to the Marshall Islands?
The international airport is Marshall Islands International Airport (MAJ) near Majuro, with nonstop connections to 22 destinations in 4 countries, mostly within United Airlines' Island Hopper route. There is no direct nonstop connection from Europe; the only intercontinental link is the flight from Honolulu, with further connections towards the Federated States of Micronesia and Guam.
United Airlines flies the full Island Hopper route Honolulu–Majuro–Kwajalein–Kosrae–Pohnpei–Chuuk–Guam twice a week; the longest leg, Honolulu–Majuro, takes around 4.5 hours. On Kwajalein, passengers are not permitted to leave the aircraft because of the facility's military use.
Within the country, Air Marshall Islands and United Airlines connect Majuro with Kwajalein, while irregular small aircraft serve other outer atolls such as Jaluit or Arno – there is no fixed flight schedule for most of these routes.
There is no scheduled flight to Bikini: access is exclusively via specialised liveaboard boats that depart from Majuro from May to September and take only technically certified divers.
Sources: AeroRoutes · FlightConnections
How do you pay in the Marshall Islands?
The national currency is the US dollar, so currency conversion only arises for travellers from non-dollar countries when exchanging money. Common credit cards are, according to the Federal Foreign Office, generally accepted, but mainly in Majuro and Ebeye – on the outer atolls, cash is practically indispensable.
ATMs exist only in Majuro and in limited numbers on Ebeye; anyone continuing on should carry enough cash for several days, since card payment is barely possible outside the two centres.
Tipping is more common than in the neighbouring states of Micronesia: in restaurants, 10 to 20 % is often given, at hotels around USD 2 to 5 per stay or piece of luggage – the actual amount depends on the quality of service.
Bikini diving trips are almost always paid in advance to the liveaboard operator in US dollars, including the access fees payable to the Bikini island community; on site, at most tips for crew and guides are payable.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · tipping-in.com
Where do you stay in the Marshall Islands?
The only notable choice of hotels and guesthouses is in Majuro, mostly in the urban centre DUD or near the quieter Laura Beach. On Ebeye and the outer atolls there are only scattered, simple accommodations with no fixed booking platform.
Large international hotel chains are absent; medium-sized, often partly state-supported hotels as well as smaller guesthouses are common. For Bikini diving trips, the question of accommodation doesn't arise anyway: you stay exclusively aboard the respective liveaboard.
Anyone wanting to visit the outer atolls should organise accommodation early through local contacts or tour operators on site, since spontaneous booking on arrival is usually not possible.
What do you eat and drink in the Marshall Islands?
Traditional cuisine relies on fish, coconut, breadfruit and pandanus; because of the small land area and poor soils, a large part of staple foods is imported. Copra, the dried flesh of the coconut, remains an important source of income for many outer atolls to this day.
In Majuro, alongside local fish, imported rice and meat dishes also shape the menu, while on the outer atolls diet depends more heavily on fishing, coconut and a few cultivated crops such as pandanus and breadfruit.
One traditional dish is 'jaibo', a sweetish porridge made from fermented pandanus, prepared mainly on the outer atolls and rarely encountered by travellers outside private invitations.
What traditions shape the Marshall Islands?
Central to the cultural heritage is traditional seafaring: 'stick charts' made of coconut ribs and shells encoded wave patterns between the atolls and enabled navigation entirely without a compass. Society remains matrilineally organised, with traditional chiefs ('iroij') who still hold real authority alongside parliament.
Stick charts came in three basic forms: 'mattang' for learning basic principles, plus 'meddo' and 'rebbelib' for navigating between specific island groups. Experienced navigators felt interference patterns of waves broken by distant islands literally with their own bodies, while lying in the hull of the outrigger canoe.
The greeting 'Iokwe' means welcome, farewell and a form of affection or compassion all at once, summing up the local culture, described as especially hospitable, in a single word.
On 1 March, Remembrance Day is observed nationwide, commemorating the victims of the nuclear tests – named after the anniversary of the 1954 Castle Bravo test; on 1 May follows Constitution Day, commemorating the signing of the constitution in 1979.
What can you experience in the Marshall Islands?
For technical divers, wreck diving in Bikini's lagoon is by far the most defining, but also the most demanding, experience the country has to offer. Those who don't dive explore Majuro by bicycle or on foot, swim at Laura, or experience a very direct version of Pacific everyday life on Ebeye and the outer atolls.
Bikini diving trips are aimed exclusively at technically certified divers with at least PADI Tec 50 or an equivalent qualification and around 100 logged dives; the season is limited to May to September, when the sea is calm enough for the multi-day crossing.
In Majuro itself, the narrow ring of islets between the lagoon and the open Pacific is well explored by bicycle; sport fishing for marlin and tuna as well as snorkelling on the reefs around DUD are among the more easily accessible activities.
Anyone travelling to the outer atolls experiences copra processing, traditional canoe building and – with a bit of luck and local help – a ride on an outrigger canoe built to traditional design.
Sources: Bluewater Dive Travel
How do you travel environmentally consciously in the Marshall Islands?
The Marshall Islands are among the countries most threatened by climate change: a joint 2021 study by the government and the World Bank shows that a one-metre sea-level rise would permanently flood around 40% of all buildings in Majuro. Travellers thus experience directly, on site, what is often discussed only in the abstract elsewhere.
According to official figures, the highest natural point in the country lies at around 14 m on the island of Airik in Maloelap Atoll, but most inhabited islands average only around 2 m above sea level – even ordinary spring tides can temporarily flood roads and properties.
The compensation process, still ongoing, for the victims of the 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958 remains politically unresolved: an international tribunal did award damages of over USD 2 billion, but only around USD 270 million has been paid out so far. Anyone visiting Bikini Atoll directly supports the descendants of the once-relocated population through the diving fees, which are managed by the local island community itself.
Sources: ReliefWeb / SPREP · Arms Control Association
What can a trip to the Marshall Islands be combined with?
Via the Island Hopper route, Majuro connects easily with the Federated States of Micronesia and Guam, since the same United flight serves both destinations. Via Nauru Airlines there is also a rare nonstop connection towards Kiribati.
Travellers coming from Hawaii use Honolulu as the only intercontinental transfer point; anyone continuing further towards the South Pacific can, via Nauru Airlines on the route Majuro–Tarawa–Nauru–Brisbane, reach as far as Australia in a few legs.
Sources: AeroRoutes
Who are the Marshall Islands suited for, and who less so?
The Marshall Islands suit technically skilled wreck divers, those interested in history, and anyone seeking a very unspoiled, little-touristed Pacific destination. They are less suited to travellers expecting classic beach holidays, comfort or a dense tourist offering.
- Well suited: technically certified wreck divers; history enthusiasts focused on nuclear tests and the Pacific War; travellers who deliberately want to visit a climate-change frontline country.
- Less suited: recreational divers without technical certification, since Bikini is accessible only to advanced divers; anyone seeking classic beach resorts or a broad tourist offering will find practically none of that in the Marshall Islands.