101 Best Things to Do in the Marshall Islands: The Ultimate List

Few experiences capture the Marshall Islands better than spending a day on a palm-fringed islet surrounded by turquoise lagoon water. For an easy taste of that castaway life, Eneko Island is hard to beat.

Just a 20-minute boat ride from Majuro, this conservation island sits in a stunning lagoon of aqua blues and greens, ringed by soft white sand.

Day trippers pay a reasonable fee, which includes round-trip boat transfers and the island entry fee, and are free to swim, snorkel on the lagoon side, barbecue, beachcomb and rinse off with the freshwater facilities on shore.

Snorkel gear is available to borrow (though limited to five sets, so first in, best dressed), and the lagoon-facing side of the island is the recommended spot to get in the water.

Do bring your own food and drinks, as there are no shops or cafés on the island, but there are bathrooms. Tickets and boat transfers are arranged through Hotel Robert Reimers. If you'd rather not leave, basic overnight accommodation is also available.

Another worthy island day trip, Bokanbotin Island boasts one of the best marine conservation areas we've seen in Majuro - a must if snorkelling is on your holiday agenda.

The centrepiece of any day visit is the "Bus Stop" gazebo, a waterfront gazebo named by the crew (no buses come out here, surprisingly). Positioned slightly apart from the main area for privacy, it's the perfect place to watch boats drift through the main channel while doing absolutely nothing, which, frankly, is the whole point.

Below the gazebo, you can snorkel directly off the coral drop to find four giant clams, believed to be the only ones in Majuro, in a protected conservation area. Smaller clams can also be spotted just off the top of the reef. Round it out with a walk along the "COVID Trail," a ten-minute loop built by the crew during lockdown when materials were scarce.

Snorkelling masks and fins are available on site, though it's better to bring your own since availability is limited. Do bring your own food and drinks though; there is no restaurant on the island yet, and the small emergency shop runs to little more than ramen noodles.

That's right, not only is WAAN Aelõñ in Majel (Canoes of the Marshall Islands) a fascinating museum to visit, but they also offer what is arguably one of the most memorable sailing trips in the Pacific!

Step inside the museum to find detailed mock-ups of traditional canoes, along with displays showing how they were crafted using pandanus-woven sails and sennit rope made from coconut fibre. A guide is usually on hand to walk you through the exhibits, though you're equally welcome to explore at your own pace if they're tied up (no pun intended).

Then, take it a step further with a 30-minute traditional canoe sail on the Majuro Lagoon, departing from near the harbour. The sail is peaceful, unhurried and genuinely memorable; up to 12 people can join, though solo visitors are welcome too.

Entry to the museum is completely free. Canoe rides are very affordable. Book ahead by calling to arrange a time, Monday to Friday. Note that rides depend on the tide and wind conditions.

If you're looking to take something genuinely meaningful home, Marshallese handicrafts are hard to beat. These aren't the kind of mass-produced souvenirs you'll find everywhere; they're handmade pieces using traditional techniques and natural materials that have been passed down through generations.

Leipajid is a fabulous handicraft shop to start your search...

Celebrating over 30 years in business, this beloved shop was founded by Cradle Aniñj Alfred, born in Likiep Atoll, and continues to be a hub for local weavers who bring in their work to be sold alongside pieces sourced from the outer islands.

Browse necklaces, bracelets, obons (woven wall hangings), rose (ear flowers), baskets and more, all made by hand by skilled artisans.

The wall hangings are the most popular item and, as our editor-in-chief Laura can confirm, also the hardest to fit in a suitcase (smaller versions are available, fortunately). Large baskets are available as custom orders, so don't be shy about asking.

Find Leipajid open from 8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Keep an hour of your Saturday free, because Elefa Handicraft offers a unique way to take a piece of the Marshall Islands home with you.

First, the shopping experience goes like this...

Local ladies craft beautiful jewellery and keepsakes right before your eyes using shells, while coconut fibres and other materials sourced from Majuro and the outer islands.

Earrings and flowers are the most popular items, alongside necklaces, bracelets and magnets, with special pieces from Arno Atoll also available. What makes this place genuinely special is that no two pieces are quite the same.

On Saturdays, you can book a one-hour handicraft workshop where local ladies will teach you to make your own necklace, earrings or bracelet using the same materials they work with daily. Classes are tailored to what you'd like to make, and all materials are supplied.

Book your Saturday class through their Facebook or Instagram pages and drop in any other day (9 am to 5:50 pm, Monday to Friday or 1 pm to 5:30 pm, Saturday) to browse and shop.

More than a souvenir shop, Happy Hands brings together carefully selected pieces from artisans across the Marshall Islands, making it one of Majuro’s most distinctive places to find gifts with a genuine connection to the outer atolls.

Step inside (shoes off at the door, as per local custom) and you'll find a genuinely curated selection of Marshallese crafts, from obon (woven wall hangings) and head garlands to the ever-popular flower-behind-the-ear piece known locally as rose.

Items are sourced from skilled artisans across the atolls, including Aur and Ailuk Atoll, giving each piece a real sense of place. You'll also find canoe carvings, Christmas decorations and Bob Whisky from Marshall Islands Pandanus Co., among other fine gifts.

Happy Hands is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday, and the team also runs a second store opposite the local Catholic church.

The most well-equipped dive operator in Majuro, Raycrew Marine Services offers fun-filled recreational dives and snorkelling trips from their base at the Marshall Islands Resort.

Your guide, Hiro, and his team offer relaxed, lagoon-based diving across around 10 to 12 carefully selected sites for divers of all experience levels, including complete beginners and snorkellers.

When it comes to dive sites, Raycrew focuses on quality over quantity, showcasing the lagoon's healthier reefs. Highlights include the "Enemanit Wrecks" off Enemanit Island, where a plane, helicopter and shipwreck encrusted with patches of coral sit at recreational depths of 16-50 ft (5 to 15 m). The tide-dependent "Aquarium" site rewards patient visitors with sharks, jackfish and napoleonfish, while "Mountain" and "No. 9" offer a dramatic coral formation from 6 ft (2 m) dropping to around 100 ft (30 m) and "Heaven's Hill" is a sandy area scattered with large and small coral heads.

Snorkelling trips are also available alongside dive boats. Wetsuits are limited in size range, so it's worth bringing your own; water temperatures are warm enough that many divers go without. Otherwise, your divemaster Hiro has all the gear you need for a comfortable, fun and safe dive or snorkel, including a spacious dive boat. There's also at least one divemaster, as well as crew that stays on the boat.

Hang Loose runs full-day fishing charters out of Majuro, and if you're serious about getting out on the water, this is the one to book.

You'll be targeting marlin, tuna, wahoo and other pelagic species across some of the Marshall Islands' most impressive reefs, with room for up to seven guests alongside the captain and crew. All gear, a cooler and ice are included, and you can bring your own food or add a catered lunch option (honestly, worth it just to avoid the faff).

Spearfishing is a particular speciality here. Venture more than 25 mi (40 km) from Majuro and you're in a different world entirely, where the reefs feel almost prehistoric in their density of coral and fish. We're big fans of this part of the trip; it's the kind of underwater scenery that reminds you why you came out here in the first place.

If a full day on the water sounds like a lot, the "Sunset Cruise" is a fine alternative. It departs around 4 pm for a leisurely lap of the lagoon as the light fades, which is, frankly, a lovely way to end an afternoon.

Whatever your dream adventure on the water is, Beven from Salty Services has most likely got you covered.

The boat charter offers everything from fishing trips and snorkelling tours to island-hopping picnics and scuba diving, all led by a local conservationist who happens to be the only Marshallese scuba instructor in Majuro.

The full-day fishing charter runs for up to six passengers with all gear included and a meal on board, whether that's sandwiches or something freshly grilled out on the water. Trolling is the specialty, with targets including skipjack tuna, yellowfin, mahimahi, wahoo, barracuda and the occasional marlin.

Prefer to spend the day on a remote island? The island-hopping and picnic drop-off option leaves at 9 am and picks you back up at 5 pm, with snorkelling stops at spots known for giant clams.

Scuba divers are also well catered for, with occasional dive tours and open water courses available through Salty Services' partnership with dive operator, Raycrew.

An essential stop, ideally early into your visit to get plenty of context for exploring the Marshall Islands, the Alele Museum is compact yet brimming with wisdom!

Entry is free, as is the guided tour (there's a donation box if you'd like to contribute), and guides are a genuine wealth of knowledge. Inside, you'll move through rooms packed with traditional tools made from clam shells, outrigger canoes, navigation stick charts, finely woven jaki-ed mats and fishing instruments.

Four rotating photographic exhibits are on display, including images of chiefs and chieftesses from the German colonial period and a sobering record of the 67 nuclear detonations carried out on Bikini and Enewetak atolls between 1946 and 1958. The museum also houses the only public library in the Marshall Islands and a National Archive used by researchers across the Pacific.

You do not need to fly halfway across the country to experience the quieter side of the Marshall Islands. Just a short boat journey from Majuro Atoll, Arno Atoll replaces traffic and concrete with coconut palms, fishing villages, empty beaches and lagoon water that looks suspiciously Photoshopped.

The journey takes around 45 minutes to 1 hr 30 mins, depending on the boat and conditions. Once there, days are delightfully uncomplicated: swim, snorkel, fish, walk along the shore or arrange a lagoon trip through your accommodation or local hosts.

Arno also offers a genuine glimpse into outer-atoll life, where fishing, copra production and gathering food from the lagoon remain part of the everyday rhythm. Travellers visiting at the right time may even hear about jaiborara, an edible sea worm harvested seasonally with the help of a traditional chant (because apparently dinner tastes better with a little theatre).

There are only two visitor accommodations and facilities are simple, so book ahead and bring essential toiletries, drinking water and enough food for your stay. The local shops carry basic supplies, but this is not the place to discover that your favourite snack has become emotionally essential.

For transport advice, schedules and practical preparation, see Majuro to Arno Atoll by Boat: Fares, Schedules & Tips.

Location: Arno Atoll, around 45 minutes to 1 hr 30 mins by boat from Majuro Atoll.

Price Range: $$

If you're looking for something a little different on your travels through the Marshall Islands, a tour of the Tobolar Copra Processing Authority (better known as simply Tobolar) might just be the most unexpectedly fascinating stop you make. It's the only copra processing plant in Micronesia, and trust us, it's a "coconut demonstration" on steroids.

Open since 1974, this government-owned facility processes around 7,000 metric tons of dried coconut kernel each year, sourced from over 3,000 copra farmers across the archipelago. On the tour, you'll follow the full production flowchart, from the massive triangular storage warehouses to the grinders, cookers and expellers used to process up to 50 tonnes of copra per day.

You'll see how crude coconut oil and copra cake are produced, packaged and exported to markets in Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and beyond, and even spot the karts used by local farmers to collect copra.

Tours are around 30 minutes and can be arranged directly with Tobolar (just call and book) or as part of a guided trip; Wutilomar Tours includes a stop at their refinery on the way to Laura.

The end of the road never looked so good! On the western tip of the main Majuro island, Laura Beach is a sandy point with plenty to explore.

This white sand beach curves around a natural point, making it an ever-shifting landscape where the shoreline itself changes over time. Beyond the beach, there's a lot to explore: snorkel out beyond the point, walk across the reef to patchier sections and you'll find coral, surgeonfish, butterflyfish and more among the seagrass.

The site also holds cultural significance as the legendary Bōkjānwūt legend site, and an old domestic plane adds a quirky, photogenic element. Facilities include showers, toilets, picnic areas and shade, so you can make a proper day of it. With all this in mind, there is an entry fee to Laura Beach: US$2 per adult or $1 per child, paid in cash to the custodians at the gate entrance.

Worth noting: after heavy rain, fresh water flows out into the lagoon. It may look cloudy, but it's just freshwater runoff, not pollution. Litter can occasionally be an issue, though custodians generally do their best to keep things tidy.

Yes, you read that right: one of Majuro’s most surprising snorkelling spots sits directly across from the runway of Amata Kabua International Airport, and it delivers far more than its unlikely setting suggests.

Park in the car park by the plane hangar, roughly mid-way along the runway, cross the road and clamber over the rocks into the lagoon. What awaits you is an impressive underwater world of large fan corals, various fish species and the occasional small shark drifting through.

It's a popular local spearfishing spot, and once you're in the water, it's easy to see why.

The outer atolls may be famous for their World War Two relics, but Majuro has a bad boy of its own hiding between residential buildings: a Japanese Air Raid Shelter.

Built during the Pacific build-up to protect Japanese troops from pre-invasion bombardments, this heavily reinforced concrete personnel shelter was part of the defence network around the Djarrit Seaplane Base. It features a central corridor connecting two square observation holes at each end, blast barriers at the steel door entry and an alternate escape door at the back; similar shelters exist at Northfield Air Base in Tinian and Aslito Field in Saipan, but few survive as intact as this one.

The shelter sits on private land, so it's always polite to knock and ask permission before visiting. The owners typically keep it closed to discourage children from playing inside, but show genuine interest and they'll usually open it up for you.

Be aware that WW2-era live ammunition has been found at sites like this across the islands, so look, don't touch.

With calm lagoon water and several convenient launching spots, Majuro is well suited to exploring by kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Kin Iokwe Rentals makes getting onto the water refreshingly straightforward.

As the Marshall Islands' most dedicated outdoor equipment operator, they offer solo kayaks, two-seater kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, all with life jackets included.

Hourly rental prices are affordable, and one of the standout features is the delivery service; Kin Iokwe can bring equipment directly to your accommodation or to popular launching spots, including the lagoon near the airport and Delap Park.

Prefer to pick up yourself? You can collect from the operator's house beside the landfill on the eastern side of Majuro. They also hire snorkelling equipment, bicycles and mopeds, making them a genuinely useful one-stop contact for both water and land exploration.

Blink and you could easily miss LiModrel’s Well, but this unassuming roadside stop holds one of Majuro’s most remarkable survival stories. It is the kind of place that proves the island’s best tales are not always marked by giant signs and souvenir shops.

The land here, called Ņamwijel Wāto on what was once the Wōja Islet, was an important meeting place for Majuro Atoll and the home of LiModrel, a woman celebrated for her beauty and skill in weaving traditional clothing from pandanus leaves.

After a devastating 1905 typhoon wiped out most of Majuro's coconut trees and freshwater wells, the community came together to replant the island. When LiModrel's husband, Makpi, spotted two birds (kolej) drinking from a small hole, he discovered a freshwater source that never ran dry, estimated to hold over five million gallons.

An interpretation sign on the roadside tells the full story; it's well worth a few minutes of your time.

The Marshall Islands is made up of hundreds of tiny islets scattered across vast lagoons, so spending a night on one is more than just an accommodation choice. It is one of the best ways to understand how life here feels once you leave the main road, the traffic and the capital behind.

Private-island stays range from simple cottages to overwater bungalows and fully catered resorts. Bokanbotin Island Resort offers modern overwater accommodation, Bikendrik Island Resort has a colourful beach-house setting, Beran Island Resort combines remoteness with all-inclusive watersports and Eneko Island Getaway keeps things simple for travellers who would rather spend their money on the journey than the thread count.

By day, you can swim, snorkel, paddle or explore the shoreline. By night, the lagoon goes quiet, the sky takes over and the phrase “getting away from it all” finally starts to feel accurate.

Choose based on how remote, rustic or luxurious you want the experience to be, then compare more options in the 10 Best Hotels & Resorts in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Majuro Atoll and Ailinglaplap Atoll. See the guide above for recommendations and locations.

Price Range: $$-$$$$

Empty line-ups are one thing. Empty line-ups surrounded by a remote Pacific atoll, reached by private surf tender and breaking over clear coral reef, are quite another.

Ailinglaplap Atoll is home to some of the Marshall Islands’ most celebrated waves, including Nirvana, Maybes, Amnesia and The Bowl. These are fast, hollow reef breaks with long walls, deep barrels and very little room for hesitation.

Access is arranged through Beran Island Resort, where local guides use boats to reach breaks scattered around the atoll. Nirvana, for example, sits around 12 nautical miles (22 km) from the resort, while The Bowl is a shorter 4-nautical-mile (7 km) journey.

This is firmly an experience for confident intermediate and advanced surfers. The waves break over shallow coral, replacement equipment is difficult to find, and the empty line-up does not make the reef any softer (sadly, coral remains unimpressed by confidence).

The main surf season runs from October to March, while the resort typically operates from November to April. Pack your own board, spare fins, leashes and repair supplies, then learn more in The Ultimate Guide to Surfing in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Ailinglaplap Atoll, with guided boat transfers departing from Beran Island Resort.

Price Range: $$$$

Surfing may grab the headlines at Beran Island Resort, but the steady tradewinds make Ailinglaplap Atoll just as tempting for travellers who prefer flying above the water rather than disappearing into a barrel.

From November to April, guests can try kitesurfing, wing foiling, hydro foiling, prone foiling and tow foiling across the lagoon, reef passes and open-ocean swells. Beran has even been described as a global mecca for hydro foiling, which is quite a claim for an island most maps barely have room to label.

Experienced riders can chase waves at Amnesia, foil downwind towards The Bowl or explore three additional breaks around Beran Island itself. Beginners can also learn to foil using a jet-ski tow-in, removing at least some of the wobbling, falling and pretending-that-was-intentional stage.

Kitesports are included with your stay during the watersports season, while personal jet-ski hire is available for tow-foiling adventures.

Bring your own preferred equipment or confirm exactly what gear is available before travelling, as rental details are limited. For more watersports, seasons and outer-atoll adventures, see The Ultimate Guide to Kitesurfing in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Beran Island Resort, Ailinglaplap Atoll.

Price Range: $$$$

There may not be much left to see at Jikin Jekjek Wa Eṇ, but this roadside stop marks a place woven into Majuro’s traditional stories. Come armed with a little imagination and you can picture one of the atoll’s legendary canoe-building scenes taking shape beneath the palms.

According to legend, Ļetao built a canoe for Majuro's irooj (chief) using kōñe, a plant sometimes referred to as ironwood. The site once held a Nōōt (a shallow coral reef area where he sharpened his tools), a Bwewa (coconut tree trunks used to support the canoe hull) and Lānm̧ōjānjān (wooden supports to hold the hull in place).

These artefacts have since been buried beneath the land's surface, so today all that marks the spot is a roadside sign and an illustrated panel backed by bush. You'll need to bring your imagination, but the legend itself makes it worth the stop.

Majuro’s flat terrain makes it easy to explore at a natural pace, whether you are pedalling between waterfront parks, neighbourhoods or snorkelling spots. Kin Iokwe Rentals offers bicycles for both adults and children, with a few useful extras for building a full day outdoors.

The mountain bikes come with suspension, helmets and safety equipment as standard, and are available in both adult and child sizes, making them a solid choice for a family ride or a solo explore at a natural pace.

Pair your bicycle rental with a full snorkelling set (mask, snorkel and fins) in adult and child sizes, and you can mix and match your day on and off the water.

Feeling a little more adventurous? Automatic mopeds are also on offer for riders aged 18 and above, with helmets provided and delivery available to your accommodation.

Equipment can be delivered directly to you or collected from their premises.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by this list, don't panic. The friendly Romi from Wutilomar Tours takes care of all the logistics, transport and local know-how with her insightful tours.

The half-day "Majuro Half-Day Sightseeing Tour" takes you on a walking-friendly loop through the Alele Museum, the local markets and the traditional canoe houses, while the full-day "Majuro Full-Day Sightseeing Tour" ventures further afield to the Japanese Memorial Peace Park, the coconut refinery and the beach at Laura.

Along the way, Romi shares insights into Marshallese daily life, food, traditional dress, and colonial and World War Two history. Drinks are included, and small groups may even receive a traditional Marshallese gift.

Private tours are also available, including a boat trip to a nearby island. Guests are advised to bring a change of clothes and sunscreen for the full-day and island trips.

Only in the Marshall Islands could a former land-reclamation cut beside an airport runway become a local swimming hole. At Airport Beach Park, that unlikely bit of engineering has created one of Majuro’s most unusual places for a dip.

There is a natural saltwater pool carved directly into the reef, deep enough to swim and jump from the surrounding rocks. There's even the odd fish in here too.

As you fly into Majuro Atoll, you'll notice perfectly rectangular cuts in the reef below, originally made for land reclamation. One of these cuts, right at Airport Beach Park, happens to be deep enough to function as a genuinely swimmable pool. There was once a springboard, though on our last visit it was under repair.

It's a fun and wonderfully unusual experience, especially on an island with so little land to speak of. Behind the pool, you'll find sheltered picnic areas and the odd barbecue, popular with locals on weekends.

Few places in the Marshall Islands bring past and present together quite like Wotje Atoll. Here, Second World War bunkers, gun positions and airfield remains sit among coconut palms, homes, churches and the everyday rhythms of a living outer-island community.

Wotje was once an important Japanese military base, and many of its concrete structures still stand around the main island. They are not polished museum exhibits with velvet ropes and neat information panels, but weathered ruins gradually being reclaimed by vegetation and the tropical climate.

Ask your accommodation or a local resident to help arrange a guided walk before exploring. Local guidance will help explain what you are seeing while reducing the risk of entering unstable structures, crossing private land or accidentally turning someone’s garden into part of your history tour.

Away from the wartime remains, you can walk or cycle along the island’s flat roads, relax on quiet beaches and arrange fishing, boating or snorkelling through local contacts when boats and equipment are available.

Wotje has schools, small shops and basic services, but it remains a remote destination rather than a miniature Majuro. Bring cash, toiletries, snacks and essential medication, then arrange meals, airport transfers and sightseeing before travelling whenever possible.

Need a stop that works for restless children and curious adults? Iakwe Katoj Park combines playground time, lagoon-side wandering, and an unexpectedly close look at the infrastructure keeping Majuro supplied with fresh water.

It's home to one of the island's best children's playgrounds, with plenty of equipment, open grassy areas and shaded picnic spots beneath a scattering of trees.

Steps over the sea wall lead you down onto the flats, where you can take a pleasant walk along the lagoon's edge. The park is notably one of the best-maintained public areas on Majuro.

Behind the park, a series of enormous reservoirs supply much of Majuro's fresh water. On an atoll this narrow, nothing is hidden from view, and spotting that kind of infrastructure up close is one of those quietly fascinating details you don't expect to stumble across in a park.

Yes, this list has already introduced you to a few roadside signs marking places where Marshallese legends unfolded. But Jikin Keepen raises the stakes with a giant, flying rocks and an origin story for the islets of Aur Atoll.

The legend centres on Tōl̗tōl̗ipāān, a powerful giant and youngest brother of Jemāluut and the trickster L̗etao, whose extraordinary strength saw him hurl rocks from Kūm̗ōōr all the way to Aur Atoll, creating the islets that dot the lagoon today.

Where the sand dunes rise just in front of the lagoon shore, it is said that the pressure of his foot pressed into the earth and pushed the surrounding land upward.

Unfortunately, the dunes are on private property and not accessible to visitors, but the large painted mural depicting the story is right there on the roadside and well worth a moment to stop and take in.

It may not have an official name, but this cluster of produce stalls at the end of the Marshall Islands Resort is one of Majuro’s easiest places to pick up local fruit, homemade snacks and a little friendly conversation. Bring cash, see what is in season and follow the bananas.

Ladies from Laura Village, on the other side of the island, set up in the vendor area at the western end of MIR and outside Annie's Bakery, selling whatever's in season: lady-finger bananas (the sweetest you'll find), papaya, pineapple, eggplant and more.

Beyond the fruit, you'll usually find local snacks like banana and breadfruit chips, coconut cream soups and drinks, with plenty of grab-and-go options to keep you fuelled for a couple of hours.

Bring cash for this simple, authentic slice of local life, open from around 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Jaluit Atoll is one of the best places in the Marshall Islands to see how colonial rule, wartime occupation and traditional island life overlap. Former administrative sites and military remains now sit among coconut palms, village homes and quiet lagoon shores.

Jaluit became the headquarters of the German protectorate in 1885, before developing into an important commercial and administrative centre under Japanese rule. Japan later fortified the atoll for the Second World War, leaving behind scattered structures that are best explored with someone who can explain their original purpose.

History is only part of the appeal. Depending on local arrangements, visitors can explore the lagoon by boat, fish with residents, swim, snorkel or travel to quieter islets where beaches and coconut forest replace the busier village surroundings.

Jaluit is also a rewarding place to experience Marshallese culture without Majuro’s urban distractions. Ask your hosts about village visits, local food, handicrafts and boating trips, as activities are usually organised through personal connections rather than formal tour desks.

For a warm introduction to Sunday life in Majuro, step inside the Cathedral of the Assumption. This Catholic landmark combines more than a century of history with heartfelt singing, local traditions and one of the capital’s most welcoming congregations.

Built in 1898, it serves as the seat of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Marshall Islands and features striking geometric inlaid tile floors and a genuinely warm local parish. The Saturday evening English Mass runs at 6:30 pm, while the Marshallese-language service takes place Sunday morning at 9:30 am; both run for around one hour.

Expect communal singing and the lovely tradition of shaking hands and making peace at the close of the service.

Dress respectfully (skirts below the knee for women, long pants for men) and don't leave without checking out the street art at the adjacent Assumption School. Afterwards, grab a hot dog from the nearby supermarket for a true local post-church experience.

For a longer, more traditional Protestant service, join the congregation at Uliga United Church of Christ. The youth choir and warm local welcome make it one of Majuro’s most memorable introductions to Sunday life.

The service begins at 10:30 am and runs for around two hours, conducted largely in Marshallese, with hymns, scripture readings, pastoral prayer and choral responses from the youth choir filling the spacious church hall.

The programme follows a traditional Protestant order of worship, moving from the call to worship and invocation through to the sermon and benediction, with the youth choir performing at several points throughout.

It's a genuinely moving experience, even if you don't understand a word, and locals are warm and welcoming to respectful visitors. Dress modestly and arrive a few minutes early to settle in.

As you may have guessed, the Marshall Islands has no lack of parks, and the Japanese Peace Park is the best stop to see some of Majuro's largest trees contrasting with a concrete memorial.

The memorial was constructed by the Japanese government in 1984 to honour all those who lost their lives in the islands and seas of the East Pacific during World War Two.

Located just past the airport on the road towards Laura, the park features some of the last large preserved trees on Majuro, concrete seating and a solemn memorial inscription dedicated to world peace.

Beyond its role as a commemorative site, the park has served as a ceremonial site for the cremated remains of fallen Japanese Imperial Soldiers before their repatriation home, a process the Japanese government continues to undertake in cooperation with Marshallese authorities.

It's a reflective, shaded spot with genuine historical weight, though it's worth noting that litter can be an issue.

Vacationing in the Marshall Islands doesn't have to be all about adventure. Slow down a little and enjoy some pampering at Elegance Spa.

Whether you're after a 30-minute foot soak or a two-hour full-body massage, the menu covers a wide range of services, including hot stone massage, hydro head massage, hot oil treatment with relaxing essential oils, and sports massage.

On the aesthetics side, the clinic offers CO2 resurfacing, exilift, diode hair removal, electrocautery of warts and non-invasive body contouring treatments. Hair, nails, waxing (including Brazilian) and skincare rounds out what is a genuinely comprehensive offering for a spa of this size.

Prices are reasonable too, making it one of the more affordable pampering options on the island.

Majuro Bridge does more than connect the islands; it's a recreational playground between fishing and even bridge jumping!

The Bridge is one of those spots that quietly does a lot of heavy lifting, connecting the capital with the airport and the smaller villages of Majuro, while also sitting at one of the highest elevations on the island.

That elevated position does make it a local favourite for jumping into the turquoise waters below, something the neighbourhood kids have turned into something of an art form. If you fancy a go, ask locals first about where it's safe to jump, as the swell can make it more adventure than intended.

The channel beneath the bridge is also a surprisingly productive fishing spot, acting as a key corridor for nutrients flowing in and out of the lagoon. Worth noting: litter can be an issue here, so manage expectations accordingly.

Just nearby, you'll also find the pier where some boats depart to Arno Atoll.

Seeing a shark beneath you may briefly test how relaxed your tropical swim really is. In the Marshall Islands, however, encounters with small reef sharks are a natural part of exploring healthy lagoons and coral reefs.

Blacktip reef sharks are the species snorkellers are most likely to see around Majuro Atoll, sometimes cruising through surprisingly shallow lagoon water, reef flats and sandy shorelines. Whitetip reef sharks may rest beneath coral ledges, while tawny nurse sharks occasionally shelter under reef shelves.

For a particularly good chance of seeing young reef sharks, look to Bokanbotin Island Resort, where they are regularly spotted around the island. Guided snorkelling and diving trips from Majuro or Kwajalein can also take you to reef areas where shark encounters are more likely.

Reef sharks generally keep their distance, so give them space, avoid blocking their route and never attempt to feed or touch them. An underwater handshake was never required for a good wildlife encounter anyway.

Discover more shark species and the country’s nationwide shark sanctuary in 10 Animals & Birds Found in the Marshall Islands, or compare guided trips in The Best Snorkelling Tours in Majuro & the Marshall Islands.

Location: Majuro Atoll, Kwajalein Atoll and reefs throughout the Marshall Islands.

Price Range: Free-$$$

After several legendary sites marked mainly by roadside signs and stories, Bōkjānwūt feels especially rewarding because there is actually something to see. A shallow well and an unusual rock formation bring one of Majuro’s strangest transformation legends to life.

The site centres on a shallow groundwater well said to be where the young Bōkjānwūt transformed his mother, Likijdrik (the she-rat), into a beautiful woman using a chant and coconut milk, after a chance encounter with the son of irooj (chief) Jemāluut led to an unforgettable canoe race.

The legend is as rich as it is memorable, weaving together themes of disobedience, identity and transformation in a way that feels distinctly Marshallese.

Although the rocks might not look like much from the ground, if you get a view from above, locals say you can see the outline of the rat lady. Though we also recommend climbing the coconut trees to the experts. Whether or not you spot her, the experience is genuinely otherworldly.

Keep your eyes peeled as you explore Majuro, as colourful murals appear in restaurant car parks, beside beaches and across school walls. One of our favourites is the "Wish You Were Here" mural at Island Star Restaurant.

It's one of many murals that have popped up across Majuro's compact urban landscape, where locals have creatively claimed available walls to bring colour and personality to a town where open space is hard to come by.

The mural itself is simple but striking, making it an easy and genuinely fun stop for a quick snap. And while you're here, it's well worth stepping inside Island Star Restaurant to see what's going on inside (hint: it's worth it).

Check out the 10 Best Restaurants in Majuro and the Marshall Islands for more on the restaurant itself.

Pandanus appears everywhere in Marshallese life, from food and handicrafts to building materials, but drinking it in milkshake form may be the easiest introduction of all. A chilled bōbshake turns this essential island fruit into something sweet, creamy and wonderfully refreshing.

In Marshallese, bōb means pandanus, a tree that has supported life on the atolls for generations through food, fibre and building materials.

The giant pandanus fruit can grow to an impressive size and is naturally rich in sugar and vitamin A. Blended into a shake, it has a sweet tropical flavour that feels distinctly local rather than like another standard fruit smoothie.

Pandanus is also used in several other Marshallese preparations. The fruit can be preserved as a paste called jāānkun and is even distilled locally into "Bōb Whisky", which appears later in this guide.

Try one cold during a hot afternoon in Majuro, then keep an eye out for pandanus products at markets, festivals and outer-atoll gatherings.

Location: All over the Marshall Islands! Check out Traditional Marshall Islands Food: 10 Foods to Try in the Marshall Islands for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: $

Think you know coconut drinks after sipping water straight from the shell? The Marshall Islands has another idea entirely, involving the unopened flowering stalk and enough natural sweetness to make coconut water seem positively restrained.

Also spelled jakaro, jekaro is the traditional Marshallese name for sweet coconut sap collected from the unopened flowering stalk of a coconut tree. It is a milky white drink with an intensely sweet flavour.

After travelling all the way to the Marshall Islands, you may already know all about drinking coconut water straight from the shell. But it turns out the locals have a very different idea about which part of the coconut tree should end up in your cup.

Be warned, fresh jekaro is very, very sweet. Many people dilute it with extra water, which makes the flavour easier to enjoy without feeling as though you have accidentally ordered liquid dessert.

Find more local flavours in 10 Best Foodie Experiences in the Marshall Islands.

Location: All over the Marshall Islands! Check out Traditional Marshall Islands Food: 10 Foods to Try in the Marshall Islands for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: $

After sampling the Marshall Islands’ sweeter drinks, graduate to something stronger with Bōb Whisky, a locally produced pandanus spirit from Divine Tree Distillery, also known as Marshall Islands Pandanus Co.

Despite the name, it is not technically whisky, which is usually made from grains such as barley or wheat. Instead, pandanus juice is fermented with sugar and yeast, then distilled into a smooth spirit with the fruit’s distinctive sweet and earthy flavour.

Start with a cocktail in Majuro, where the local spirit is easier to approach than committing immediately to a full bottle. At Jittak Likatu Bar & Grill, look for creations such as the "Bōb Marley", while Toeak Bar & Grill also mixes Bōb Whisky into island-inspired drinks.

Curious visitors can then seek out the source on Uliga Back Road, where the distillery also produces breadfruit vodka. It is a pleasantly unusual reminder that, in the Marshall Islands, even familiar spirits come with an island-grown twist.

Location: Marshall Islands Pandanus Co., Uliga Back Road, Uliga, around 109 yd (100 m) south of DAR Coffee Corner. Bottles are also sold at K&K Island Pride Supermarket, Lagoon Road, Delap, and selected Chinese stores around Majuro. Cocktails are available at Jittak Likatu Bar & Grill, Lagoon Road, Delap, and Toeak Bar & Grill, Lagoon Road, Uliga.

Price Range: $$

Another delicious way to experience the Marshall Islands is to seek out locally made food and try whatever is freshest when you arrive. One of the easiest treats to start with is tōñut, also written tonaaj or tōñaak, the Marshallese take on the doughnut.

Homemade versions are often rolled into balls, while bakeries and shops usually make the familiar ring shape. Unlike the heavily iced doughnuts found elsewhere, tōñut are served plain, with no toppings or extra sugar.

Their appeal is all about eating them warm and fresh, preferably with instant coffee or boiled eggs for a proper local breakfast. You may encounter homemade batches elsewhere in the Marshall Islands, but Majuro offers the easiest places to actively track them down.

Turn the search into a small morning food crawl along Rita Back Road, stopping at Anmarwut Gas Station and Mon LiSaitem to see whose batch is still warm. Locals may call them “mini doughnuts”, although they looked fairly regular-sized to us, especially when ten appeared in one bag.

Arrive early, as the freshest batches tend to disappear quickly. For more locally produced dishes and drinks to seek out during your trip, see Traditional Marshall Islands Food: 10 Foods to Try in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Anmarwut Gas Station and Mon LiSaitem, Rita Back Road, Rita, Majuro.

Price Range: $

Yes, we have already pointed out several murals on this list, but the artwork beside Assumption School deserves its own stop. Its most powerful piece tackles climate change in the Marshall Islands with an image that is difficult to forget.

Several murals decorate the school's walls, the most thought-provoking of which depicts the devastating effects of climate change on the Marshall Islands: a girl's face, half-painted with traditional Marshallese cultural symbols including navigation motifs and handicrafts, and an ocean behind where land once existed.

Not everything here is so heavy, though. A giant sea turtle gliding from the wall on a separate mural keeps the overall experience balanced between reflection and delight.

Free to view and easy to combine with a visit to the cathedral next door, this is one of those unexpected little discoveries that makes wandering so rewarding.

Staying at Bokanbotin Island Resort opens the door to a surprisingly varied line-up of private boat adventures. Fishing may lead the charge, but guests can also reach Arno Atoll, snorkel an uncrowded offshore reef or, with the right experience, hunt for lobster after dark.

The fishing charters are the headline act: a full-day trip includes food, drinks and sushi-style snacks (bring your own beer), with any catch filleted and vacuum-packed to take home. A half-day option is available too, departing around 1 pm and returning by 5:30-6 pm with the same inclusions.

Beyond fishing, you can charter a boat to Arno Atoll, with a barbecue fish lunch cooked over an open fire, or head out on a snorkelling tour to a private, uncrowded reef past the channel, a large, shallow reef that takes two to three hours to explore. Masks and some fins are provided.

For experienced night divers, lobstering after dark is also on the cards, offered selectively to guests with prior night diving experience.

Majuro is not short on colourful murals, as this list has already made abundantly clear, but the JoeMar Development Ltd. Billfish Mural still earns a stop of its own. Its bold marine design brings a welcome flash of colour to one of the capital’s busiest stretches of road.

Easily spotted when travelling between town and the airport, the mural is a welcome burst of colour amid the dense urbanisation of Majuro, where land is limited and open space is scarce.

The billfish design is bold and eye-catching, making it one of those spots you'll want to slow down for.

Free to view from the road, it's as low-effort as sightseeing gets.

Anyone who knows even a little about the Marshall Islands eventually becomes curious about Bikini Atoll, helped along by its nuclear history and the pop-culture coincidence of SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom. We mention it because that curiosity is inevitable, but this is not a casual sightseeing stop and its story deserves far more respect than the cartoon reference suggests.

Between 1946 and 1958, 23 nuclear devices were detonated here as part of US weapons testing programmes, including the colossal Castle Bravo test of 1954. The target ships anchored in the lagoon during Operation Crossroads now rest on the seafloor as extraordinary artificial reefs, among them the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, the Japanese battleship Nagato and the battleship USS Arkansas.

Above water, the atoll feels hauntingly empty; abandoned structures and military remnants sit beneath thickening vegetation, and the original community remains displaced to this day.

This is strictly territory for experienced technical divers. Depth, decompression requirements and extreme remoteness rule out casual visits entirely, and all expeditions require advance permits, specialist operators and full self-sufficiency.

Few destinations reveal the complexity of the modern Marshall Islands quite like Kwajalein Atoll. An enormous turquoise lagoon surrounds busy communities, quiet coconut-covered islets, historic battle sites and a major United States military installation.

The atoll was the site of a major US amphibious invasion in early 1944, when American forces captured the Japanese-held islands during the Pacific campaign of the Second World War. Today, its enormous lagoon contains sunken Japanese merchant ships, auxiliary vessels and aircraft, creating an extraordinary underwater record of the battle.

Most civilian visitors base themselves on Ebeye Island, where tightly packed homes, shops, schools and churches offer an eye-opening look at contemporary Marshallese life. It is not the deserted-island fantasy some travellers expect, but that contrast is precisely what makes the experience so memorable.

Beyond Ebeye, the lagoon becomes the main attraction. With local arrangements, visitors may be able to go fishing, snorkelling, diving or boating between quieter islets, where coral reefs, beaches and coconut forest reveal an entirely different side of the atoll.

Its most famous wreck is the German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. The ship survived the war and later endured two atomic bomb tests during Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll before being towed to Kwajalein, where it eventually capsized and sank near Enubuj in December 1946.

Yes, we have featured several murals already, but the Laura High School Mural brings something different to the wall: the traditional legends of western Majuro, including a familiar tale from nearby Bōkjānwūt.

The Laura High School Mural is one of Majuro's most personally rooted public artworks, painted across the entrance walls of the high school and depicting several Marshallese legends, most notably the legend of Bōkjānwūt, whose storied site sits just moments away at Laura Beach.

The mural brings to life the tale of the young Bōkjānwūt, who transformed his mother Likijdrik (the she-rat) into a beautiful woman using a chant and coconut milk, following a chance encounter with the son of irooj (chief) Jemāluut that led to an unforgettable canoe race.

Woven through with themes of disobedience, identity and transformation, the legend feels distinctly Marshallese in the best possible way.

While many outer atolls are known for wartime ruins, Likiep Atoll offers a different window into the Marshall Islands’ past. Its old timber houses, trading structures and churches preserve the character of a 19th-century copra settlement within a village that remains very much alive.

Likiep became an important copra-trading centre when European traders established plantations and commercial buildings on the main island. Rather than being enclosed inside a formal heritage attraction, the surviving structures sit among family homes and everyday village life.

The atoll is also closely associated with Joachim de Brum, a trader and photographer whose images documented Marshallese communities, ceremonies and daily life during a period of rapid colonial change. His photographs remain an important record of the country’s history.

Arrange a local guide before wandering among the historic buildings. Residents can explain their stories, point out which structures are safe to approach and help you avoid accidentally treating private family property like an open-air museum.

Beyond the heritage sites, Likiep offers the classic pleasures of an outer atoll. Depending on local arrangements, you can snorkel, fish, explore neighbouring islets by boat or walk beaches where finding another set of footprints may be the day’s biggest surprise.

Traditional weaving and copra production remain part of community life, so ask your hosts whether locally made baskets, mats or other handicrafts are available. Likiep is also traditionally connected with uninhabited Jemo Island, which is used for fishing and gathering resources.

We have already covered plenty of murals on this list, but Mural Beach adds sand, sea and a student perspective to the mix. It is less polished than Majuro’s postcard beaches, yet that slightly rough-around-the-edges setting is part of what makes it interesting.

Running along the seawall at the western end of the beach at the University of the South Pacific (USP) campus, the mural, painted by USP students, depicts marine life including turtles, coral and fish.

Parking is available at the USP campus car park, making it an easy and accessible visit. It's worth noting, however, that the beach does attract a fair amount of litter, so temper your expectations accordingly.

Still, the combination of a scenic beach and student-created public art gives Mural Beach a charm that's a little different from your typical seaside stop.

Part juice bar, part souvenir shop and entirely Marshallese, Lokoben is one of Majuro’s easiest places to combine a local flavour with a little shopping. Start with a creamy bōbshake, then browse handicrafts and treats from across the atolls.

Named after the Marshallese word for pandanus, the bōbshake is a modern, drinkable take on one of the Marshall Islands' most culturally significant fruits; and the Marshall Islands is one of the only places in the world where pandanus fruit can actually be eaten.

Beyond the shakes, Lokoben stocks locally made handicrafts, weavings and shells sourced from the outer atolls, Majuro and Arno, making it a solid one-stop shop for authentic souvenirs. Keep an eye out for fun snack finds too, like rosette cookies, which have a habit of disappearing fast.

Lokoben in Majuro is open from 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Saturday.

For a simple Majuro morning ritual, stop by Mon LiSaitem for a bag of fresh doughnuts, a boiled egg and a coffee. It is not fancy, but that is rather the point.

The real draw here is the fresh bags of donuts, a classic local morning ritual paired with a boiled egg and a coffee. You can pick up all three in one stop.

While you're there, look out for the namunamu (hot dog wraps) for something a little more quirky and local, and browse the small selection of handmade coconut frond handicrafts if you're after a souvenir with a genuine story behind it.

Mon LiSaitem accepts card, cash and Lomalo, the local digital wallet, and is open from 6 am to 9 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Yes, we are back on the mural trail, but the artwork at Marshall Islands High School looks beyond Majuro to celebrate languages and cultures from across Micronesia. Think of it as a colourful Pacific greeting lesson painted across the school walls.

Painted by students, the murals celebrate the nations of Micronesia, each panel featuring traditional greetings from different states and islands across the region.

You'll encounter mogethin from Yap (meaning "hello" or "welcome"), lenwo from Kosrae and kaselehlie (pronounced kah-seh-leh-lee) from Pohnpei, a volcanic island in the Federated States of Micronesia. Each greeting is a small but meaningful window into the linguistic diversity of the Pacific.

We believe the murals to have been created for the Micronesian Games (but correct us if we're wrong), adding a layer of sporting and community pride to what is already a colourful and thoughtful tribute to Pacific identity.

Forget elaborate menus and carefully plated lunches. One of the most satisfying ways to eat like a local in the Marshall Islands is to grab a hot barbecue plate, find somewhere shady and get stuck in.

If there's one meal that sums up lunchtime in Majuro, it's a local barbecue plate: freshly grilled chicken or turkey tails slathered in barbecue sauce, served in a plastic container with rice and a local vegetable.

Simple, satisfying and utterly Marshallese, these ready-prepared plates are a staple of everyday life here and cost around US$5 a pop.

Your easiest find is next to The Food Truck, right in front of Delap Park, but you'll also spot vendors scattered throughout the Delap-Uliga-Djarrit centre during the week.

On weekends, the action shifts toward Laura, where locals set up after church, so expect them to appear later in the afternoon rather than at noon. It's one of those effortless, eat-where-the-locals-eat moments that makes a trip feel genuinely immersive.

When one dish saves you from choosing between several Marshallese flavours, ordering it feels less like dinner and more like efficient travel research. At Riwut Restaurant, the "Local Combo" brings reef fish or tuna together with local sides and a glass of jakaro.

The restaurant is decorated with local art and crafts and offers a cosy layout of booths and tables tucked away in various corners.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu is impressively wide-ranging. Mornings bring everything from a classic western breakfast and fluffy waffles with blueberries or bananas to island favourites like loco moco and the fun namonamo (a hotdog rolled in a pancake, in case you were wondering).

Come lunch and dinner, the kitchen shifts into full gear with steaks, grilled parrotfish, chicken katsu, pasta, noodles, burgers and combo platters. Don't miss the "Local Combo," which pairs reef fish or tuna steak with four local side dishes and a glass of jakaro (coconut sap) - one of the best options to try something truly local on Majuro!

A kids' menu, desserts and a solid drinks list round things out nicely.

For a close-up look at the seafood that sustains communities across the Marshall Islands, head to the OIFMC Fish Market, also known as the MIMRA Fish Market. This is where the ocean arrives on ice, usually with considerably more fins than tourist fanfare.

Run by the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority and built with Japanese funding, the market sits right at Uliga Dock and is a genuine working fish market, not a tourist set-up.

The variety on offer reflects the remarkable richness of Marshallese waters, where marlin, yellowfin, wahoo, barracuda and mahi-mahi are all part of the local catch. Because the reef shelf drops off so sharply around the atolls, boats don't need to travel far to bring in impressive hauls, which means the fish here is about as fresh as it gets.

It's a great place to pick up provisions, get a feel for local life or simply see what's swimming in these waters before you head out to explore them yourself.

The OIFMC Fish Market is open from 9 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday, though it's best to come in the morning.

Whether it's to exercise, mingle with the locals or people-watch from the stands, there's always something happening at the Majuro Track and Field Stadium.

Funded by Taiwan and originally built for the Micronesian Games, the stadium is a 2,000-capacity multi-purpose sports facility that welcomes locals and visitors alike for daily recreation.

The stadium features a running track, a sports field used for soccer and athletics such as long jump, and a softball field that tends to be the most popular with locals.

If you're an early riser, it's a pleasant spot for a morning walk; however, the real action happens at sunset, when the whole place comes alive with locals going about their evening routines.

It's also a far more dog-friendly option for runners than the roads of Majuro (well, friendlier for you, at least). A simple, free and genuinely local experience on the Marshall Islands' main atoll.

Laura Ball Field is a wide, open grassy space at the westernmost tip of Majuro's main island, offering one of the most relaxed and genuinely local experiences on the atoll.

Baseball is fast becoming a big sport in the Marshall Islands (second only to basketball, which also has a court here), and if you time your visit right, you may catch a game in progress or even join in yourself.

The grounds are far more open and spacious than anything you'll find in Delap-Uliga-Djarrit, giving the whole place a breathable, unhurried feel. Activity picks up in the late afternoon, making it one of the better spots on the island to watch the sunset.

The field has also hosted island-wide celebrations in the past, including Majuro Day, so if your timing is lucky, you may stumble into something special.

Sunsets are hardly difficult to find in the Marshall Islands, but the shipwrecks opposite Marshall Islands High School give this Majuro viewpoint an extra dose of drama. Arrive before dusk and watch rusting hulls turn into dark silhouettes against the Pacific sky.

Rusting shipwrecks sit near the shoreline, creating dramatic silhouettes against the fading sky and making for genuinely striking photographs.

The spot itself has a small grassy park and a seawall where you can settle in and watch the show unfold. There's also a boat ramp if you prefer to get a little closer to the water, though it does attract a bit of litter, so the park is the better option.

It's a completely free, no-fuss stop that requires nothing more than showing up before the sun goes down. You'll find it directly opposite Marshall Islands High School.

Not every island visit in the Marshall Islands is about beaches and snorkelling. Ejit Island offers something far more meaningful: a chance to learn about the strength, generosity and continuing story of the displaced Bikini community.

This small island on the northeastern edge of the atoll is home to a deeply resilient community: the displaced people of Bikini Atoll, relocated here following U.S. nuclear testing in the 1940s and 1950s.

A visit here is as authentic as it gets. The community has a church and a school (donations are genuinely welcomed), and locals are known for their extraordinary generosity, even running boats through the night to transport neighbours to the hospital on the main island.

It's a raw, real and quietly moving slice of Marshallese life that few visitors take the time to experience.

For another moving introduction to Marshallese church life, head west to Ajeltake United Church of Christ. The service is long, deeply traditional and carried by the kind of youth-choir singing that makes checking your watch feel slightly disrespectful.

The service starts at 10:30 am and typically runs for around two hours, conducted almost entirely in Marshallese.

Expect a full traditional Protestant order of worship: an opening call to worship and invocation, scripture readings, pastoral prayer, a sermon and a closing benediction, with the youth choir weaving through the programme at several points along the way.

Even without a word of Marshallese, the hymns and choral responses from the youth choir fill the church hall in a way that needs no translation. Dress modestly, arrive a few minutes before 10:30 am and you'll be warmly welcomed.

Finished with the church listings? Keep the heavenly theme going beneath the surface at Heaven’s Hill, a relaxed coral dive that trades soaring hymns for clouds of damselfish.

The site features a sandy seafloor scattered with large and small patch coral formations, creating a patchwork of colour and texture that gives divers plenty to explore at a relaxed pace.

Schools of damsel fish are a regular highlight here, darting around the coral heads in impressive numbers. It's the kind of dive that rewards slow, unhurried exploration rather than ticking off big pelagics.

Heaven's Hill is another favourite with the team at Raycrew, which says plenty about its appeal to experienced local divers who know these waters well.

You do not need scuba gear to explore every aircraft wreck in the Marshall Islands. Just offshore from Enemanit Island, a sunken DC-3 rests in water shallow enough for confident snorkellers to see from the surface.

This sunken Sea Star Pacific DC-3 plane wreck sits at just 10–13 ft (3–4 m) depth, making it one of the most accessible snorkel sites in Majuro.

Only 100 ft (30 m) from the beach, the wreck requires minimal effort to reach, and the surrounding waters offer coral gardens and the occasional spotted eagle ray for those who want to linger a little longer.

Enemanit Island itself is well set up for a full day out, with a large undercover marquee, shady tree areas, a beach, and a rest area with toilets in a rather curious dome building. There's also a concrete pool that comes into its own at high tide, and a jetty that's proved irresistible to jumpers.

The island sits on the northern string of islets and is reachable via various local boat operators LINK#T023. Just note there is a private house on the island, so be respectful of that.

Already admired the plane wreck from the surface? Scuba diving reveals that the Sea Star Pacific DC-3 is only the opening act, with a helicopter and an entire cruise ship waiting deeper below.

The star of the show is the Sea Star Pacific DC-3, sitting at a maximum depth of around 10–13 ft (3–4 m) at its shallowest, making it a natural choice for your safety stop on the way up.

Drop deeper and you'll find the UH-1H Huey helicopter wreck, its coral-encrusted body remarkably intact, especially around the window area and where the pilot once sat. Coral bommies dot the sandy bottom throughout the site, adding texture to an already extraordinary underwater landscape.

Rounding it all out is the sunken cruise ship, the Oleanda, which descends to a maximum depth of 82 ft (25 m). It's a popular option with Raycrew Marine Services, whose dive trips depart from the Marshall Islands Resort.

After the wrecks and dive sites, Enemanit Island is worth appreciating above the water too. With shade, picnic facilities, a beach and easy snorkelling offshore, it is one of Majuro’s better-equipped islands for a full lagoon day.

Sitting on the northern string of islets, Enemanit is reachable via various local boat charters LINK#T023.

Well set up for visitors, the island has a large undercover marquee for shade, plenty of shady tree areas to find a quiet nook, a beach, and a rest area with toilets housed in a rather curious dome building.

There's also a concrete pool that comes into its own at high tide, and a jetty that's proved irresistible to jumpers. For those with a bit of stamina, a plane wreck sits just 100 ft (30 m) from shore at around 10-13 ft (3-4 m) depth and is relatively easy to reach with a short swim.

Even if you skip the wreck, the surrounding waters are worth exploring for coral and the occasional spotted eagle ray. Just note there is a private house on the island, so be respectful of that.

The name No. 9 may sound more like a menu item than a dive site, but beneath the surface lies one of Majuro’s most striking coral landscapes. Expect sweeping formations, open-water visitors and the strong possibility that the best wildlife encounter will happen just after you stop filming.

No. 9 ranges from just 6.6 ft (2 m) at its shallowest down to 130 ft (40 m) at its deepest, with most recreational dives settling comfortably between 39 ft (12 m) and 49 ft (15 m).

The reef here is dominated by Turbinaria reniformis, commonly known as yellow scroll coral, which fans out in giant leafy plates stacked dramatically across the reef structure.

Wildlife encounters are a real highlight; during our last visit, we spotted an eagle ray gliding effortlessly past, and later a shark made a cameo appearance (naturally, the moment the camera was put away, because sharks clearly understand comedy timing).

No. 9 is the favourite site of Raycrew, making it another easy addition to your diving itinerary.

With a name like the Aquarium, expectations are understandably high. Fortunately, this ocean-side dive site backs them up with sharks, schooling jackfish and imposing Napoleon wrasse, provided the tide agrees to let you in.

Sharks, jackfish and Napoleon wrasse can all be found in around 65–72 ft (20–22 m) of water.

The catch? It's tide-dependent, meaning it's not always on the cards. When conditions align, Raycrew will take you out for what their team considers their absolute favourite site, and it's easy to see why.

Sitting on the ocean side of the atoll, this site is exposed to strong currents, so expect either a drift dive or a hold-steady style dive depending on the day. Either way, the marine life makes it well worth the wait.

If you're already planning a dive day, slotting the Aquarium in alongside other sites is an easy decision. Just make sure the tide is on your side.

Time your trip with a local event and you will see the Marshall Islands at its most energetic. National holidays, church celebrations, fishing tournaments and community festivals bring together music, dancing, food and enough friendly competition to keep everyone talking long after the trophies have been handed out.

One of the biggest occasions is Constitution Day on 1 May, when communities celebrate the adoption of the country’s Constitution with sports, parades, cultural performances and local food. The competitions often build over several months, so the main day feels more like a grand finale than a single afternoon out.

Christmas is another especially memorable time to visit. Church groups known as jepta rehearse songs and dances, including routines called biit, before travelling between churches to perform, while some celebrations end with the breaking of a gift-filled wojke.

Majuro hosts many of the country’s largest public events, but smaller church gatherings, sports days and community celebrations take place throughout the outer atolls. Ask your accommodation host what is happening during your stay, as local events are not always advertised far in advance (island calendars occasionally prefer a little suspense).

For annual highlights, dates and event details, see the 5 Biggest Events & Festivals in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Nationwide!

Price Range: $

Some beaches are “secret” only because the sign is small. Secret Airport Beach earns the name properly, with space for one car, a narrow gap in the bush and very little chance of sharing the sand with anyone else.

The "secret" part is no marketing gimmick; there's room for exactly one car on the roadside, which keeps the crowds away almost entirely. Look for the break in the roadside bush roughly 1 km west of the airport terminal, pull over into the car-sized gap and you're there.

With calm, lagoon-sheltered water, it's as good for a quiet swim as it is for peering at what's beneath the surface. If you've been searching for a spot to simply do your own thing at the beach, without the company of strangers, this is it.

Some historic sites are marked by grand monuments. This one is an open-air park, but it witnessed a defining moment in the nation’s history when Amata Kabua became the first President of the Marshall Islands.

On 1 May 1979, Iroij Amata Kabua was inaugurated as the first President of the Marshall Islands right here, in this open-air park, which was monumental in the country's journey to independence.

The park sits next to the Alele Museum and in front of the RMI Courts, making it easy to combine with other stops in the area. Flame trees line the grounds, adding a splash of colour and making it a worthy photo opportunity for anyone passing through.

Tucked away in Laura Village, this modest memorial marks one of the darkest days in Marshallese history. Its weathered surface may be easy to overlook, but the story behind it deserves a quiet moment.

This weathered sandstone marker in Laura Village commemorates the devastating typhoon that struck on 8 November 1918, bringing unprecedented tidal waves and fierce winds that claimed over 200 lives, making it the deadliest storm in Marshallese history.

At the time, the Marshall Islands were under Japanese rule, and the monument also pays homage to Emperor Taisho, who donated private funds to help the islanders rebuild their destroyed coconut plantations.

The monument is a little unkempt today, with the Japanese writing only just visible through years of weathering, which, if anything, adds to its quiet, melancholy atmosphere. It won't take long to visit, but it will stay with you.

The Marshall Islands may not have mountain forests or sprawling wetlands, but its isolated islets, coconut groves and vast ocean provide an impressive stage for birdwatching. Expect terns, noddies and majestic seabirds swooping over the lagoon, nesting in shoreline vegetation or gathering above feeding fish.

Brown noddies, known locally as pejwak, and black noddies, or jekar, are present throughout the year. They often form noisy colonies in trees and shrubs, while huge flocks can appear offshore in swirling “bird piles” above schools of fish.

More patient birdwatchers can look for the vulnerable Micronesian imperial pigeon, or ṃuḷe, among native forest, mangroves and beach vegetation. Confirmed habitats include Mili Atoll and the northeastern islets of Majuro Atoll, although spotting one may require patience, sharp eyes and a pigeon willing to cooperate.

Boat trips to quiet islets generally provide the best encounters, especially where nesting birds have been left relatively undisturbed. Keep your distance from colonies and avoid approaching nests, even when the photographic temptation is flapping directly overhead.

Learn more about noddies, pigeons and other local wildlife in 10 Animals & Birds Found in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Majuro Atoll, Mili Atoll and remote islets throughout the Marshall Islands.

Price Range: Free-$$$

An old Air Marshall Islands domestic plane "rusts in peace" on the sand at Laura Beach is a rare sight; most plane wrecks in the Marshall Islands require a snorkel or dive to find, but this one you can admire from dry land.

Laura Beach itself is one of the best beaches on the Marshallese mainland, entry costing just US$2 per adult and US$1 per child. The white sand curves around a natural point, creating an ever-shifting shoreline that changes over time.

Beyond the plane and the beach, snorkel out past the point or walk across the reef to find coral, surgeonfish and butterflyfish among the seagrass. The site also holds cultural significance as the legendary Bōkjānwūt legend site, adding another layer to what is already a surprisingly rich stop.

Showers, toilets, picnic areas and shade are all on-site, so you can easily make a full day of it.

A shipping container beside a petrol station may not sound like a breakfast destination, but Anmarwut Gas Station rewards early risers with some of Majuro’s most sought-after mini doughnuts. Arrive around 7 am, because the bags often disappear by 8 am.

If you're after a quick, no-fuss bite with a side of ocean views, Anmarwut Gas Station is one of those brilliant little spots that locals know and visitors almost always miss.

Famous for its mini donuts (sold in bags of ten, hole-in-the-donut style and known locally as tonut), this humble roadside stop draws a crowd early in the morning, well away from the bustle of the main town but still within easy reach of it.

Arrive by 7 am if you want donuts; they sell out by 8 am on most days. Come back for lunch and you'll find a rotating spread of poke, sashimi, curry, fried chicken, bento plates and a simple seaweed and egg soup.

It's a genuinely local food experience, and the ocean-view seating makes it worth lingering over, even if just for a few minutes.

The name isn't exactly what you'd put on a postcard, but the COVID Trail on Bokanbotin Island has a story worth hearing and a walk worth taking.

This easy 10-minute loop trail winds through dense forest, past pandanus trees and cleared stone pathways, circling the entirety of this tiny island. When COVID-19 halted supply ships (crews faced three weeks of quarantine before being allowed to offload materials), construction at Bokanbotin Island Resort ground to a halt. Rather than sending workers home, the owner kept them on, tasking them with building this trail using nothing but their hands.

Over two and a half to three weeks, they separated rocks, made clearings and brought sand up from the beaches. The result is one of the more surprisingly well-formed walking trails you'll find on any small island in Majuro, where most have had their trees cleared and offer little to explore on foot.

You can walk it as part of a day trip to the island or during an overnight stay at the resort.

One of the most unlikely fishing spots in the Marshall Islands sits right alongside the runway of Amata Kabua International Airport, where the lagoon-side beaches and rocky shoreline offer surprisingly rewarding casting conditions.

Park up at the car park in front of the hangar and follow the coast, where you'll find a couple of sandy beaches on either side of a rock seawall.

Whether you're dropping a line or trying your hand at spearfishing (a favourite among locals), this spot has a relaxed, off-the-beaten-track charm that's hard to beat.

It costs nothing to visit, requires no booking and delivers a genuinely local experience with the added novelty of watching the occasional plane taxi past while you wait for a bite.

Chihaya Park (officially the Lerooj Chihaya Anmontha Multi-Purpose Park) is one of those places that feels genuinely local, and that's exactly the point.

Tucked into the Delap-Uliga-Djarrit area of Majuro, this relaxed community park features a sandy volleyball area, shaded huts, a seawall and sweeping views of the lagoon.

It's far more a neighbourhood hangout than a tourist attraction, which is precisely what makes it worth visiting. Come here to meet locals, watch the sunset and get a real feel for everyday life on the atoll.

The park is named in honour of Lerooj Chihaya, mother of the landowner Lerooj Takbar Ishiguro. Worth noting: there are rusted playground remains on site, which is not safe for young children.

The Marshall Islands Postal Service Authority is a surprisingly rewarding stop for stamp collectors and curious travellers alike, offering a peek into the philatelic history of one of the world's smallest nations.

Since issuing its first independent postage stamps on 12 June 1984, the Marshall Islands has produced a vibrant and highly collectable range of stamps celebrating its maritime heritage, marine life and international relations. Before that, the islands passed through the hands of German (1888–1919), Japanese (1914–1944) and United States (1947–1984) postal systems, making its independent stamps all the more meaningful.

Stamps are usually available in stock, though they do occasionally sell out, so it's worth stopping in sooner rather than later. The post office also handles international sending and offers free parcel receiving for packages valued under US$250, which may be handy for yachties - check out The Sailing Guide to the Marshall Islands LINK#T014.

The office is open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 4 pm (including through lunch), and is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Breakfast, snack or hot dog in disguise? Namonamo manages to be all three, wrapping a savoury sausage in soft, slightly sweet fried dough for one of Majuro’s easiest local bites.

Namonamo is a hot dog wrapped in a traditional Marshallese pancake or sweet fried bread, making it part breakfast, part convenience-store snack and entirely difficult to ignore once you spot one.

The wrapping is usually made from a simple batter of flour, sugar, baking powder and eggs. Similar sweet fried breads are common at breakfasts and family gatherings, but adding a hot dog turns the idea into one of the more playful modern Marshallese foods.

Soft, slightly sweet and easy to eat on the go, namonamo is the sort of snack that makes perfect sense after one bite. It may not be ancient island cuisine, but it has certainly earned its place in everyday local food culture.

Look for it in convenience stores and petrol stations around Majuro, particularly in the morning before the day’s batch disappears. Discover more local dishes in Traditional Marshallese Food & Drink: 10 Foods to Try.

Location: Mon LiSaitem on Rita Back Road in Rita, DTK Gas Station at Riwut Corner in Uliga and convenience stores around Majuro.

Price Range: $

Simple ingredients do some very comforting work in jāibo, a traditional Marshallese dessert of soft flour dumplings simmered in sweet coconut cream. Think pudding, porridge and island comfort food all sharing the same bowl.

Jāibo, also written jaibo, is a traditional Marshallese dessert made from soft flour dumplings cooked in thick, sweet coconut cream.

The dumplings are usually prepared from a simple mixture of flour, water and sugar, then simmered until tender. Fresh coconut cream is added to create a rich, gooey texture somewhere between a porridge, pudding and a very comforting bowl of island carbohydrates.

The flavour is sweet and creamy without needing elaborate toppings. It is the sort of dessert that proves flour and coconut can do quite a lot when left alone together.

At Riwut Restaurant, jāibo is usually served as part of the "Local Combo", while smaller cafés and food stalls may offer it when a fresh batch is available. For more dishes worth tracking down, see Traditional Marshallese Food & Drink: 10 Foods to Try.

Location: Riwut Restaurant at Riwut Corner in Uliga, DAR Coffee Corner on Uliga Back Road, the local market beside Marshall Islands Resort in Delap and weekend food stalls in Laura.

Price Range: $

Speaking of food, let’s look at some of Majuro’s culinary highlights. Toeak Bar & Grill is the place for big portions, familiar comfort food and a lively sports-bar atmosphere.

The menu is a crowd-pleasing mix of American classics, Hawaiian-inspired plates and Mexican dishes, with crowd favourites including the "Hawaiian BBQ Mix Plate" (kalbi ribs, teriyaki beef and chicken), the "Clubhouse Sandwich", which is huge by the way, and a solid line-up of tacos.

Starters like Hawaiian-style poke and sashimi give the menu a local Pacific flavour, while pizzas, strombolis, ramen, yakisoba and wraps round things out nicely for those who can't make up their minds.

It's open from 11 am to 9:30 pm daily (from noon on Sundays), and being a proper sports bar, expect screens showing basketball, the Marshall Islands' most-loved sport, and increasingly baseball too.

Still hungry? Food Truck 692 gives you two very different ways to fix that in one convenient stop, with hearty Pacific-style plates from the larger truck and Mexican favourites from its smaller neighbour.

The Food Truck 692 is actually two food trucks in one spot, both owned by the same team, parked right in the heart of the action near the main government buildings and K&K Island Price Supermarket.

The big truck is your go-to for hearty mixed plates, with options like chicken katsu, garlic chicken, poke and tuna katsu, all served with steamed rice and macaroni salad.

The smaller truck swings the other way entirely, serving up Mexican staples like burritos, "Burrito Bowl" and fish tacos made with local wahoo, plus ice cream, sno cones and banana splits for dessert.

It's a popular lunch stop for local workers, which is always a good sign, and open from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Saturday.

For pizza, pool and late-night karaoke under one roof, The Flame Tree is one of Majuro’s livelier dining options. Come early for the food or stay late enough to discover just how seriously the microphone is taken.

Don't let the dive-bar vibe put you off; the menu is surprisingly broad, spanning stuffed-crust pizzas, hotdogs, burgers, ramen, lunch and dinner plates and a solid drinks list.

The pizzas are the real drawcard here. We personally recommend the stuffed-crust "Hawaiian Hotdog" (ham, pineapple, onions, mushrooms and olives with a stuffed crust), though the "Meat Lover" and "Combination Seafood Pizza" are worth a look too.

Beyond pizza, the lunch and dinner menu covers everything from chicken katsu and loco moco to fresh sashimi and catch of the day, all served with rice and salad.

Pool tables keep things entertaining, and from Thursday to Saturday the place stays open until around 2 am, when karaoke nights get going and the atmosphere turns decidedly rowdy. Otherwise, The Flame Tree is open from 10 am to 9 pm, Monday to Thursday and 10 am to 2 am, Friday and Saturday.

For a night out that can begin with lagoon-side beers and end on a packed dance floor, head to Jittak Likatu Bar & Grill. Happy hour, karaoke and weekend bands keep the programme lively, so silence is rarely part of the experience.

The vibe shifts depending on when you show up. Early evening is all about casual drinks with somewhat of a lagoon view and happy hour on beers from 5 pm to 7 pm. Later in the night, especially on weekends, the place transforms into a full-on club with live bands every Friday and Saturday.

Karaoke runs Wednesday through Friday (and during happy hour on weekends before the band starts), so there's rarely a quiet night here. The grill is open during bar hours, serving sharing platters loaded with poke, buffalo wings, octopus and shrimp, alongside burgers and full dinner plates.

The bar itself started as a humble boat bridge with coolers over a decade ago and has since grown into one of Majuro's most beloved venues, with a stage, dance floor and plans for a sky bar upstairs.

Jittak Likatu Bar & Grill is open from 5 pm to 12 pm Monday to Thursday, and 5 pm to 2 am Friday to Saturday.

For a morning coffee that comes with more than a packet biscuit, head to Annie’s Bakery. This spot is a favourite for freshly baked bread, savoury breakfasts and drinks that can be as straightforward or extravagant as your morning requires.

Open since December 2024, Annie's has already carved out a reputation as the go-to spot for a proper morning coffee and a breakfast bite that can be sweet or savoury. doesn't taste like dessert.

Their baguettes are made from non-sweet dough in Majuro (a genuine rarity on the island, as it turns out), which alone makes it worth seeking out. Pair it with one of their freshly made bagels, croissants, or spicy chicken sandwiches, and you've got a breakfast worth planning your morning around.

The coffee menu is extensive, ranging from a classic espresso to indulgent options like a "Pistachio Latte", "Butter Beer Latte" or a "Salted Caramel". Non-coffee drinkers are well catered for too, with milkshakes, milk teas and matcha-based drinks all on offer.

If you're coming for bread or the full range of baked goods, aim to arrive between 9 am and 9:30 am. Coffee is ready from 8 am, and the bakery is open from 8 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Sunday mornings call for something more ambitious than toast. At Enra Restaurant, the weekly brunch spreads across carved ham, sushi, waffles, omelettes and Marshallese favourites, all served beside the lagoon at Marshall Islands Resort.

Choose between air-conditioned indoor seating or a table outside by the lagoon, where the views are as good as the food.

The menu spans everything from fluffy omelettes, pancakes and loco moco in the mornings to pizzas, burgers, wraps, pasta and a solid lineup of steak and seafood come evening. Highlights include the signature "MIR Seafood Chowder", locally inspired dishes like the "Iik Mouj Fish and Chips" (made with parrotfish) and a dedicated pizza menu with thin, double or stuffed-crust options.

When the sun goes down, the Dockside Bar takes over with a selection of beers, wines and cruisers served right on the water's edge, keeping the iakwe spirit well and truly alive.

Need something to do on Sunday? Don't miss their Sunday Brunch featuring a pineapple-glazed carved ham, fresh sushi rolls, made-to-order omelettes and waffles, local Marshallese dishes like Ma Kellel and Banana Jukjuk, and much much more!

For an early breakfast with far more choice than the name suggests, head to DAR Coffee Corner. Its house-speciality omelettes are the main attraction, but the menu quickly wanders into noodles, seafood, soups and Marshallese sides.

The menu is a wonderfully eclectic mix of American diner classics, Asian-inspired noodle and rice dishes, fresh seafood plates and locally rooted Marshallese sides, making it one of the more surprisingly varied spots you'll find on the island.

The star dishes are the "Spanish Omelette" and the "Fresh Tuna Mushroom Omelette," both house specialities that keep regulars coming back. Beyond omelettes, you'll find everything from ramen and teriyaki burgers to sashimi, lumpia and a solid lineup of soups served with garlic bread.

Open seven days a week from 7 am to 3 pm (though the chef has been known to stay late, so your luck may vary), DAR Coffee Corner accepts cash, cheque and Bank of Marshall Islands debit cards.

Dinner comes with a little extra theatre at Island Star Restaurant, where themed private rooms make the meal feel more like an occasion. Book ahead for spaces such as the cherry blossom room, then grab a photo by the colourful mural outside before heading in.

It's a Chinese restaurant with serious range, serving everything from mapo tofu and kung pao chicken to braised abalone, spicy conch meat and New York steak, all ordered straight from your phone or tablet via a slick digital menu.

The menu spans lamb, beef, duck, chicken, fish, seafood, pork, noodles, rice, soups and vegetarian dishes, with chef's recommendations and seasonal specials rotating regularly, so there's always something new to try.

But the main highlight is the themed dining rooms; it's worth booking ahead to secure the VIP room, which adds a bit of atmosphere to the meal, such as the cherry blossom room. And before you head in, get a photo with the eye-catching mural outside.

Free WiFi is available throughout, and the restaurant is open from 10 am to 10 pm, every day.

Dinner decisions become a little easier at Tide Table Restaurant & Lounge, where each evening comes with its own theme. Add a waterfront setting at Hotel Robert Reimers and you have one of Majuro’s most dependable options for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a late drink.

Open daily from 7 am through to around 9 or 9:30 pm (with the lounge often staying open a little later), this waterfront restaurant at Hotel Robert Reimers serves up a menu far more expansive than you might expect on a small Pacific island.

Breakfast runs the full range, from a "Fruit Bowl" and "Fisherman's Favourite" (grilled tuna steak with eggs) to a hearty "Loco Moco" and classic "Ham and Cheese Omelette."

Come lunch and dinner, the menu stretches into steaks, pasta, curries, sashimi, pizza and fresh local fish, particularly the sautéed fish and sashimi, which locals and regulars tend to rave about.

Theme nights keep things interesting throughout the week: Monday is "Pasta Night," Tuesday is "Taco Night," Wednesday is "Asian Night," Thursday is "Pizza Night," Friday is "Prime Rib Night" and Saturday brings a "Weekend Special."

Outside guests are very welcome, catering services are available for events and the restaurant is open seven days a week.

Comfort food does not need to be complicated. Banke, also called rice-banke, combines soft rice, sweet vegetables and coconut into one thick, satisfying bowl.

Banke, also called rice-banke, is a warming Marshallese porridge made by simmering rice with diced pumpkin, butternut squash or sweet potato.

The ingredients are cooked in coconut water or rich coconut milk until the rice softens and the vegetables begin to break down. The result is thick, creamy and gently sweet, somewhere between a savoury side dish and a very comforting bowl of porridge.

Rice-banke is often served warm alongside freshly caught fish or other seafood. The creamy coconut and sweet pumpkin balance salty grilled or fried fish particularly well.

At Riwut Restaurant, it is usually served as part of the "Local Combo", while cafés and market stalls may offer it when a fresh batch is available. Discover more dishes worth tracking down in Traditional Marshallese Food & Drink: 10 Foods to Try.

Location: DAR Coffee Corner on Uliga Back Road, Riwut Restaurant at Riwut Corner in Uliga, the local market beside Marshall Islands Resort in Delap and other food stalls around Majuro.

Price Range: $

Who needs a round-the-world ticket when you have a supermarket basket? Thanks to Majuro’s far-reaching supply routes, the shelves are packed with unfamiliar sweets, biscuits, drinks, noodles and savoury snacks imported from across the globe.

Start at K&K Island Pride Supermarket, where American favourites sit beside products from Australia, Japan, Pakistan and other international destinations. Half the fun is choosing something purely because the packet looks intriguing, then discovering whether you have found a new obsession or made a terrible but memorable decision.

Stock changes with each shipment, so the selection is rarely exactly the same twice. Check ingredient labels carefully, pick a few mystery snacks and turn your hotel room into a very informal international tasting session.

For more places to browse and practical food-shopping tips, see A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in the Marshall Islands.

Location: K&K Island Pride Supermarket in Delap and Long Island, Payless Supermarket and EZ Price Mart in Uliga, plus convenience stores throughout Majuro.

Price Range: $

Not every landmark in the Marshall Islands comes with turquoise water and swaying palms. Mt Trashmore is Majuro’s unofficial summit, geographical punchline and strangely compelling reminder of what happens when an entire capital has almost nowhere to put anything.

On an atoll as narrow as Majuro, space is almost impossibly scarce, which means infrastructure (the kind we all quietly rely on back home) has nowhere to hide. The landfill sits in plain sight, which is what gives it that strange, morbidly fascinating quality that's hard to look away from. But roll up your windows as you drive past...

Locals will also cheerfully point out that Mt Trashmore is the highest point of elevation on the entire atoll, which says everything you need to know about the geography here.

Managed by the Majuro Atoll Waste Company, the site is set to be rehabilitated and relocated in the coming years, so this may be a limited-time attraction. See it while you still can.

If you're looking for a different kind of mountain (because, of course, you are), Mountain is a vast coral bommie rising almost to the surface, giving snorkellers and divers different ways to explore the same spectacular formation.

Rising from just 3.3 ft (1 m) below the surface down to depths of 98–102 ft (30–31 m), this, indeed, is another striking dive site in Majuro.

Accessed via Raycrew, this site is essentially a massive bommie (or coral bommie, for the uninitiated) blanketed in corals of different colours, making it as visually rewarding for snorkellers near the surface as it is for experienced divers exploring its deeper reaches.

Whether you hover near the top or descend into the blue alongside the coral walls, the sheer scale of the formation is something you genuinely have to see to believe. It's not flashy; it's just extraordinary in the way that great natural things tend to be.

Of all Bikini Atoll’s wrecks, USS Saratoga is the one that tends to inspire the most awe. Reaching her takes technical training, a specialist liveaboard and serious expedition planning, but the reward is one of the most extraordinary aircraft-carrier dives anywhere in the world.

Her crew called her the Sister Sara or Sara Maru, and once you're hovering above her flight deck at 89 ft (27 m), you'll understand why she commands such reverence.

The wreck is vast enough to require multiple dives just to get your bearings, with highlights including the partially intact flight deck, anti-aircraft guns (twin 5-inch mounts, 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon guns), scattered wartime ordnance and planes resting on the seabed in surprisingly pristine condition.

Penetrating her interior is where things get truly extraordinary; seven decks of passageways, galleys, storerooms and mess decks remain largely unexplored, with permanent lines installed in key sections to guide you through.

A technical qualification to 164 ft (50 m) and a closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) are strongly recommended to make the most of every dive. Accessible via liveaboard vessels such as Pacific Master and occasionally Indies Trader.

This is not a wreck you casually add to an afternoon itinerary. Reaching the IJN Nagato at Bikini Atoll demands advanced technical training, specialist expedition planning and enough determination to cross one of the most remote corners of the Pacific.

The 708 ft (216 m) Japanese battleship lies with its shallowest point at approximately 110 ft (34 m), while the seabed reaches 171 ft (52 m).

Divers usually begin around the enormous rudders and four propellers before descending towards the main deck, pagoda-style bridge and main gun turrets.

Two large guns remain visible beneath the overturned hull, while the ship’s size means several dives may be needed to appreciate the wreck properly.

Nagato survived both Operation Crossroads explosions before gradually capsizing and sinking several days after the underwater Baker test in 1946.

The depth, overturned structure and potential overhead areas make this a challenging technical dive, ideally suited to experienced closed-circuit rebreather divers. Grey reef sharks, turtles and schooling fish are also regularly reported around the wreck.

The USS Arkansas is no ordinary wreck dive, but a hulking, overturned battleship shaped by two World Wars and one of history’s most powerful weapons-testing programmes. Reaching it requires technical qualifications, specialist support and considerably more planning than throwing a snorkel into your day bag.

The battleship rests at approximately 170 ft (52 m), although parts of the hull rise to around 85 ft (26 m).

Divers can explore the vast inverted hull, propellers and exposed 12-inch gun barrels. The force of the underwater explosion left sections of the heavily armoured hull deeply rippled and dented, providing a striking reminder of the power of the test.

Arkansas served in both World Wars, including supporting the Normandy landings, before being selected as a target for Operation Crossroads. It survived the Able airburst but sank during the underwater Baker test on 25 July 1946.

Its depth, decompression requirements and complex structure make this suitable only for properly qualified and experienced technical divers travelling with a specialist operator.

Compared with Bikini Atoll’s vast battleships and aircraft carrier, USS Lamson is compact enough to feel more immediately readable underwater. That does not make it easy, though, with significant depth, nuclear-blast damage and live ordnance concerns keeping this firmly in technical-diving territory.

The destroyer sits upright, with the main deck at approximately 157-161 ft (48-49 m) and the seabed around 167 ft (51 m).

The Able nuclear test tore away much of the bridge, masts and upper structure, leaving the hull visibly twisted by the force of the explosion. However, divers can still inspect large deck guns, anti-aircraft weapons, depth-charge racks and torpedo tubes, some with torpedoes remaining inside.

Its manageable size makes it possible to cover a substantial part of the exterior during one carefully planned technical dive.

Whip corals, soft corals and table corals now grow across the wreck, while glassfish, groupers and wrasses gather around the remaining structures. Do not approach or handle any ammunition or unidentified objects.

Prinz Eugen is one of those wrecks you may plan an entire expedition around and still not be allowed to visit. When access is granted, however, the combination of shallow upper sections, immense scale and heavy wartime machinery makes it an unforgettable check dive.

Part of the hull and a propeller remain close to the surface, while the bow reaches approximately 118 ft (36 m).

The 697 ft (212 m) German heavy cruiser survived both Operation Crossroads tests at Bikini Atoll before being towed to Kwajalein, where it capsized in December 1946. Divers can see the enormous hull, rudders, propellers, gun positions, torpedoes and seaplane crane, with nurse sharks sometimes resting beneath the bow.

Access is the main complication. Kwajalein Island is not generally open to tourists, and the wreck can occasionally be placed off-limits by US authorities.

Some specialist Bikini Atoll liveaboards include it as an initial check dive when permission, schedules and conditions allow, so never assume it will be available.

When instant coffee has stopped doing the job, True Value Coffee Shop provides a welcome upgrade. This small but worthwhile detour serves some of Majuro’s best barista-style coffee at surprisingly reasonable prices.

Unlike the instant or filter coffee you'll find at most places around the atoll, True Value serves proper barista-style coffee, from rich espressos to creamy lattes and flavoured specials.

The standout order, according to regulars, is the "Hazelnut" latte, though the full menu gives you plenty to explore, including "Cappuccino", "Mocha", "Milk Tea" and even "Coconut Jelly" as an add-on.

Prices are refreshingly reasonable across the board. Plus, it's a genuinely surprising little find that's well worth the detour.

Find the coffee shop open from 8 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Think you have done everything there is to do in the Marshall Islands? That is your cue to look beyond the better-known stops and start plotting a journey to the country’s lesser-visited atolls.

Mili Atoll combines a vast lagoon with coconut-covered islets and extensive Japanese wartime ruins, while Maloelap Atoll is scattered with aircraft remains, bunkers and coastal defences from the Second World War.

For something quieter, Aur Atoll offers a tranquil lagoon and a traditional subsistence lifestyle, while far-northern Utirik Atoll gives a glimpse of community life shaped by fishing, copra and lagoon resources.

These trips demand patience, local contacts and flexible transport plans, but that is part of the appeal. Compare the possibilities in The Atolls of the Marshall Islands & The Best to Visit.

Location: Outer atolls throughout the Marshall Islands.

Price Range: $$-$$$$

Think you have done everything there is to do in the Marshall Islands? That is your cue to look beyond the better-known stops and start plotting a journey to the country’s lesser-visited atolls.

Mili Atoll combines a vast lagoon with coconut-covered islets and extensive Japanese wartime ruins, while Maloelap Atoll is scattered with aircraft remains, bunkers and coastal defences from the Second World War.

For something quieter, Aur Atoll offers a tranquil lagoon and a traditional subsistence lifestyle, while far-northern Utirik Atoll gives a glimpse of community life shaped by fishing, copra and lagoon resources.

These trips demand patience, local contacts and flexible transport plans, but that is part of the appeal. Compare the possibilities in The Atolls of the Marshall Islands & The Best to Visit.

Location: Outer atolls throughout the Marshall Islands.

Price Range: $$-$$$$

Known simply as The Spoon, this quirky road end in Rita is more than just a turning point. Park up on the edge of the spoon-shaped loop and follow the short walk to the actual point, where a seawall frames a lovely view of the reef and the neighbouring Pikeeleañ Island.

What makes it genuinely worth the trip is that at low tide, you can walk across to Pikeeleañ Island itself, making this a surprisingly rewarding little adventure for something that starts at a dead end.

It's free, easy to reach and one of those simple, off-the-beaten-track spots that locals know about and most visitors miss entirely.