10 Best Cultural Activities in the Marshall Islands

A truly cultural experience in the Marshall Islands and, therefore, a must-do, is the museum and traditional sailing trip with WAAN Aelõñ in Majel, also known as Canoes of the Marshall Islands.

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.

You won’t find many souvenirs more distinctly Marshallese than the islands’ intricate handicrafts, collectively known as Amimono. Regarded as some of the finest crafts in the Pacific, these woven works are as much a part of everyday island life as they are beautiful keepsakes.

The term Amimono actually comes from Japanese, meaning “knitting or weaving”, and was adopted during the early 1900s to describe handicrafts made by Marshallese artists. Even in a region where every island nation has its own weaving traditions, Marshallese work stands out for its exceptionally detailed patterns, right down to the delicate rose worn behind the ear.

Artisans use natural materials such as kimej, the membrane of a coconut shoot, law, or hibiscus fibre, prepared pandanus known as maan and stiffened coconut-frond strips called malwe. The preparation of kimej is a closely guarded local secret (so don’t expect anyone to reveal the recipe over the shop counter).

Look out for woven mats, baskets, work baskets, hats, model canoes, purses, fashion jewellery and oboñ, the decorative wall hangings seen in Marshallese homes. Skills are passed through generations, often beginning in childhood, while handicraft sales remain an important source of income for many families on the outer islands.

Location: Available nationwide from handicraft shops, community sellers and local artisans, with the widest selection found around Delap-Uliga-Djarrit, Majuro. For a complete list, check out The Guide to Shopping in the Marshall Islands + The Best Places to Shop.

Price Range: $

Elefa Handicraft is a handicraft store with a difference: offering its own handicraft workshops so you can learn to braid like the Marshallese and make a unique souvenir to take home.

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.

Get your trip in the Marshall Islands off on the knowledgeable foot with a visit to the Alele Museum, a compact museum and national archives with a great deal of information about the culture and history of the Marshall Islands.

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.

If you've made it all the way to the Marshall Islands, we probably don't need to tell you how vital the coconut is and has been to the people who have occupied these islands for thousands of years. A new spin on your classic "coconut demonstration" is a full-fledged factory tour with the Tobolar Copra Processing Authority!

Most simply know it as "Tobolar", and it is the only copra processing plant in the whole of Micronesia.

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.

Nothing compares to the local insights gained on a guided tour, and Wutilomar Tours. Your friendly guide, Romi, shares all sorts of fascinating cultural facts on her down-to-earth half-day and full-day sightseeing 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.

Fishing in the Marshall Islands is more than a holiday activity. It is part of everyday life, supplying food, bringing communities together and producing the sort of fish stories that become slightly larger with every retelling.

One of the easiest ways to experience this side of Marshallese culture is to join local anglers beside The Bridge, a dock or the lagoon shoreline. Bring your own rod, tackle and lures for independent fishing, as equipment hire is limited.

Better yet, organise a trip with a local boat operator and ask to try handline fishing, a common local technique used to target reef fish without the usual tangle of rods, reels and expensive gadgets.

Some charter crews keep the catch and share it with their families or the surrounding community, while others may let you take a portion back to your accommodation. Ask about the arrangement before departure, particularly when you have already mentally promoted yourself to head chef.

For charter operators, target species, fishing seasons and further practical advice, see The Ultimate Guide to Fishing in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Available nationwide. See the link above for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: $$$$

Eating like a local in the Marshall Islands often starts beside the road, where barbecue stalls and grab-and-go takeaway spots serve fish, turkey tails and generous bags of freshly cooked to̧nōt (donuts). A classic Marshallese breakfast can be as simple as a to̧nōt, boiled egg with coffee, proving that not every cultural experience needs a tasting menu or matching napkin.

For a broader introduction, head to Riwut Restaurant and order the “Local Combo”. This hearty plate usually brings together local fish, traditional side dishes and desserts enriched with coconut cream, making it an easy way to sample several flavours in one sitting.

Pandanus is another ingredient to look out for. Marshallese communities are among the few Pacific island cultures to have relied so heavily on the fruit for sustenance, and it still appears in both traditional foods and modern creations.

Today, you can try it blended into sweet, creamy bobshakes, essentially pandanus milkshakes, or transformed into locally made spirits by Marshall Islands Pandanus Co. Both offer a distinctly Marshallese take on an ingredient that has supported island life for generations.

For more dishes, dining spots and local drinks to seek out, see the 10 Best Foodie Experiences in the Marshall Islands.

Location: Nationwide! See the Traditional Marshallese Food: 10 Foods to Try in the Marshall Islands to see where to try specific Marshallese food and drinks.

Church plays an important role in community life across the Marshall Islands, and attending a service offers one of the most moving ways to experience local culture. Expect heartfelt worship, congregations dressed in their Sunday best and choral singing so powerful that the language barrier quickly becomes irrelevant.

Most services are held on Sunday mornings, although some churches also gather on Saturday evenings. Larger congregations may follow a formal programme of hymns, scripture readings, prayers, a sermon and performances from youth choirs, while smaller outer-island churches offer a more intimate community experience.

In Majuro, accessible options include the Cathedral of the Assumption, Uliga United Church of Christ and the smaller churches lining the lagoon road towards Laura. Services are often conducted in Marshallese, although some churches offer an English-language Mass or service at a separate time.

Dress respectfully, with long pants for men and a skirt or dress covering the knees for women. Arrive a few minutes early, keep your phone tucked away during worship and ask before taking photographs.

For suggested churches, service details and visitor etiquette, see the 5 Best Churches in the Marshall Islands to Experience as a Visitor.

Location: Nationwide. See the link above for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: Free

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: $