10 Best Souvenirs & Gifts From the Marshall Islands

One of the most popular Marshallese handicrafts, the Oboñ is a circular wall decoration woven with remarkable detail. Most measure around 15 to 18 in (381 to 457 mm) across, although smaller 10 in (254 mm) versions are much easier to slip into a suitcase.

The firm base is made from malwe, stiffened strips of coconut frond, then wrapped with pandanus or kimej, the delicate membrane of a coconut shoot. Every piece is woven by hand, making it a striking souvenir for anyone who wants more than another fridge magnet.

Where to buy: Happy Hands (The Shoreline, Uliga, Majuro), Leipajid (Lagoon Road, Delap, Majuro), Elefa Handicraft (Lagoon Road, Uliga, Majuro) and Mio’s Gift Shop (Amata Kabua International Airport, Majuro).

Marshallese handbags are woven from maan, prepared pandanus decorated in traditional shades of brown or black. Premium bags use durable kimej, the membrane of a coconut shoot, whose preparation remains a closely guarded Marshallese secret.

Some modern designs combine the two materials, with pandanus on the outside and kimej lining the interior. The most historically famous style is the Kili Bag, examples of which were presented to Jackie Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth II.

Practical, lightweight and rich in island history, this is one souvenir you can use long after your holiday.

Where to buy: Mon LiSaitem (Rita Back Road, Rita, Majuro) and more.

Miniature Marshallese outrigger canoes are carefully crafted replicas of the vessels that once carried skilled navigators across the Pacific. Details often include a pandanus sail, steering oar and bailer, just like those used on full-sized canoes.

Compact, distinctive and deeply connected to the Marshall Islands’ seafaring past, they make one of the most meaningful souvenirs to display at home.

Oh, and if you want to ride one of these, see how in the 5 Best Boat Tours in Majuro & the Marshall Islands.

Where to buy: Happy Hands (The Shoreline, Uliga, Majuro).

Marshallese baskets are often described as some of the most delightful handicrafts in the Pacific, handmade by women for women using techniques passed down through generations.

They are constructed from malwe, wrapped coconut spines, then bound with dyed kimej and sometimes decorated with small shells. Despite their delicate appearance, these baskets are remarkably durable and can last a lifetime.

Large custom-made versions are also available for travellers after a true statement piece, although you may need to negotiate some serious luggage space.

Where to buy: Leipajid (Lagoon Road, Delap, Majuro).

Long before GPS started barking directions, Marshallese navigators were reading the ocean itself. Stick charts preserve that remarkable knowledge through carefully arranged sticks and shells representing swells, currents and islands.

A mattang was used to teach how ocean swells interact, while a rebbelib mapped islands within one or more atoll chains. They are not conventional maps to follow across the lagoon, but visual teaching tools encoding one of the Pacific’s most sophisticated navigation traditions.

That makes a stick chart more than an eye-catching wall decoration. It is a piece of living history and one of the most distinctly Marshallese souvenirs you can take home.

For a closer look at larger examples, visit the Waan Aelõñ in Majel Museum and Alele Museum and Public Library, as listed in The Best Museums in the Marshall Islands.

Where to buy: Happy Hands (The Shoreline, Uliga, Majuro), Leipajid (Lagoon Road, Delap, Majuro), Elefa Handicraft (Lagoon Road, Uliga, Majuro), Mio’s Gift Shop (Amata Kabua International Airport, Majuro).

Few souvenirs say “tropical islands” quite like coconut oil, especially when you can see where it was made. Tobolar Copra Processing Authority, the only copra processing plant in Micronesia, produces coconut oils and soaps at its factory and refinery in Majuro.

Coconut oil is commonly used to moisturise dry skin and hair, while some locals also apply it as a natural insect repellent. For something less polished but more homespun, look for homemade coconut oil in small family-run shops, often sold in recycled fizzy-drink bottles (the packaging may be humble, but the contents are the real deal).

You can even visit Tobolar to follow the production process before buying a bottle, as featured in 10 Best Tours in Majuro & the Marshall Islands.

Where to buy: Tobolar (Delap Dock, Majuro), K&K Island Pride Supermarket (Delap Park, Majuro) and small locally owned shops around Majuro.

Few souvenirs are as instantly recognisable as the colourful flower hair pieces worn across the Marshall Islands. Locals call the flower a rose, pronounced with a Marshallese accent, and you will see them tucked behind the ear in every colour imaginable.

Head garlands are another beautiful option, traditionally worn for celebrations, ceremonies and special occasions. The style is so distinctive that people elsewhere in the Pacific often recognise its Marshallese origins at a glance.

These are our personal favourite wearable souvenirs. They are cheerful, lightweight and far easier to pack than a basket the size of a coffee table.

Where to buy: Happy Hands (The Shoreline, Uliga, Majuro), Leipajid (Lagoon Road, Delap, Majuro), Mon LiSaitem (Rita Back Road, Rita, Majuro) and Elefa Handicraft (Lagoon Road, Uliga, Majuro).

For something small enough to slip into your hand luggage but still unmistakably Marshallese, look for a traditional marmar or locally made jewellery.

A marmar is a traditional Marshallese necklace tied to local custom and identity, while more contemporary earrings, necklaces and bracelets are crafted from shells collected around Majuro and the outer atolls, coconut fibre and decorative flowers. Pieces often come as matching sets, although you can also usually buy them separately.

At Elefa Handicraft, jewellery is one of the most popular products, with women often crafting pieces inside the shop. Designs are intentionally unique and custom orders may be possible, giving you a souvenir that no one else back home is likely to be wearing.

Where to buy: Happy Hands (The Shoreline, Uliga, Majuro), Leipajid (Lagoon Road, Delap, Majuro), Elefa Handicraft (Lagoon Road, Uliga, Majuro), Anmarwut Gas Station (Rita Back Road, Rita, Majuro) and Mio’s Gift Shop (Amata Kabua International Airport, Majuro).

Bōb Whisky is one of the Marshall Islands’ most unusual local drinks, made in Majuro by Divine Tree Distillery, also known as the Marshall Islands Pandanus Co.

Despite the name, it is not technically whisky. Rather than grains such as barley or wheat, the spirit is distilled from fermented pandanus juice, giving it a smooth flavour with the fruit’s distinctive sweet, earthy character.

The process begins with juice extracted from pandanus fruit, traditionally known as kolombur. This was once done by scraping the fruit by hand, a fairly heroic amount of effort that the distillery now handles with a mechanised juicing machine.

The juice is fermented with sugar and yeast before being distilled, creating what is believed to be the only pandanus spirit of its kind in the world. The distillery also makes breadfruit vodka, although Bōb Whisky remains the star, probably because “pandanus spirit from Majuro” makes a much better holiday story than “we bought vodka”.

Where to buy: K&K Island Pride Supermarket (Lagoon Road, Delap, Majuro), Happy Hands (The Shoreline, Uliga), Elefa Handicraft (Lagoon Road, Uliga), Mio’s Gift Shop (Amata Kabua International Airport, Majuro) and Marshall Islands Pandanus Co. (Uliga Back Road, Uliga), approximately 91 m (100 yards) south of DAR Coffee Corner.

Yes, even in a destination known for handwoven crafts and ocean navigation history, the humble fridge magnet still gets its moment.

Most designs feature Marshallese stick charts, particularly mattang and rebbelib, turning a small souvenir into a nod to the islands’ remarkable seafaring identity. They are affordable, easy to pack and ideal for collectors or anyone who has already reached the “absolutely no more room in the suitcase” stage of the trip.

Where to buy: Elefa Handicraft (Lagoon Road, Uliga, Majuro) and Mio’s Gift Shop (Amata Kabua International Airport, Majuro).