How Long Does it Take to Sail to the Marshall Islands?

The Marshall Islands sit in the central Pacific, making them a natural stop between Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Guam and the wider Pacific cruising routes. Many yachts approach Majuro from nearby island nations before continuing toward the South Pacific, Hawai'i or Asia.

So, how long does it take to sail to the Marshall Islands from nearby Pacific destinations? Here are approximate distances and sailing times, calculated using an average cruising speed of 10 knots.

• Kiribati (Tarawa) to the Marshall Islands: 1898 nautical miles / 7 days 22 hours
• Micronesia (Kosrae) to the Marshall Islands: 500 nautical miles / 2 days 2 hours
• Nauru to the Marshall Islands: 524 nautical miles / 2 days 5 hours
• Micronesia (Pohnpei) to the Marshall Islands: 770 nautical miles / 3 days 5 hours
• Tuvalu to the Marshall Islands: 1,055 nautical miles / 4 days 10 hours
• Micronesia (Chuuk) to the Marshall Islands: 1,153 nautical miles / 4 days 20 hours
• Solomon Islands to the Marshall Islands: 1,201 nautical miles / 5 days 1 hour
• Guam to the Marshall Islands: 1,606 nautical miles / 6 days 17 hours
• Papua New Guinea to the Marshall Islands: 1,755 nautical miles / 7 days 8 hours
• Palau to the Marshall Islands: 2,197 nautical miles / 9 days 4 hours

The Marshall Islands can also be added to a wider Pacific island-hopping route, especially if you’re moving between Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, New Caledonia or French Polynesia and the northern Pacific.

These routes are longer than nearby Micronesian passages, but they’re still realistic bluewater legs for well-prepared cruising yachts.

Note: All times and distances below are calculated assuming an average sailing speed of 10 knots.

• Wallis and Futuna to the Marshall Islands: 1,432 nautical miles / 5 days 23 hours
• Tokelau to the Marshall Islands: 1,437 nautical miles / 6 days
• Vanuatu to the Marshall Islands: 1,503 nautical miles / 6 days 6 hours
• Fiji to the Marshall Islands: 1,573 nautical miles / 6 days 13 hours
• Samoa to the Marshall Islands: 1,611 nautical miles / 6 days 17 hours
• American Samoa to the Marshall Islands: 1,671 nautical miles / 6 days 23 hours
• New Caledonia to the Marshall Islands: 1,788 nautical miles / 7 days 11 hours
• Tonga to the Marshall Islands: 1,872 nautical miles / 7 days 19 hours
• New Zealand (Auckland) to the Marshall Islands: 2,647 nautical miles / 11 days 1 hour
• French Polynesia (Tahiti) to the Marshall Islands: 2,750 nautical miles / 11 days 11 hours

For the adventurous sailor, reaching the Marshall Islands from the Pacific Rim is a true bluewater voyage. Routes from Hawai'i, Japan, the Philippines, Australia or the west coast of the Americas can take anywhere from just over a week to almost a month at 10 knots.

These are not casual passages, so careful planning, weather routing, fuel management, clearance procedures and provisioning are essential.

Note: All times and distances below are calculated assuming an average sailing speed of 10 knots.

• Hawai'i to the Marshall Islands: 1,977 nautical miles / 8 days 6 hours
• Australia (Brisbane) to the Marshall Islands: 2,334 nautical miles / 9 days 17 hours
• Japan (Tokyo) to the Marshall Islands: 2,445 nautical miles / 10 days 4 hours
• Philippines to the Marshall Islands: 2,999 nautical miles / 12 days 12 hours
• Hong Kong to the Marshall Islands: 3,423 nautical miles / 14 days 6 hours
• Indonesia (Bali) to the Marshall Islands: 3,494 nautical miles / 14 days 13 hours
• Singapore to the Marshall Islands: 4,056 nautical miles / 16 days 22 hours
• Los Angeles to the Marshall Islands: 4,187 nautical miles / 17 days 11 hours
• Mexico to the Marshall Islands: 4,616 nautical miles / 19 days 6 hours
• Chile to the Marshall Islands: 6,992 nautical miles / 29 days 3 hours