10 Things to Do in the Marshall Islands on a Rainy Day

A classic rainy-day activity is, indeed, the National Museum! The Alele Museum might be compact, but it's bursting with historical context and fun facts, as the building also houses the library and national archives.

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 the rain rolls in, ducking into a local handicraft shop to browse amimono is one of the finest ways to spend an afternoon indoors. You won't find many souvenirs more distinctly Marshallese than the islands' intricate handicrafts, collectively known by this name, and they're 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).

A rainy afternoon gives you all the time you need to properly 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: $

A cultural experience with a roof over your head, Elefa Handicraft offers 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.

Tobolar do their utmost to keep their copra dry, and they will keep you dry too!

The Tobolar Copra Processing Authority is the only copra processing plant in the whole of Micronesia. Better for curious travellers, they offer very affordable tours so you can learn about the whole process.

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.

That's right, there's another museum in town and WAAN Aelõñ in Majel's museum, also known as Canoes of the Marshall Islands, as another way to stay out of the rain.

Step inside 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).

Open from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, entry is completely free, making it one of the most rewarding cultural stops on Majuro for the price of absolutely nothing.

Elegance Spa, Hair Salon and Aesthetics is a full-service spa and wellness clinic tucked inside Marshall Islands Resort, offering everything from relaxing massages to advanced aesthetic treatments, all at surprisingly reasonable prices. Better still, you'll hardly care that it's raining as you fall into a state of bliss...

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.

When the heavens open, take it as permission to linger over lunch. Majuro has an unexpectedly varied restaurant scene, with Taiwanese and Chinese dishes, Filipino favourites, pizzas, American-style diners and cafés serving plenty of hot drinks to accompany the downpour.

You can also climb to the restaurant on the top floor of Toeak Bar & Grill for elevated views over the atoll, which are rather atmospheric when the rain rolls across the lagoon. Bakeries like Annie's provide another easy refuge, although indoor seating can be limited, so arrive before everyone else has the same soggy idea.

For something more distinctly local, look for restaurants serving Marshallese fish dishes, coconut-rich sides and traditional meals, such as at the Riwut Restaurant. A rainy spell is the perfect excuse to order something unfamiliar and take your time over it, rather than sprinting back outside between showers.

Dining options are more limited beyond Majuro, but hotels, guesthouses and small local eateries across the outer atolls also provide indoor meals. Check opening times before setting out, as island restaurant schedules can be flexible.

For recommended places, cuisines and local dishes, see the 10 Best Restaurants in Majuro and the Marshall Islands.

Location: Available nationwide, with the widest choice of restaurants, cafés, diners and bakeries around Delap-Uliga-Djarrit, Majuro. See the link above for recommendations and their locations.

Price Range: $$

When the rain sets in, attending a church service is one of the most rewarding ways to spend a slow morning in the Marshall Islands.

Church plays an important role in community life across the Marshall Islands, and stepping inside during a service offers one of the most moving ways to experience local culture, whatever the weather outside. 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

For just US$1 a game, the pool tables at The Flame Tree are one of the best-value ways to pass time in Majuro, especially when waiting out a rain shower.

Head to the bar, grab a bucket of balls and take your pick of three tables. It's that simple.

The Flame Tree is open from 10 am to 9 pm, Monday to Thursday and 10 am to 2 am, Friday and Saturday, and the vibe shifts dramatically depending on when you arrive.

Early evenings are relaxed and ideal for a quiet game paired with their stuffed-crust pizza or other restaurant bites (we cover the food side in more detail in our 10 Best Restaurants in Majuro and the Marshall Islands LINK#TTD051). Later on, things get lively, so time your visit accordingly.