12 Best Things to Do in Marshall Islands for Tourists

The Marshall Islands sit far out in the Pacific, made up of 29 ring-shaped coral reefs and more than 1,200 untouched islets spread over almost 2 million sq km - home to eerie war wrecks from WWII, lagoons marked by atomic tests, yet rich with native sea-faring customs stretching back thousands of years. Instead of crowded resorts, travelers find meaning through dives at Bikini Atoll - a protected UNESCO zone - lazy days on Majuro’s quiet shores, or staying with locals on distant atolls where elders teach old ways like navigating by hand-carved stick charts, mixing thrilling underwater adventures with real-life moments that show how people here keep their culture alive despite odds. Forget flashy lists; this isn't about ticking boxes - it covers actual things you can do there, sights worth seeing, hidden corners, local-led island trips, low-impact nature walks, plus practical tips for getting online using eSIMs when hopping between these scattered specks of land

These tiny islands, usually only about 2 meters above the ocean surface, are seriously at risk because of shifting weather patterns - but they also hold incredibly rich coral ecosystems and hidden chapters of nuclear past. Back in 1946, during a U.S. military test called Operation Crossroads, one explosion wiped out lab animals instantly; then in 1954, another massive bomb named Castle Bravo spread deadly ash over people living on Rongelap Atoll. Today’s travelers notice sharp differences - rushing currents around sunken warships now covered in vibrant sea life versus calm nights eating fish caught nearby under palm-thatched roofs. Exploring here works best when you take your time, follow local leadership traditions, support environmental efforts by paying small green fees used to heal damaged reefs and keep island culture alive

Essential Marshall Islands Travel Tips

Most visitors arrive at Majuro Atoll, served by Nauru Airlines from Fiji, Tarawa, or Brisbane about three times a week. Adventurous travelers can charter small planes or ride supply vessels to remote atolls like Arno, Mili, or Enewetak, booking 4–8 weeks ahead. Marshallese (Kajin M̧ajeļ) is local, but English works everywhere. US dollars are accepted.

Weather is hot and humid (~85°F, 80%), with December–April offering drier skies, calm seas, and better diving. Most travelers stay visa-free up to 90 days, though officials may request proof of funds, onward travel, or negative COVID results. Remote islands require approval from local chiefs (irooj) via the Visitors Authority.

Packing & Safety Tips

Bring reef-safe sunscreen, fast-drying clothes, UV protection, and waterproof bags. Custom dive masks improve underwater clarity. Motion sickness remedies (e.g., scopolamine) help on long boat rides. Carry at least $1,000/week as ATMs and credit cards are scarce outside Majuro. Protect against dengue with DEET 50%, permethrin-treated clothing, and full-coverage outfits at night. Dive insurance or DAN membership is crucial for isolated areas like Bikini Atoll.

Island Hopping & Connectivity

Book liveaboard trips 6–12 months in advance during high season with providers like Dive Marshall Islands, Bikini Dive Tours, or the Visitors Authority. Day trips to Arno or Enewetak run weekly. A travel eSIM turns weak Digicel 4G into reliable coverage for tide updates, GPS markers, storm alerts, and uploading dive footage. Download offline maps and stick charts, as voice calls may lag over satellite connections.

1. Dive Bikini Atoll's WWII & Nuclear Wrecks

Bikini Atoll saw 23 American nuclear blasts from 1946 to 1958 - one was Castle Bravo, a massive hydrogen bomb that spewed radiation across 500 miles - yet today it’s a UNESCO site guarding more than 15 untouched WWII ships sunk during Operation Hailstone. You can only get there on weeklong boat trips leaving Majuro every two weeks, but just between December and April. These sunken vessels lie between 40 and 180 feet down, holding snapshots of old naval warfare frozen in time. The huge USS Saratoga, weighing 33,000 tons, still has dive planes lined up on its deck, complete with working guns. Meanwhile, inside the German ship Prinz Eugen, you’ll find brass signal devices and clumps of dried soap in officers’ restrooms. Now, coral coats everything, drawing crowds of gray reef sharks, eagle rays, plus clusters of midnight snapper fish. Diving here takes serious skill - it needs nitrox training, careful decompression planning, and rules like no touching or entering interiors out of respect for these war memorials. On quiet days with steady breezes, clarity often stretches beyond 100 feet

Before diving, history buffs explain how the Able and Baker tests poisoned sea life here - now reefs are bouncing back strong. Snorkelers who stay above water check out big parrotfish or turtles in waist-deep zones. Night divers hunting tiny critters snap pics of flashy Spanish dancer nudibranchs. A $150 fee per person helps pay for gear that watches radiation fade and grow new coral

Unique crash patterns plus systems:

• Slip through the full stretch of the USS Saratoga - 888 feet of rusted steel - as you glide by old launch ramps, a deck lift stuck halfway up, yet bright hangar bays warmed by shafts of light, where coral towns wrap around yellowed blades; diving this deep, down to 180 feet, means slow ascents and careful stops along the way
• Check out Prinz Eugen’s wreck - her decks still lean sideways, surgery rooms untouched. Then swing by the Nagato warships, where big gun towers now hide white-tip reef sharks
• Anderson Quay’s old bomb zone: shallow dives using surface gear near wrecked destroyers, turned into fake reefs where tiny sea slugs plus young sharks thrive
• Night moves: Glow-in-the-dark lagoons show nurse sharks snoozing in rocky holes - while tiny sea sparkles light up when plankton go wild across South Pacific islands

On liveaboards, you’ll dive 3 to 4 wrecks each day - there are spots to clean your gear plus tanks with enriched air. Full tech packages usually cost between six and eight grand, covering everything.

2. Swim & Snorkel Laura Beach on Majuro Atoll

Laura Beach sits on the west side of Majuro Atoll, stretching two kilometers with soft white sand under leaning palm trees. Water stays shallow - just knee to waist deep - for about 200 meters out, making it perfect for kids to splash around without strong waves. This spot’s often seen as the best open-to-all beach across Micronesia, plus a go-to island destination where families float near turtles munching on underwater grass beds. Old-timers tell tales of Bokjanwut, a woman-rat figure who supposedly made the first woven sleeping mats ages ago. When the tide drops low, visitors scan the wet edges for shiny cowrie and cone snail shells. Crumbling WWII bunkers sit back in the tree line, quiet and rusted from decades past

Early morning dives from December to April bring the clearest views - over 80 feet - showing off brain corals, bright blue fish, while reef sharks drift near drop-offs. Instead of renting gear, pack your own mask and fins since none are available there. You’ll find coconut sellers nearby plus spots to sit and eat, so hanging out all day works well. When evening hits, the lagoon glows like liquid gold, great for slow-shutter shots

Unmissable beach rituals:

• Dawn yoga classes using mats borrowed from Laura Guesthouse - gazing at a quiet, empty skyline.
• At low tide, reef trails open up - showing off pools packed with anemones, crabs, also starfish.
• Community cookouts where folks fire up mahi-mahi hauled in just earlier that day, swapping jãbã - made from fermented breadfruit - one tip at a time
• Bioluminescent night swims when lagoons ignite with dinoflagellate sparkles.

Hook up with the old Ronton airstrip to spot leftover WWII planes tangled in thick jungle growth.

3. Homestay & Kayak Arno Atoll Villages

Arno Atoll sits just half an hour by boat from Majiro. Folks there live much like their ancestors did. Women sit on reef edges weaving mats out of pandanus leaves. Meanwhile, guys spread copra across sun-covered sheets to dry. This spots known for hands-on island life instead of fancy resorts. Visitors stay with locals in homes made of thatch. Bathrooms are set apart from main huts. Each evening brings fresh food approved by elders - think crispy coconut fish, mashed taro, and ripe papaya when it's in season. You’ll eat together under open skies or low roofs lit dimly at dusk. There’s also time spent paddling kayaks through quiet channels between tiny islands - one after another, more than fifty scattered around a huge lagoon nearly twenty-five miles wide. Young blacktips swim near shallow banks, darting between coral heads. Talks happen naturally during downtime - about family lines passed down through mothers, old tools left behind by European missionaries, everyday wisdom shared slow and clear

Day or overnight trips cost $150 per night - everything’s covered. They start at Arno’s dock using a small boat, plus you get two kayaks to explore narrow mangrove paths where herons hang out and octopuses hide. When visiting houses, take your hat off - it matters. Bring a bit of tobacco for village leaders as a sign of respect. Never point toward holy spots; it’s frowned upon

Village immersion itinerary:

• Morning shows how to process copra, while folks carve stick charts using cowrie shells to map waves.
• Midday brings kayaks into calm lagoons near pearl spots - black-lipped oysters grow shiny gems there.
• Later in the day, we stroll across the reef flat alongside local women’s groups, gathering sea vegetables together while sharing stories and tips along the way
• At night, folks gather near the stars to share tales of Lela’s epic 3,000-mile canoe trip to Hawaii.

Fees help fund patrols by atoll guards who stop unlawful fishing activities.

4. Uncover Marshallese Navigation at Alele Museum

Majuro’s small Alele Museum & Public Library holds some of the best Pacific Island artifacts around - like rebbelib, which are stick charts showing waves and island shapes. Besides those, you’ll find old German coins from colonial times, plus secret maps about nuclear test fallout that help explain Marshallese life before European contact and during the Cold War. Right now, changing displays include copies made by expert seafarer Aling Kobo, along with real stories from people who lived through atomic tests. Nearby, the library runs regular sessions where folks gather to pound jãbã breadfruit each week

Get in free - tips welcome; $10 tours go at 10 a.m. on workdays. Check out the Capitol dome close by if you like big stone buildings with columns

Artifact highlights:

• Wave-shaped maps showing 19 island setups used to guess positions while traveling across water.
• Old photos from the sky showed empty atolls before war buildings moved in.
• Mat-weaving tools show designs tied to family lines, passed down through groups.
• Nuclear archives with Geiger counter readings from Rongelap evacuations.

5. Dawn Patrol Majuro Bridge & Uliga Lagoon

The shiny Majuro Bridge stretches one km over the water toward Uliga, where ocean views open up - perfect for snapping pics at dawn when boats drift into view and islands fade on the edge of sight, a spot that also hides old wartime guns. Down below, early traders shout through packed stalls as tuna gets hauled off boats; overhead, drones swing wide (check airport rules first), filming it all from above

Beat the crowds by going early - skip the tour groups. Link up with Uliga’s old Japanese seaplane bases for a fuller experience

6. Paddle Traditional Waan Aelon Outrigger Canoes

WAM’s Visitors Center brings back old-school wa - canoes tied together without nails, using stars to steer through lagoons. This hands-on activity is one of the most real ways to experience Marshallese culture. People paddle replica boats while older folks sing traditional wayfinding chants. These lagoon races mimic journeys between atolls

7. Witness Rongelap Atoll Ecosystem Revival

Rongelap Atoll, hit by the 1954 Bravo blast, is healing - now home to nesting birds and clear lagoons where snorkeling tours show off tough coral comebacks; private boats share stories of recovery work, making this part of the Marshall Islands a quiet spot for real eco-travel

8. Hunt Mili Atoll WWII Relics & Wrecks

Mili’s runways, lined with palms, stash old Zero fighters plus Val dive bombers near lagoons where kayaks glide over bright sandy floors - prime picks across the Marshalls mixing wrecked warplanes with untouched shorelines.

9. Day Escape to Pristine Eneko Island Resort

Eneko Conservation Club’s quiet island offers overwater huts, personal reef swims, or seaside grills cooked by a pro - skip the rush of Majuro with this chill twist on exploring the Marshalls.

10. Summit Enewetak's Ivy Mike H-Bomb Crater

The 1952 Ivy Mike blast left a 1.9-megaton mark, now thick with ferns, watching over healing lagoons from a dive boat - this raw wreckage stands out across the Marshalls, no filter needed.

11. Drift Snorkel Kalalin & Laura Passes

Majuro’s Kalalin Pass pulls sharks, eagle rays, or turtles through tight channels - perfect for thrilling drift snorkels. This spot highlights lively underwater action across the Marshall Islands. Explore real snorkel and dive energy here

Capture and Share Your Marshall Islands Journey with SimCorner eSIM

Across huge stretches of open sea, the Marshall Islands need solid eSIM and SIM card service so travelers can follow dive trip schedules, record nitrox dives, check storm radar, or share crisp sunset videos online. SimCorner offers fast 4G and 5G across Asia-Pacific, activated by scanning a code, working from Majuro lodgings to remote atolls without price hikes.

Stream TikTok shows, catch Arno’s golden-hour clips, or learn charts without lag. Pick data - short hops at 5GB or go wild with 100GB rides.

SimCorner founder Shahzeb Shaikh reflects, "When travelers grasp Marshall Islands' intertwined nuclear scars and navigation genius through connected narratives, it fuels global advocacy for their survival." See our Marshall Islands SIM guide and Asia-Pacific eSIM options.