Caroline Island

Caroline Island, also called Millennium Island, is an uninhabited atoll in the southern Line Islands and one of the least disturbed coral islands on earth: rats were never established, the seabird colonies are intact and the coconut crab population is among the densest recorded anywhere. It was where the year 2000 first arrived, which is where the second name comes from. The island lies just west of the date line, and Kiribati moved the line in 1995 so that its eastern islands shared a calendar day with the rest of the country.

What you actually see

• The intact colonies - seabirds nesting undisturbed by introduced predators.
• The coconut crabs - among the densest populations recorded anywhere.
• The uninhabited atoll - an island with no permanent population.
• The millennium name - the first land the year 2000 reached.

When to go

Access depends entirely on arranging a vessel. There is no season that makes it easier. Permits are required.

Honest expectations

There is no scheduled access of any kind; reaching it requires a private vessel and a permit that is rarely given. There is no infrastructure. Landing is controlled to protect the ecosystem.

Nearby

Flint Island is south, and Kiritimati is far north.