Phoenix Islands Protected Area
One of the largest marine protected areas on earth, eight atolls and open ocean.
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UNESCO World Heritage
The Phoenix Islands Protected Area covers around four hundred thousand square kilometres of the central Pacific, eight atolls and two submerged reefs with almost no human population and the surrounding ocean, inscribed by UNESCO in 2010 as one of the largest and least disturbed coral archipelago systems left. Only Kanton has any residents at all. Reaching it means an ocean crossing of days.
What you actually see
- The scale - around four hundred thousand square kilometres protected.
- The atolls - eight islands with almost no human population.
- The intact reef - among the least disturbed coral systems remaining.
- The 2010 inscription - the UNESCO listing of the whole area.
When to go
April to October is the calmer season for the crossing. Access is extremely limited in any month. Permits are required and rarely given.
Honest expectations
This is one of the hardest places on earth to reach: days of open ocean, a permit that is rarely granted, and no infrastructure whatsoever. Almost nobody goes. Coral bleaching has affected parts of the area severely.
Nearby
Kanton is the only inhabited island, and Tarawa is far west.
What to pack for Phoenix Islands Protected Area
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.