Ailinglaplap Atoll

Ailinglaplap is one of the largest atolls in the Marshall Islands, a wide ring of islets around a big lagoon in the Ralik chain, and it was the birthplace of Kessai Note, the country's third president. Traditional canoe building continues on some of the islets and the atoll is known for it. Life here runs on copra, fishing and the supply boat. The atoll splits into two administrative halves, Ailinglaplap and Woja, with an airstrip on each. Supply ships call when they call and the schedule is not something anyone plans around.

History

The name means "greatest atoll", because the greatest legends of the Marshallese people were created here. Captain Thomas Dennet of the British ship Britannia sighted it in 1797 on the way from Australia to China and named it Lambert Island (Wikipedia, Ailinglaplap Atoll).

What's there

• The wide lagoon - the large enclosed water the islets ring.
• The canoe building - the traditional craft still made on the atoll.
• The copra work - the coconut trade the islands live on.
• The presidential birthplace - the atoll Kessai Note came from.

When to go

December to April is the drier season. Flights are small and irregular. The wet season brings heavier weather.

Practical notes

Transport is irregular and getting stuck is normal. There is no accommodation beyond community arrangements. Supplies must largely be brought.

Nearby

Jaluit is south, and Majuro is east.

Key facts