Maloelap Atoll

Taroa islet on Maloelap holds one of the largest surviving 1940s airfield complexes in the Pacific: runways, hangars, revetments, blockhouses, coastal guns and a considerable amount of aircraft wreckage, all sitting in the scrub and coconut on a small islet where a few hundred people now live. The lagoon around it is wide and holds sunken ships from the same period. Taroa sits at the eastern side of the atoll and the rest of the ring is largely uninhabited.

The main sights

• The Taroa airfield - runways, hangars and revetments in the scrub.
• The aircraft wreckage - the airframes left where they were abandoned.
• The coastal guns - the emplacements around the islet shore.
• The sunken ships - wrecks in the lagoon from the same years.

When to go

December to April is the drier season. Flights are small and irregular. Vegetation is heavier after the wet season.

Practical notes

Unexploded ordnance is a genuine hazard and local guidance must be followed. There is no interpretation on the ground. Transport is irregular and accommodation is community arrangements.

Nearby

Aur is south, and Wotje is northwest.

Key facts