Those who are looking for an unusual destination for their trip should definitely consider the Gilbert Islands, which belong to the state of Kiribati. Coral islands, surrounding lagoons, unsurpassed mangrove forests, a diverse world of flora and fauna - all this will leave an unforgettable holiday experience.
Location
Few people know where the Gilbert Islands are. Glancing at the world map, you can not immediately notice them. However, if you take a closer look, you can see an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, which includes 16 islands or atolls (an island of coral origin). The Gilbert Archipelago was formed from the peaks of the seamounts of Micronesia. Their height above sea level is no more than 7 meters.
The current name of the Gilbert Islands is Kiribati. This is the local pronunciation of the English word Gilberts.
Visa regime
In order to visit the Gilbert Islands in Kiribati, Russian citizens need to obtain a visa, which is issued at the British Embassy inMoscow. The visa processing time is from 10 days to three weeks, as the documents are sent directly to the immigration service of the state of Kiribati.
How to get there
There is no direct flight to the Gilbert Islands from Russia. In order to get to the place, you will need at least 2 transfers. First you need to overcome a huge distance and get to Australia, New Zealand, Japan or the USA. The next intermediate point is Fiji, from which you can fly to Tarawa once a week.
Climatic conditions
Due to the location of the islands, the air temperature here remains almost unchanged throughout the year. On average, the air warms up to +27 °C. There are two seasons here. The rainy season lasts from October to March. At this time, typhoons, floods and hurricanes become a frequent occurrence. The season, which lasts from April to September, on the contrary, is dry.
Holidays in the Gilbert Islands are very popular with tourists. It is ideal for those who seek solitude with untouched nature. Atolls and incredible beauty of the underwater world attract divers from all over the world.
Top destinations
The capital of the state of Kiribati is located on one of the islands of the Gilbert archipelago, which is called Tarawa. The atoll consists of about 25 islands, only 8 of which are inhabited by people. The largest island, South Tarawa, boasts that Kiribati International Airport is located here.
The island is hugethe number of lagoons, with a total area of more than 500 square kilometers. The main occupation of the locals is fishing and pearl farming. A large number of fish restaurants are presented to the attention of tourists, where you can taste the freshest seafood and national cuisine. The island is rich in coconuts, breadfruit and papaya.
South Tarawa Atoll is a great place for a beach holiday. There are several large hotels with a high level of service.
A favorite place for tourists is the atoll of Marakei, located in the northern part of the Gilbert Islands. In the heart of the island there is a lagoon, considered the most beautiful in the whole republic. There are no large hotel complexes and hotels here, tourists can stay in small guest houses or in the private sector with local residents.
There is a small airport on Marakei Atoll, which serves only 3 flights a week, including a flight from Tarawa.
Abemama Atoll consists of a large number of small islands, in the center there is a large beautiful lagoon. Tourists are attracted by dense tropical vegetation, represented mainly by coconut palms.
Local residents, of which there are 3.5 thousand people, are mainly engaged in growing papaya, fishing and growing pearls. Tourists can have a great time in one of the fish restaurants on the shore and taste national cuisine.
Kuria Atoll includestwo small islands separated by a strait. The islands are surrounded by coral reefs, which are inhabited by incredibly beautiful tropical fish and a variety of ocean inhabitants. Tourists come here every year to go diving in one of the most picturesque places on our planet. The atoll has a small airport with 2 flights per week.
Nikunau Atoll attracts vacationers because in its center there are small s alt water lagoons that are separated from the Pacific waters. Swimming in the lagoons will be remembered for a lifetime: the purest azure water, tropical fish and palm trees growing on the shore leave no one indifferent.
Nikunau has an airstrip with regular flights to other islands in the Gilbert archipelago.
A trip to the Gilbert Islands will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your life. The opportunity to visit such an interesting place is not to be missed.
