This information has been contributed by and is intended for use by competent amateur yachtsmen as general guidance solely to supplement research of their cruising plans.It has not been checked or verified by the OCC. The Information may be inaccurate or out of date and is NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

Tarawa – 01°22.00'N, 173°56.00'E

1) Information Submitted by Noel Marshall - Sadko   

2) Date1995

3) Harbour or Area CoveredInclude Lat & Long

Tarawa, Kiribati (Gilbert Islands).01deg22’ N 173deg56’ E

4) Suitability and Attraction forYachts

Tarawa can provide a useful pit stop for yachts going north. The main inhabited part is South Tarawa, a 15 miles string of linked islands on the south side of the lagoon. The situation is delightful but, apart from some decaying relics of WW2, the points of interest are few and tourist facilities minimal. The general impression is of a local culture fast disappearing under a thin layer of western style life supported by aid donors, principally Chinese, Japanese, Australian and New Zealand.
5) Marinas, Berthing or Anchorage

The harbour is at Betio in the SW corner of the lagoon. Entry by day is advised. The only passage into the lagoon is on the west side and clearly marked by buoys. Anchor opposite the quay west of the harbour entrance channel in 5-10 metres and take the dinghy into the harbour. The holding is good but the anchorage can be uncomfortable in the prevailing easterly winds because of the long fetch across the lagoon. Yachts staying more than a few days sometimes prefer to move about 12 miles up the lagoon and anchor off the Otintaai Hotel at Bikenibeu, a favoured residential area. A yacht drawing up to 6ft can go into Betio harbour but there is little space and it would be wise to negotiate with the harbour authorities first and reconnoitre by dinghy.

6) Entry Ports Tarawa

7) Formal Requirements for Yachts Entering/Departing:

a) from/to same country

Permission must be obtained from Tarawa to go to the outer islands

b) from/to abroad

Ship’s papers and last port clearance

c) visa requirements

Not known

8) Location/Existence of:

a) harbour master

Port Captain at Betio.

b) customs/immigration

Alerted by radio Customs & Immigration will want to be ferried out to the yacht to do the clearance. The skipper must also later take all the passports to the Immigration Dept. In the government offices in Bairiki. On departure he should visit the Port Captain (and pay modest dues) and the Customs office, both in Betio.


11) Repair/Hauling Facilities- Small boatyard and engineering shop

12) Sailing Directions or Charts- BA 700 & 3269
14) Port Radio Services

Tarawa Radio maintain awatch on 6215.5 Khz and ask to be informed of ETA about 24 hours ahead. The radio station will inform the relevant authorities. On arrival call again on VHF.

15) Weather Forecasts

Tarawa is outside the north Pacific typhoon zone and generally enjoys tropical weather cooled by trade winds, although westerly gales can blow from November to March inclusive. The northern Gilbert Islands are technically in the area covered by the US Coastguard bulletins from Guam, although they are not mentioned in that service’ Island/atoll summary, You can visit the meteorological station and they may ask the regional office in Nandi (Fiji) to send a special report.

17) Other Facilities:

drinking water - May be in short supply

fuel By can from a station on the harbour front

gas (propane)/gaz From a village to the east of Betio

chandlers Basic hardware stores carrying a minimum of marine equipment

bank The Bank of Kiribati will give cash advances against credit cards

shops/market Half a dozen modest stores in Betio & Bairiki, the bias is towards Australian foods. Depending on ship arrivals, there may little fresh food although some frozen in available.

restaurants/hotels A couple of acceptable restaurants, and a simple beachside club in Ambo caters to the diminishing expat community.

post office/telephones including mobile facilities Offices in Betio and Bairiki offer a fax service and international phone calls during working hour

laundry -no launderettes but the Shipping Company (office upstairs on the harbour quay) can direct you to an adequate village laundry facility.

transport/air services Air links can change. At the end of 1995 Air Marshall’s Saab service between Majuro and Fiji stopped at Tarawa once weekly in each direction. There were also flights to Fiji on air Nauru, cheaper but requiring an overnight stop in Nauru.

medical facilities/hospital Yes

18) Recommendations or Warnings

Neither the US nor the UK have resident diplomatic missions. Australian dollars are used on Tarawa.

19) Other Information – please include here general impressions, opinions, comments or any other matter which might be of use to those visiting.

North Tarawa and some of the outer islands may better enable the visitor to re-discover the romance of the Gilbert Islands captured by Sir Arthur Grimble in his well known book, A Pattern of Islands.