Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, is located about 3,300 km from South Tarawa Island, the capital of the Republic of Kiribati. It is famously known as the first place in the world to see the sunrise. At the end of 1999, the island attracted global attention as the first place to enter the new millennium. We flew from Fiji on one of the weekly flights to Kiribati.
Since the only return flight leaves at 16:30 pm, and missing it would mean staying on the island for an entire week, we made the most of our short time exploring Kiribati’s unique charm. The ccTLD for Kiribati is “.ki“.
◆Where is Kiribati?
Kiribati is located approximately halfway between Hawaii and Australia, right where the equator meets the International Date Line. It is made up of 33 islands. Christmas Island, also known as Kiritimati, is the largest coral island in the world with an area of 388 km². By the way, it is different from Christmas Island, an Australian territory known for the famous red crab migration. The local currency is the Australian Dollar.
*As of July 2024
= Table of Contents =
◆A Police Station and a Courthouse that Looks Like a Community Center
◆ Salt Fields That Produce Up to 3,000 Tons Per Year
◆ Grant Applicants Instantly Recognizable at the Ministry of Finance
◆Villages Without Electricity
◆Beloved Local Supermarket… That Even Sells Handcuffs
◆Kind and Friendly Islanders
◆Finding “.ki” Around Town
◆ How to Purchase a SIM & Test the Internet Speed
◆A Police Station and a Courthouse that Looks Like a Community Center
We departed Nadi International Airport at 23:30pm. After a four-and-a-half-hour flight, we arrived at Cassidy International Airport in Kiribati at 6:30am. There is a two-hour time difference with Fiji.
Since there are no rental car companies on the island, we booked an “Island Discovery Tour” in advance ($250 AUD per person). As we left the airport, we saw that our guide was waiting for us. She usually works as an elementary school teacher. We set off together at 7:10am.
First stop, we visit a village called Banana. The whole island was beginning to wake up and we got to see what is involved with their morning routine.
Our car is a Mazda SUV, formerly driven in Japan, and now enjoying life on Kiribati. The car navigation system tells us we’re driving through Hirogawa Town in Wakayama Prefecture. We’ve seen this a lot during our Domain Island Tours!
This blue building is a police station. No one seemed to be around.
This is the island’s only Courthouse. It looks more like a community center.
We also spotted lots of crabs on the road. They shyly retreated to their holes the moment we pointed our cameras in their direction.
◆Salt Fields That Produce Up to 3,000 Tons Per Year
The island is dotted with hundreds of salt lakes, formed when coral reef erosion let seawater flood into low-lying areas. Let’s visit a salt extraction facility operated by the Kiribati Government.
We’ve arrived at a facility that’s located about ten minutes by car from the airport. There’s just a tiny lone hut. We see no other tourists.
Salt fields as far as the eye can see. What a magnificent view!
Let’s go a bit closer. Seawater foams and gradually crystallizes under the sun and wind, eventually covering the earth with a layer of white salt.
They opened up the building in which they store the salt. Let’s take a look inside.
A towering mound of salt, taller than a person! We couldn’t help but say: “Wow!”
Calbee, the popular snack brand, released a product called “Potato Chips Christmas Box” made with salt from Christmas Island. In 2024, sweets made with the same salt were also sold at Toranomon Hills in Tokyo, drawing attention to this Christmas Island delicacy.
After touring the salt fields, we visited the local Junior High School. It happened to be a special day, as students from multiple schools had gathered to hold a joint sports day. Inside the school, everything was calm and quiet.
Outside we found a relay race in full swing!
◆Grant Applicants Instantly Recognizable at the Ministry of Finance
London Village is the island’s administrative and public service center. All the offices for government administrative services and agencies are concentrated in this area. We’ve now reached the area where all the ministries are located.
I was curious about the Ministry of Finance.
I was surprised to see a public list of the people receiving government subsidies. With limited job opportunities, many people spend their days fishing.
Behind the building, we met the government’s private chefs relaxing at a table.
The island also has a prison. There are currently 4 to 5 inmates.
The prison doors are always open. Apparently, they feel no need to lock them, as everyone on the island knows who is inside.
We spot an ambulance parked next to London Hospital.
This is the X-ray building, built with Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) as part of efforts to improve the healthcare infrastructure.
◆Villages Without Electricity
We could hear the beat of drums and people clapping, so we stopped the car to investigate and saw children practicing marching. We decided to take a look around.
Children were practicing a marching routine for the upcoming Independence Day in July. Schools compete against each other and are ranked based on their performance. In the past, when we visited the Solomon Islands, we had the opportunity to attend their Independence Day ceremony.
Our tour also includes lunch. We headed to The Villages Hotel. We went to wash our hands before eating. No soap, but we do have Mama Lemon Dishwashing Liquid, produced by a Japanese company.
Lunch was rice, lobster and meat. Lobster is a valuable food source, caught near the island.
After lunch, we traveled to a small village about 2km from the Tabwakea village center.
Locals harvest sugar from the trees.
With permission, we were allowed to see inside the house. There is actually no electricity at all in this area. There is no electricity in the smaller settlements away from the London and Banana Villages, too.
This seems to be the kitchen.
◆Beloved Local Supermarket… That Even Sells Handcuffs
Next, we visited a KIESP (Kiritimati Island Energy Sector Programme) facility, that works to improve access to electricity on the island. This sign includes the logos of supporting countries and mentions “From the People of New Zealand” and the “European Union”.
Christmas Island is a beautiful island filled with incredible nature, but they still face many challenges when it comes to infrastructure development. KIESP is a project that supports the future of the island and its people.
This is JMB, the store loved by locals and tourists alike. Inside the most reliable shop on Kiritimati, you’ll find everything from everyday essentials like vegetables, fruit, and canned goods, to snacks and cold drinks.
There is even wasabi paste!
But what really caught my eye were these handcuffs. There’s plenty of stock. Who buys them, I wonder?
They were keeping track of sales by hand.
Nearby, we spotted a large satellite dish. Our guide told us, “There’s a single American staff member in his 60s who’s been working here for 30 years. He has a young wife. I have no idea what kind of research he’s doing.”.
Based on the location information, it turns out this is a JAXA rocket tracking station, supporting real-time tracking and communication for Japanese rockets like the H-IIA/B and H3.
We also visited the Kiribati Ports Authority pier, which is used for unloading both cargo and passengers. The tour highlighted it as a photo-worthy spot.
This monument stands at the side of a main road in the middle of London Village. It was commemorating the partnership between the Kiribati and Australian governments. It was built to celebrate the joint development efforts between the two countries, from roads and water infrastructure to energy upgrades and government support, and to honor their close ties.
◆Kind and Friendly Islanders
This is a bus stop. Minibuses run between the London and Banana Villages. The fare was $1.20 AUD.
Since bus services are limited, locals usually get around by sharing rides on trucks or motorbikes.
I decided to buy some stamps at the post office. Around 3 other people were waiting to be served, but when they realized we wanted to buy stamps, they let us go first. How kind!
I was able to get the stamps I wanted.
We gave out some Japanese sweets to say thank you, and this little girl was especially happy!
Locals on motorcycles would often smile and wave at us. If you’re ever in Kiribati and someone waves at you, smile, wave back and say “Mauri!”, (that’s hello in the local language).
◆Finding “.ki” Around Town
The ccTLD for Kiribati is “.ki“. On a COVID-19 prevention poster: “Cover your mouth and nose to protect yourself and those around you.”
On a seafood hygiene guidelines poster. We only saw domains listed in areas with government buildings.
◆How to Purchase a SIM & Test the Internet Speed
We weren’t able to use an eSIM on Kiritimati. We found a modest local shop built from cement blocks selling SIM cards on the main road leading to the port and Junior High School.
I was able to purchase a SIM card issued by Kiribati’s telecommunications company, OceanLink. The connection around London Village is relatively stable, but only enough for web searches and text chats.
