Things to do in Pohnpei
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Pohnpei
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Heart of surf season at Palikir Pass, with north swells and the relatively lower rainfall part of the year, still with regular heavy rain.
Wettest stretch, May often wettest, surf off season, waterfalls powerful and dangerous, trails slippery. Liberation Day is 11 Sep.
Surf season returns from Oct, a good shoulder window with lower visitor numbers. Pohnpei Constitution Day is 8 Nov.
What's on
- Liberation Day 11 Sep
Pohnpei celebration of the end of Japanese control in 1945, with a week of municipal sports, parades and cultural performances.
- FSM Constitution Day 10 May
National public holiday, with local observances and government and some business closures.
- Pohnpei Constitution Day 8 Nov
Pohnpei state holiday.
Best things to do in Pohnpei
Nan Madol
A ruined basalt city on tidal islets, reached by boat, kayak or a low tide walk, with separate landowner and permit fees.
Spanish Wall
The surviving wall and arches of Spanish Fort Alphonso XIII from 1887, now in a small park in Kolonia.
Catholic Belltower
The 1909 church tower and apse at the Catholic Mission, all that remains after World War II destruction.
Sokehs Rock
The steep basalt face over Kolonia harbour, the classic first view of Pohnpei, seen from the water and town.
Kepirohi Waterfall
The most visited falls on the island, a short path to a wide falls and swimmable pool, with a landowner fee.
Where to stay in Pohnpei
Kolonia
every visitor, only practical base
All hotels, restaurants, boats and tour operators are in Kolonia, and every road and boat trip starts there.
Best restaurants in Pohnpei
Mangrove Bay Sushi Bar
The island top end meal, fresh local fish as sushi and sashimi at Mangrove Bay Hotel, with a bar over the bay.
Joy Hotel Restaurant
Japanese dishes, sushi and ramen plus a broad menu, often named the most consistent kitchen in Kolonia.
Arnold's
A long running Kolonia restaurant for international and local dishes in generous portions, popular with families.
Oceanview Restaurant
The Ocean View Plaza Hotel restaurant and bar, best for the harbour view and a simple meal such as pizza.
Angie's Fast Food
A cheap fast food stop in Kolonia for burgers, fried chicken and quick takeaway plates between activities.
Kaselehlie Diner
A cheap local diner serving Asian, Filipino and international plates at local prices in everyday Kolonia.
Best bars in Pohnpei
Loyola Sakau Market
A visitor accessible sakau market and bar in Kolonia where sakau is pounded on stone and served in company.
Outdoor things to do in Pohnpei
Palikir Pass
Called P-Pass, a fast right hand reef break reached by boat, with prime surf season from Oct to Apr.
Ant Atoll
A full day boat trip to a lagoon atoll for snorkelling, diving and uninhabited islets, when conditions allow.
Pakin Atoll
A less visited atoll further from Pohnpei, with pristine reef diving and snorkelling on full day trips.
Manta Road
Pohnpei best known dive site, a manta ray cleaning station visited on guided trips timed to tide and current.
Black Coral Island
A shorter lagoon boat trip for snorkelling, swimming and picnics, the mid range alternative to the outer atolls.
Sokehs Reef
The near town reef below Sokehs Ridge for guided snorkelling, with views back to Sokehs Rock from the water.
Sokehs Ridge
A free ridge hike past World War II Japanese guns and bunkers to views over Kolonia, the harbour and the airport.
Liduduhniap Falls
Twin falls on the Nanpil River near Kolonia, beautiful in jungle but dangerous after rain because of flash floods.
Best hotels in Pohnpei
Mangrove Bay Hotel
The top end Kolonia hotel by local standards, on the bay and home to Pohnpei Surf Club, with large bay view rooms.
Ocean View Plaza Hotel
A mid range hill hotel with large rooms, kitchenettes and balconies, and harbour views from ocean side rooms.
Joy Hotel
A small central Kolonia hotel with simple clean rooms and a popular restaurant, valued for location and staff.
Cliff Rainbow Hotel
The cheap comfortable base in Kolonia, uphill with lagoon views and a restaurant known locally for pizza.
Is Pohnpei expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $90 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $180 a person |
| Splurge | $320 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Nan Madol: a few days ahead
- Palikir Pass: a few days ahead
- Ant Atoll: a few days ahead
- Pakin Atoll: a few days ahead
- Manta Road: a few days ahead
- Black Coral Island: a few days ahead
- Sokehs Reef: a few days ahead
- Mangrove Bay Hotel: weeks ahead
- Book Mangrove Bay Hotel and Pohnpei Surf Club boats ahead in surf season, Oct to Apr.
- Confirm Nan Madol fees, tide timing and guide arrangements with your hotel or operator before leaving Kolonia.
Is Pohnpei safe?
- Take evacuation insurance, medical care is limited.
- Do not swim in Kolonia harbour, in rivers after heavy rain, or at reef passes without a local guide.
- Pohnpei is one of the wettest places on earth. Pack a rain jacket, dry bags and shoes with grip that can get wet.
Pohnpei travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Treating private or traditional land as free entry. Waterfalls, islands and Nan Madol all involve permission and usually a fee.
- Trusting a single online figure for Nan Madol fees. Several separate fees are paid, and totals reported by visitors vary.
Getting around Pohnpei: public transport and more
- Walk Kolonia for town sights. Beyond town hire a car, taxi or tour driver, and expect slow roads with potholes and animals.
- A full island ring road lap takes about 5 hours with stops, and drivers have been quoted at about 80 to 100 dollars.
Who Pohnpei suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | OK |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Pohnpei your trip
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