Senior travel: South Tarawa
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 85 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Bairiki lagoon shoreStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 30 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Betio pier and port roadStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 30 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Bikenibeu lagoon shoreStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 30 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Bairiki government quarterStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 40 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Japanese command bunker, BetioStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 40 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Red Beach and the landing reef, BetioStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 40 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Bikenibeu shops and market stallsStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 45 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Japanese coastal defence guns, BetioStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 45 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- A maneaba (meeting house) visitStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 60 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- Betio battle relicsStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 90 minA few steps or uneven ground.
- North Tarawa by boatStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 480 minA few steps or uneven ground.
Getting around in South Tarawa
South Tarawa is flat, but roads are rough, drains are open, shade is scarce and there are almost no lifts or ramps. A car or driver is the only workable way to move; the war sites have steps and uneven concrete.
- Roads and pavements:
- Uneven coral and patched road; pavements are informal or absent.
- Getting around:
- A driver or private car is the only step-free way; minibuses are not accessible.
- Accommodation:
- Ask about step-free rooms and bathrooms; most are single-storey but older.
- Toilets:
- Limited outside guesthouses, a few shops and the airport.
Medicines and health on the ground
The Kiribati guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Water and food:
- Bottled or boiled water only; eat freshly cooked food; wash your hands before eating. Stomach upsets are common.
- Dengue and mosquitoes:
- Dengue occurs; use repellent, cover up at dusk and sleep under a net or screens.
- Heat and sun:
- Equatorial UV: hat, shirt, sunscreen and water; rest from 11:00 to 15:00.
- Vaccinations:
- Ask a travel clinic several weeks before you fly; typhoid and hepatitis A are commonly advised.
- Medical care:
- Basic; serious cases are flown out. Carry insurance with evacuation cover and your own medicines.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.