Things to Do in Kiribati in December

Kiritimati's shallow lagoon system covers roughly 320 square kilometres (124 square miles) of wadeable flats. This is the largest on any atoll anywhere. December's warmer water temperatures push bonefish onto the flats in good numbers. You wade shin-deep through water the colour of weak tea over white sand, and the fish appear as nervous shadows moving in pairs or singles. The humidity is thick by mid-morning, but there is something meditative about the combination of concentration and heat, the salt crust forming on your forearms while you wait for a tail to flash. Early mornings before the clouds build tend to offer the clearest sight-fishing conditions. Most anglers book through specialised fishing lodges on Kiritimati that handle permits, guides, and logistics as a package. December slots fill months in advance because the northern-hemisphere winter drives demand from North American and European fly-fishers.

The lagoon side of South Tarawa's narrow islets drops into surprisingly rich coral gardens. Brain corals the size of dining tables, parrotfish crunching audibly on the reef, and the occasional whitetip reef shark cruising the deeper channels between Betio and Bairiki. December's water temperature hovers around 29°C (84°F), warm enough that you can snorkel for an hour without a rashguard and only notice when the equatorial sun starts cooking the back of your neck. The reef flat on the ocean side is a different world entirely: rougher, exposed to swells, and scattered with WWII debris that has been colonised by anemones and clownfish. Bring your own mask and snorkel. Rental gear on Tarawa is scarce and often ill-fitting. Morning sessions before 10 AM give the best visibility, as afternoon rain can stir sediment in the shallower zones.

Kiritimati supports one of the densest seabird populations in the Pacific. Millions of birds across roughly twenty species, including red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, and sooty terns nesting in colonies so thick the ground disappears under feathers and guano. December falls within the breeding season for several species, so you will likely see chicks at various stages, the adults wheeling overhead in thermals that rise off the coral rubble. The noise is immense. You hear the low, constant roar of calls before you see the colony, and the smell is exactly what you would expect from a few hundred thousand birds in tropical heat. The Cook Islet and Motu Tabu areas are designated sanctuaries, and access requires a wildlife permit arranged through the Kiribati government's environment office. Walking through these colonies with a knowledgeable local guide who can identify species and explain the atoll's ecology turns a spectacle into something educational.

Betio islet sits at the southwest tip of Tarawa atoll. It was the site of one of the bloodiest amphibious assaults in Pacific War history. Seventy-six hours in November 1943 killed over a thousand US Marines and nearly the entire Japanese garrison of 4,800. The physical evidence remains everywhere, rusting into the coral. Japanese coastal defence guns still point out to sea. Concrete pillboxes sit half-swallowed by pandanus roots. A Sherman tank hull rests in the shallows where the reef flat drops off. Walk the seawall early morning, before heat punishes. Trace the invasion beaches. See how narrow the islet runs. Barely 300 metres (980 feet) wide in places. December's overcast mornings suit this walking well. Cloud cover buys extra exploration time. The sites are unmanaged and unfenced. Explore freely. Erosion claims what remains.

The maneaba anchors every village. This open-sided, thatch-roofed meeting house hosts Kiribati's social and ceremonial life. December's Christmas celebrations make it active. Te buki, the seated dance with sharp arm movements and chanted narration, fills community gatherings throughout December. Dancers slick their skin with coconut oil. Lamplight catches it in ways photographs cannot capture. The songs follow call-and-response patterns, often improvised. Laughter erupts when someone flubs a line. It is the most human sound you will hear on any trip. On South Tarawa, larger maneaba near Bikenibeu and Teaoraereke host multi-village gatherings around Christmas. Sit when expected. Eat what is offered. Usually fish cooked in coconut cream, boiled breadfruit, and te kabubu. That fermented pandanus paste tastes somewhere between molasses and aged cheese. Stay until dancing finishes. That might take hours.