Overview
Micronesia consists of four groups of islands: the Federated States of Micronesia (Caroline Islands), the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Republic of Palau. The area has a turbulent past, of foreign rulers and political unrest. Despite these problems and the influence of Spain, Germany, Japan and the USA, many Micronesians have retained their culture and traditions. Others turned to the teachings of the 19th-century missionaries. Since the end of World War II, the Pacific Islands of Micronesia have been under UN trusteeship and administered by the United States. All four archipelagos have signed definitive political agreements. Further information can be found in the entries for the individual countries. See other countries in Oceania on computergees.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
In cooperation with United (UA), Lufthansa (LH) flies from Frankfurt/M., Austrian Airlines (OS) from Vienna and Swiss (LX) from Zurich via Los Angeles and Honolulu (Hawaii) to Majuro. United (UA) also offers flights from Frankfurt/M. via San Francisco and Honolulu to Majuro. Air Marshall Islands operates charter, sightseeing and scheduled flights between Majuro and the other Marshall Islands, as well as international air services to Kiribati. Fiji Airways (FJ) connects Nadi (Fiji) with Majuro.
Flight times
Frankfurt/M. – Majuro: about 35 hours; Vienna – Majuro: approx. 39 hours; Zurich – Majuro: approx. 35 h 30 min. (The journey time varies depending on the length of the stops.)
Departure fee
None.
Arrival by ship
The largest ports are Pohnpei, Majuro, Saipan, Tuik, Yap and Koror. The islands are also visited as part of cruises.
Cruise ships
The cruise company Phoenix also docks in Micronesian ports on its cruises departing from Hamburg. Hapag Lloyd offers cruises from Keelung (Taiwan) with feeder flights from Germany; Stopovers on various Micronesian islands are included in the offer.
Transportation
Traveling by plane
Air Marshall Islands operates charter, sightseeing and scheduled flights between Majuro and the other Marshall Islands. There are daily flight connections between Majuro and Kwajalein, among others.
Traveling by car/bus
The road network of the islands covers a total of around 240 km.
Right-hand traffic/left-hand traffic
Right
Condition of the roads
Good roads can only be found on the larger islands; approx. 40 km of the entire road network is asphalted.
Car rental
The Hotel Robert Reimers on Majuro offers rental cars. There are no larger rental car companies.
Taxi
Taxis and shared taxis are available on the larger islands.
Coach
Tourist buses are used on Majuro, which also go to Laura Beach, among other places. Limousines, minibuses and jeepneys (repurposed military jeeps) serve as public transportation.
Documentation
In addition to the national driver’s license, the international driver’s license is required.
Traveling by ship
There are ports in Pohnpei, Majuro, Saipan, Tuik, Yap and Koror, among others. There is a wide variety of boats available, from small speedboats to large glass bottom boats for fishing, sightseeing, diving and sunset cruises.
