PacTravel
The Majuro Experience
Diving in the Atoll Nation
This is a dream dive. You enter and are immediately surrounded by tropical fish of all sorts. The bottom is littered with coral, a shipwreck and even a World War II fighter plane.
Mark Stege of the Marshall Islands Visitor Authority is quick to point out that his nation is one of but four in the world that can be called an “atoll nation.” That is, all of the land in the country is made up of atolls.
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These Marshall Island coral constructions have some well-known names, including Bikini and Rongelap of 1950s nuclear testing fame. Jaluit was also known for being a hub of 1800s copra trading. And Kwajalein gained fame as a battle area in World War II, and is still used today to test U.S. missiles and other space defense programs.
But the main center of the Marshall Islands these days is Majuro, a thriving little hub of businesses, hotels and eateries that is the gateway to diving in the Marshall Islands. With sprawling Arno atoll nearby, it provides a backdrop for wild and uncrowded diving mixed with modern amenities after the day of diving is over with.
While some divers just pass through on the way to see the wrecks of atomic testing at Bikini, more and more divers are finding that Majuro Atoll and its nearby neighbor of Arno are producing spectacular diving that reef buffs, wreck buffs and fish fans are finding addictive.
“We get a lot of repeat customers,” says Jerry Ross of Bako Divers.
Up until a few years ago, diving and tourism were pretty much afterthoughts in Majuro, but new airline connections and some dedication from Bako Divers and another shop, Marshalls Dive Adventures, have opened up diving in a big way. And the beauty of it is, there’s still much more exploring to do.
The Outrigger Resort Hotel on Majuro is the home of Bako Divers and sits near town center right on the beach. The beauty of building on an atoll is that every room has a lagoon view facing the western setting sun. Nearby are movie theaters, restaurants ranging from Taco Bill’s to Indian food, and handicraft shops that feature some of the famous Marshallese weavings. There are also a few lively bars.
A 15-minute boat ride will take divers along the many small atoll islands. These isles are a cliché of white sand beaches, thick coconut palms, coral heads and deep blue waters. Many can be visited for lunch or a day of snorkeling and sunbathing.
Majuro must have some of the most favorable diving conditions anywhere. The average water temperature is a comfortable 83 degrees year round. Also, the average air temperature is over 80 degrees. Water clarity is normally excellent at incoming tide and pretty good even at outgoing.
For divers, the Holy Grail is to dive one of the atoll’s major passes at incoming tide. Ross has dived the mouth of the atoll’s major pass from north to south and found a favorite spot he calls The Aquarium. When the tide is right, reef fish gather here in great numbers and lots of pelagic fish appear as well.
The Aquarium is located in the middle of the outer reef wall of Kalalin Channel. A natural “horseshoe” creates an area where tidal flow is compressed concentrating the flow of rich, open ocean seawater as it enters Majuro lagoon. During incoming tides this area is a haven for an extremely large school of big eye jacks and also striped jacks.
Other fish include black and red snapper, barracuda, powder blue surgeonfish and thousands of others. The sandy ocean floor at the base of this site is a resting site for sleeping reef sharks and big reef rays. Gray reef, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks cruise in and out of the many fish schools. There are manta rays, schools of rainbow runners, big Napoleon wrasse and endless table corals that give the place a surreal feeling as they are so large, healthy and numerous.
For a more relaxing second dive, there’s Bokolap Island. A dive here can range anywhere from 12 to 120 feet and the brilliant white sand and amazing coral heads are highlighted by a sea-covered war wreck. This World War II U.S. torpedo plane in 115 feet is a great way to start the dive. It has a resident leaf fish.
One of Majuro’s most popular sites is the Parking Lot. As the name suggests, this is an array of former U.S. military vehicles and other war relics that are becoming small reefs, but are still recognizable as war remnants.
If diving one atoll isn’t enough, atoll fever may take over and the call to Arno is a reasonable cure.
Arno sits just 9.5 miles across open water from Majuro. Largely undeveloped, it is half again as large as Majuro but the total population is fewer than 3,000 people. The calm months in May through July are the best time to dive here.
The lack of development translates into pristine diving conditions. Visibility averages over 100 feet and the sea life is unreal. Superlatives concerning the outer reef sites on Majuro increase here, including the size of the fish and their numbers.
Arno has a vast inner area with three separate lagoons.
In all, a trip to Majuro and its neighbor is a great experience. Enjoy the daily dives, explore the restaurants and nightlife and experience atoll life. The atolls of the Marshalls, Majuro and Arno in particular, are sure to provide a unique experience.
