Caroline Atoll

Caroline Atoll, also widely known as Millennium Atoll, is one of the most pristine tropical coral atolls remaining on Earth. Part of the Line Islands in Kiribati, it consists of 39 small islets encircling a shallow, animated lagoon. Because it has no permanent human population, the atoll serves as a rare example of a nearly undisturbed wilderness. It is a critical sanctuary for the endangered green turtle, which uses the sandy beaches as nesting grounds, and supports some of the world's largest colonies of seabirds and coconut crabs. The surrounding coral reefs are exceptionally healthy and teeming with diverse marine life. The atoll gained global fame at the turn of the 21st century when it became the first place on Earth to welcome the new millennium following a strategic shift in the International Date Line. Its remote location and protected status make it a cornerstone of Pacific marine conservation and a vital ecological research site.

Nearby cities

Betio

Betio is the economic center of Kiribati, located in the southwest of Tarawa Atoll.

Bikenibeu

Bikenibeu is a significant settlement in the southeast of South Tarawa.

Teaoraereke

Teaoraereke is a populous village in South Tarawa.

Temwaiku

Temwaiku is a rapidly growing settlement at the eastern end of South Tarawa.

Eita

Eita is a village located in the center of South Tarawa.

South Tarawa

South Tarawa is the capital and most populous area of the Republic of Kiribati.

Bairiki

Bairiki is the administrative center of South Tarawa.

Bairiki Business District

Bairiki serves as the economic and administrative center of South Tarawa, housing the country's main banks and government offices.

Bonriki

Bonriki is the easternmost village of South Tarawa and site of the international airport.

Tabwakea

Tabwakea is the largest settlement on Kiritimati, the world's largest coral island.

Banana

Banana is a village on Kiritimati island located right next to the Cassidy International Airport.

Marakei Atoll

Marakei is a unique, circular atoll famous for its closed lagoon and the 'Te Kabaia' welcoming rituals at four sacred shrines.

Rawannawi

Rawannawi is the largest settlement on the Marakei atoll.

Abemama Atoll

Abemama is a historically significant atoll where the British protectorate was declared in 1892 and author Robert Louis Stevenson once li…

Poland

Poland is a small village on the Kiritimati atoll.

History & landmarks

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Flint Island

Flint Island is the southernmost of the Line Islands, known for its dense coconut palm forests and rich population of coconut crabs.

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Aeon Point

This point marks a distinct coastal section in the east of Kiritimati.

Kiritimati

Kiritimati is the world's largest coral atoll by land area.

Cassidy International Airport

This airport on Kiritimati serves as the logistical gateway for tourism and freight transport for Kiribati's eastern island groups.

London Settlement

London is the primary settlement on Kiritimati Atoll and a key administrative center.

Captain Cook's Landing Site

The historical spot on Kiritimati where James Cook landed on Christmas Eve 1777 and named the island Christmas Island.

Tabuaeran

Tabuaeran, also known as Fanning Island, possesses one of the most beautiful and well-protected lagoons in the Central Pacific.

Fanning Coral Gardens

The coral gardens of Fanning Island (Tabuaeran) host some of the most spectacular and well-preserved reef structures in the Line Islands.

Nature

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Millennium Island

Millennium, formerly called Caroline Atoll, is considered one of the most pristine coral atolls in the world.

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Flint Island Habitat

Flint Island is known for its original coconut forests and rich coral reefs.

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Vostok Island Reserve

Vostok is a tiny, uninhabited island in the Line Islands, completely covered by a dense Pisonia forest.

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Starbuck Island

Starbuck Island is a lonely, flat coral island known for its massive sooty tern colonies and dangerous surrounding reefs.

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Malden Island

Malden Island is an uninhabited atoll featuring mysterious prehistoric stone ruins and a vast number of nesting seabirds.

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Joe's Hill

Joe's Hill is the highest elevation on Kiritimati, the largest atoll in the world.

Kiritimati Bird Sanctuary

Also known as Christmas Island, Kiritimati hosts one of the world's most significant breeding grounds for seabirds.

More places

Millennium Marine Park

The Millennium Marine Park protects the waters around Caroline Atoll and hosts one of the highest shark densities in the world.

Vostok Island

Vostok Island is a small, uninhabited member of the Line Islands, covered almost entirely by a dense, ancient Pisonia forest.

Captain Cook's Monument

This monument on Kiritimati commemorates the landing of James Cook in 1777.

St. Stanislaus Kostka Church

This church is located in the village of Poland on Kiritimati Island.

Poland Flats

This flat region in western Kiritimati is characterized by extensive salt pans and low vegetation.

Kiritimati Copra Plantation

The extensive coconut palm groves on Christmas Island are the primary source for copra production, a key export commodity of Kiribati.

London Wharf

The wharf in the settlement of London is the central hub for goods and passengers on Kiritimati, Kiribati's largest island.

Tabuaeran Cable Station Ruins

Ruins of a critical early 20th-century telegraph station that was part of the All Red Line communication network.