While the Marshall Islands major attractions are the abundant dive wrecks, the vast majority of the country is waiting to be discovered. Pristine coral reefs teeming with marine life make the Marshalls a premiere dive destination. Yet the country faces formidable challenges in the form of environmental degradation, rapid population growth, accelerated sea-level rise, and the legacy of nuclear testing, among others.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a nation of approximately 58,000 living on 29 coral atolls and 5 small low-lying islands in the central Pacific, mid-way between Hawaii and Australia. The RMI adopted its constitution in 1979, became independent in 1986, and joined the United Nations in 1991.

On the positive side, the wrecks of Bikini Atoll have been recently opened to diving. Radiation levels in the area are deemed to be below levels harmful to humans. It provides some of the most spectacular wreck diving to be seen anywhere.

How To Get There

The Republic of the Marshall islands consists of 29 atolls each made up of many islets and 5 islands in the central pacific between 4 degrees and 14 degrees North, and 160 degrees and 173 degrees East. The atolls and islands are situated in two almost parallel chain-like formations known as the Ratak (Sunrise) group and Ralik (Sunset) group.

The total number of islands and islets in the whole Republic is approximately 1,225 spreading across a sea area of over 750,000 square miles. The total land area is about 70 square miles (181 square kilometres). The mean height of the land is about 7 feet above sea level (2 meters).

Urban centres are Majuro atoll with DUD (Darrit, Uliga, Delap) as its core and Ebeye. Both Majuro and Kwajalein Atolls can be easily reached via international airline services provided by Continental Micronesia and Air Marshall Islands. Continental Micronesia offers three weekly flights to and from Honolulu and Guam while Air Marshall Islands offer three weekly flights to and from Fiji, in addition to its daily domestic flight schedule.

Climate

The Marshall Islands has a warm, tropical climate. The dry season (the best time to travel) is between December and April; the rainy season, April to December, with the greatest falls between July and October. Temperatures average between 78-90 degrees Fahrenheit (26-32 degrees Celsius), with the water temperature sitting on a comfortable year-round 82-84 Fahrenheit (28-29 degrees Celsius).

History

While the dates and origins maybe arguable, the uniqueness of the culture that evolved on these islands, is certain. Marshallese society was, and for the most part still is stratified into three general classes : Iroij (chiefs) , Alap (clan heads) and Rijerbal (workers). Over the last 2000 years, the Marshallese have developed, refined and perfected a number of unique skills and technologies, all of which illustrate their keen adaptation to the atoll and ocean environment.

The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas ceded ownership of all of Micronesia to Spain. The Marshalls, however, were off the main trade routes and consequently received little attention from early European explorers. In 1525, Alonso de Salazar of Spain became the first European to sight the islands, but Spain did nothing to colonize them. After another 200 years devoid of Europeans, the islands received a visit from English captain John Marshall (from whom they later took their name) in 1788. Russian explorer Otto von Kotzebue came through in the early 1800s and drew the first detailed maps of the islands.

Germany annexed the Marshalls in 1885 but didn't place government officials on the islands until 1906, leaving island affairs to a group of powerful German trading companies. Japan took over in 1914 and colonized the Marshalls extensively, developing and fortifying large bases on many of the islands.

The first Micronesian islands captured by the Americans in WWII were at Kwajalein Atoll in 1944. Majuro Atoll was taken next and quickly developed into a base for aircraft carriers. Within weeks some 30 other islands had fallen.

After the war, the Americans immediately began to test atomic bombs on Bikini and Enewetok atolls. (Kwajalein was later established as a missile testing site.) Chief Juda of Bikini was convinced to move his people - for the 'benefit of mankind' - to Rongerik Atoll, on the understanding that they'd be able to return to their homeland after the tests were over.

A few months later, the USA exploded the first of the 23 nuclear devices that were to be detonated at the atoll, 500ft (150m) over its lagoon. The wrecks of Bikini Atoll remain, deemed safe for diving just over 50 years later.

Diving

Bikini Atoll opened for diving in 1996.The first two tests at Bikini, named Able and Baker, were staged to test the effect of nuclear weapons on a fleet of ships. 42,000 men, rats, goats, radiation recording devices, and of course many ships were sent to Bikini for these tests. Half the world's supply of motion picture film was there to record the event. It was a big show. Naturally, the tests were 'successful' and the ships were sunk.

On Bikini Atoll today there are nine ships to dive on, most notably is the USS Saratoga, a 300 metre (900 foot) long aircraft carrier that is bigger than the Titanic. The Saratoga has eight decks to explore. Also, there is the Nagato, which was Admiral Yamamoto's flagship in World War II from where he ordered the attack on Pearl Harbour. There are also two submarines, two attack transports, one other battleship and two destroyers.

The Saratoga... Where to begin? When you go down on the aircraft carrier, sinking for the first time into the massive elevator shaft, and then swimming through the hanger deck at 45 metres (130 feet), past the airplanes parked and ready to go to war, past the 250 and 500 kilogram bombs, past the rockets and the little things lying around like coffee pots, light bulbs and plates, well, it is almost like being on the moon.

Note: Due to average diving depth beyond 40m (130ft) all dives on Bikini Atoll are decompression dives and only suitable for advanced divers with considerable experience in deep and wreck diving!

Other Activities

In addition to scuba diving, sports fishing and World War II history attractions, there is not much out here that you couldn't find on any other small Pacific Island. Alele Museum in Majuro showcases both the traditional and colonial history of the Marshalls. Some of Alele's features include authentic tools and artefacts, traditional canoe displays, original photos from the Joachim de Brum collection, a geological history model of the Marshall Islands, and numerous photos from the German, Japanese and U.S. colonial eras.

Hotels And Dive Resort

• Hotel Robert Reimers - Majuro
• Bikini Dive Resort - Bikini Atoll