Pohnpei is in Federated States of Micronesia.

Cities

• Palikir -- The capital city
• Kolonia -- The main city on the island

Other destinations

Nan Madol

Understand

Pohnpei is the largest of the islands in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is roughly circular and about 60 miles around.

Pohnpei is also the rainiest inhabited place in the world. Expect it to rain every day, with alternating patches of sun, clouds, and rain. However, since the temperature hovers around 80°F (about 27°C), the rain is never seen as much of a nuisance, and most people walk around without umbrellas or other rain gear. Rain can often be seen as a relief, because it cools the weather down a few degrees and keeps the humidity from feeling oppressive.

The Northern end of the island has most of the population, as well as the city of Kolonia. There are no well-defined boundaries to the city, and the townships are all quite near each other.

Talk

The regional language of Pohnpei is Pohnpeian. However, all people learn English as well, and everyone but the very old can speak English very well. The older population has more proficiency in Japanese, the language of the occupation during their childhood.

Get in

Continental Airlines is the only airline with flights to Micronesia. They offer an island-hopper flight, which goes East to West on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and West to East on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The airport is small, and most checking on the islands is done by hand, so expect to have all of your luggage (carry-on or check-in) hand-searched. Because of this, check-in generally happens at least an hour before boarding, even though there are never huge numbers of people at the airport.

Get around

There are some car rentals available on Pohnpei, and there are also taxis, which are relatively cheap. If you are looking for adventure, walking is also possible, as there are few distances within the Kolonia area which are more than a couple of miles away.

See

The major landmark near Kolonia is Sokehs rock, a significant outcropping that can be seen from Nett point. Another place with a good view is the South Park hotel.

Do

The island does not have glistening sand beaches, because the entire island is surrounded by coral. If you are interested in seeing coral fish, you can find your way to Nett point and head out into the water. About a hundred feet off the edge, you'll find a coral ridge which is good for casual snorkeling. If you want to see more spectacular sights, you can get a boat out further. You'll also see people standing out, fishing for the beautiful coral fish that you've been looking at.

Kolonia also has the only movie theater in the islands. The moves that it gets are current, and at least one of its three screens will likely have a new movie come Friday.

Eat

There are about five restaurants to eat at on Pohnpei. At most you can expect lunches from about $4 or $5, and dinners between $10 and $15.

• The Joy Hotel and Restaurant (not to be confused with the Joy Restaurant), is known for its Joy Lunch, a Japanese-style set lunch of fried fish, tuna sashimi, rice, salad, and soup. You can get it at dinner, as well.
• The Peppermill has a good lunch menu of sandwiches and and light dishes. Their dinner most closely approaches the style of cuisine that you might see in any US restaurant, but so do their prices.
• SEI restaurant is known for its buffet lunch, which, at $6.50, has all-you-can-eat sashimi, rice, and fritters, among other things.
• Angie's "Fast Food", right next to the Peppermill, has food which isn't really fast. However, they do have burgers and fries, and cheap prices.
• The Village Resort is known for its Sunday brunch and great view. Try the banana pancakes!

Drink

Stay safe

The island is remarkably safe. In the Kaselehlie Press, the local newspaper, the police blotter mostly reports disorderly conduct and maybe the occasional drunk driving.

Get out