Things to do in Pohnpei

THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Pohnpei

Things to Do in Pohnpei

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What travellers are saying

  • Gene R J
    Silver Spring, MD10,794 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My wife and I toured this remote site this morning located 38km SE of Kolonia. We were fortunate to encounter betel nut chewing Herbert(Waido Taxi) when going to Palikir at 8:15AM to see the new Supreme Court and Capital Buildings. He mentioned he took 2 clients to this remote site yesterday and would be happy to take us for $80.
    The Circle Island Road was in good paved condition, until branching off on Temwen Access Road (signposted at 2.5 miles from the Nan Madol site), then deteriorated rapidly into a pothole crawl.
    Herbert stopped at a house in the jungle where I gave $2 to an older man, then later at a dead end, he called at a house where I gave an even older man $6. Herbert led off on the downward trail into jungle where we saw our 1st large stone wall, then on through the mangroves where coral was laid with several wood bridges to continue over the mud flats at low tide. He stopped to view 2 large Mangrove crabs as we continued to a sandy stream where we took off our shoes and crossed the ~50’ to enter the huge Royal Ceremonial Center of which many pictures here describe.
    Returning to Kolonia, Herbert led us to a home where I paid $10 each to access the nice trail to the remarkable 66’ tall Kepirohi Waterfall, under full flood with all the recent rain.
    It rained going back to our 7 Stars Hotel at 1:15PM, making a full, tiring but fruitful 5 hour morning tour of Pohnpei.
    Written January 24, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Lucy
    Melbourne, Australia27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A truly beautiful waterfall.

    Here’s some info I would like if I was planning a trip there:

    1. The waterfall itself is marked on Google maps, but where you park/the front entrance is located at these coordinates: (6.8466273, 158.3016767)

    2. Photo attached with prices for tourists, expats, locals and children

    3. Falls are about a 4 minute walk from where you park on the road.

    4. There are picnic tables in the concrete structure right next to the falls.

    5. The path from the parking area is very clearly marked, a gravel path in wonderful condition.

    Hope this helps! An absolutely gorgeous place to spend an hour or so.
    Written August 7, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Adrian J
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Lagoon that can rival the secluded beaches of Tahiti. Alois from Pohnpei Surf Club took us there on a daytrip with barbecue, snorkeling and exploring the island. Professional boat and team, expert timing for the tides and snorkeling.
    Will come again.
    Written July 31, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • John_faz15
    Washington DC, DC34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice short hike to the radio tower on the Soekhs ridge to see Japanese WWII anti aircraft guns. Views of the bay and airport are amazing. Great day hike.
    Written April 20, 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Happy_Trav_Eller
    Adelaide, Australia289 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you want commercial tourism then you WONT get that here. No night clubs, resorts with sandy beaches etc. This island is very low key. Wi-Fi is limited, TV is virtually non existent, unless you frequent some food places that have cable TV. Local sims can be purchased in Kolonia and plans are not cheap. Everything is in US dollars and it is mostly a cash only society. There are two ATM machines on the Island, Bank of Guam, which DOESN’T take Mastercard only Visa (the exchange rate was better than the Travelex at Brisbane Airport) and the Bank of FSM, although it was broken when we went so it made it very difficult to acquire cash. Some food places take cash, however it is not guaranteed, so don’t be caught out. Research your eateries as they all differ and some are more frequented by visitors than others. Food choices are limited, dependent on imports. Sushi or fried foods were pretty much my staple over there and that wasn’t always through choice. It was literally what was available at the time. All foods are shop bought, so if you want ramen then expect the noddles to be out of a packet not freshly made. There is no milk, my favourite ICE coffee was exactly that, cold coffee with sugar syrup, evaporated milk (I actually became rather partial to it as it was either that or a limited choice of soft drink). Quite a few waterfalls, war wrecks and of course if you don’t want to stay in town take a drive around the island of Pohnpei (it’ll only take a couple of hours and the jungle foliage is superb). The speed limit is about 25 mph on average, as low as 10 in parts, not because of signage, but more so because that’s how the locals get around, people/kids in the back of Utes etc. Road rules are ‘be courteous’ and let me just say it really works. No road rage to be seen, not bad for an island with no traffic lights. The roads can be a bit rough in parts, dogs roaming everywhere. As for medical, all I can say is don’t get sick. Medical care is not easily accessible. Accomodation is that you would normally seen travelling through and stopping off at your standard motels in Australia. That being said, it is a beautiful place well worth a visit if you want to take a step back in time for quiet exploration. Overall I’d recommend a visit for the sheer experience. The surrounds of the island Nan Madol, Ant Atoll snorkelling etc. are exquisite.
    Written December 30, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jim G
    Oberlin, OH8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Easy to visit and close to Kolonia. Nice easy well-maintained gravel path down to the falls. Paid $3 for the visit. The road is not that great getting there, but is passable by car.
    Written February 5, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jim G
    Oberlin, OH8 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Was fairly easy to find the right road to turn off and park, in order to hike to the petroglyphs There is a $1 pass through fee if you park down near the main road. There is another $3 fee at the last house on the way to the petroglyphs. Make sure to pay the fees. The rocks containing the petroglyphs were pretty slick while I was there, so be careful walking around on them. There are several other rocks with petroglyphs to the northeast of the main area, including Takain Pahsu (“vagina rock”), the rock said to be the woman’s buttocks, and another with enveloped equilateral crosses carved into it. The path to these is not well worn and I onlu located these rocks using some GPS tracks.
    Written February 5, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Thumper747
    Beaufort, NC46 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Date of visit: 2005 2007

    Used to pass this landmark on the way out of town when we drew through college here back towards the self of the island. I never got a chance to actually climb it, but it is stuck in my mind as I didn't get to see it that much. Other PCVs were able To climb
    Written August 12, 2017
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • James C
    Fairbanks, AK98 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    It is a nice 20 minute diversion. I hired a taxi driver for the day to see several sites and he and his wife had to stop and ask for location. It is somewhere in the general area of the map just before Palikar. Buy your can of mackerel at the store stand up on the road $2.50 U.S. It is a short but steep trail down from road with no hand rail or rope. Nothing in Micronesia seems ADA approved. The person at pond will open the can (with a knife, adding a nice rustic tourism touch) spend several minutes tapping the can and pouring the juice into the water. The eels are quite large 3 feet or 1 meter in length. After all juice poured out can is opened and fish meal spread out It was a rainy day so water very murky but eels come up to the surface and pond edge and nearly out of water completely. There is a large culvert running under the road which the eels will travel up when tide is high. I asked my driver if they eat eels and got a "are you crazy?.. " look and a statement of people on other islands do. There is no commentary of eel culture or things this is simply a visual thing, simple but entertaining.
    Written July 31, 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Lily
    Falmouth, MA2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I cannot recommend Pohnpei Surf & Dive Club enough. Allois and his team assisted our group when we visited for a scientific research trip in Pohnpei. He treated us like family, always kind and willing to help. Allois has impressive knowledge of the island and its natural environments and provided great local guidance. We also appreciated excellent recommendations for hiking and snorkeling.
    Written October 22, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • KARcal
    Walnut Creek, CA90 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Spent 2 days with John and his grandson, John also!, on Pohnpei. I don’t dive but John put together a great visit to Nan Madol. A planned snorkel/dive trip had to be cancelled so didn’t get on the water with Laidenki, but over dinner and drinks John explained his safety practices and the dive and snorkel sites on the island map. Both Johns are very credentialed, dive instructor and master. Ask him to point out all the dive sites he has named! Super professional, a focus on safety, excellent knowledge of the island and nearby atolls, customer focus and the best prices on the island. An ex Peace Corps volunteer, John is sincere, honorable and will do all he can to make your visit memorable. He can connect you with favorite and unique hotels and restaurants. Ask him about a surf trip to the various breaks.
    Written November 22, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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