Pohnpei – Lexie in front of Nan Madol
After the major life plot twist of moving across the globe for my husband’s job, I found myself living on the tiny remote island of Kwajalein, right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. My new home in the Republic of the Marshall Islands sat in an area of the world that I never thought I’d get to explore.
This might not be an area you consider when looking at the latest Black Friday travel deals, but you should.
Most maps don’t even reflect the 10,000s of islands that are scattered across the “blue continent”. As someone who loves travel research, building itineraries, and seeking out adventures, I had zero itineraries, no links saved, and not a clue where to start traveling in this area.
But all of that changed when I visited the Federated States of Micronesia, often shortened to “the FSM”, in 2023 on a trip with my new island friend. I am now enamored with exploring this beautiful country, and I couldn’t have a more perfect opportunity to revisit the FSM islands from my new home base.
What follows is my experience on the islands of Kosrae and Pohnpei in the FSM, what I learned from the people who welcomed me in, and what will help you plan an epic trip of your own, told as I told it on the Amateur Traveler podcast, in my voice and from my notes and memories.
Kosrae – Mangrove Channel Boat Ride
There is so much magic in the FSM, in the way the light sparkles through the gigantic Ka trees and the quiet of a mangrove channel that feels like a secret jungle cruise. This is a place for travelers who like real adventure, who are happy to trade rigid itineraries for serendipity, and who want to experience a country and its culture in the most authentic way.
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Kosrae – Sleeping Lady View
Why the FSM
The FSM is a country made up of four states with 271 square miles of land area spread across 607 islands. It’s scattered over a huge region of the western Pacific Ocean spanning more than a million square miles of ocean. Because the states are so far apart, each has its own language, customs, and feel. From the vast ocean, green volcanic slopes, 100s of islands, and lagoons full of sea life, there are endless opportunities for experiencing new and epic adventures.
I focus here on Kosrae and Pohnpei because I spent the most time there, but I also highlight the other two states, Chuuk and Yap. Chuuk’s “Truk” lagoon is a world-renowned dive site because of the WWII ships that rest on the sea floor. Since Yap is the most traditional, I am still researching before I visit to make sure I visit respectfully and learn their island customs in advance. If you are a wreck diver, consider a liveaboard in Chuuk, and if you love traditional culture, plan for Yap Week in March.
For this post, I recommend a one-week split between Kosrae and Pohnpei.
Kosrae – View from Airplane
Getting There: The Island Hopper
Many people reach the islands of Kosrae and Pohnpei on United’s Island Hopper route, which links Honolulu and Guam with multiple stops along the way. It used to be called the Island Milk Run and was originally flown by Continental Micronesia. There are no flights on Sundays, and schedules can be heavily affected by weather, so I recommend building in a buffer day into your return if you can.
Think of the flight as part of the adventure; every delay I’ve ever had has resulted in the best bonus adventure I couldn’t imagine the trip without. We had a weekend trip turn into a 6-day trip, and I’ll forever be thankful for those extra days on the island.
Kosrae – Yela Ka Tree Forest
Kosrae: First Impressions, Where I Stayed, and What I Did
Kosrae was my first trip into the FSM. From the airplane, you see a big volcanic island wrapped in a reef and impossibly blue water. Everything looks lush and impressive… I could just see all the amazing hiking and snorkel spots I couldn’t wait to visit.
Kosrae – Nautilus Resort
Where to Stay on Kosrae
I’ve stayed at two places: the Island Hopper Hotel, which is close to the airport on the island’s main road, and the Kosrae Nautilus Resort, which comes with a story I still tell.
Check rates for the Kosrae Nautilus Resort online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
The owner of the Kosrae Nautilus Resort, Josh, is from Australia. One day, he bought three $50 raffle tickets on a whim, not for a vacation, or a luxury trip, but for a resort. Not thinking he would win, he had almost forgotten about the tickets, but eventually received a call a few months later, informing him that he had won the resort in Kosrae. He then quit his accounting job, moved to Kosrae, and has been there ever since.
If you are planning a trip to Kosrae, you must meet Josh. He is a connector, the sort of person who knows who to call if you want to go on a specific adventure, or if you are looking for a guide who knows a particular trail.
On Kosrae, local knowledge is everything, as you typically book many activities through your hotel rather than online. It is more about finding a local connection to make excursions happen, and the hotel owners do that well.
Right by the Nautilus is the Deep Blue Hole. It is approximately 90 feet deep and considered sacred in local culture. It must be high tide to reach this snorkel destination. My friend flew a drone over the hole from the beach, and we saw sharks and rays gliding in the water. If you miss high tide, you can still reach it, but know the walk gets mucky.
Kosrae – Island Hopper Hotel
The Nautilus resort also had fins and masks to rent. The Island Hopper is also a great hotel with comfy beds and fast WI-FI (always a plus when visiting anywhere in the Micronesian area). I thoroughly enjoyed their pizza at the hotel restaurant.
Check rates for the Island Hopper online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Kosrae – Lelu Ruins
Ancient Ruins, Jungle Trails, and Rivers to Cross
People usually hear about Pohnpei’s Nan Madol ruins first, but Kosrae has two ancient sites of its own, Lelu and Menke. Menke is the older, and it is a five-mile hike, crossing the river 5 times each way. Our guide cut taro leaves to use as umbrellas as we hiked through the rain. At the end of the Menke ruins hike, there is a watering hole that we were able to jump in.
Kosrae – Base of a Ka Tree
Kosrae is also home to the Yela Ka Forest. The Ka tree is the local giant tree known as the “redwood of Micronesia”. The trunks are hollow, so if you tap them with a stick, they sound like drums. This structure was perfect for Micronesians to build canoes out of them.
The Lelu ruins are easy to access and just off the main street of the village of Lelu. We visited the Sipyen waterfall, which is also a nice, quick, short hike with a swimming hole to jump in. One thing to note is that the island is wet. Always expect rain and embrace it.
Kosrae – Bully Hayes
Mangrove Channels and a Pirate’s Name
One of my favorite excursions was a boat ride through dense mangrove channels. It felt cinematic, like a jungle cruise set turned into real life. Our driver took us to a landing known as Bully Hayes, named for a pirate said to have wrecked offshore.
From there, you look up at Mt. Finkol, the island’s high point. The hike to the summit is long, steep, muddy, and requires a guide. The other trails I am describing are friendly to beginners, but Finkol is different. If you go, go with help, and plan a whole day.
The Sleeping Lady, Getting Around, and Practical Notes
The Kosrae mountain ridge is known for its “Sleeping Lady”. Once you see the silhouette in the mountain ridges, you cannot un-see it. You spot it from pullouts all around the island. If you plan to rent a car, you can do so from your hotel.
Always drive slowly, as the roads are rough from all the heavy rain. Traffic goes on the right side of the road, yet many vehicles are right-hand drive.
Kosrae also has taxis available. Rides are paid in cash and always shared, which was always fun. English is widely spoken, and the USD is the currency of Kosrae. Remember to keep cash for the end of your trip, because you will need $25 for the departure fee at the airport.
Food and Small Joys
Kosrae coconuts were a surprise. They tasted carbonated! If you can, try the local coconut-based fish soup; mention it to your hotel when you arrive because it takes some time to make. Families often make it on Sunday and eat it all day with rice, boiled bananas, and taro. Look for banana pastries at roadside stands when you drive around. And if you fish, ask about trolling.
We went out, caught yellowfin tuna, and the hotel cooked it for dinner that night.
Do not leave Kosrae without trying a frozen coconut treat called ice “smiret”. When a coconut has aged, soft, apple-like cores form inside. For ice smiret, the core is grated with coconut meat, mixed with canned milk, cooked, and frozen into a cup with a stick. You eat it like a popsicle. It is the best frozen treat I’ve ever tasted. Kosrae is also known for its delicious chili salt.
Pohnpei: Bays, Mantas, Waterfalls, and Stone
Pohnpei is the capital state of the FSM and the most visited. It’s a perfect island to visit in the same week as Kosrae. The tourism infrastructure seems more established. There are several hotels and restaurants to choose from. The island is home to one of the Pacific’s most significant archaeological sites, Nan Madol.
Pohnpei – Mangrove Bay Hotel
Where to Stay on Pohnpei
During my visit, I stayed at the Mangrove Bay Hotel, where every room looks over the bay. The on-site restaurant made breakfasts that kept me happy all morning. One day, the owner walked out with cheesecake during breakfast. That is my kind of place!
You also have a tour company right there on site, the Pohnpei Surf Club, run by Allois. As on Kosrae, having a local operator is a force multiplier. Allois set up our hiking and snorkeling, gave us honest weather calls, and helped us decide which day to save for Manta Road.
Other lodging options include Sea Breeze and Ocean View in town, but if you want a more remote experience, there are overwater bungalows at Para Nui Resort on the far side of the island. If you choose the overwater bungalows, bring your own groceries. There is no on-site restaurant at present, but I believe they will add amenities, such as a restaurant, in the future.
Getting Around and Paying the Landowners
You can move around Pohnpei by taxi or rental car. Taxis are plentiful, and pricing is simple. You pay by number of stops and zones, and you pay cash in USD.
If you drive, go slow, just like in Kosrae.
One important difference from many destinations is that hikes and excursions will require tourists to pay landowners at various points along the way. Pohnpei Surf Club guides handled this as we booked our tours through them. If you go independently, bring small bills and be ready to stop three times at places like Nan Madol.
Lagoon Days and Manta Road
During our visit, I wanted a full day to snorkel. As I dropped into Pohnpei’s lagoon for the first time, I saw 3-4 bright blue starfish almost immediately. We booked a day on the water with Pohnpei Surf Club and hit three sites, including two places near mangroves and the manta cleaning station known as Manta Road.
A cleaning station is exactly what it sounds like, a spot where mantas gather to be groomed by tiny cleaner fish and to filter feed on the plankton in the current. As we looked down once we got to Manta Road, we saw huge shadows glide in. Two mantas swung past with wingspans that felt twelve feet across!
It makes you feel so small in the best way possible. They do move fast, and you just float, breathe, and watch, don’t chase. After the last snorkel site, the crew handed out banana bread, and I was not the least bit sorry to ask for seconds.
Pohnpei – View from Sokehs Ridge Hike
Waterfalls, Eels, and Gemstones
Pohnpei is full of waterfalls. Kepirohi is easy to access and a great waterfall to start with. The pool at the foot of the waterfall is not a swimming hole, but we were able to dig around the riverbed where small gemstones are regularly found. Our guide dug a lavender stone, and then a yellow one, right out of the gravel. No one seems to know where they come from, which makes it even more mysterious.
If you want steeper, muddier terrain, ask about the Six Waterfalls hike, a roughly five-hour adventure. Be ready to grab roots and step in mud.
Pohnpei – Sokehs Rock
There is also the Sokehs Ridge hike, which is the tall knob you notice when you fly in. The ridge was used as a WWII lookout, and you still see remnants of towers and tanks. Vegetation grows quickly, so a guide can point out where things are buried amid the lush greenery. The hike starts with a steep push and then rewards you with incredible views.
Pepper, Ice Pahr, and A Good Story at the Airport
Pohnpei is famous for its pepper, and the flavor lives up to the reputation. I wanted to buy some in town, but the shop hours did not line up with my schedule all week. On the last day, I saw jars in a locked glass case at the airport, so I found a security guard and asked, politely, if someone could open it. He did!
I bought the pepper and tucked it into my carry-on like a prize. We regularly season our food with it at home; it is the perfect souvenir. Do not miss ice pahr, Pohnpei’s version of the frozen coconut treat I loved on Kosrae. It is made from the same aged coconut apple, coconut meat, cooked with canned milk, poured into cups, and frozen. We found ours at a shop up the hill from our hotel.
Pohnpei – Pohnrakied Outdoor Shop
Crafts and Village Markets
Ask a taxi to take you to Pohnrakied, a village known for handicrafts. You will find carvings on tables outside homes and in small rooms with open doors. I brought home a wooden dolphin that sits on my desk.
As on Kosrae, hours are informal. One owner could not find the key to open her shop, and we both laughed and then went our separate ways. Artists also make these beautiful, simple ornaments that pack easily and are great gifts.
Pohnpei – Nan Madol
Nan Madol: Stone, Tide, and Theories
Nan Madol is a famous mystery, and rightfully so! It is a complex of basalt log-like blocks and canals built by the Saudeleur dynasty roughly nine centuries ago. We couldn’t boat in because the tide was too low on the day we went, so we drove as far as we could and walked the rest of the way.
People tell you different theories about how those huge stones arrived and how they were raised, and I heard all of them: sorcerers, brothers who were giants, and my favorite… a giant chicken that pecked each basalt stone into place.
Reminder to visit respectfully and do not climb over the ruins. It is easy to see why people call it the “Atlantis of the Pacific”. A guided visit helped with the landowner fees and timing our walk with the tide. And just like the snorkel tour, this tour ended with banana bread also.
Kolonia and the Everyday
If you look at a map, Kolonia is the main town. Government buildings and shops cluster here. Because the Mangrove Bay Hotel was just near here, it was an easy spot to branch out for hikes, boat trips, and errands.
If you go sniffing for World War II history, ask about the tank graveyard on the edge of town. I did not make it this time, though I plan to on a future trip.
Pohnpei – Boarding Island Hopper Route
Practical Tips for Both Islands
- Pack for rain. Temperature swings are small. The difference is rain or sun. Bring a light, fast-drying shell.
- Carry cash. You will want small bills for landowner fees, taxis, snacks, and the $25 departure fee when you fly out of the FSM.
- Be flexible. Weather shapes schedules. Have a Plan B for every day, and accept that your best day may be the one that wasn’t on your list when you woke up.
- Let your hotel help. On both islands, your hotel owner or on-site operator is the planner who makes things happen. Ask for honest advice about road conditions and tides.
- Try the taxi at least once. Shared taxis can be a joy. On one ride, I was packed in with a group of older Kosraean women, all of us laughing and having the best time.
- Know the basics. People speak English. The currency is US dollars. On hikes and some sites, you will pay landowners directly. On the Island Hopper flight route, expect the occasional delay and schedule accordingly.
Pohnpei – Nan Madol
Only-in-Micronesia Moments
Two memories especially still make me smile. On Kosrae, a woman’s house sits at the base of a World War II stairway that climbs a ridge with a panorama of the Sleeping Lady. We walked up, sweating, and happy as she stepped out and offered us bananas just out of kindness. Just a neighborly moment on the way to a view I will not forget.
The other memory happened in a shared taxi. The driver and other riders were chewing betel nut, which I had not experienced before. It’s a stimulant where consumers will spit in cups after chewing it. I thought everyone had allergies or was sick, but then it clicked that they were just having a betel nut chew. One passenger even cracked a cold Corona as everyone was relaxed and chatty. It was the most unique taxi experience I’ve ever had.
Kosrae – Utwe Low Tide at Sunset
A Sample Day-by-Day You Can Copy
- Day 1: Arrive at Kosrae. Check in at the Kosrae Nautilus Resort or the Island Hopper Hotel. Time your arrival with a high tide and snorkel the blue hole. Let your hotel know all the tours you want to take at the beginning of your stay so they have time to coordinate.
- Day 2, Menke ruins hike and mangrove boat tour. Arrange a guide through your hotel. Pack lunch. Expect river crossings, rain, and a perfect swimming hole at the end of the Menke ruins hike. The mangrove boat tour is a great afternoon addition to day two. Ask to stop at Bully Hayes landing for the view of Mount Finkol. Look for a ship that sells ice srimet on the way home.
- Day 3, waterfalls, and Lelu. Pair the short, rocky approach to Sipyen Waterfall with a visit to Lelu ruins, then look for chili salt and a Micronesian skirt in nearby shops.
- Day 4, fly to Pohnpei. Check in at Mangrove Bay Hotel. Pohnpei Surf Club can coordinate tours online in advance, but if you haven’t booked your tours yet, stop by Pohnpei Surf Club on the first floor. Enjoy the sunset over the bay in the evening at the Mangrove Bay Hotel’s restaurant.
Pohnpei – Hideaway Restaurant View
- Day 5, lagoon day with mantas. Three snorkel sites, including Manta Road. Eat banana bread on the boat ride home. Another great restaurant is Hideaway Inn, a quick 5-minute taxi ride or drive from the Mangrove Bay Hotel.
- Day 6, Nan Madol with a guide. It is important to time your visit with the tide. Pay landowners as required or let your guide handle it. Finish with a visit to Kepirohi Waterfall and stop at small roadside shops on the way back for souvenirs.
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Pohnpei – Kepirohi Waterfall
- Day 7, hike Sokehs Ridge and shopping. Quick, beautiful hike. It is a steep slope at the start, but it has great views at the top. World War II relics rest along the ridge. In the afternoon, shop for crafts in Pohnrakied and look for pepper.
- Day 8, buffer for weather and flights. If everything runs on time, linger over Ice Pahr and coffee. If not, you will be glad for the extra cushion! There are two of the most fun and friendly women at the Pohnpei airport terminal selling handicrafts, skirts, and goods. Make sure to save some cash at the end for your last final shopping in Pohnpei.
Lexie in front of Mt. Finkol
Final Thoughts
My favorite thing about travel is that I learn and grow on every trip I’ve ever taken. These islands taught me to slow down and say yes when plans shift. The adventures in the FSM were incredible. They put me in the water near mantas and giant blue holes. They let me feel the unleashing of tropical rain that came in like a curtain. I was handed bananas after walking down a huge WWII weather station staircase and found the treasured pepper in an airport shop.
I was reminded that adventure does not need a soundtrack or a rigid agenda; it needs a place, time, and attention to the beautiful surroundings and culture. If you are ready to trade predictability for discovery, if you like your hikes a little muddy and your days a little unscripted, if you want to meet people where they live rather than where a brochure tells you to stand, then Kosrae and Pohnpei are a place you must visit.
