Bikini & Kili
Bikini & Kili in the Marshall Islands combine remote Pacific beauty with layered history: Bikini Atoll is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its WWII shipwrecks and nuclear-test legacy, while Kili Island offers a quiet, tight-knit island community.
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About Bikini & Kili
Bikini Atoll and Kili Island are two linked destinations in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, located in the remote Ralik Chain of the central Pacific. Bikini is known worldwide for its nuclear-testing history and exceptional wreck diving, while Kili remains home to many descendants of the Bikini community.
Between 1946 and 1958 the United States carried out 67 nuclear tests at Bikini, including the first hydrogen bomb test in 1952, after relocating the atoll's residents. Many of those families eventually settled on Kili Island, and the atoll's nuclear legacy is now preserved as the Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bikini's lagoon holds one of the world's most significant fleets of sunken warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, along with the vast Bravo crater. Diving here is reserved for experienced divers on organised expeditions, making it a bucket-list destination for wreck-diving and Cold War history enthusiasts.
Kili offers a quieter view of outer-island life, with a small village community, church gatherings, fishing and local food based on coconut, breadfruit and reef fish. There are no resorts or large-scale facilities, so visits rely on careful planning and local cooperation.
Because the islands are reached through Majuro, the capital and main gateway of the Marshall Islands, travellers typically combine an urban stopover with outer-island travel. The area appeals mainly to specialist leisure travellers, photographers, divers and researchers, while Majuro handles most business, logistics and government activity.
Bikini & Kili Travel Guide
Best Time to Visit
The dry season from December to April offers the most settled conditions for flights, boat transfers and diving in Bikini's lagoon. The wetter months from May to November bring higher humidity, heavier rainfall and a greater chance of tropical storms.
How to Get Around
Bikini and Kili are reached by domestic flights from Majuro, with small airfields on both islands, or by boat transfer for dive and supply trips. Movement within each island is mostly on foot or by bicycle, as roads and vehicles are very limited.
Where to Stay
Accommodation is limited and basic; Bikini has simple guest facilities tied to dive operations, while Kili offers little formal lodging. Many travellers base themselves in Majuro and visit the outer islands on organised trips.
Food & Drink
Meals feature fresh reef fish, coconut, breadfruit, pandanus and imported staples, with simple island cooking on Kili. On Bikini, visitors rely on supplies brought in with dive expeditions, since locally grown food is generally avoided.
Ground Transportation Services in Bikini & Kili
Airport Transfers
Travel between Marshall Islands International Airport in Majuro and onward domestic flights or boat connections serving Bikini Atoll and Kili Island.
Hourly Chauffeur
Book a private driver by the hour in Majuro for airport pickups, meetings, shopping and errands before or after travel to the outer islands.
Car Rental
Rent a vehicle in Majuro for independent travel around the atoll; Bikini and Kili themselves have very limited roads and are best explored on foot or with local guidance.
Bus & Group Transfers
Arrange charter flights or boats for dive groups, community visits and organised travel between Majuro, Bikini Atoll and Kili Island.
Frequently Asked Questions
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