I suppose people know me either for one of two things; running or travel. So it’s always a delight when I get to combine my two passions in life. And considering the type of places I travel in (“complex”) - and the type of runs I do (generally very long) - it’s not often the two cross paths.

So when I landed on Nauru, now “Naoero”, one of the smallest and least visited countries in the world, actually by complete accident… well, it would have been rude not to expand the adventure.

This is the story of how accidentally visited Naoero and ran around the entire country. (And why I’d really recommend you do it, too).

Getting “Stuck” on Naoero
Entering Naoero
Naoero Visa
Running Naoero
What to Do on Naoero?
Is Naoero Worth Visiting?

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Getting “Stuck” on Naoero

If you have been following my travels over the years, you might know that I have a certain knack for getting stuck on islands. So much so that I don’t think my colleague and good friend Greg would ever dare to visit an island with me - unless I happened to catch him at a time with a particularly flexible schedule.

I’ve been stuck in Taiwan’s northern Mazu island group for a few hours due to bad weather and flight cancellations, in East Timor’s beautiful Atauro Island overnight and had to be evacuated by a medical aid flight (an experience totally worth it, by the way, but comes with a price tag), and, most famously, in Tonga for a year and a half during the pandemic as flights were abruptly halted in the region.

That’s actually not all of them, either.

Luckily enough, I’m a complete island girl at heart and slip right into the chill island vibes. Plus, I’m pretty adaptable in general. So, there are certainly worse places in the world for me to get stuck.

Being an island girl, and someone with ambition to visit every country in the world, I decided last year to head back to the Pacific and visit more of the remote islands I hadn’t yet visited.

If there’s one rule about Pacific island travel - it’s to give yourself time. Nothing happens quickly and if your plans are to rush around and visit as many places in as little time possible, you’re about to be humbled. Island life is slow; and everything works around an island timezone of a slow, chilled pace life. I mean, why rush, after all?

(Going from Tonga to London I felt both my heart rate and my walking pace increase significantly. It’s just a different way of life).

So, not surprisingly, as I was hopping around the islands in the Pacific, I hit a few snags along the way. Actually, right at the start of the trip, as I was making my way down from Palau in the North Pacific to Micronesia. This is one of the very few Island Hopper planes that will take you around the area.

However, it seems that United hadn’t obtained the correct landing permission and, after waiting on the tarmac of the Micronesia where none of us were allowed to disembark, we were indeed not permitted to enter and, as it turned out, the next few stops were also lacking this permission, too. Including the Marshall Islands, where my intended next stop was.

And so the plane basically had to keep flying and flew all the way to Naoero, where it would then stop for a few days.

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Entering Naoero

Honestly, this was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me. We were all provided temporary visas on arrival, given free accommodation and food, and, well, a free stay in Naoero for a few days.

Now, of course, there was the mild inconvenience that this indeed was not in my plan and it completely ruined the following few plans, too.

But with food and accommodation provided for, it really ended up being a blessing in disguise. Naoero’s hotels and food is not cheap. Plus, I could then save on not coming again and could refund my flights and hotels for that trip supposedly a few days later.

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Naoero Visa

The visa on arrival to Naoero was a nice touch, too, although I had already obtained my Naoero visa in the classic way.

Previously very difficult to obtain, it’s now just a matter of “understanding” how the Pacific works and trusting that the guy in Australia you email and send money to will actually send you the visa a few days, weeks, or months later.

Honestly - this system works so well and the guy in Australia is lovely and helpful. He’ll help you book accommodation - which you need to get the visa - and will recommend things to do on the island.

Again, you just have to trust the process.

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Running Naoero

So, with a few days to spare and having not done any research yet about what to do on the island, I decided to go out and explore - in the best way I knew possible.

Run.

I headed out in the morning just after breakfast where I’d taken a quick look at the route on Strava (it’s not hard, it’s literally a round island circle…) and left just before the sun started coming up with no suncream and one bottle of water, and the anticipation I’d be back again in an hour. Perhaps even with enough time to get a cheeky second breakfast in.

Well, that didn’t quite work out.

My quick check on Google maps and Strava, however, was somewhat deceiving. Or maybe it was my 6am brain that confused me. Either way, somehow I had planned - mentally and physically - for a 10km run. In the end, it was over 18kms. Luckily, as I mentioned at the start, I do often do long runs and I’m no stranger to a 18km.

However, this just happened to be in July.

With Naoero right on the equator, this doesn’t matter all too much as it’s generally the same all year round. Hot, humid, and sunny. Except, just emphasised in June and July.

I took a left outside of the hotel. I could’ve taken a right. All roads lead to Rome, after all. But for whatever reason, I went left and followed the road as it made its way around the island. Sea to the left of me, road, occasionally people, and sometimes the odd shop or two to the right.

With the sun not properly risen, I was lulled into a false sense of cool security that quickly left me as the sun started beating down - hard. Already half a bottle of water down and only a quarter of away around the island, the realisation set in that 1. I had to severely ration water and 2. This was indeed not going to be the 10kms I originally thought.

The first half of the run was rather pleasant. Naoero is very flat, and so it’s basically just a simple road run, with some interesting things to see along the way.

There are old war bunkers and outposts, as well as the odd chicken running across the road.

I was delighted to see the ubiquitous “Chinese Shop” that you’ll find all across the Pacific, as well as signs for Digicel; the main network carrier of the region. Somehow seeing these things felt a bit like home.

Considering it was a Sunday, today was an extra lazy sleepy day and there were really few people on the streets. Indeed, I had a sudden rush of anxiety as I remembered that on Tonga it was illegal to run on a Sunday (Tonga is a very Christian country), and worried momentarily that I was breaking the law on my first day in Naoero.

This just made me run faster.

I passed a few more shops and some kind of village-looking places and then stopped at a cross to take some photos. I continued my run along the sea wall where the benches were looking all the more inviting, and there were even a few nice hangout spots with shade and presumably some shops or places to eat and drink that would be set up during busy times.

Inland, there more local shops to spot and even some made from container ship crates.

Despite its flat nature, somehow there did seem to be some hills after all. The downhills were great. The uphills not so much. My pace had started to slow as the sun became hotter and hotter and the general atmosphere just horrifically humid and somehow I still wasn’t finished.

As the water started depleting in my bottle, the sea water started to look all the more tempting.

Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Whilst my self-inflicted plight wasn’t quite the same as the Ancient Mariner, somehow I did wish to have an albatross friend follow me and keep me company along the expedition.

When it’s that hot and humid, the best thing you can do (in my absolute non-expert opinion) is to just keep running and finish as quickly as possible. Thoughts of AC kept me going.

By some luck, as I hit the Naoero Museum, the clouds appeared and as well as some lovely cloud coverage, it started to drizzle and even a rainbow appeared.

This was very short-lived, but it gave me a break from the sun and a bit of a second wind.

My second burst of energy was amplified by a life-saving public toilet I then found where I could splash my face and, well, pretty much my whole body with some cold water before continuing.

In the end, I finished my round-the-country run in 2 hrs 9 minutes. Not bad, all things considered. Including the near-dehydration, 98% humidity, 33 degree heat and 500ml of water consumed throughout. Plus, the fact I had a nice little 10km in my head all along.

Moral of the story?

Don’t underestimate the size of Naoero!

(But don’t overestimate it, either).

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What to Do on Naoero?

To be completely fair to Naoero, it does have some interesting sites and things to do apart from walking the whole island. However, emphasis on the “some” here. There’s not a whole load and it largely depends on if you’re interested in WW2 history or not.

If you have some extra time on the island, you can visit the below. It’s wise to take time at each of these stops… to not run out of them too quickly.

• Fresh Seafood! Although Naoero cuisine is not world famous and Naoero struggles with some of the world’s highest obesity rates… traditionally, the food is incredibly fresh and from the land. Make sure to try some freshly caught fish.
• Nauru Fish Market: Make sure to catch it on a day it’s open!
• Nauru Museum (Naoero Museum): Actually I just ran Naoero Museum when I was there. It’s a small building near the airport, and I’m sure it could take up an hour or less of your time.
• Watch the Planes: If you’re interested in planes, you could head to the runway near the airport and watch out for planes. It’s probable that there won’t be any. But you can live in hope. Or, ask a local when the next one will be in. Right next-door to the museum, too!
• WW2 History: Found throughout the island but especially in the middle through a trail. Best to find a local to take you here to explore!
• Command Ridge: Naoero’s highest point sits at around 65 metres, which on an island this flat is about as close to a mountain as you’re going to get. Still, it’s worth the climb, because up top you’ll find old Japanese bunkers and some very rusty guns still pointing out to sea, and a view across the entire country. It’s also the best way to understand just how small Naoero really is. You can see all of it from one spot.
• Anibare Bay: This is the postcard version of the Pacific, with pale sand, clear water and some dramatic rocks poking out of the bay. It’s quiet, as pretty much everywhere on the island is, and a very good place to cool off after a morning of exploring (or running). Just don’t swim too far out, as the currents can get strong.
• Buada Lagoon: Naoero’s only freshwater lagoon, tucked inland and surrounded by palms and small plantations. After a lot of coastline and a lot of heat, it’s a nice change of scenery, and a calm spot for a slow walk. Bring water. You’ll be glad of it.
• Moqua Well and Caves: Right near the airport and the parliament building, these limestone caves lead down to Moqua Well, an underground freshwater pool that has been important to the island for a very long time. It’s cool, quiet and a welcome break from the humidity, which is more than I can say for most of my morning on the road. Best to find a local to show you the way in.

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Is Naoero Worth Visiting?

That completely depends what you’re looking for. If you’re genuinely interested in visiting one of the world’s smallest countries with an incredibly interesting recent history of rise and fall to riches, as well as an ethically questionable prison agreement with Australia. Naeoro might just be the one for you.

But if you’re just looking for island vibes with a bit of WW2 history thrown in, and you’re not really bothered about visiting every country on the planet, then I might just suggest other places before you make the pretty epic trip to Naeoro.

The effort it takes to get to Naeoro - and to get back off - means that you really have to have a strong why.

(But being able to have bragging rights after having walked around / run around a country - a feat possible in very few places int he world - alone may just be your why.

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Koryo Tours
Group Tours International