Nauru Travel Guide

The Australian offshore detention centre operating on the island means that there are always a lot of Australian government staff staying at the island's two small hotels and filling seats on the flights to and from Nauru (especially the direct flight to and from Brisbane). This, in combination with the visa requirement, means that you probably should plan and book your trip a few months ahead.

Nauru uses the Australian dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" (ISO code: AUD) as its national currency. Cash transactions are the norm; credit and debit cards are rarely accepted. There are no exchange offices in Nauru and the single bank office, Bank of Nauru is usually closed. The island's ATM can be found at the Capelle & Partner store. You should probably still bring enough Australian dollars in cash for your stay.

Every year, there are on average 200 tourists in Nauru, so it has the honour of being the least touristed country in the world. Crowds aren't a problem at all. There's hardly any public transportation, so your best bet to get around would be in a rented vehicle; car, scooter or bike. Other alternatives are by foot (not very pleasant in the tropical heat and humidity) or hitchhiking, which is quite common on the island.

The official languages are Nauruan, a distinct Pacific Island language, as well as English. However, just about half of the island's population is fluent in Nauruan, and English is widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes. A phrasebook of Dorerin Naoero can be found at Nauruan phrasebook.

Nauru is a peaceful island and all kinds of crime are very rare. In emergency situations you can call either the emergency number (117 or 118) or go to the police station, which is near the airport. While earthquakes are not a risk on Nauru itself, it can potentially be struck by tsunamis resulting from earthquakes along the Ring of Fire, which surrounds the Pacific Ocean.

Water supply in Nauru is dependent on rainwater collected into tanks from the roofs of houses and from an aging reverse osmosis desalination plant. You should avoid tap water. Considering its size and remoteness, Nauru has a decent healthcare system. Aside from the rampant problem of obesity among the population, the infant mortality and life expectation numbers are on par with industrialised nations. There are two hospitals on the island, Nauru General Hospital and RON Hospital, both in the Denigomodu district in the west of the island. However, if you have contracted anything more serious yo…

Post

There are a couple of post offices on the island from where you can send post.

Telephone

There are public phones and a mobile phone network. You may need to buy a SIM card from the local operator Digicel if your home operator doesn't have a roaming contract with Nauru.

Nauru is a predominantly Christian country, and Christian values and rules of conduct apply.