Top Things to Do in Palikir

Palikir is the administrative capital of the Federated States of Micronesia, a nation of more than 600 islands scattered across a vast expanse of the western Pacific. The capital itself is not a city in any conventional sense -- it is a small governmental compound set among the forested hills of Pohnpei island, the largest and wettest island in the federation. With no traffic lights, no high-rise buildings, and a population measured in the low thousands, Palikir is one of the smallest and most remote national capitals on earth. Pohnpei island, where Palikir sits, is the real draw. Ringed by a barrier reef and covered in dense tropical rainforest punctuated by waterfalls and volcanic peaks, it offers some of the most pristine natural environments in the Pacific. The island is also home to Nan Madol, the mysterious basalt city built on artificial islets in a lagoon -- often called the Venice of the Pacific -- though it lies on the opposite side of the island from the capital. Diving, hiking, and encounters with Micronesian village culture are the primary reasons travelers make the long journey here. Getting to Palikir requires patience: flights connect through Guam or Honolulu on United's Island Hopper route, and schedules are limited. But the remoteness is precisely the point. This is a destination for travelers who have exhausted the obvious and seek something uncommon -- a Pacific island world that operates on its own terms, largely unaffected by mass tourism.