Nine scattered, largely uninhabited atolls and islands administered by the United States across the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the US Minor Outlying Islands offer virtually no conventional tourism infrastructure — but extraordinary natural and historical significance for those with the means and determination to reach them.

Overview & Why Visit

The United States Minor Outlying Islands (USMOI) is an official US Census Bureau grouping of nine insular territories: Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island. They are spread across vast stretches of the central Pacific and, in the case of Navassa Island, the Caribbean Sea between Jamaica and Haiti.

None of these territories has a permanent civilian population. Some are closed to the general public entirely or require special authorization to visit. Most are administered by the US Fish & Wildlife Service as National Wildlife Refuges; others fall under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Defense or the Department of the Interior. The appeal is highly specific: pristine coral reef ecosystems, enormous seabird and sea turtle nesting colonies, historically significant WWII battlegrounds, and landscapes that look essentially unchanged since the nineteenth century.

This is emphatically not a destination for casual vacationers. Travelers who do reach these islands are almost exclusively researchers, wildlife biologists, documentary filmmakers, divers, offshore sailors, and military-affiliated personnel. If you fall into one of those categories, few places on Earth offer comparable remoteness and ecological integrity.

Getting There

There are no commercial flights to any of the nine territories in their current administrative status. Access depends entirely on the specific island and the authorization you hold.

  • Midway Atoll: The most accessible of the group. The US Fish & Wildlife Service periodically coordinates visits — primarily for volunteer programs and organized wildlife tours — with charter flights originating from Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL). Seats are extremely limited. Check the USFWS Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge website for current access programs before planning anything.
  • Palmyra Atoll: The Nature Conservancy co-manages Palmyra alongside USFWS. Authorized research visits and very limited ecotourism opportunities exist; access is typically by charter flight from Honolulu or by private vessel. The Palmyra Atoll Research Station coordinates stays.
  • Wake Island: Operated by the US Air Force. Civilian access is essentially restricted to contractor personnel and occasional authorized stopovers for trans-Pacific private aircraft (Wake has a usable runway). General tourist visits are not permitted.
  • Johnston Atoll: Formerly a US military and chemical weapons storage site; currently under USFWS management but closed to the public while remediation legacy concerns are addressed. Check official sources before travel.
  • Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Kingman Reef, Navassa: Effectively closed to all but permitted scientific expeditions. Navassa Island is additionally complicated by a historical land claim; visit USFWS for current access policy.

The nearest major gateway for Pacific islands in this group is Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). For Navassa Island, the closest points of departure are Jamaica or Haiti, though permitted visits are exceedingly rare.

Getting Around

There are no roads, rental vehicles, public transport, or infrastructure designed for visitor movement on any of these islands. Midway Atoll has internal paths and bicycles are sometimes used by refuge staff and volunteers. On any island you are authorized to visit, movement is typically on foot and often limited to designated areas to protect nesting habitat. A support vessel or research station base camp functions as your logistical hub.

Regions & Key Islands

Midway Atoll

Consisting of Sand Island and Eastern Island within a coral atoll in the northwestern Hawaiian archipelago, Midway is the most historically and ecologically documented of the group. It hosts the world's largest colony of Laysan albatrosses. The Battle of Midway (June 1942) is widely regarded as a turning point of the Pacific War; remnant infrastructure, memorials, and a small visitor center (when access programs are active) tell that story.

Palmyra Atoll

Located roughly 1,000 miles south of Hawaii, Palmyra is one of the most intact coral reef systems in the US Pacific. It supports dense populations of reef sharks, giant trevally, manta rays, and nesting seabirds. The atoll is a centerpiece of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which protects extraordinary expanses of surrounding ocean.

Wake Island

A coral atoll of strategic military importance since the early twentieth century, Wake was the site of the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941. It remains an active US military installation. The lagoon and surrounding reef are ecologically rich but inaccessible to most visitors.

Baker, Howland & Jarvis Islands

These three equatorial islands were worked intensively for guano during the nineteenth century — traces of that era remain. Today they are critical seabird nesting sites administered as wildlife refuges. Howland Island is the site of a lighthouse beacon commemorating Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while searching for the island in 1937.

Navassa Island

A small raised limestone island in the Caribbean, Navassa has a complicated legal history involving a Haitian territorial claim and a long-decommissioned US lighthouse. USFWS administers it as a wildlife refuge. Access is rarely authorized and requires a federal permit.

Top Attractions & Experiences

  • Albatross nesting season at Midway: Hundreds of thousands of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses return annually (roughly October through July). Chick-rearing activity peaks in spring and is one of the most remarkable wildlife spectacles in the world.
  • WWII history at Midway: The Battle of Midway National Memorial and preserved facilities on Sand Island provide context for one of naval history's most consequential engagements.
  • Shark diving at Palmyra: The reef at Palmyra supports exceptionally dense populations of grey reef, whitetip reef, and silvertip sharks in near-pristine conditions — a benchmark site for coral reef science and one of the most intense shark-diving environments on the planet.
  • Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument: The monument surrounding several of these islands encompasses over 490,000 square miles of ocean and is among the largest marine protected areas in the world. Scientific expeditions here document biodiversity found nowhere else.
  • Historic guano-era ruins: Baker, Howland, and Jarvis preserve nineteenth-century infrastructure from the American Guano Islands Act era — stone structures, old equipment, and markers that represent a largely forgotten chapter of US territorial expansion.
Brown boobies atop pier posts at Johnston Atoll NWR
Brown boobies atop pier posts at Johnston Atoll NWR

Food & Dining

There are no restaurants, markets, cafés, or food vendors on any of these islands. All food must be brought in by visiting expeditions or supplied through support stations. Research station staff at Midway and Palmyra receive provisions by charter flight or vessel. Anyone planning a permitted visit should coordinate all supply logistics in advance with the administering agency.

Best Time to Visit

Access is dictated by permit availability and logistical windows far more than by personal preference, but ecology and climate do matter.

  • Midway Atoll: Wildlife activity peaks from November through June during albatross nesting and chick-rearing. Sea conditions in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands are most favorable in spring.
  • Palmyra Atoll: The equatorial climate is relatively consistent year-round (warm and humid), though research station capacity and USFWS scheduling govern access windows.
  • Equatorial Pacific islands (Baker, Howland, Jarvis): These lie near the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Seas can be rough and landings by small boat are weather-dependent regardless of season.
  • Navassa Island: Located in the Caribbean, it has a tropical climate with a hurricane season running roughly June through November. Any expeditions should avoid this period when possible.

Where to Stay

Conventional accommodation does not exist. Authorized visitors to Midway Atoll have historically stayed in basic refuge housing on Sand Island when programs were active — bunks, shared facilities, strictly functional. Palmyra Atoll Research Station has similarly modest shared accommodation for researchers and permitted visitors. For all other islands, expedition camps or vessel-based lodging are the only options. Bring everything you need and plan to be entirely self-sufficient.

Money, Language & Practical Tips

  • Currency: US Dollar (USD). There is nowhere to spend money once on-island; all financial arrangements are made before departure.
  • Language: English. No local language considerations apply.
  • Communications: Satellite phone or satellite internet is the only reliable communication method. Standard cell service does not exist.
  • Medical: There are no medical facilities. Carry a comprehensive first-aid kit, any prescription medications, and ensure your expedition team has wilderness first-aid training. Medical evacuation from remote Pacific atolls is extremely difficult and costly — appropriate travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is essential.
  • Permits: Begin the permit application process with the relevant federal agency — typically USFWS — well in advance, often six months to a year or more before an intended visit. Unauthorized landings on wildlife refuge islands are federal offenses.
  • Leave No Trace: All regulations on these islands are strictly enforced to protect fragile ecosystems. Follow all guidelines from the administering agency regarding waste removal, vegetation disturbance, and wildlife interaction distances.
Howland island nasa
Howland island nasa

Entry Requirements

The US Minor Outlying Islands are US territories, and standard US federal law applies. For most islands, possessing a valid US passport or other travel document acceptable for US territory entry is a baseline requirement — but entry authorization from the relevant federal agency (USFWS, US Air Force, or Department of the Interior) is the governing requirement above and beyond any passport consideration.

Non-US citizens should consult entry rules applicable to US territories, which generally mirror requirements for entry into the United States itself. However, because these territories are not ports of entry with standard customs and immigration facilities, the process is managed entirely through expedition coordination with the administering agency.

For current, authoritative visa and entry information, visit the official websites of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the US Department of the Interior Office of Insular Affairs, and TravelerPulse's own /visas section. Rules and access policies for individual islands can and do change; always verify directly with the administering body before any travel planning.

Safety Basics

  • Remote location means emergency response times are measured in days, not hours. Self-sufficiency is non-negotiable.
  • Coral and reef terrain causes cuts that can become infected rapidly in tropical climates; treat any wound promptly.
  • Sun exposure at equatorial latitudes is intense — use high-SPF protection, cover skin, and hydrate aggressively.
  • Wildlife on these islands is largely unafraid of humans due to minimal contact; maintain mandated distances from nesting birds and marine animals to protect both the wildlife and yourself.
  • Johnston Atoll has a legacy of chemical weapons storage and should not be approached without specific clearance and safety guidance from responsible authorities.
  • Ocean conditions around all atolls can deteriorate rapidly; small-boat operations and snorkeling require constant situational awareness.

Suggested Itineraries

10–14 Days: Midway Atoll Wildlife & History Program

Fly to Honolulu (HNL) and coordinate a charter flight to Midway through an authorized USFWS program. Spend the majority of time observing albatross colonies, visiting the Battle of Midway memorial sites on Sand Island, snorkeling in the atoll lagoon, and participating in any active volunteer or monitoring work the refuge requires. Return by charter to Honolulu. Check USFWS program availability well in advance — spots are limited and programs do not run continuously.

2–3 Weeks: Palmyra Atoll Research Expedition

Based at the Palmyra Atoll Research Station, this type of visit suits scientists, graduate students, and conservation-focused travelers affiliated with an approved institution or The Nature Conservancy's partnership programs. Days are structured around dive surveys, bird counts, water quality monitoring, or specific research objectives. The reef diving here is among the most ecologically dense in the US Pacific. Access by charter from Honolulu.

Extended Offshore Passage: Multi-Atoll Sailing Voyage

Experienced blue-water sailors with appropriate vessel documentation sometimes incorporate permitted stops at Palmyra and Kingman Reef into longer Pacific passages. This requires advance authorization from USFWS, proper offshore safety equipment, and experience with open-ocean passage-making. Wake Island may serve as a fuel/water stop for trans-Pacific flights by private aircraft under specific conditions — check current US Air Force protocols before planning.

FAQ

Can ordinary tourists visit the US Minor Outlying Islands?

For most of the nine territories, no — at least not without a federally issued permit granted for scientific, conservation, or specific authorized purposes. Midway Atoll has offered the closest thing to structured tourism through USFWS-coordinated programs, but availability is limited and not continuous. Check with USFWS for current program status.

Do I need a US visa to visit these islands?

Entry requirements are those applicable to US territories generally, but the far more important requirement is obtaining authorization from the administering federal agency. Consult official US government sources and TravelerPulse's /visas section for current guidance.

Is there any commercial diving or tourism operation based at these islands?

Not in the conventional sense. Some liveaboard dive operators have historically offered permitted expeditions to Palmyra Atoll on a very limited basis. No commercial dive shops, resorts, or tour operators are permanently based at any of the nine territories. Verify current opportunities directly with USFWS and reputable Pacific liveaboard operators.

What is the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument?

It is a US National Monument designation covering the waters and submerged lands surrounding Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, Jarvis Island, Howland Island, Baker Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Kingman Reef. It is one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth and prohibits most commercial fishing and extractive activity within its boundaries.

How do I apply for a permit to visit a USFWS-managed island?

Contact the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (for Pacific territories) or the Caribbean Ecological Services Field Office (for Navassa Island) directly. Applications typically require a detailed statement of purpose, institutional affiliation where applicable, safety and logistics plans, and evidence of relevant expertise. Start the process as early as possible — permits are not guaranteed and review timelines are lengthy.

Conclusion

The United States Minor Outlying Islands exist at the outer edge of what the word "destination" can meaningfully describe. They are places where human presence is the exception, where ecosystems operate largely without interference, and where history — both geological and human — accumulates without the usual erosion of development and tourism. For the small number of researchers, conservationists, and genuinely committed adventurers who reach them through legitimate channels, they offer encounters with the natural world that are almost impossible to find elsewhere under the US flag. For everyone else, understanding that these places exist — and that they are actively protected — is itself a form of engagement worth having.