Abemama Island

One of the first Europeans to arrive on Abemama, was Brit Robert Louis Stevenson, in 1889. Only three years later the Kingdom of Abemama was placed under British 'protection' and in 1911 Abemama became a British Crown Colony. After WWII, Abemama nearly became Kiribati's capital, but in the end Tarawa was preferred because of easier access through its surrounding reef.

During WWII, fierce fighting broke out between the Japanese and the Allied forces and as a result, the island is still scattered with war relics. There are several nice villages on Abemama.

An unusual species of tiny yellow 'barking' frog is found on Abemama. It is thought, the frogs were introduced from Tuvalu to keep the mosquito population under control.

There is no accommodation on Abemama, but many boaters visit it because of its pristine beach and crystal clear blue lagoon. The island is 130 km southeast of Tarawa and has air and boat connections with the capital.