Starbuck Island

Starbuck Island is a small coral atoll in the Line Islands that consists of flat land strips around an inner lagoon. The entire area lies just a few meters above sea level and shows white sand between low palms and scrub.

An American captain reached the atoll in the early 19th century and named it after his ship. Later settlers tried to mine guano but isolation ended these projects quickly.

The island carries the name of a Nantucket whaling ship and stands for the early trade routes across the Pacific. Today the place remains a silent witness to oceanic navigation traditions that sailors developed over centuries.

A visit requires organizing private boat trips from other islands in Kiribati since no infrastructure exists on site. Anyone arriving should bring all supplies and be prepared for changing weather conditions.

The reefs around the atoll attract schools of tuna that hunt in the currents between the reefs. On land frigatebirds nest in the wind-bent bushes near the shoreline where they keep watch over the open ocean.