Palikir

Palikir, Federated States of Micronesia

The Capitol of the Federated States of Micronesia in Palikir glows amber at sunset across a wet lawn framed by rainforest.

Palikir is a small, rain-soaked purpose-built capital on Pohnpei, where government lawns meet rainforest, waterfalls and the ruins of an island city.

The place

Palikir is the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia, set about 80 m above sea level on the northwest side of Pohnpei, a high volcanic island ringed by a coral reef. Roughly 6,200 people live here. It is less a city in the usual sense than a government campus with a village around it: ministries, a scattering of houses and the president's residence, all tucked into forest. Kolonia, the island's main town and the capital of Pohnpei state, lies about 8 km to the northeast, and that is where most shops, eateries and everyday errands happen. Inland the land climbs steeply. Mount Nanlaud, about 9 km to the southeast, reaches 782 m and is the highest point in the country. The island is roughly circular and about 97 km around, so a full loop by road is an easy day. The climate is tropical rainforest, with temperatures hovering near 27 °C all year and about 5,202 mm of rain annually. There is no dry season to wait for; sun, cloud and downpour take turns within the same hour, and the green of the hillsides is the result. Pohnpei has no natural beaches. A belt of mangrove swamp surrounds it instead, and sea access is patchy. Palikir itself is quiet and orderly, and works best as a base for seeing the island and its government, not as a sightseeing city in its own right.

Its story

Palikir was a tiny village of little consequence for most of its history, and the story of the place is really the story of Pohnpei. In early times the island was run by tribal chiefs. European ships reached it in the fifteenth century, but nobody settled until Spain established a presence in 1886. Germany bought the Caroline Islands from Spain in 1898, after the Spanish–American War. Japan took control during the First World War, and in the Second World War its forces built an airfield near Kolonia and dug in on the island's high ground. Afterwards the United States administered the territory until the Federated States of Micronesia became independent in 1979. The new government wanted a purpose-built administrative centre rather than crowding into Kolonia, and the Palikir area was chosen. American aid paid for the offices, some housing and the president's residence, and the site was declared the capital in 1989. It is therefore a young capital, barely a generation old, built on what had been farmland and forest. Even now the settlement is small and village-like, with the federal administration of the whole country running from a few low buildings. The older layers of Pohnpei's past lie elsewhere on the island, in the ruins at Nan Madol, the Spanish wall in Kolonia and the Japanese guns on Sokehs Ridge.

What to see

Culture

Palikir is a government town, but the culture around it is Pohnpeian, and that is worth understanding before arriving. The island kept its chiefly traditions through Spanish, German, Japanese and American rule, and traditional titles and village obligations still sit alongside the elected state and federal governments. Family, land and respect for rank matter, and the pace of life follows the weather more than the clock. Churches are central to community life, and Sunday is quiet. The island's best-known ceremonial drink is sakau, prepared and shared in a formal setting; it is something to be invited to, not something to ask for as a tourist. Visitors often find Micronesians reserved at first and warm once introduced, so a greeting and a little patience go a long way. The country is a federation of four states, and Pohnpei is the most developed of them, though development here means a handful of eateries, a small airport and a single main town. Petty theft from parked vehicles is the main nuisance, in an otherwise very safe place. Take it slowly, accept that plans bend around rain, and treat the capital's quiet streets as someone's home district. Ask permission before photographing people or stepping onto private land, and dress modestly in villages and churches.

What to wear

Palikir wears its clothes for heat and rain, and the habits come from a mix of island tradition and church-influenced modesty. Traditionally, Pohnpeians wore wrapped lengths of cloth and skirts made from plant fibre, and flower garlands for the head and neck, which still appear at ceremonies, celebrations and welcomes. Hibiscus and other local plants supply fibre and decoration. Today the ordinary picture is simpler. In the capital, office workers wear short-sleeved shirts or blouses, trousers or knee-length skirts, and many women wear loose, long dresses or wrap skirts in bright printed cotton. Men often wear a wrapped cloth or shorts away from the office. Flip-flops and sandals are normal, and umbrellas are everywhere. A visitor should dress for a warm, damp climate near 27 °C all year, with modest cuts out of respect for local norms: shoulders and knees covered in villages, churches and government buildings. Choose lightweight fabrics that dry fast, as cotton stays wet for days. A thin rain jacket matters more than a sun hat, though both are useful. Footwear needs grip for muddy trails, waterfall rocks and mangrove paths, so bring light trail shoes or sandals with straps, and keep a spare dry pair for travelling.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Any month works. Temperatures sit near 27 °C all year and rain falls every month, with no dry season, so choose by flight days and pack for showers. February to April is a loose suggestion rather than a promise of drier weather.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. United Airlines runs the island-hopper through Micronesia, east to west on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and west to east on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Nauru Airlines has a once-weekly service linking Brisbane, Nauru and other Pacific islands. Check the airlines' official sites for current schedules. From the airport near Kolonia, Palikir is about 8 km by road, so take a taxi or arrange a pick-up with your accommodation.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources