Weekend in Marshall Islands
Trip Overview
This two-day sampler pairs urban lagoon life on Majuro with a day-trip to neighboring Arno Atoll. You'll glide over glass-clear water past rusting WWII relics, crunch across sand so white it reflects the noon sun, and taste fresh tuna straight from a wood-smoke grill. The pace is moderate: early starts to beat the equatorial heat, afternoons for siestas under pandanus shade, and sunset swims before supper under swaying palms.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$180, 220 per day
Best Seasons
December through April for the driest skies and calmest seas
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Beach lovers, History buffs, Couples
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Majuro Lagoon & WWII Echoes
Majuro Atoll
Explore the capital's compact downtown, then head west to Laura Beach and the ghostly remains of a Japanese seaplane base.
Morning
Lagoon-side walk from Delap Park to the Alele Museum
Start at sunrise: see pastel light spill over anchored fishing boats, smell diesel mixed with ocean spray, listen to outboard engines coughing awake. Inside Alele, examine stick-chart navigation maps whose coconut-fiber ribs still smell faintly of copra smoke.
Lunch
DAR Restaurant & Coffee Shop
Afternoon
Laura Beach and WWII relics
A shared taxi west crosses the thin ribbon of coral and sand. Feel the vehicle sway as tires hiss over crushed coral. At Laura, wade into bath-warm water, then walk inland to the moss-covered concrete ramp where Kawanishi flying boats once launched. Touch the pockmarked surface still warm from the sun.
Taxis leave from the market when full. No reservation needed
Evening
Sunset drinks at Tide Table restaurant on the dock
Order grilled reef fish and watch sky turn mango-orange over the lagoon
Where to Stay Tonight
Delap, Uliga, Djarrit (D-U-D) strip (Hotel Majuro)
Five minutes from the dock for tomorrow's boat and walking distance to cafés for pre-departure coffee
See all Marshall Islands accommodation options →Bring reef shoes. Even soft-looking sand hides sharp coral chunks near the WWII ramp
Day 1 Budget: $170
2
Arno Atoll Day-Trip & Coral Gardens
Speedboat across 40 km of cobalt water to snorkel untouched coral and picnic on a sandbank that disappears at high tide.
Morning
Boat run to Arno's Ine Channel
Leave at 7 a.m.; feel the hull slap against rising swells and taste salt spray on your lips. Twenty minutes out, watch flying fish skip like silver darts beside the boat. Anchor inside the channel where the water shifts from navy to neon turquoise.
Reserve at Tide Table the evening before. Boats carry max 6 passengers
Lunch
Beach barbecue on uninhabited sand spit
Afternoon
Snorkeling Arno's outer reef
Drift over lettuce coral pulsing with parrotfish while the current hums past your ears. Closer to the drop-off, a gray reef shark glides below, its sleek silhouette framed against deeper indigo. A local guide points out giant clams whose violet lips glisten like wet silk.
Guides are booked with the boat. Confirm mask sizes the night before
Evening
Return to Majuro, dinner at Flame Tree Restaurant
Try breadfruit chips with smoked skipjack dip while trade winds rattle the palm roof
Where to Stay Tonight
Same as Day 1 (Hotel Majuro)
Late afternoon return allows time to shower off salt before dinner and pack for departure
See all Marshall Islands accommodation options →Pack sunscreen in a sealed zip-lock; the boat ride is choppy and sprays everything
Day 2 Budget: $200
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Majuro's main island is 50 km long and 300 m wide. Shared taxis ($2, 3 per hop) run the single road. Boats to Arno and other atolls leave from the commercial dock. Negotiate directly with captains. No ride-hailing apps exist, so wave down any passing pickup.
Book Ahead
Hotel Majuro and Arno boat seats fill quickly in peak season. Reserve both before arrival. Snorkel gear can be rented on the dock but call ahead for size availability.
Packing Essentials
Reef-safe sunscreen, rash guard, dry bag for boat trips, flip-flops, and a light rain jacket for sudden squalls.
Total Budget
$370, 420 for the weekend excluding flights
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Stay at the Mid-Pacific Guesthouse, split taxi rides with other travelers, and bring your own snorkeling mask. Replace restaurant dinners with supermarket poke bowls eaten on the seawall.
Luxury Upgrade
Book an over-water bungalow at the Marshall Islands Resort, charter a private speedboat to Arno, and upgrade to lobster on the beach grill arranged by the hotel chef.
Family-Friendly
Replace Arno with a shorter boat ride to Eneko Island where gentle lagoons and picnic tables make sand-castle building easy. Swap evening restaurants for early grilled chicken at the family-run RRE Café.
Book Activities for Your Trip
Tours, tickets, and experiences in Marshall Islands
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Marshall Islands.
See All Marshall Islands Tours on Viator