AN ANGLER’S PARADISE

For Christmastime revelers across the world, December 25th serves as the annual day to exchange gifts, fill stockings and celebrate Christian traditions with friends and family. However, on the central Pacific island of Kiritimati, Christmas is a year round event.

Commonly known as Christmas Island, named by Captain James Cook upon his “discovery” of the island on Christmas Eve in 1777, this central Pacific coral atoll is one of 33 tropical islands that make up the Republic of Kiribati and is located approximately 1300 miles due south of Hawaii just north of the equator. In the local Gilbertese language, ti is pronounced as s thus resulting in the pronunciation of Kiritimati equating to Christmas and Kiribati to keer-ih-bos.

This remote, palm tree-covered white sand island is known as one of the most spectacular recreational fisheries on the planet, offering world-class saltwater flats fishing as well as deep sea fishing opportunities beyond its surrounding reef. Giant trevally, bluefin trevally, golden trevally, milkfish, triggerfish, a variety of reef fish and the ubiquitous bonefish swim the 150 square miles of ankle to waist deep water encapsulated in the island’s inner lagoon. In fact, by some estimates, the bonefish population of Christmas Island outnumbers the human population of 7,400 by roughly 100 to 1.

Kiritimati’s primary export is copra, a product of the numerous coconut palm trees that blanket the island, but in recent history, angling tourism has become central to the atoll’s economy. Anglers, most commonly fly fishermen, travel to the island on a weekly Fiji Airways flight that originates in Honolulu. Once on-island, visitors are transported to their lodgings which are mostly spartan rooms that offer basic amenities as a base for long days wading the inner lagoon in search of the various piscatorial target species.

Recently, thanks to an exclusive joint venture between the Kiribati government and an American partnership headquartered in the Northern Rocky Mountains, Christmas Island Lodge (formerly the Captain Cook Hotel) is being renovated, remodeled and upgraded to serve as Kiritimati’s premier lodge offering catering specifically to adventurous anglers from across the globe. In addition to the comprehensive renovations of the 12 private oceanside bungalows complete with thatched roofs, air conditioning and en suite heated showers, the lodge is now connected to the new solar electrical grid which was installed by the Kiribati government in advance of the pandemic.

Among many advantages offered by Christmas Island Lodge over the few existing lodging options on the island is the private boat launch on the inner lagoon which has been established during the country’s pandemic closure. This launchsite, adjacent to the lodge’s private swimming lagoon, allows Christmas Island Lodge guests to be the first in and the last out of the back of the inner lagoon where the most desirable fishing opportunities exist. This launchsite is only permitted to Christmas Island Lodge guests and eliminates the lengthy drive and boat trip from the other lodgings located in Tabwakea, London and Poland on the west side of the atoll.

The lodge’s location on the outskirts of Banana, a small village on the north central reach of Kiritimati, is most proximal to the airport and the highly coveted fishing destinations of the Korean Wreck and Huff Dam. This allows for minimal vehicle travel and a maximum of fishing hours each day. Additionally, with the advent of the Starlink global internet system, lodge guests will have unequaled internet connectivity while enjoying the sunset and fresh lobster and sushi appetizers each evening after long days on the flats.

Regarding the best time of year to visit Kiritimati, due to its location near the equator, weather varies little with temperatures only fluctuating by approximately 1 degree over the calendar year and settling comfortably in the mid-80s during the day and the mid-70s at night.

As global tourism is steadily returning to prepandemic norms, international travelers are increasingly returning to exotic destinations like Christmas Island. And though, for most of the world, Christmas is celebrated just one day per year, adventurous anglers can celebrate Christmas everyday in the Republic of Kiribati which might very well end up being the holiday of a lifetime. S

For more information on Christmas Island Lodge, visit christmasislandlodge.com or call 1-844-CILODGE (245-6343).