Located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Midway Atoll is a part of the beautiful Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Trust me, I know what I’m talking about because I recently went there with my hubby and it was a freaking blast!
Now back to the burning question, Can you visit Midway Atoll?
Absolutely!
Midway Atoll is indeed open for you to visit, and it’s an amazing place to explore.
But there is a cache…
To ensure the conservation of this unique ecosystem, access to the atoll is a bit restricted, but don’t worry, you can still plan a visit!
To experience the wonders of Midway Atoll, you’ll need to join a guided tour or program organized by authorized operators.
These tours are not only fun but also educational, focusing on the importance of conservation and the fascinating wildlife found on the atoll.
Since Midway Atoll is quite remote, reaching it requires some planning.
You’ll need to catch a charter flight from Honolulu, Hawaii, which adds to the excitement of the adventure.
Keep in mind that visitor numbers are limited, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead and secure your permits in advance.
For all the latest and most accurate information on permits, tour operators, and guidelines for visiting Midway Atoll, I recommend reaching out to the friendly folks at the U.
S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
They’ll be more than happy to assist you in making your dream trip to Midway Atoll a reality.
Enjoy your visit and have a fantastic time exploring this incredible destination!
We’ve been dreaming about visiting Midway Atoll for ages, but we needed to save up some dough first.
And let me tell you, it was worth every penny!
This place is a paradise on earth where you can relax and connect with nature like never before.
Now, let me spill some secrets about Midway Atoll that will get you hooked.
First of all, it’s a coral atoll that’s 5 miles in diameter, and it’s made up of three islands – the Eastern, Spit, and the largest Sand.
Can you imagine having three islands at your disposal to explore and chill out on?
Oh, and here’s a fun fact – the place is home to about 60 people who work for the US Fish and Wildlife.
But don’t worry, you won’t feel crowded because the islands are spacious enough to accommodate everyone.
Getting to Midway Atoll was a breeze, thanks to the well-maintained 8000 feet runway that’s even FAA certified.
In fact, it also serves as an emergency runway for trans-Pacific jet flights.
So, if you’re worried about getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, you can rest easy knowing that there’s a solid plan B.
Why Visit Midway Atoll?
Let me tell you a story that will give you a taste of what you can expect at Midway Atoll.
My husband and I were walking along the beach when we spotted a Hawaiian monk seal napping in the sun.
We tried to be quiet and not disturb it, but it woke up and gave us a glare that said “I was sleeping here first.”
We couldn’t help but laugh at the seal’s sassiness and took a bunch of selfies with it before leaving it in peace.
If you’re still not convinced that Midway Atoll is the bomb, I got you covered.
Can you visit Midway Island?
If you’re heading to Midway Atoll, don’t be a party pooper and only stay for a day or two.
Trust me, you’ll want to spare at least a week or two to fully explore this heavenly place and its surrounding coral reefs and three charming islands.
One of the must-see spots is the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge that’s been running tourism programs for five freaking years.
You can’t miss this, folks!
It’s like going to a party and not dancing with the hottest person in the room.
Now, here’s the catch – the tours are limited to small groups of up to sixteen people.
But don’t worry, that’s actually a good thing because it ensures that the tour is well-planned by the guides.
And let me tell you, these guides know their stuff.
They’ll take you to the best spots and tell you fascinating stories about the history and wildlife of Midway Atoll.
Oh, and here’s a personal story to give you a taste of what you can expect.
My group and I were snorkeling near one of the islands when we saw a sea turtle swimming gracefully in the water.
We all followed it and suddenly, it turned around and started swimming towards us.
We were all freaking out, thinking it was going to attack us or something, but it swam right past us as if to say “sup guys, just enjoying the view?” We were all laughing and high-fiving each other like we had just won the lottery.
My Midway island vacations
It was exciting to learn that Midway Atoll is part of Papahanaumokuakea National monument that is also considered the world’s largest marine area that is fully protected.
The place has been under protection since 2006 with the main goal being the protection of the coral reef systems as well as other related species that are commonly found on the chain of this island.
During the tour we were amazed at the fact that this Atoll as well as the other islands that are part of the Northwest Hawaiian Island have continued to serve as reserves for seabird colonies for quite a while now.
Fortunately for us, we were not lucky enough to catch up with any of these bird colonies.
This was a crowning moment for both of us because we love watching birds.
The presence of the diverse seabirds and marine life have made it to be compared to Galapagos Islands.
Midway island holiday – What we did
Midway Atoll is also known for the role it played in the battle for power within the Pacific during the Second World War.
This is because it served as a turning point by shaping history so we made a stop at the Battle of Midway National Memorial.
We spent a great deal of time watching Albatross populations that were on the island.
Our tour guide was quite knowledgeable about these species where we learnt that there are usually more than 2 million albatross nesting on an area of 1500 acres creating a natural spectacle that is worth watching.
We managed to see all the three species of these birds namely short tailed, Laysan and Black footed.
Other seabirds that you can see when you visit Midway Atoll include masked, Red-footed, great frigatebird, Christmas Shearwater,wedge-tailed, Bonin petrels as well as the ethereal white tern.
We also had a great time watching Spinner dolphins and the Hawaiian monk seal that are ranked as most endangered marine mammal.
More of my Midway island vacation
This is in addition to the green sea turtles that are a common sighting in Midway Atoll.
The guide told us that the first nest had been sighted recently even though we were not able to see them.
We could not leave Midway Atoll before exploring the Eastern Island where we spent an entire day.
This Island is a critical habitat for the monk seal hence there are strict rules regarding accessibility.
We had hoped to see the Golden Gooney but luck was not on our side so we only managed to see the short tailed Albatross that we had seen earlier.
While on Eastern Island we also got an opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views of the Great Frigatebird that we also captured on our camera.
Can you vacation on Midway Island?
We also came across a number of historic markers that are excellent reminders of Midway Atoll’s rich military history that you need to experience when you visit.
The waters are clear and we were accorded the opportunity to snorkel so as to have better views of coral reefs that are found here.
This was a worthwhile experience especially considering the fact that the waters were clear allowing you to see unlimited coral species as well as a variety of fish because there is not much fishing pressure here.
The USFWS also organize lectures for visitors in a bid to sensitize them on their conservation efforts and also educate them on the ecology and natural history of this ecosystem.
While this sounds somewhat serious, it is quite enlightening and it helps you to better appreciate Midway Atoll.
In fact, at the end of the lecture I was almost volunteering to assist the USFWS staff with the beach clean ups.
Other areas where volunteers are needed include native vegetation propagation and invasive weed eradication.
These are long term and mainly target residents of Hawaii Island particularly those that reside close to Midway Atoll.
Another important point to note is that visits to Midway Atoll must be arranged through Oceanic Society’s site that is a San Francisco based non-profit marine conservation organization.
This organization is in charge of bringing both volunteers and tourists to Midway Atoll.
These trips run between March and June as well as the period between November and the first week of December.
The trips are both educational as well as recreational and they are conducted by naturalists who are well knowledgeable about Midway Atoll.
Top Midway Atoll hotels
The organization takes care of accommodation at the comfortable and modest restored barracks have single as well as queen beds.
We actually loved our stay here because we had access to running water, electricity, air conditioning and a private bath.
You also do not need to worry about finding a good restaurant because all visitors to Midway Atoll are served with meals buffet style at Clipper house, that overlooks a beautiful white sand beach with coral.
The view is priceless.
It is during this time that you will also get the opportunity to interact with the residents of Midway Atoll.
