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Yaren

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At a glance

Country
Nauru
Region
Yaren District
Population
around 1,000
Best time to go
March to October
Main airport
Nauru International (INU)
Coordinates
0.55°S, 166.92°E

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Overview

Nauru has no official capital, but Yaren, on the island's southern coast, is home to the parliament and government offices and is treated as one. It is less a city than a district: a few buildings beside the airstrip, a stretch of reef and a single ring road.

The whole island is only about 21 square kilometres and can be driven around in half an hour. Its story, shaped by phosphate mining and the Second World War, is told by the scarred interior and the guns that remain.

Things to see

  • Parliament House
    Photo: Alistair1978, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Parliament House

    The modest home of the world's smallest republic's parliament, across the road from the airport.

  • Moqua Well

    An underground freshwater lake in a limestone cave, once the island's main water source.

  • Command Ridge

    The island's highest point, where rusting Japanese guns and bunkers look out over the coast.

  • Buada Lagoon
    Photo: Lorrie Graham/AusAID, CC BY 2.0

    Buada Lagoon

    A peaceful inland lagoon fringed with palms, surrounded by homes and gardens.

Things to do

  • Drive the ring road

    Circle the island in under an hour, passing beaches, villages and old phosphate workings.

  • Swim at Anibare Bay
    Photo: Hadi Zaher from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY 2.0

    Swim at Anibare Bay

    The island's prettiest beach, a curve of white sand on the east coast; check conditions as currents can be strong.

  • Topside
    Photo: Lorrie Graham/AusAID, CC BY 2.0

    Topside

    Ask a local guide to show you the jagged limestone pinnacles left behind by a century of phosphate mining.

  • Fishing
    Photo: Post of Seychelles, Public domain

    Fishing

    Deep water lies close to shore, and local operators can arrange fishing trips for tuna and marlin.

Where to stay

  • Anibare and Meneng

    The island's main hotel is on the east coast near Anibare Bay, a short drive from Yaren.

    Hotels in Anibare and Meneng

  • Aiwo

    A second hotel on the west coast, close to the old phosphate works and shops.

    Hotels in Aiwo

Getting around

Hire a car or bicycle, or ask your hotel to arrange transport. The ring road makes navigation simple.

The airport is in Yaren itself, served by Nauru Airlines from Brisbane and a few Pacific islands. Visas must be arranged in advance.

When to go

Nauru is hot and humid all year. The drier months are generally March to October, with the wetter season from November to February.

Plan your trip to Yaren

Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.

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