Palikir: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Palikir is the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia on the island of Pohnpei, essentially a government complex a few kilometres from the island's main town, Kolonia. The country spans about 600 islands in the western Pacific with about 100,000 people. The economy rests on fishing, tuna licences and US assistance under the Compact of Free Association.

The place suits divers, researchers, staff of international organisations and projects, and those seeking tropical remoteness. For moving with a family and working, the market is very limited.

Pohnpei and Kolonia

Island life centres on Kolonia: shops, a bank, hotels, the port and restaurants. Palikir has the government buildings and a college. The island's main sight is Nan Madol, an ancient city of basalt blocks on artificial islets off the coast and a World Heritage site. Around Pohnpei are coral reefs, waterfalls and rainforest.

Cost of living

The currency is the US dollar. Almost everything is imported, so food and fuel cost more than on the mainland.

Practicalities: climate, communications, transport

Climate. Pohnpei is one of the wettest places on Earth, warm all year at about 27°C. Communications. Internet arrives by undersea cable but is expensive and not always fast. Transport. Flights link Pohnpei with Guam, Honolulu and other Micronesian islands, and people get around the island by car or taxi.

Entry and legal status

• no visas are needed: foreigners other than US citizens get a 30-day tourist stay permit, extendable up to 90 days;
• the passport must be valid for at least 120 days from arrival, and a return ticket is required;
• work requires a contract and a work permit, and business a foreign investment licence.

Work, healthcare and money

The main employers are the state and federal governments, the College of Micronesia, international organisations, development projects and fisheries. The Pohnpei State Hospital handles basic cases, and complex cases fly to Guam or Hawaii, so insurance with evacuation is needed. Banks and ATMs are in Kolonia, cards are not accepted everywhere, and cash dollars are always needed.

Culture and daily life

Life on Pohnpei is unhurried and communal: traditional chiefs and ceremonies with a pepper-root drink called sakau play an important role. Modest dress is respected in villages, as is the owners' permission to visit sites on private land, including some waterfalls. The official language is English.

Where to live and how the country works

Newcomers live in Kolonia and its surroundings, with shops, restaurants, the bank and the port. The Federated States of Micronesia is a union of four states, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae, each with its own laws on land and foreigners. Foreigners cannot own land and can only lease it from local owners.

Islands and nature

Around Pohnpei is a lagoon with reefs and manta rays, the white-sand atolls of Ant and Pakin, and in the neighbouring states of Chuuk and Yap there are Second World War wrecks and stone money. Inland are rainforest, waterfalls and trails to the peaks, many on private land, so people go with local guides.

Is the city worth considering

The pluses are untouched nature, reefs, ancient Nan Madol, the dollar as currency and easy entry. The minuses are remoteness, expensive imported goods, a very small job market and weak healthcare. Palikir is a place for a long trip, a project or research, not emigration.