Trip from USA to Kiribati in 16 days

Would it be a safe bet I could get to Kiribati from the US and back in 2 weeks ?

Tried to look at flights to and from there using Travelocity and had no luck. Have not tried calling the airlines directly. Was wondering how reliable the airlines are in that part of the world. (excluding anything to do with weather.)

Also just read "Sex Lives of the Canibals". I thoroughly enjoyed the book and makes me want to viisit the place. The trouble is in numerous parts of the book they talk about getting sick from contanminated water. I do not want to spend my vacation doubled over the commode. I would bring a camping water purifier. But how common is this and what is the best thing to do besides only drink beer (LOL) to prevent this.

thanks in advance

Are you planning to go to Tarawa or Christmas Island?

Getting to and from Tarawa in two weeks looks pretty simple, but going to Christmas Island may be a little trickier because of less flights and a slightly more complicated schedule.

There are two flights per week from Los Angeles to Tarawa (Sundays and Tuesday), flying Air Pacific and changing planes in Nadi. Return flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

There is one return flight per week between Nadi and Christmas Island (leaving Nadi at midnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, returning from Christmas Island on Wednesday afternoon), but the schedule does not allow an easy connection to/from Los Angeles so you'd have to spend 18 hours on Fiji on the way to Christmas Island.

Check out www.airpacific.com for schedules and prices.

Thank you for the information !

Not sure about going to those other islands.

I'll have to check out Nadi and Christmas Island. I guess I could see about booking a stop over at one of those islands if need be.

Anything better about either, oh I plan to go at the end of December, the last two weeks. Is that near when the crab migration happens ?

Also concerned about the water. Was in Malaysia last year and did not have any problems there. (Was in Penang)

Perhaps I need to clarify my previous post.
Both Christmas Island and Tarawa are in Kiribati, and those are the only two places you can reach via airplane from the U.S.
To get there you can fly via Fiji (to both Tarawa and Christmas Island) or fly from Honolulu to Christmas Island on Air Pacific (once a week)
There are no direct flights between Tarawa and Christmas Island.

Christmas Island can have a lack of potable water, but Tarawa seems okay.

By the way, the book "Sex Lives of the Canibals" is about life on Tarawa, so maybe that's where you want to go.

Some of the islands closer to Tarawa were accessible by local flight when I was last there in '99. I think Abiang (closest to Tarawa) is accessible by boat.

I would not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, drink the local water - bottled water from Oz is available cheaply and readilt - drink it or beer only! (Local water, even if potable, comes out of wells from the freshwater lens below the atoll, and is very salty - most i-Kiribati add HEAPS of sugar to tea, etc to improve the flavour!)

Drink the beer. I'm still pushing to get above 60kgs in body weight after a few years living on Tarawa. The water issues mentioned ring loud bells. Also, always bring your own loo paper unless you fancy pandanas leaf as a substitute. The domestic flight possibility is apparently again in a mess due to shortage of spare parts for the sole aircraft AKL have. Any travel to an outer island vs your international connections needs a wide margin (allow up to a week depending on the distance from Tarawa) in order that your itinerary isnt compromised.