Located on the pristine Senipehn River, Pahn Sile is one of the few waterfalls well into the interior that almost anyone (even small children) can reach without the help of a guide — as long as you keep your eyes open for the branches in the path. A well-maintained trail begins at the end of the unpaved but well-graded coral and gravel road beyond Sapwalap Elementary School and opposite a concrete taxi stop. Houses are found along the path for much of the way, as well as historic rock-lined irrigation canals built by the Japanese. About 0.15 km (164 yd) before reaching the waterfall, a secondary path branches right and descends to a shallow point in the river, where you’ll cross and hug the right bank or walk in the stream as you continue to the falls just around the corner.
Pahn Sile‘s pool is wide and wonderfully cool, but not especially deep. The falls varies in volume depending on recent rain, gushing through a narrow portal and crashing onto rocks that form the rim of the pool. If you want a view from above the falls, bear left at the branch, proceed for 0.3 km (0.18 mi), and then cut off the trail and head straight toward the sound of the river. There is no path for this last part, but it’s easy enough to move through the forest. There are nice spots for a camp site above the falls in the forest along the path (pack out everything you packed in). In addition to the primary waterfall pool, there’s a small, deep pool just down river that is also an excellent place to swim, shaded by lush ferns and massive trees.
There are no access fees and no permission is needed to visit the falls.
If you would like a guide for the trip to the waterfall contact Raven at (+691)923-1862, he does not charge a fee but we do encourage you to tip him for his time.
Laiap is an island located east of Nahlap Island on the southern end of Pohnpei. The island is owned by the Christian family and is another great picnic spot for those looking for an island to spend the weekend on. There is a two-story cement house on the island, the 2nd story is available for guests to stay in during day trip or overnight stays. The island has plenty of open space and is well shaded by trees. The island’s north side is where the nice swimming spot is, it starts of shallow and slopes deeper as you go further out. The surrounding reefs are great for snorkeling and paddling, however be aware of strong currents and undertows especially when swimming on the southern and eastern sides of the island.
The best snorkeling in the area is west of Nahkapw (island) along the edge of the reef, where a coral wall drops quickly off into Pahn Nahkapw‘s blue hole. Fish are abundant here and the coral is thriving. Start at the north tip of Nahkapw and follow the reef around. To the east you’ll see the massive basalt boulders that make up the island’s Nan Madol-era breakwall.
Kepindausiso
The reef walls north, west, and south of Dekehtik (island), at the northeast end of Pahn Nahkapw, offer plenty of nice underwater views and crystal-clear water. This portion of the hole is referred to as Kepindausiso –“below the noble’s channel”.
Namwen Na Stingray Sanctuary
This reserve lies between Nahpali, Dekehmwahu, and Na (islands). It’s a moderately deep pool in the middle of shallow, sandy reef flats populated by a large number of stingrays (we saw more than fifteen in under an hour). You can swim out to the western edge from the southern tip of Nahpali or explore the eastern side from Na. There can be some strong currents coming from the northeast, so be alert.
Northern Na Island Coast
Na‘s northern coast offers narrow sandy beaches and a swath of beautiful, crystal-clear water over a sandy bottom. Further out, the floor turns to beds of seagrass. There are plenty of stingrays to see in the area. When walking in the shallows, be alert and shuffle your feet to avoid potentially serious accidents.
Visit our Island page for more about this location.
Nahpali Island
Nahpali‘s underwater sights are all around the west side and most easily accessed from the Japanese Wharf at the edge of the reef.
Visit our Island page for more about this location.
“Nan Madol”
The water around the northeastern perimeter of Nan Madol is usually too rough and/or murky for sub-surface exploration, but the reef pool southeast of Lemenkau can be nice on calm days and at mid to high tides. At other times, it’s either difficult to reach or has waves breaking over it.
Namwen Nahnningi Stingray Sanctuary
Similar to the reserve near Na, this marine protected area consists of several deep pools in the middle of the reef shelf with sandy bottoms, good visibility, and healthy coral populations around the edge. Stingrays are abundant and reef fish diverse. The pools are a short swim from Nahnningi (island) (a.k.a. “Joy”).
Joy / Nahnningi / Para Nuii
Southeast of Nahnningi is a circular pool on the edge of the fringing reef. There’s a narrow opening on the ocean side that allows water and fish to flow in. Depending on the tides, this place can have amazing numbers of reef fish, but it’s too rough for snorkeling when the Northeasterlies are blowing during the winter. You can snorkel to the pool from Nahnningi.
As the closest lagoon islands to Kolonia and with the highest concentration of WWII historical sites anywhere around Pohnpei, Lenger and nearby Sapwtik make fantastic destinations for paddling enthusiasts. In addition to the attractions on each of the two islands, there are mangrove forests and some interesting reef environments to explore.
Around Lenger
Pahnaiau Getaway (Barbosa’s Wharf) to the Seaplane Ramp
This portion of the route is characterized by Lenger’s shallow fringe reef, a sandy, silty expanse dominated by small-scale coral growth, brilliant blue starfish, cowries, sea cucumbers of various types, and scattered beds of seagrass, which Pohnpeian’s call oaloahd. Keep an eye out for the main attraction: stingrays. They generally rest on the bottom in the sand and will shoot off when you approach. Not far beyond the wharf is the Jaluit Cistern, one of the oldest historical sites in Pohnpei State. The cistern was probably constructed in the late 1880s by German traders operating on the coast. A stone wharf originally connected it with the coast, but a few scattered stones are all that are left. Bullet holes in the masonry were caused by Allied strafing during WWII.
If you decide to make a wider arc around the island, you’ll pass over areas where the reef shelf ends and the deep part of the lagoon begins. Small sea turtles are seen on rare occasions near the reef wall. The majority of the reef fish will also be found at this natural boundary. Note, however, that the reef stretches all the way to Sapwtik in the northwest and there is no way around Lenger’s northern end without crossing it. The depth over the shelf varies from a few centimeters to a meter, depending on the time of day and the precise location. Because fragile corals and other organisms are harmed by feet or dragging keels, the northern passage should be attempted at high tide only.
The Seaplane Ramp to the Mangrove Passage
The reef on the eastern side of the island tends to be deeper than in the northwest and has denser beds of seagrass. Larger fish are found in this area, and sometimes juvenile black-tip reef sharks can be seen swishing their way around.
The Mangrove Passage to Barbosa’s Wharf
The tunnel-like mangrove passage winds about a third of a kilometer through a dense section of forest that mostly comprises members of the Rhizophora genus, identified by the arching prop roots that extend out of the water toward the tree trunks. It’s a nice, scenic paddle and a good place to spot shorebirds like the Pacific Reef Heron and Micronesian Kingfisher. Once out of the forest, you can follow the coastline past the ruins of the Japanese-era Kohatsu Wharf and back to Barbosa’s Wharf.
Around Sapwtik
A relatively well-preserved Japanese wharf extends southwest from Sapwtik’s coast all the way to the edge of the reef. This is a wonderful place for a picnic and swim or snorkel. There’s one large tree on the wharf, offering shade. To the west is a maze of mangrove clumps that are fun to paddle through (though they are not as extensive as Lenger’s) before reaching the western terminus of the island. North of the point is an exposed rocky place that’s a perfect pull-out spot for a snack. A little beyond that is the site of the coastal battery and nearby munitions magazine. Conditions north of Sapwtik’s coastline are very similar to Lenger’s northern sector — shallow and characterized by seagrass beds and silt. You shouldn’t try to kayak here except at mid to high tides. All along the coast, you’ll find evidence of Japanese occupation, low walls, foxholes, rifle pits, etc.
Starting
Ending
Distance (km)
Distance (mi)
St. Peter’s Church, Sokehs
—-
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
7.93 km
4.93 mi
Misko Beach, Dekehtik Island
—-
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
4.52 km
2.8 mi
Ice Dock, Kolonia Town
—-
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
3.53 km
2.2 mi
Nett Point, Nett
—-
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
1.97 km
1.22 mi
St. Peter’s Church, Sokehs
—-
Japanese Wharf, Sapwtik
7.75 km
4.81 mi
Misko Beach, Dekehtik Island
—-
Japanese Wharf, Sapwtik
4.34 km
2.7 mi
Ice Dock, Kolonia Town
—-
Japanese Wharf, Sapwtik
4.23 km
2.63 mi
Nett Point, Nett
—-
Japanese Wharf, Sapwtik
2.95 km
1.83 mi
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
—-
Japanese Seaplane Ramp, Lenger*
1.52 km
0.95 mi
Japanese Seaplane Ramp, Lenger
—-
Mangrove Passage Northern Entrance, Lenger
0.58 km
0.36 mi
Mangrove Passage Northern Entrance, Lenger
—-
Kohatsu Wharf, Lenger
0.42 km
0.26 mi
Kohatsu Wharf, Lenger
—-
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
0.51 km
0.32 mi
Pahnaiau Getaway, Lenger
—-
Japanese Wharf, Sapwtik
1.29 km
0.8 mi
Japanese Wharf, Sapwtik
—-
Gun Battery, Sapwtik
0.74 km
0.46 mi
*Shallow reef shelf. This segment is only passable at middle to high tides.
Penieu is a gorgeous reef island in the southeast next to Kepidauen Ne (pass). The island is a major rookery for a colony of noddies and other seabirds, which fill the air with raucous clamor as they swoop around the trees. The primary nesting spot is within a strip of mangroves at the north end of the island (which we’ve dubbed “Noddy City”) and should be given a wide berth to avoid disturbing the habitat of the birds. The island also has a strange, curving sandbar around the north that forms a kind of protected, shallow lagoon with a sandy bottom. This is an excellent place for wading, swimming and playing if you have your kids along, but keep an eye out for stingrays. There are also sandy beaches and good swimming and snorkeling on the west coasts. A pearl farming operation was in progress in the shallow lagoon areas nearby, and a few ramshackle huts were been built on the beach for that purpose (unfortunately, they’re untidy and don’t add much to the scenery). Currents can be quite strong around the eastern side of the island.
Camping is possible on Penieu, which is owned by the Nahnmwarki of Kitti. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to get him or a family representative on the phone. If you’re interested in visiting, contact the Kitti Municipal Government Office at +691.320.5038, 320.5808, 320.5049, or 320.3257 and ask for assistance.
Takaieu and Dehpehk are two large volcanic islands connected by a bridge and linked to the coast of U by a causeway. Most of the local residents live around the eastern and northern coasts of Takaieu and the western coast of Dehpehk and commute to and from Pohnpei by boat. The islands are fun to explore if you want to get a glimpse of old-style Pohnpeian life sans roads and electricity. A seaward turn just before the Madolenihmw border brings one to the unpaved causeway. A well-maintained footpath runs east around Takaieu, crosses the Dehpehk-Takaieu Bridge, continues on the west coast of Dehpehk, and then wraps around the eastern coast, where it connects with another trail going over the interior hill. The marine areas along the eastern coast belong to the Dehpehk Marine Protected Area (MPA). No permission is needed to visit either island, but do be respectful and stay on the main paths around the inhabited areas.
Takaieu figures into a well-known local myth about two magical brothers. The island is said to have been created when these brothers dragged a large rock all the way from Yap — hence the name, which means “one rock.” The causeway road ends not far along the south coast and is replaced by a tidy rock footpath (vehicles can be parked on the side of the road near the trailhead). From there, the path bends around the mangrove-fringed eastern coastline, passing neatly maintained farmsteads here and there. Mwelling marks the spot of one of the megalithic structures built by Olsihpa and Olsohpa before they founded Nan Madol. The site is impressive, but is easier to reach by boat than from land. About halfway across the north side of the island, the path turns and connects with Dehpehk via a small concrete footbridge.
The Origin of Takaieu Island
There was once a woman in Salapwuk named Lienlama who had two sons named Mwohnmur and Sarapwau. The boys were quite mischievous and had many adventures that figure into Pohnpeian myth. In one story, the brothers went to the islands of Yap and used a magic spell to make a stone fly from that place to Pohnpei. They flew the stone to Wenik (modern-day U) and set it down in the lagoon, naming it Takaieu (“one stone”). They had brought some southern yams with them and they cooked these up, but threw the parts that were underdone into the forests of Alohkapw and Edienleng. And so they southern yam was first propagated in those places.
Dehpehk is long and skinny with a low ridge running along its length. Like Takaieu, it forms its own sub-division, or kousapw, The trail on the west coast is narrow, but heavily used as there are many residences on this side. Once you’ve reached the northern extreme of Dehpehk, however, there’s little reason to go further as the trail gets steadily harder to follow where many of the houses have been abandoned. If you do want to continue, you’ll end up at a homestead with a large piggery. Here the path turns west and climbs over the central hill, reconnecting with the western coastal trail. There’s a nice elevated view from a point just below Dolen Dehpehk (100 m).
Plan for 7-8 hours for this hike.
To obtain a guide who can show you around both islands contact Pohnpei Surf Club as one of their boat drivers / dive masters is from the area and can provide assistance with exploring the islands.
Sapwtik, which means “small land,” is a tiny volcanic island located directly north of Kolonia and 0.5 km northwest of Lenger. Seen in profile, the island resembles a large submarine, leading some locals to nickname it “Submarine Island.” Sapwtik is jointly-owned by the Eschiet family, which has some small houses at the eastern end of island, and their in-laws, the Adams family. During the 1880s, Sapwtik was purchased by Jan Stanisław Kubary, a Polish naturalist and ethnographer, along with a large piece of land east of what is now Kolonia — a place called Mpwoampw. In 1896, after returning from an extended absence and finding his homestead in ruins and his claims on the properties questioned by the Spanish authorities, Kubary committed suicide. Mpwoampw and Sapwtik were then purchased by Dominique Escheit, a Belgian trader who had operated in the Marshall Islands before coming to Pohnpei. Between 1914 and 1945, the Japanese were in charge and a great deal of land was seized by the military for defensive purposes — including Sapwtik. Like its neighbor, Lenger, Sapwtik was fortified in the late 1930s in preparation for an Allied invasion that never came. The primary features are found on the low hilltop and at the western terminus.
Sapwtik Island Attractions
Japanese Wharf
Visitors to Sapwtik will want to make their first stop at the Japanese Wharf, a 296 meter-long (324 yd) basalt structure that juts out from the island’s southwest coast all the way to the edge of the reef. With the exception of the very end, which has sustained some damage from waves, the wharf is in excellent condition almost 80 years after it was built — a testament to the quality of Japanese construction during the colonial period (and the use of the highly stable tanizumi, or herringbone, style of stonework). The wharf connects with the coastal road, also built by the Japanese, which skirts the mangroves from one end of the island to the other. The road is built above a stone retaining wall that stabilizes it against the swampy mangrove environment. Retaining walls also run along the opposite edge to prevent erosion from the steep hillside above.
Snorkeling & Swimming
All the ocean areas around Sapwtik belong to the Sapwtik Marine Protected Area, a sanctuary protected by legislation. The snorkeling off the reef walls at the end of the wharf is quite nice with generally good visibility and lots of fish. Just start at the wharf and follow the reef wall in either direction (the further from the island, the better it gets). The best place to swim is also right off the end of the wharf. Shallow areas on either sides of the wharf are silty.
Command Center & Barracks
The central hill is most easily accessed from the maintained Japanese coastal road. About 60 meters east of the wharf, hikers can cut off the road and up the slope (another 60 m) to reach the summit. The Adam’s family keeps the hill extremely tidy, cutting the grass, planting flowers, and keeping the historical features free of vines and brush. The place has a manicured, park-like feel and a stunning view of everything to the south. One of the best preserved yabane-tanizumi style rock walls on Pohnpei runs the length of the hilltop on the south side with two breaks, where earthen ramps lead up to the top. Two foundations were likely a command center and a barracks for personnel stationed on the island. The northern foundation is the largest and has seven sets of steps leading up to where the floor once was. The structure itself would have been wooden, while only the support posts and the lower parts of the walls were concrete. Two large concrete cisterns are connected to the two foundations (check out the bullet holes from Allied strafing). At the north end of the complex, the hill road begins, cutting right through the hill and running all the way to the gun batteries at the northwestern end of the island. Some of the road is currently impassable due to piles of felled trees and branches, but it’s impressive none the less.
To visit the gun batteries, it’s best to return to the coastal road and hike northwest all the way to the end. The road is well-kept and easy to follow.
Magazine Complex / Shell Storage
From the cut-off point for the hilltop, it’s about 150 m (164 yd) along the road to the first point of interest, a high-walled magazine complex for heavy ordnance similar to the one at the coastal gun battery on Lenger. The surrounding basalt rock wall (also tanizumi style) runs north and then curves sharply back to the south to enclose the foundation of the magazine structure, which is about 6 meters long. On the inside of the enclosure, the walls are steeply sloped. There is no roof, but the entire feature may have been covered with canvas and camouflaged during war-time. The entrance is narrow — less than 2 meters wide — and curved.
Coastal Gun Battery
About 12 meters northwest of the magazine is the first of four 75 mm field gun stations. These are similar to the structures on Lenger, though the Sapwtik sites are more primitive with less concrete and more earthen features. No guns remain, and two of the sites may have been decoys that never had guns installed. Guns would have protected the primary entrance to Kolonia at Pweitik Passage (Kepidauen Pweitik) to the northwest. A footpath continues north past the gun emplacements and then turns southeast to follow the contour of the hill. Along this are a few stone rifle pits or machine gun emplacements. Old Japanese beer bottles litter the forest.
NOTE: The ruins of a searchlight and a tunnel, cutting completely through part of the central hill, also exist on Sapwtik, but we did not have the opportunity to locate them during our brief period of fieldwork on the island. If you’re interested in seeing these features, contact Richie Adams at (+691.320.5735). The Pacific Wrecks website has photos of both.
To obtain permission to visit, call Richie Adams (Adam’s Brothers Corporation) at +691.320.5735 or call Ace Hardware’s office at +691.320.2723.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Sapwtik Island information would not exist without the cooperation of the Adams family.
Nahpali is a long, narrow reef island running roughly northeast-southwest and located northeast of Temwen Island in Madolenihmw Municipality. The island is privately owned by the Senda family and has remained largely undeveloped. In 1836, a war that erupted between the crew of a visiting British whaleship, the Nahnmwarki (paramount chief of Madolenihmw), and a rival chief (the Wasai), spilled over onto the island. After the whaleship ran aground, its cargo was transferred to Nahpali, where it was later stolen by the brother of the Nahnmwarki, called Nahnawa. The whalers and Nahnawa’s men fought on the island, where Nahnawa temporarily got the upper hand and killed the captain of the ship and three others. Eventually however, with the help of the Wasai, who was based on Na Island and coveted the Nahnmwarki title, the whalers overcame the Nahnmwarki and his brother and murdered them. During the 1930s, Nahpali was occupied by the Japanese military, which operated a gun battery and searchlight station near the northern end. Today, the island is forested and scattered with the remains of the gun stations and other Japanese structures, including water storage tanks and steps that once led up to an elevated wooden barracks (now long gone). All of the suitable camping areas lie on the western and northern coasts and the swimming and snorkeling is all along the reef wall west of the island, while the eastern side descends into impassable mangrove swamps.
Attractions
110 cm Searchlight
As part of their fortification of Nahpali, the Japanese mounted a 110 cm searchlight at the northeast end of the island, closest to the channel opening. They probably intended to use the light to spot enemy ships attempting to pass inside the reef, but it seems unlikely that they ever got to use it in battle. The May Day bombardment of Pohnpei by American warships focused primarily on the targets of highest import — Kolonia Town, Sokehs Mountain, and Lenger Island — and it’s doubtful that American vessels were anywhere near Nahpali. Allied bombers, however, may have played a part in the destruction of this piece of hardware. The searchlight drum now rests in the sandy shoals north of the concrete platform where it was originally installed. The platform is broken into several pieces, but it’s not clear whether the damage was caused by a bomb blast or just the action of tides, waves, and erosion over nearly 70 years. Other bits of the light are scattered around in the water nearby.
8 cm Gun Stations
Duane Denfeld’s 1979 archaeological overview of Pohnpei’s historical sites indicates four 8 cm gun stations on Nahpali (based on American intelligence gathered through aerial photography rather than an actual visit to the island). During our quick survey of Nahpali, we were only able to locate three of the stations and one of them was severely deteriorated. No guns remain, but the concrete defensive structures are still there — albeit very overgrown.
Other Japanese Structures
Most of the other structures found on the island are clustered around the west side. There’s a series of foundations that might have belonged to a barracks, several hulking cisterns of various types, and a diesel engine.
“Gateway Tree”
On the shore just south of the last Japanese structure is a huge tree shaped like an arched gateway. A portion of the tree seems to have bent over and made contact with the ground, where it put down more roots, forming an amazing piece of natural architecture.
Sandy Beaches
Beautiful stretches of fine copper sand are found on Nahpali’s northwestern and northern coasts. The beaches, however, do not extend all the way out to deep water, giving way instead to shoals of coral rubble and seagrass. The best beach is found where the coastline turns to the east near a pile of concrete slabs that might have been part of a wharf or coastal pillbox. Other ruined structures are scattered along the shore below the high-tide level. There is another smaller beach on the western coast at the southern end of the island.
Naappears to be the largest island in Madolenihmw after Temwen, although it mostly consists of mangrove forests. In the mid-1830s, Na was home to a renegade Pohnpeian chief — the Wasai — who joined a group of foreign whalers in a fight against the Nahnmwarki of Madolenihmw and his brother, Nahnawa. The violent conflict ended with the murders of the Nahnmwarki and Nahnawa at the hands of the whalers, and the Wasai became the new Nahnmwarki (beginning a long cycle of violent power struggles in the district).
Currently Na is uninhabited. Though seagrass beds characterize the areas further out, there’s a beautiful swath of shallow, crystal clear water between them and the northern coastline. The bottom is sandy and a fantastic place to observe resident stingrays. The island itself is little more than a long, curving sandbar that has collected trees over its lifetime — mostly coconut palms. All the potential camp sites are on the northern coast as well as the beaches and best swimming.Snorkeling spots include Namwen Na Stingray Sanctuary to the north and the reef walls at the eastern edge of Pahn Nahkapw south of the island. The closest SCUBA diving is located on the reef wall around the eastern end of the island (boat access from outside the reef only). Divers usually begin there and drift on an in-coming tide along the wall as it curves west. Due to exposure to the prevailing winds, which cause heavy seas, the site is only an option during the middle of summer.
Nahkapw is the island directly across from Nan Madol, and if you want to stay overnight and explore the ruins over a couple of days, this is the place to camp. The island is composed of coral rubble and thickly forested. Sandy beaches lie around the north and northeast coasts and there’s a nice protected, shallow place to swim on the west coast inside the boulder break-wall. The latter is believed to have been constructed during the Nan Madol Period or perhaps even before. Legends speak of two ancient stone cities that pre-dated Nan Madol; one of these is said to lie beneath or beyond Nahkapw. Some archaeologists have proposed that the island itself is man-made, but though much of the western and northern coastlines are surrounded by gigantic basalt boulders that are certainly not natural to the area, there doesn’t seem to be any columnar basalt around Nahkapw. The island has an irregular shape. The best swimming is off the north end, where the beach drops straight off into the deeps of Pahn Nahkapw — a huge “blue hole”. The snorkeling and SCUBA diving around the west edge of the reef wall (next to the boulder line) and to the northeast is excellent.
To obtain permission for overnight stays, call Hentrick Etse at +691.320.8782.
Nan Madol on the right side of Nahkapw and Na Island on the left side of Nahkapw.
