Nauru Sights and Landmarks

October 31, 2026

Nauru has a handful of distinct sights, all within a short drive of each other on a 21 square kilometre island. They tell two stories: the wartime years under Japanese occupation, and a century of phosphate mining that shaped the land. All are best seen early or late in the day to avoid the heat.

Command Ridge

At 65 m above sea level, Command Ridge is the highest point on the island. Japanese forces used it as a command and observation post in the Pacific War. Today you can see a pair of twin 127 mm Type 89 anti-aircraft guns in concrete pits, and a communications bunker with Japanese writing still visible on its walls. The bunker can be entered with a torch. Treat it as a short stop, not a hike, and bring a light. Pacific Wrecks lists further twin anti-aircraft guns near the ridge and two 6-inch guns above Denig. The Japanese held Nauru from August 1942 until their surrender in September 1945, and during the occupation about 1,200 Nauruans were deported to Chuuk, where nearly half died. Keep a quiet, respectful tone at these sites.

Buada Lagoon

Buada Lagoon fills a low basin in the south-west of the island, about 3.8 hectares of landlocked, rain-fed and slightly brackish water with no outlet. Its green setting of coconut palms, breadfruit, pandanus and tamanu forest stands out against the bare plateau. A road runs around the edge. The shore is private residential land and the water is not suitable for swimming or kayaking. Mosquitoes are common, so carry repellent.

Aiwo cantilevers

Two steel cantilever conveyors reach out from the cliffs over the reef at Aiwo. The British Phosphate Commissioners built them, and rebuilt them after the war, to load phosphate straight into ships anchored in deep water. At sunset they are the signature photograph of Nauru.

Anibare Bay and Boat Harbour

Anibare Bay on the east coast is a curve of white coral sand more than 2 km long, with black limestone boulders and palm groves behind it. It is the most scenic beach on the island, but the surf is often heavy and rip currents are strong. There are no lifeguards. Anibare Boat Harbour, an artificial fishing harbour created in 2000, is where local people swim, and visitors should ask locally before getting in.

Moqua Well

In Yaren, near Parliament House and the airport, Moqua Well is a small underground lake of about 2,000 square metres, 2.5 m deep on average and up to 5 m. It supplied drinking water during the war. A fence was decided on in 2001 after an alcohol-related drowning. Swimming is not recommended. Parts of the caves can be explored at your own risk. Do not go alone, and expect a muddy path after rain.

Parliament House

The modest Parliament building in Yaren houses the 19-member Parliament of Nauru, and the Supreme Court and ministries sit nearby. Nauru has no capital city, and Yaren is the seat of government. Visitors can look at the buildings from the road.

Topside

Most of the island’s interior, roughly 80 percent, is the mined phosphate plateau known as Topside, with limestone pinnacles several metres tall. It has no shade, a very high UV index and unmarked dirt tracks, so go with a local guide, wear closed shoes and carry water.

Booking

Guides are arranged through your hotel. You can search GetYourGuide for any new Nauru listings. Details on the sites are at Wikipedia: Command Ridge and Pacific Wrecks .

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