Eneko Island is a small slice of paradise in Majuro Atoll
How to get to Eneko Island and what to expect
Eneko Island is a small islet on the northern edge of Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands. With a sparkling strip of lagoon-facing white sand, mesmerising snorkelling, and a laid-back castaway feel, it’s a great place to while away a few days in a tropical stupor.
And if you’re already in the Marshalls, it’s super convenient; just a short boat ride away from downtown Majuro.
Eneko Island has a pristine white sand beach and is a great place to snorkel
There’s not much information about Eneko Island online
There’s very little online information about travel in the Marshall Islands. Tourism is almost non-existent, and all our attempts to book accommodation in advance were abject failures.
There was only one place that showed up on booking.com, and it wasn’t available for our dates. As such, the Marshall Islands was the only country in the Pacific where we arrived without any bookings.
However, we’d learnt enough from what little was online to go straight to Hotel Robert Reimers on arrival. And this turned out to be the best decision, as all bookings for Eneko Island are done through Robert Reimers.
Trips to Eneko can be booked through Hotel Robert Reimers
At the Robert Reimers reception desk, we were able to book camping on Eneko Island (in our own tent), arrange our ferry transfer to the island for the following day, and book our first night in one of the hotel’s budget, windowless rooms. The staff were all friendly and helpful.
Eneko Island is described as a ‘Weekend Getaway’ for locals who want to escape the hustle and bustle of Majuro. And indeed, it was a fantastic getaway, if a little dirty.
How to get to Eneko Island
Getting to Eneko is actually very easy, despite the lack of information online. The ferry and accommodation can both be booked at the Hotel Robert Reimers reception, where payment can be made by cash or card.
The ferry doesn’t run to a set timetable; it operates on demand between roughly 8 am and 5 pm. Transfers are best booked in advance; we arrived at Robert Reimers at 11:30 am and were told we’d missed the last trip to the island that day.
As such, we stayed at Robert Reimers that night. Despite being told via email that there was no availability, a room was available when we arrived in person.
Our ferry the following morning left at 10 am and cost 30 USD round-trip. Since it was a Saturday, the ferry was full of day-trippers from the capital.
Locals disembarking the ferry for a day by the beach
Accommodation options on Eneko Island
We chose to camp on Eneko Island because we had our own tent. It was a bargain at 10 USD per person per night. There is a large grassy area behind the beach, ideal for camping, along with a shared kitchen and toilet block. Be prepared, though; these were pretty dirty when we stayed.
Eneko Island is a great place to camp
The kitchen didn’t have a fridge, but did have a gas stove top and pots. There was an outdoor shower by the beach.
Eneko Island also has ‘Regular Rooms’, each with two beds, a fan and a shared bathroom. The grubby kitchen facilities are shared with the campers. The regular rooms cost 45 USD per person per night.
The nicest accommodation on Eneko Island is the ‘Eneko Cottage’. Located right on the beach, with a verandah overlooking the sand, the cottage has a private kitchenette and bathroom and costs 150 USD per night.
Scroll through to view the facilities on Eneko Island
Day visits to Eneko Island
Day visits to Eneko are very common. The other people on our 10 am boat returned at various times that day, simply telling the boat driver at drop-off what time to pick them up. The boat was very punctual, arriving early for our 8 am pick-up on the last day.
Snorkelling is a popular activity on a day visit to Eneko Island
Day trips cost 10 USD per person, in addition to the 30 USD per person boat transfer cost. The kitchen facilities are also available for day-trippers.
What to do on Eneko Island
Eneko Island is a small islet owned in its entirety, so you can explore the whole island when you’re there. Apparently, it’s possible to walk the circumference of the island in about two hours, although we didn’t bother.
Enjoying the cooling waters of Majuro lagoon
There is a small public toilet block for day visitors and one large shelter with some grills. Many locals brought coolers, charcoal and even inflatable toys for their day out at the beach.
Eneko’s real draw is the lagoonside beach. The sand is pristine, and the lagoon waters are crystal-clear, full of tropical fish. We spent hours snorkelling the reef, which starts a few steps below the low-tide mark. Just past the reef is a pontoon surrounded by shimmering tropical fish, where you can swim out and jump off.
Eneko Island's reef is easily accessible for snorkelling
Be prepared for Eneko Island
Make sure to bring insect repellent and coils, as there are lots of mosquitoes on Eneko Island.
There are no shops on Eneko, so bring everything you’ll need, including food. With no fridge, don’t bring anything that will spoil in the heat.
Eneko Island is a little slice of paradise, but it is basic
Altogether, we really enjoyed our stay on Eneko Island. The facilities were untidy and not very clean, but this was more than made up for by the spectacular location and brilliant snorkelling. It was a fantastic place to camp and an absolute steal.
Visited: August 2024