Midway Atoll

Where the Pacific War Turned

Midway Atoll occupies a singular place in modern history. In June 1942, the waters around this small coral atoll in the northwestern Pacific were the site of the Battle of Midway, widely regarded as the turning point of the Pacific War. The United States Navy inflicted a decisive defeat on the Imperial Japanese Navy here, sinking four aircraft carriers in four days and fundamentally altering the course of the conflict. The atoll's two main islands, Sand Island and Eastern Island, still hold remnants of the airfields, bunkers and infrastructure from that period.

Albatrosses Everywhere, Constantly

Today Midway Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge and the world's largest colony of Laysan albatrosses, with around 70 percent of the global population nesting here each year. Black-footed albatrosses also nest in large numbers, alongside monk seals, spinner dolphins and an extraordinary variety of seabirds. The atoll is part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, one of the largest marine protected areas on earth. The wildlife is the primary reason anyone comes, and it does not disappoint.

Limited but Real Access

Unlike most US Minor Outlying Islands, Midway Atoll is actually visitable, though not easily. The US Fish and Wildlife Service operates the refuge with a small permanent staff and accepts a limited number of visitors, primarily wildlife enthusiasts and history researchers. Access is by chartered flight or private vessel, and visitor numbers are deliberately kept low to protect the nesting colonies. There are basic facilities on Sand Island including accommodation, but logistics require significant advance planning and the costs of getting there are substantial.

Remote, Purposeful and Unlike Anywhere Else

Midway sits about 2,100 kilometres northwest of Honolulu, outside the State of Hawaii but within the Hawaiian archipelago. It is an unincorporated US territory with no permanent civilian population beyond refuge staff and volunteers. For those with the means and patience to reach it, the combination of extraordinary wildlife and profound wartime history makes it one of the more genuinely remarkable places under US jurisdiction. It is not a holiday destination in any conventional sense, but for the right visitor it is irreplaceable.