Nan Madol

Fascinating place and UNESCO site in Pohnpei. Should go at low tide since you have to wade. Road heading there was not in best condition but not too bad. Total $29 entrance fee per person. Easy walk through mangrove (unpaved) 15 min, last part was wading (knee level) to get to Nan Douwas which you can walk inside and outside around the walls. At the back you can wade again cross to the beach area which we can see some more ruins, Nan Mwoluhsei nearby.

Easier to find than expected (I visited on my own). Fascinating to see what's left after reading up on it before visiting. Not as much to see as I'd expected but definitely a must-visit when in Pohnpei. Pay $25 at the crossroads by the elementary school, then pay $3 to park at the house with the green outbuilding (pictured) as the footpath starts round the corner of their property Top tip - bring a towel with you because you'll get very hot and sweaty walking!!

Nan Madol feels like the kind of place you’re not supposed to find. You ride a little boat through mangroves and suddenly there’s this ancient stone city sitting out in the water like someone dropped it there and forgot about it. Ninety something man made islands. Huge basalt columns stacked like giant logs. Some of those stones weigh tons and somehow people moved them around here about 800 years ago with no cranes, no metal tools, nothing. Scientists shrug. The locals say two sorcerer brothers flew the stones into place. Honestly after walking around there, the magic story feels perfectly reasonable. The canals run through the ruins like a ghost version of Venice. The jungle creeps in. The ocean breathes in and out with the tide. And the strangest part is you might be the only person there. Everyone runs off to Machu Picchu. Meanwhile there’s a lost city in the Pacific sitting quietly in the mangroves wondering where everybody went.

Classic screw the tourist experience. $25 entry, or "preservation fee", then another $1 to park a vehicle, then another $3 for the persons house you have to walk past. It soured the whole experience. After the first fee, I drove down the road and missed the side track to the ruins - on the way back I saw the broken sign on the ground. This side track is in very bad condition and my vehicle almost could not make it back up. I parked near the end & couldn't find the way to the ruins and there was no-one around to ask. I spent 10 minutes looking before someone appeared from the house to insist on me paying another $3, (and they didn't have any change). You have to walk past the green toilet block, under the awning and past the green house and then turn left to get to the path. The path is mostly loose, sharp and slippery rocks. There are some precarious small bridges and you also have to wade through channels at different points. It's up to mid-thigh deep at some points even around low tide. Plus some parts were like quicksand and you sink into the mud and sand. The ruins are just that - they are very ruined. All you see are paths and walls. If you've never seen a stone age site before, the walls are impressive. No doubt there were structures for different purposes but there is no signage or explanations. The $25 preservation fee is a joke, as nothing is being done. In fact the whole site is being reclaimed by the sea and with rising sea levels this will continue. I don't really think it's worthwhile driving 1 hour20 from Kolonia to visit this site, especially given the excessive fees.

Unbelievable and will make you wonder !! , How it made and construction in the shore of the ocean . So miraculous ,How can brought and cut a lot of stone , it’s truly amazing historic site in Western Pacific

Truly a wonder to see.. Paid the family who oversee the area, and made our track to site. The stone path to the site is a walk and can be unstable and slippery so be careful.

It's one of the coolest and oldest world UNESCO sites I've seen. To get there, it's some sort of adventure and well worth the hike. There's also nobody there, so not touristy at all.

…went to the nan madol June 12 , 2025. it was my birthday!!🎂 . my recommendation here is to wear waterproof shoe or wear local slippers, its better because you have no choice, you are going to step into the water. This is a comforts place of listening to the sound of the waves and hearing the birds are chirping 💕i truly honored this place what an amazing historical of nan madol, you made my day!! #naturelover#