Follow an extraordinary journey through the heart of Micronesia with United Airlines’ legendary Island Hopper route. This 11-day adventure follows a unique flight path from Honolulu to Guam, touching down on remote Pacific islands that few travelers ever experience. The itinerary explores pristine beaches, rich cultural heritage, and World War II historical sites scattered across these tropical paradises.

Micronesia Island Hopper Itinerary

Day 0: Depart Honolulu, Cross International Date Line

Day 1: Arrive in Majuro, Marshall Islands

Day 2: Explore Majuro Atoll

Day 3: Continue the Island Hopper To Pohnpei, Micronesia

Day 4: Boat Tour to Ahnd Atoll

Day 5: Nan Madol Ruins, Kepirohi Waterfall, Island Circuit

Day 6: Embassy Visit, Handicraft Shopping, Kayaking

Day 7: Sokehs Ridge Hike

Day 8: Morning Snorkel Trip, Fly to Guam

Day 9: Explore Guam

Day 10: Fly to Saipan & Explore Island

Day 11: Return to Guam and continue home

Itinerary Map

This itinerary spans 11 days in gorgeous Micronesia in the remote Pacific, flying between islands via United Airline’s Island Hopper route. Click on the image to launch an interactive map.

Itinerary Snapshot

A quick view of what we did and where we stayed. Here are the trip’s activity highlights, with accommodation links.

Activities

3 easy hikes
4 scenic drives
3 beach afternoons
3 boat excursions
1 archeological site

Accommodations

Best Western Plaza, Honolulu (1 night)
Marshall Islands Resort, Majuro (2 nights)
Mangrove Bay Hotel, Kolonia (5 nights)
Holiday Resort Guam, Tumon Bay (2 nights)
Surfrider Hotel, Chalan Kanoa (1 night)

Itinerary Photo Highlights

Scroll through for highlighted photos from each day of the itinerary.

Day 1 – Island Hopper Approach into Majuro

Day 3 – Island Hopper Approach into Pohnpei

Itinerary Details

Day 0 – Island Hopper Departure Day

Depart from Honolulu Airport
Cross the International Date Line (+1 day)

Day 1 – Majuro Arrival & Museum Day

Take hotel shuttle bus to Marshall Islands Resort
Eat lunch and dinner at Enra restaurant
Visit Alele Museum, Library and National Archives

Day 2 – Explore Majuro Atoll

Arrange half-day rental car through hotel
Buy picnic lunch supplies at K&K Island Pride Supermarket
Explore Laura Beach (western end of the atoll)
Visit Majuro Peace Park
Learn about the history of Marshallese canoe making at Waan Aelõñ in Majel
Take a ride on a traditional Marshallese canoe
Dinner at Tide Table Restaurant

Day 3 – Island Hopper Continuation to Pohnpei

Enjoy the views from the next 3 segments of the Island Hopper
Stopovers in Kwajalein and Kosrae
Take hotel shuttle bus to Mangrove Bay Hotel
Dinner at Mangrove Bay Bar
Take a taxi to/from a grocery store to stock up on snacks & lunch supplies

Day 4 – Ahnd Atoll Boat Excursion

All day boat excursion to Ahnd Atoll with Pohnpei Surf Club
Free time & lunch at Nikalap beach on Ahnd Atoll
Snorkeling near the Deweniei Channel entrance to the Ahnd lagoon
Dinner at Mangrove Bay Bar

Day 5 – Ancient Ruins, Waterfalls & Island Circuit

Rental car delivered to hotel in morning (arranged through hotel)
Hike and explore the archaeological site of Nan Madol during low tide
Picnic lunch at Kepirohi Waterfall
Drive the entire circumference of Pohnpei island
Visit Nan Takai Community Waterfall
Walk around the capitol / government complex in Palakir
Dinner at Hideaway Bar & Grill

Day 6 – Embassy Visit, Handicraft Shopping, Kayaking

Visit the U.S. Embassy to Micronesia
Learn about local handicrafts at the Woodcraft Gift Shop
Visit very small gift shop at the back of the Kolonia Post Office
Explore the Cathedral of Ponape Bell Tower
Explore lagoon & shipwrecks by kayak
Dinner at Nett Ramen

Day 7 – Sokehs Ridge & Relaxation

Hike Sokehs Ridge trail to see WWII anti-aircraft guns and ruins of a Japanese power plant
Brunch at Ocean View Hotel & Restaurant
Shop at Yoshies Supermarket
Relax at hotel
Dinner at Island Palms Hotel & Restaurant

Day 8 – Snorkel Tour, Island Hopper Continuation to Guam

Return rental car
Morning snorkel tour with Pohnpei Surf Club to see manta rays and coral reefs
Continue the Island Hopper to Guam (though our flight did not stop in Chuuk)
Pick up 2-day rental car from airport
Enjoy the sunset from Holiday Resort Guam
Indigenous Chamorro food specialties for dinner at Meskla Bistro

Day 9 – Explore Guam

Breakfast at The Kracked Egg
Explore the Governor’s Complex grounds
Short hike to the Piti War Guns
Scenic drive around the southern half of the island, with stops at:
- Sella Bay Overlook
- Cetti Overlook
- Fort Soledad
- Merizo Bell Tower
- Aga Point
- Inarajan Natural Pool
Walk to Fort Santa Agueda for the views
Shop at Chamorro Market
Explore the world’s largest K-Mart
Visit Two Lover’s Point
Sunset dinner at the pool bar of The Tsubaki Tower
Watch the Tsubaki light show over the pool

Day 10 – Fly to Saipan & Explore Island

Pick up 1-day rental car
Drop off luggage at Surfrider Hotel
Scenic drive around northern Saipan, with stops at:
- Korean Peace Memorial
- Last Japanese Command Post
- Banzai Cliff Monument
- Suicide Cliff
- Bird Island Observatory
- American Memorial Park
Explore Garapan district
Relax on the beach by the hotel
Dinner at Surf Club Saipan Restaurant

Day 11 – Return to Guam and Continue Home

Return rental car
Fly from Saipan to Guam, then continue home

Itinerary Tips

Recognize where you are in the world… In the Marshall Islands and Micronesia, things happen on “island time”, luxury accommodations do not exist, and wi-fi access is unreliable. Guam is much more modernized (as is Saipan, though to a lesser degree).
Be flexible on your travel timing and build in buffers for unexpected delays due to flight cancellations. If you get stuck additional nights on an island because of a flight cancellation, United Airlines will cover the extended accommodation costs (we got laundry done for free too), and should assist in re-booking subsequent flight legs of travel. Our planned 3 nights in Pohnpei turned into 5 nights…
If you want to land at all of the islands on the Island Hopper, plan your itinerary carefully as some airports only get the Island Hopper on certain days of the week.
Book window seats on your flights! Seat A in first class or rows 7-10 is ideal. United’s mechanic usually sits in 7C and is fun to talk to!
In the Marshall Islands, taxis are shared with other people. There’s one main road, so you can take a taxi in either direction. Just hail a taxi by signaling the number of passengers in your party with your fingers. In the main part of the atoll, rides are $1. If you need to go over the bridge, it’s $1.75.
Bring non-perishable snacks for the flights and your island stays along the hopper – grocery stores have very limited selections of food. Also be aware that produce is scarce in the stores (unless a cargo shipment has just arrived).
Email Pohnpei Surf Club at pnisurfclub@gmail.com ahead of time to inquire about boating or diving excursions in Pohnpei.
Hotels don’t always have online booking (or even working websites). We reserved Mangrove Bay Hotel via mangrovebayhotel@gmail.com and Marshall Islands Resort via mirfrontdesk@gmail.com.
Be aware of flash flooding risks by waterfalls on Pohnpei, if there has been any rain on the island at higher elevations. We were caught by surprise at Kepirohi Waterfall and had to quickly run away from the viewing deck. Also, do not swim in the pool at the base of Kepirohi even if the weather is clear – the upstream water passes by a pig farm and is polluted…
Watch out for tourist trap pricing at Chamorro Market in Guam.
To fly back to the US from Guam, you can route through Honolulu or Tokyo. We were able to route through Tokyo with an overnight layover, enabling us to get nearly a full day of Tokyo sightseeing.

if I Had More Time…

Since Kwajalein is a US military base, Island Hopper passengers transiting onwards are not allowed to disembark there. However, non-military tourists are able to enter Kwajalein Atoll if they have hotel reservations on Ebeye Island and an onward ticket to leave Kwajalein. It apparently can be difficult to reach the single hotel there via email, but this would make a very interesting extension to the itinerary!

With more time, I also would have spent a few nights in Chuuk. We missed landing/taking off here due to our flight cancellations and rebooking, but there are WWII planes in the lagoon visible from above. Chuuk is also a well-known destination for scuba diving enthusiasts.