Backpacking in Nauru: Top 7 Sights in Boe Province

Nauru as an island and country is split into 14 provinces and it has 19 villages. Boe is the smallest province in the country and sits sandwiched in between two bigger and more boisterous provinces – Yaren and Aiwo. But here, Boe boasted seven main sights so I felt I’d compile them onto one of my whackpacking lists. I’ve also written about Yaren (Nauru’s capital city), Boe, Anibare, Aiwo, The Outback, Anetan, Meneng and quirky Ewa.

We walked around the island of Nauru a lot (it’s only 19 kilometres round the exterior!) and in fact, I was in Boe about 5 times on this trip. We spent 8 cumulative days on Nauru (5 full days) and were able to explore and visit all 14 of the provinces. It’s pretty easy to do that even in a 24 hour stint. We walked the whole island in 8 hours, at a leisurely pace which also included 2 rain delay stops, lunch, dinner and a sneaky afternoon beer in Ronave village and Capelle’s Complex in Ewa Province.

I doubt I’ll have time to write about the top sights in all 14 of the provinces in Nauru, or all 19 villages but here are the highlights in Boe.

1.The Airport Runway
The way the provinces work in Nauru (see map below), the airport runway is actually in both Boe and Yaren! However Yaren has the end part of the runway, where the planes normally turn. So when you arrive in Nauru by plane, you will already have been to both Yaren and Boe. Boe is the tiny sliver in red in the map below.

2. The Pacific Ocean
   Boe has a slip way and passage down to the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and in fact only Buada out of Nauru’s provinces has no coastline, so enjoy the splashing waves here at Boe.

3.Boe Declaration 05 09 2018
In 2018, Nauru celebrated 50 years of independence, having become a completely independent country in 1968. This is remembered and noted by Boe harbour with the red writing of the Boe Declaration on a white wall. The red lettering on the top of the Boe Declaration refer to the other countries in the Pacific Islands, the same ones that appear on the flag wall in Yaren, the country’s capital and a province and city that borders onto Boe.

4.Double Warning Signs!
For me this was a first. It was the first time I have seen two danger signs for two completely different things in the same place. The junction of the runway at Boe meets the road and then the path to the Pacific Ocean and so the danger signs reveal BOTH dangers here in Boe…

– Danger of jet blasts from arriving and departing aircrafts onto the runway at Boe
– Danger of rip currents at the ocean waves as they crash upon the bay here at Boe

5.Boe AFL Ground
The final sight in Boe is yet another AFL ground, to play Nauru’s national sport, Australian Rules Football which is a total obsession in the country from young to old. Boe AFL Ground is not really a stadium, more like a pitch with a boundary. However, there are walls on either side so the girls, the locals and the tourists can watch. There was a game on as we walked past.

6.Hidden Cave of Boe
I wont reveal exactly how to find this secret hidden cave in Boe, but it’s worth looking for. Ask your guide where it is, if you have one (or email me when you are in Nauru – jonny (at) dontstopliving (dot) net. It’s a short walk and then a climb down into a hidden secret cave which has cold water. You can even swim in this cold water inside the cave.

7.Boe Church and Cemetery
Nauru is a Catholic country for the most part and each Province tends to have one church. Boe Church and cemetery are on the main road by the airport.

Boe is a small province and village but definitely worth a trip for these seven sights. I was in Nauru on the Least Visited Countries Tour with Young Pioneer Tours, which can be booked on their website.

Here are some videos I made while backpacking in Boe, Nauru: