Midway Atoll: The New Pacific Destination

December 11th, 2006, by Mary Winston Nicklin

Midway Atoll: The New Pacific Destination

According to the International Herald Tribune, the isolated Midway Atoll– located in the North Pacific Ocean one third of the way between Honolulu and Tokyo– could be opened to visitors next year. An important naval base during WWII, the Midway Atoll is impossibly remote: just three small volcanic islands surrounded by coral reef and the vast turquoise Pacific. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is drafting a plan to bring tourists to this paradise as early as mid-2007 (probably 30 visitors at a time). As a National Wildlife Refuge, the islands provide habitat for thousands of seabirds. TravelWeekly points out that Princess Cruises will be sailing the 1,590-passenger Regal Princess to Midway in June 2007, for the 66th anniversary of the Battle of Midway (June 4).