The story of a place
A monumental city of stone and water on Pohnpei's coast.
Nan Madol's basalt walls stand among channels and vegetation, giving the ruins an atmosphere quite unlike an inland archaeological city. The interlocking stone forms invite questions about construction, transport and political power.
The site has continuing cultural importance and is not an unrestricted ruin field. Local knowledge is central to understanding both its history and the practicalities of visiting.
The essential experience
Make time for this.
Visit a permitted part of the complex with a knowledgeable local guide who can explain the canals and principal structures.
Explore the highlights
Look a little closer.
Follow Nan Madol’s basalt walls between the channels along Pohnpei’s coast.
Basalt columns
Look at the ways long stones are stacked.
Waterways
Consider how movement through the city worked.
Vegetation
Notice the conservation challenges of the coastal environment.
For the curious reader
History, landscape
and context.
Nan Madol is an archaeological site adjacent to the eastern shore of the island of Pohnpei, now part of the Madolenihmw district of Pohnpei state in the Federated States of Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean. Nan Madol was the capital of the Saudeleur dynasty until about 1628. The city, constructed in a lagoon, consists of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals.
Background reading: an abridged extract from Nan Madol, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened for this guide. Retrieved 22 September 2026. Source revision ↗.
Turn curiosity into a visit
Plan your visit.
- Physical demands
- Wet, uneven surfaces and potentially awkward water crossings.
- The practical detail
- Do not treat a map pin as the visitor entrance; arrange the final approach locally.
Before you set off.
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A place in the world
Find your bearings.
Select the pin to open a detailed map. Use Closer look to see the surrounding region. Drag to move a zoomed map.
Map: Natural EarthA closer view.
Load the local map to explore the surrounding area. Map tiles require an internet connection.
- 1Nan MadolOpen directions ↗ · Location reference ↗
A sense of place
In pictures.
Keep looking.
10 photographs, with full-size views and individual credits.
Go a little further
Sources & further reading.
The UNESCO link names the specific inscribed property. A broad entry in this project can extend beyond that property’s boundaries.
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