Kanton Island, also called Abariringa, is part of the Phoenix Islands within the self-governing Republic of Kiribati. This stunning atoll is the only permanently inhabited island in the Phoenix group today, currently with 28 residents (as at July 2026)
LOCATION
Located south-west of Christmas Island by approximately 1900km (1200 miles), access onto Kanton is by charter flight and the logistics of this alone are what help preserve this spectacular fishery to this day. You may already be familiar with Kiritimati (Christmas Island/CXI) which sits within the Line Islands group near the equator, along with Fanning Island that we also arrange trips to.
Kanton is the largest and northeast island of the Phoenix group and has previously been referred to as Canton Island, Mary Island, Mary Balcout's Island, or Swallow Island.
Importantly, Kanton lies inside the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA). The PIPA covers over 400,000 km² of ocean and islands, and Kanton is one of the core islands within the reserve. In fact, Kanton Atoll is the only inhabited atoll inside the protected area.
The protected area includes islands such as: Kanton, Nikumaroro, Rawaki, McKean, Oron and Enderbury Island (now Manra). It was established by Kiribati in 2008 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. The region is famous for near-pristine coral reefs, deep-sea ecosystems, tuna migration routes, and immense pelagic biodiversity.
GETTING THERE
The atoll has a long aviation history from the flying boat and trans-Pacific refueling era. It has a modern airstrip but is without regular flights. We have been working very closely with Kiribati residents and liaising directly with our resident team on Kanton to coordinate all planning, build accommodation (raised thatched huts) and for on-site support (fuel, runway observation and maintenance, meals, water, hygiene and storing our on-island supplies).
Flight routes are not from Tarawa as might be expected and this presents the first major obstacle for any enquiring angler. Some previous visitations were by boat with these illegal missions falling foul of the permit-only requirement for shore access. We arrange your access, license, and on-site customs entry.
Similar to better-known Fanning Island, the airport is situated in the north-west point of the atoll and Kanton’s major channel flows through west side low lying lands. Aside from this channel, there’s only one other small rupture to the north — a tidal channel opening onto spectacular white sand bonefish flats. Otherwise, the island’s land mass above the high tide mark entirely encircles the lagoon.
KANTON’S FISHERY
In short, the fishery is magical with superb giant trevally fly fishing to rival that of any other remote Kiribati atoll destination. This may not always be the case and increased protections and surveillance are being put in place including policing by the newly established Line & Phoenix Islands Guides Association who are working closely with the local Ministry of Fisheries. We are working closely with these groups to ensure the atoll remains policed and protected. We have a security official situated on Kanton Island to assist with this protection.
DATES
We are currently organizing week-long expeditions for July and September 2027. We welcome contact from anglers wishing to join these sanctioned exploratory missions. We have a singular rod (space) remaining on our first 2027 trip (five anglers are booked already), so we’ve opened up the second (September) date for interested anglers.
DETAILS
We fly into Kanton Island on a charter flight landing Saturday and departing the following Saturday. That typically gets you back home by Sunday night.
Flights to the island as well as any international or national connections are excluded from our advertised trip fare.
The trip fare includes fishing license, accommodation the night before your charter flight if required, all accommodation, all meals (mostly seafood), beverages, local guides and boats for the week. We include a cooler of drinks and other supplies that we ship onto the island to accompany you each day.
The accommodation consists of a single thatched hut for each angler with rechargeable cooling fan, mattress and full mosquito netting. The setup is primitive but we make no apologies for the lodgings, given the remoteness of the destination!
We have arranged Customs inspection on arrival onto Kanton Island, as well as aviation fuel on the island, local runway inspection, as well as the other complex logistics required to make each trip to Kanton Island a success.
If you want to explore Kanton Island, give us a call, or drop us at email.