Can anyone go to Wake Island?


Can anyone go to Wake Island? Access to Wake Atoll is strictly regulated, and an unauthorized visit without proper permission is firmly prohibited. One may contact the atoll's administration directly by telephone at (808) 424-2222 or (808) 424-2101. Although located in Wake, these two numbers are in the Pearl Harbor (Honolulu, Hawaii) exchange.


Can civilians live on Midway Island?

Today, roughly 40 refuge staff members, contractors and volunteers live there at any given time.


How many Americans were on Wake Island?

Urwin Collection. By December 4, 1941, the atoll's American garrison numbered only 524 officers and men— 449 Marines, 69 sailors, and a six-man radio detachment from the US Army. Three hundred and eighty-nine Marines belonged to the Wake Island Detachment, 1st Defense Battalion.


Why was Wake Island important?

Located about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) west of Hawaii and 600 miles (approximately 1,000 km) north of the Japanese-held Marshall Islands, Wake Island impressed American naval planners as an ideal site for an advance defensive outpost.


Is Wake Island independent?

Wake Island is an unorganized, unincorporated territory (possession) of the United States, part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior (Aaron 2008b and Aaron 2008: 1-1 ).


Was Wake Island used during the Vietnam War?

After the war, Wake Island once again retreated into solitude and isolation. It was used as a fueling stop by American forces during the Vietnam War, and in 2006, it was hit by a fierce typhoon that caused major damage to the surviving infrastructure on the island.


Do I need a real ID to fly to Puerto Rico in 2023?

United States citizens and permanent residents don't need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. However, the Real ID Act will be in effect as of May 2025, so verify if your state is compliant with these laws because otherwise, you may need a passport to travel.


How deep is the water at Wake Island?

How deep is the water? The depth of the cable wakeboarding lake is anywhere from 5-7 feet. The depth of the AQUA PARK lake ranges from 6-12 feet.


Can you live on Wake Island?

Although located in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean, Wake Island has many of the amenities found on any Air Force Base. Residents and transients live in houses and dorms located in various locations around the island but most residing in the “downtown” area.


What animals live on Wake Island?

The atoll is home to multiple species of land crabs, with Coenobita perlatus being especially abundant. The atoll, with its surrounding marine waters, has been recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for its sooty tern colony, with some 200,000 individual birds estimated in 1999.


What Caribbean islands do U.S. citizens not need a passport?

U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel between the U.S. and these territories:
  • American Samoa.
  • Guam.
  • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • Puerto Rico.
  • U.S. Virgin Islands.


Can you swim at Wake Island?

Wake Island has two wonderful swimming areas surrounded by soft, sandy beaches for everyone to enjoy! They are a great place to relax, gather with friends and family and watch the AQUA PARK and other aquatic activities. The swimming beaches are not a timed activity, so feel free to use them until they close each day.