tours to midway island

U.S. Government Accountability Office

75 Years After the Battle of Midway, a Tour of the Midway Atoll

A major World War II naval battle around the Midway Atoll—a trio of small islands near Hawaii—ended in June 1942 when the United States turned back a Japanese attack and crippled its Imperial Navy.

Now, 75 years later, this atoll is home to the Battle of Midway National Memorial, which marks the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

To honor the occasion, we’re taking a tour of some historic battle spots on the atoll from our review of Midway’s history and habitat . While Midway is inaccessible to most Americans, our video and the photos below can help give you a sense of what the atoll looks like now.

Midway Atoll's History and Habitat

Description

Battle sites

A few months before the Battle of Midway, the atoll, like Pearl Harbor, was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941. During that bombardment, this Power Station building, used as a Command Center, was bombed and Lieutenant George H. Cannon was mortally wounded. For his conduct, courage, and bravery, Cannon was the first U.S. Marine in WWII to receive the Medal of Honor.

Power Station Building, Midway Atoll, Sand Island (April 13, 2015)

( Excerpted from GAO-16-382 )

This seaplane hangar, also bombed in that earlier attack, housed the planes that first spotted the Japanese attack on June 4, 1942. The hangar later caught fire during the air attacks.

Seaplane Hangar, Midway Atoll, Sand Island (April 13, 2015)

This metal pillbox was used as a defensive structure in the Battle of Midway .

Metal Pillbox, Midway Atoll, Eastern Island (April 16, 2015)

Built on the shore, this concrete structure was a possible gun position. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for overseeing the island, its deterioration was likely caused by water and sediment from the tsunami that hit Japan in 2011.

Possible Gun Position, Midway Atoll, Eastern Island (April 16, 2015)

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, this hut was used as an underground bunker for storing ammunition.

Armco Hut, Midway Atoll, Sand Island (April 15, 2015)

This anti-aircraft gun is associated with the naval air station from 1942 to 1945.

3-Inch Anti-Aircraft Gun, Midway Atoll, Eastern Island (April 16, 2015)

Additional sites

The Midway Mall Complex was designed by the architect Albert Kahn as a recreational facility. It was initially constructed before the Battle of Midway, but the Navy later added several additions.

Midway Mall Complex, Midway Atoll, Sand Island (April 10, 2015, and April 17, 2015)

Finally, this memorial was constructed in August 1995 by the International Midway Memorial Foundation to preserve the memory of Midway.

International Midway Memorial Foundation Memorial, Midway Atoll, Sand Island (April 10, 2015)

To see more of our work on the Midway Atoll, check out our report —which has over 100 high-resolution photographs of this historic site (and wildlife refuge) as well as a chronology of historical and other events for the atoll.

• Comments on GAO’s WatchBlog? Contact [email protected] .

GAO Contacts

Related Posts

GAO’s Summer Reading List

74 Years Since the ‘Battle of Midway’—What Happens Now?

Podcast on f-35 joint strike fighter sustainment planning efforts, related products, midway atoll: u.s. fish and wildlife service faces many competing priorities, product number.

GAO's mission is to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that can help improve federal government performance and ensure accountability for the benefit of the American people. GAO launched its WatchBlog in January, 2014, as part of its continuing effort to reach its audiences—Congress and the American people—where they are currently looking for information.

The blog format allows GAO to provide a little more context about its work than it can offer on its other social media platforms. Posts will tie GAO work to current events and the news; show how GAO’s work is affecting agencies or legislation; highlight reports, testimonies, and issue areas where GAO does work; and provide information about GAO itself, among other things.

Please send any feedback on GAO's WatchBlog to [email protected] .

Midway Islands

• 1.1 History
• 1.2 Landscape
• 1.3 Flora and fauna
• 1.4 Climate
• 3 Fees and permits
• 4 Get around
• 12 Stay safe
• 13 Stay healthy

The Midway Islands or Midway Atoll is a wildlife refuge in the north Pacific Ocean, roughly "midway" between the USA and East Asia , just east of the International Date Line. It was made famous by an Oscar-winning color documentary in 1942, and a 1976 feature film, both about the battle which marked a turning point in World War II .

Understand [ edit ]

History [ edit ]

The U.S. took formal possession of the islands in 1867. In 1903 President Teddy Roosevelt declared the islands a seabird conservation area. Later in 1903 the laying of a trans-Pacific telegraph cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights, and a hotel was built to house passengers.

A naval base was constructed shortly before the U.S. entered World War II (see Pacific War ), and the victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the war's turning points. Although the islands and surrounding waters were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in 1988, they continued to serve as a naval facility until 1993. The atoll was transferred to civilian control in 1996 following an environmental restoration effort. The US Fish & Wildlife Service manages Midway as part of the Papahanamokuakea Marine National Monument.

Landscape [ edit ]

Midway is part of the extended series of Pacific islands which include Hawaii . It is an atoll of several low, sandy islands. The two largest are Sand Island (the most developed) and Eastern Island (not to be confused with Easter Island ), with the smaller Spit Island between them. A coral reef, one of the most northerly of this kind, nearly encircles them. The three largest islands total 6.2 km 2 in area; their collective coastline is 15 km. The highest point is 13 m above sea level.

Flora and fauna [ edit ]

Climate [ edit ].

The climate is subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds.

Get in [ edit ]

A private air charter company based in Honolulu provides air service to the Midway Islands on their 19-seat Gulfstream with a capacity of 3,200 lbs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the atoll, has a visitor program in place to accommodate small groups of interested visitors.

• Oceanic Society , a marine conservation non-profit organization, offers naturalist-led ecotours in groups of up to 16 participants. The tours are focused on natural history, and offer one excursion to Eastern Island, and at least one snorkeling trip to the emergent reef.
• Military Historical Tours offers once-yearly day trips to the island on 3 June. Participants arrive around noon on a chartered United Airlines 737-800 from Honolulu and leave around 8PM that evening. These tours include official ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Midway and also offer some time to explore the island.

There is a harbor on Sand Island, and Henderson Field Airport on Sand Island is fully certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and kept operational around the clock as an emergency landing strip for many trans-Pacific flights. Without this runway being maintained many twin engine jets would have to choose alternate routes that would use much more fuel. Those with their own means of transportation can inquire with the FWS about visiting.

However, sailors must still apply for the above permits months in advance of visiting and the monument has very strict guidelines that must be followed in order to transit through these protected waters. A few examples are that vessels must have their hull cleaned prior to entrance and owners must pay $1,500 for the required monitoring devices that track vessel movements while in monument waters. These requirements are in place to try to inhibit the introduction of invasive species and make sure that the fragile coral reefs are not jeopardized by errant sailors.

Cruise ships crossing the Pacific sometimes stop outside of the atoll, using tenders to deliver passengers to Sand Island for day visits ashore however even these cruise ships must adhere to the strict permitting guidelines in order to pass through and visit the protected monument's waters.

Day visitors from cruise ships are sometimes guided by US Fish and Wildlife staff on excursions.

Fees and permits [ edit ]

Organizations or individuals wishing to visit Midway Atoll must apply for a permit from the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument months in advance of their intended visit.

Midway is a US territory and has the same visa requirements as the United States.

Get around [ edit ]

Bikes and golf carts are available for rent at $5 and $25 per day respectively. Walking is easy since the terrain is flat, but stick to the roads and trails to prevent ankle sprains.

See [ edit ]

Nearly 5 million members of 17 species of seabirds nest on the islands, including 2 million albatross, both Laysan and black-footed. 80% of the world's population of Laysan albatrosses are found at Midway. They are more affectionately known as "gooney birds" for their awkward landings and especially for their entertaining mating rituals. Endangered Hawaiian monk seals (7-8 feet, up to 500 lb) haul themselves onto land to rest and to give birth and raise their young; giant green sea turtles (up to 400 lb) are frequent visitors and have been documented nesting on Midway's beaches; and a pod of 250-300 spinner dolphins lives – and often performs acrobatics – in and around the atoll's shallow lagoon. There is also a small but growing population of Laysan ducks, the most endangered waterfowl in the northern hemisphere.

The islands also contain memorials and artifacts of the 1942 Battle of Midway , and the original cable buildings erected in 1903.

Do [ edit ]

The primary activities on Midway Atoll are nature viewing, wildlife photography, snorkeling, kayaking and touring the World War II historical sites.

Scuba diving is available only to researchers working on the island. Fishing is prohibited.

North Beach is open to humans, but other beaches are normally off limits and reserved for sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals, both of which are endangered and protected under federal law. Midway Bowl is open Sunday from 7 to 9PM. A miniature golf course on Sand Island is being restored.

Houses and dorms are located on the island, mainly used by members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A 24-hour gym on Midway is present as a natural breeding ground for albatross bird species. The gym is not being managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The doors remain unlocked, but the gym is off-limits due to falling concrete.

Work [ edit ]

US Fish & Wildlife employs about 6 staff personnel and has about 10 to 12 volunteers stay for 3- to 4-month stints throughout the year.

Chugach operates the facilities at Midway under contract with the USFWS. It is a Native American corporation based in Anchorage, Alaska. It employs about 55 people, most are from Thailand but some are US citizens.

There are 4 airport/fireman contract workers and one PA. These positions all periodically are advertised on various websites.

Buy [ edit ]

Sand Island has a small "Ship Store" that carries basic items, snack type foods, gedunk (candy), and alcohol. They also rent DVDs. Nearby a small gift store run by "The Friends of Midway" sells T-shirts, postcards, books, recordings of the bird colonies, and other items.

Eat [ edit ]

All meals are served at "The Clipper House" which serves as Midway's galley to the 60 or so residents, and the visiting tourist groups and researchers. Meals are served three times a day at the regular posted hours only. The most popular food item is the soft-serve ice cream machine. Beverages and ice are available in the hotel lobby, but there are no snack machines.

Drink [ edit ]

The water at Midway is safe to drink. Island residents carry and use refillable water bottles. Visitors should bring their refillable bottles: once you see the amount of plastic that washes up on the shores of the atoll you will understand why disposable plastic bottles are shunned. Alcohol is served in the local bar for 2-3 hours several nights per week.

Sleep [ edit ]

There are hotels on Midway. Old naval barracks have been refurbished as comfortable hotel rooms, each with a private bath. During the albatross breeding season (winter) up until the time that the chicks fledge (summer) there is the constant sound of the albatross and so earplugs are recommended.

Stay safe [ edit ]

There is no crime on Midway, though there is an old navy brig that can be used as a jail. Rule breakers are put on the next departing plane.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Midway is staffed with a Physician Assistant, and three of the airport workers are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians. The medical clinic includes an emergency room, ambulance, and x-ray suite.

The major concerns are sunburn, dehydration, and twisted ankles. Venturing off the posted pathways and trails can be dangerous due to the unstable, sandy terrain full of holes created by burrowing petrels.

Thr runway, Sand Island, allows medical evacuations of injured or seriously ill individuals from Midway to Honolulu. Evacuations by air are expensive and are generally not covered by regular health insurance. Visitors are advised to have travel insurance that specifically covers medical evacuations. Through a partnership with Travel Guard, Diver's Alert Network (DAN) offers such insurance. For the best coverage, purchase least 15 days in advance of your travel. DAN insures both divers and non-divers.

Go next [ edit ]

• Things change frequently at Midway. For up-to-date, reliable information, visit the www.fws.gov website.
• The Kure Atoll and the Pearl and Hermes Atoll lie 60 miles to the west and 90 miles to the east, respectively. These are uninhabited coral formations. Kure is part of the State of Hawaii and has a seasonal field crew of about 6 persons stationed for 5 months of the year. Pearl & Hermes has a seal research team stationed there for 6 to 8 weeks each summer and is part the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Kure and Pearl & Hermes are also under the protection of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (created in 2007) encompassing the islands to the northwest of Hawaii.
• The nearest inhabited islands of Hawaii lie about 1200 miles ESE.
• Wake Island , about 1,200 miles WSW, was the next stop on Pan Am's "China Clipper" service.
• The Marshall Islands are about 1,500 miles SW.

• Has custom banner
• Quickbar with missing information
• All destination articles
• Usable parks
• Usable articles
• Park articles
• Has Geo parameter

Navigation menu

The Midway Atoll You Might Not Know

Midway Atoll is well known as the site of a June 4-7, 1942 battle that was the turning point of World War II in the Pacific.

The inscription on the marker in the photo above reads, in part: “After this Battle of Midway, the United States and its allies forged ahead with ever increasing strength and confidence to final victory.”

What follows are a handful of lesser-known facts about Midway, which is home to  Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial.

Midway Atoll has a rich history. The first visitors likely were Polynesians/Hawaiians exploring the Pacific in voyaging canoes. No physical evidence of their visits remains, but historical accounts mention distant low-lying islands with abundant birds and turtles. Captain N.C. Brooks was the first Westerner to “discover” the unoccupied atoll in 1859, and the United States took possession of it soon thereafter. In 1903, Midway became the final link in a global telegraph system, inaugurated by a message from President Theodore Roosevelt. In the late 1930s, the atoll became a landing site for Pan Am Clippers crossing the Pacific Ocean. From 1941 until 1993, it housed a military base. It became a full-fledged national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Learn more about national wildlife refuge in 1996, when President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13022, which transferred it from the Navy to the Department of the Interior. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the refuge.

When Midway was a naval facility, it often housed more than 5,000 residents. Today, roughly 40 refuge staff members, contractors and volunteers live there at any given time.

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is home to 21 breeding seabird species – about 3 million individual birds – including Laysan, black-footed and short-tailed albatross, and Laysan ducks. The Hawaiian name for Midway Atoll is  Pihemanu , which means “the loud din or sound of birds.”

Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, is at least 70 years old. She has raised at least 10 chicks since 2006 and as many as 40 in her lifetime.

The Laysan duck is the most endangered duck in the Northern Hemisphere. In 1911, there was just one known breeding female in the only known wild population on Laysan Island, 750 miles from Midway Atoll. In 2004 and 2005, 42 wild Laysan ducks were relocated from Laysan to Midway Atoll. The re-establishment of a second population at Midway reduced the risk of extinction should a catastrophic event occur at Laysan Island, such as a hurricane or avian disease.

In January 2011, for the first time in recorded history, a short-tailed albatross hatched outside of the islands surrounding Japan. The hatching occurred on Midway Atoll’s Eastern Island.

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is part of  Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument . Marine national monuments help conserve the ocean ecosystem’s delicate balance for fish, plants, seabirds, marine mammals, corals, microorganisms – and humans. Papahānaumokuākea is the largest of the four marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean.

Annually, adult albatrosses bring an estimated 5 tons of plastic – mistaken for floating fish eggs, squid or other seafood – to Midway Atoll and feed it to their chicks. Almost all chicks hatched at Midway have plastic in them. To learn more about the marine debris problem and what you can do about it, see  “Oceans of Trash ” or  this story about a spring cleanup  within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

On March 10, 2011, at 11:36 p.m. local time, a  tsunami  generated by a powerful, magnitude-9.0 earthquake off Japan struck Midway Atoll. The tsunami completely washed over Spit Island and covered about 60 percent of Eastern Island and 20 percent of Sand Island. Tens of thousands of birds died. Fortunately, no people were hurt.

By the way, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tide/tsunami station at Midway acts as an early warning to the main Hawaiian Islands. It sends data in real time to Honolulu, 1,200 miles to the southeast.

There is a small cemetery on Sand Island. It is known as the Doctors’ Cemetery because four medical doctors are buried there. Their dates of death range from 1906 to 1950.

Henderson Field on Sand Island is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Federal Aviation Administration as an emergency landing runway for commercial and military flights. The U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter above made an emergency landing in July 2015. A year earlier, a United Airlines Boeing 777 – en route from Honolulu to Guam with 348 passengers aboard – was diverted to Midway for a nighttime emergency landing. In 2011, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 747 bound from Honolulu to Osaka, Japan, with about 380 people aboard made an  emergency landing because of a cracked windshield (video) .

On any given day, Midway Atoll is the last piece of U.S. territory on which the sun sets. Midway Atoll is just 140 nautical miles east of the International Dateline. Kure Atoll, also U.S. territory, is just 48 nautical miles east of the dateline but, surprisingly, is in a time zone one hour ahead of Midway. So Kure’s day ends earlier.

In 2000, the Secretary of the Interior designated the lands and waters of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge as the Battle of Midway National Memorial.

The  Battle of Midway  itself was fought mostly at sea. Only 30 minutes or so of fighting occurred on the atoll. The battle produced one Medal of Honor recipient, Marine Corps  Captain Richard E. Fleming . However, Captain Fleming was not the first Midway recipient of the medal.

Marine Corps  1st Lieutenant George H. Cannon   died at Midway after he was wounded and stayed at his post during a bombardment of the atoll on December 7, 1941 – the same day Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor for his heroic actions.

Recreational Activities

Related stories.

Latest Stories

You are exiting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website

You are being directed to

We do not guarantee that the websites we link to comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act. Links also do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge

Fish and Wildlife Service.

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge was first established as an "overlay" refuge in 1988 to protect the area’s significant natural, cultural, and historic resources, while still under the primary jurisdiction of the Navy. With the closure of Naval Air Facility Midway Island in 1993, there began a transition in mission from national defense to wildlife conservation.  In 1996 full jurisdiction was given to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  

In 2000 Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge was designated the Battle of Midway National Memorial, so that the heroic courage and sacrifice of those who fought against overwhelming odds to win an incredible victory will never be forgotten. 

Nearly three million birds nest much of each year nest on Midway Atoll including the world's largest population of albatrosses, nunulu (bonin petrels) and endangered koloa pōhaka (Laysan ducks). `Ilio holo I ka uaua (Hawaiian monk seals), Honu (green sea turtles) and nai'a (spinner dolphins) frequent Midway's crystal blue lagoon encircled by coral. 

Midway Atoll (Kuaihelani) comprises an elliptical outer reef nearly 5 miles in diameter, and 580,392 acres of submerged reef and ocean and three flat coral islands totaling approximately 1,549 acres. Sand Island (1,117 acres) and Eastern Island (366 acres) are the two most prominent coral islands of the Atoll, while Spit Island is only about 15 acres in size. The atoll, which is 28.7 million years old, is surrounded by more than 88,500 acres (356 square kilometers) of coral reefs. Numerous patch reefs dot the sandy-bottomed lagoon supporting 163 species of reef fishes and 16 species of corals. 

Many chants and moʻolelo describe famous mythical floating islands in the sky, including Midway Atoll or Kuaihelani, as an example.  These high ranking islands are referenced as a homeland for the gods, deified ancestors, spirits, and the afterlife.  Kuaihelani specifically is said to have been located in the northwest direction of the main islands, and appears as part of a cloud bank adjoining earth. Kuaihelani means “the backbone of heaven”. Looking at what we know about the northwest Hawaiian islands, large lagoons such as the one found at Midway Atoll are known to reflect the color of the lagoon in the clouds above, giving the appearance of an island floating in the sky. Another name that was given specifically to Midway Atoll is Pihemanu, meaning “the loud din of birds”, and actively describes what one hears on this atoll. 

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, volunteer and contractors live on Midway to support the recovery and integrity of wildlife habitat and species while balancing their own human impact on the land and seascape and protecting historical resources. 

Because of Midway Atoll's remote location in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean, it can only be reached by air, or by sailboats under a special use permit system. For further information please contact the refuge by telephone at 808-674-8237, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Additional Information

Camp, rv, and explore outdoors.

Recreation.gov is your gateway to explore America's outdoor and cultural destinations in your zip code and across the country. We provide tools and tips to discover new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, and reservations. Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through Recreation.gov!

Get to Know Us

• Rules & Reservation Policies
• Accessibility
• Media Center

Plan with Us

• Find Trip Inspiration
• Build a Trip
• Enter a Lottery
• Checkout our Mobile App
• Get Involved
• Use Our Data
• Add Your Facility

Let Us Help You

• Help Center
• Submit Feedback
• Responsible Disclosure

• 1-855-932-1711
• My Account Hello Credits My Account Log out

Scenic cruising Midway Island

The Midway Islands are an aptly named atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, halfway between California and East Asia. Once home to a secluded U.S. military base, Midway Atoll today is a National Wildlife Refuge and a sanctuary for more than 3 million seabirds. Pristine coral reefs circle the islands. Keep binoculars on hand for animal sightings. As you scenic cruise through Midway Island, watch for endangered monk seals, pods of acrobatic spinner dolphins, and massive sea turtles. As there’s little human influence these days, the wildlife is allowed to thrive. The Midway Islands are deceptively serene—a pivotal World War II battle took place between the U.S. and the Japanese in 1942. It was a critical Allied victory. The atoll was an active Naval air facility from 1941 until 1993. Today, access to Midway Island is restricted, but those lucky enough to go ashore will find an airstrip, vestiges from the war and about forty refuge staff members who live there permanently.

Recommended For You

• Midway Island Tourism
• Flights to Midway Island
• Midway Island Travel Forum
• Midway Island Photos
• Midway Island
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

midway island visit - Midway Island Forum

• United States    
• Hawaii (HI)    
• Midway Island    

midway island visit

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Hawaii forums
• Midway Island forum

I was station on midway from Sept. 1964 to Jan 1966 just wondering if they are letting people lvisit the island for a week at all i would like to visit it one more time

42 replies to this topic

Google Galapagos travel midway atoll. Pretty sure they have a one week tour.

No, I'm so sorry about that too! I lived there from 68-74. This is what I found:

Update for 2017 Visitor Season

As of September 2016

Due to budget issues U.S. Fish & Wildlife has been forced to suspend all visitor programs on Midway Atoll starting in 2013; no visitor groups, from any tour operator, will be traveling to Midway this season.

We have every hope that visitor programs will resume in the future, although that is entirely dependent on Federal budget issues. For now we will leave this page available on our site to share information on this truly remarkable destination. Our hope is to once again share the wonders of Midway Atoll with visitors in the future.

Hello there,

As others have mentioned at present there is no visitor program to Midway Atoll - you can go there as a volunteer and you can find out about those opportunities on the Midway Atoll FWS webpage. I work for a non-profit organization (Oceanic Society) that has operated tours on Midway whenever possible since 1997. The current visitor program closed down in 2012 and will not likely reopen until 2019 at the earliest. If you are interested you should join the Friends of Midway Atoll they are actively working to promote a re-establishment of the visitor services program.

Do any of you know who and how to get permission to film there?

Pretty hard to do these days as there is no current visitation program. You need to go through FWS and the Monument permitting office - https://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/resource/permits.html - but before you waste your time with that you should talk to the Refuge Manager on Midway phone number and email are on the USFWS refuge web page.

I was on the USS Prichett. (DD561) I have no idea why of all the Islands and places in the South Pacific Midway calls for my return. Only spent time there on passing. White sands, clear ocean water, and the birds. Liked the birds. I can see why you would like to revisit. Hell, maybe the place is haunted. Nice to know there is one more person that whats to return. Take care. [email protected]

webbse, itʻs not a great idea to post your email on a public forum. You may want to ask for your post to be removed then just repost the message without your email.

You can remove your own post. Open the "Report inappropriate content" and select "Remove my post" from the list of options.

• midway island visit Oct 13, 2021
• Midway Island Aug 17, 2009

Celebrate your freedom in a thousand exciting ways

From immersive exhibits to exciting events, there are countless ways to explore America’s Living Symbol of Freedom – the USS Midway. This legendary aircraft carrier is hugely popular and has something for all ages. Come Aboard!

Freedom Park at Navy Pier , Opening 2028!

San Diego’s newest bayfront park will be at the footsteps of the USS Midway. This park will honor our veterans, celebrate our freedoms, and provide moments of engagement for all who visit.

USS Midway Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The USS Midway Museum proudly celebrates two decades in San Diego. The museum is looking forward to its next 20 years of excellence in history, education and fun!

How are you gonna Midway?

Flight deck.

Hangar Deck

Below Deck Exhibits

Interactive Exhibits

Docent VIP Tours

Midway Calendar of Events

Real-Life Stories

Overnight Adventure

Currents Magazine

The ’41 Burger

Private Events

Guided Island Tours

School & Youth Discounted Admission

Bring the Midway to you

Community Outreach & Education

Did you know, 1945 commissioned as the largest ship in the world, 4,500 crewmembers, 212,000 horsepower, 1,001 feet long, 80,000 haircuts annually, 43,000 pounds of laundry weekly, 3.4m gallons of fuel, your adventure starts now.

Your email is the key to information that will open up all your possibilities for exploring the mighty Midway!

Have fun photos & stories? We’d love to share them.

Our valued partners.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Friends of Midway Atoll

Preserving, protecting, and restoring the biological diversity and historic resources of Midway Atollal Wildlife Refuge

Two million pack onto Midway’s 2.4 square miles of land

Birds, in incredible numbers, are the signature wildlife of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.  Midway hosts the largest albatross colony on the planet, with some two million birds packed onto three small islands. The Midway populations are globally significant as well: nearly 70% of the world’s Laysan Albatrosses and almost one third of the world’s Black-footed Albatrosses nest on the atoll each year.

Out of the 23+ bird species that use Midway as migratory or breeding grounds, most are seabirds, coming ashore only to nest and rear their young and spending the rest of the year at sea. Seabirds are very long-lived (some reach more than 50 years old). They exhibit delayed sexual maturity (may not begin breeding until at least age five), and have a low reproductive rate (no more than one chick per breeding season). These life history characteristics mean most seabird populations are slow to recover from declines caused by anthropogenic or natural changes in the environment.

Birds have shared Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge with humans for more than 110 years, starting with the Cable Company operation in 1903. It has not always been a harmonious co-existence and bird populations have fluctuated dramatically. Sometimes birds were actively killed or nesting areas were destroyed to exclude them from areas important to residents, commercial enterprises, or military purposes. Eggs, chicks, and even adults were vulnerable to predation by rats and dogs accidentally or intentionally introduced to the atoll.

As the primary mission on the atoll moved from defense to conservation, most of the mammalian predators were removed so native bird populations could recover and flourish. The Refuge features many success stories, such as the dramatic Bonin petrel recovery after rat removal, and the translocation of Laysan ducks to Midway as a back-up population. A recent increase in albatross egg predation by mice underscores the need for long-term monitoring and management while previous accomplishments show what’s possible on this extraordinary National Wildlife Refuge.

EXPLORE MIDWAYS BIRDS

Laysan albatross

Black-footed albatross

Short-tailed albatross

Bonin Petrel

Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Christmas Shearwater

Red-tailed Tropicbird

White-tailed Tropicbird

Masked Booby

Brown Booby

Red-footed Booby

Great Frigatebird

Gray-backed Tern

Brown Noddy

Black Noddy

Laysan Duck

Domestic Canary

Migratory Birds

Extinct Birds

Explore more.

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Midway Atoll Vacations from $1,043

Book a hotel + flight or car together to unlock savings.

• Things to do

I only need accommodations for part of my trip

• payments icon Better together Save up to $580 when you book a flight and hotel together*
• lob hotels icon Find the right fit With over 300,000 hotels worldwide, it's easy to create a perfect package
• lob packages icon Rest easy Plan, book, and manage your trip all in one place

The Latest Midway Atoll Vacation Packages

Grand Hotel Olympic

Reviewed on Apr 21, 2024

Hotel Little Aurelius

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2020

Hotel Villa Pamphili Roma

Reviewed on Apr 22, 2024

Hotel Julia

Reviewed on Apr 9, 2024

Hotel Maryelen

Reviewed on Jan 27, 2024

Midway Atoll Essential Information

Explore other types of vacation packages.

All Inclusive Vacations

Beach Vacations

Kid Friendly Vacations

Golf Vacations

Luxury Vacations

Romantic Vacations

Ski Vacations

LGBTQ Friendly Vacations

Adventure Vacations

Where to go when

Frequently asked questions, other vacations you might like.

• Destinations similar to Midway Atoll
• Vacations from
• Best vacation destinations by month
• Expedia's Latest Trends
• Las Vegas Vacations
• New York Vacations
• Orlando Vacations
• Los Angeles Vacations
• Miami Vacations
• San Francisco Vacations
• New Orleans Vacations
• Chicago Vacations
• Fort Lauderdale Vacations
• Boston Vacations
• Vacations from Atlanta
• Vacations from Austin
• Vacations from Boston
• Vacations from Chicago
• Vacations from Dallas
• Vacations from Houston
• Vacations from Las Vegas
• Vacations from Los Angeles
• Vacations from Miami
• Vacations from New York
• Vacations from Orlando
• Vacations from Philadelphia
• Vacations from Phoenix
• Vacations from Pittsburgh
• Vacations from Seattle
• Vacations from Washington
• January Vacations and Deals
• February Vacations and Deals
• March Vacations and Deals
• April Vacations and Deals
• May Vacations and Deals
• June Vacations and Deals
• July Vacations and Deals
• August Vacations and Deals
• September Vacations and Deals
• October Vacations and Deals
• November Vacations and Deals
• December Vacations and Deals

Jump to navigation

• Join Just Gotta Dive (JGD)
• Business Directory
• JGD Merchandise

Special Offers

Scuba packages, scuba diving courses, non-diving tours, diving events, scuba contests.

• Scuba Diving Dictionary
• Scuba Diving FAQs
• Scuba Diving Hand Signals
• Technical Articles
• Scuba Quizzes

Diving Guides

Travel articles, diving photos, scuba blogs.

• Scuba Polls
• Scuba Humor

You are here

Warning message, midway islands dive travel.

No Results Found!

Featured Partners

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise Ports
• Australia - New Zealand - Pacific Ocean Islands Cruise Ports

Midway Island USA

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Australia - New Zealand - Pacific Ocean Islands

Local Time 2024-04-27 10:32

Midway Atoll (aka Midway Island or Midway Islands) is an atoll located in the North Pacific Ocean and near Hawaii (flying distance 2268 km / 1409 mi). The island covers a total area approx 6 km2 (2,5 mi2) and population under 100 (including staff of USFWS / US Fish and Wildlife Service and contract workers).

Midway Island is roughly equidistant between Asia and North America. This is an unincorporated US territory and the only Hawaiian island not part of Hawaii State (USA). Unlike the other Hawaiian islands, Midway follows Samoa Time (1 hour behind Hawaii time).

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 590,992 acres (2392 km 2 / 923 mi2) of land and water area, and is administered by USFWS.

Until 1993, on the island was the Naval Air Facility Midway. During the Battle of Midway (June 4-6, 1942), the US Navy defeated Japanese battleships marking a turning point in WW2 (1939-1945).

Currently, the atoll can be visited only for business reasons (by contractors, volunteers, permanent and temporary staff). Midway Island's tourism program was suspended in 2012 due to budget cutbacks. Cruise tours were themed on the island's military history and ecology. The economy was derived from tourist fees and US government funding. Nearly all supplies to the island are delivered by planes or ships. The atoll has its own hydroponic greenhouse and garden producing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Midway Island is a critical breeding habitat for a total of 17 seabird species. Several native species rely on the atoll, which is home to 70% of world's Laysan albatross, and nearly 40% of the world's black-footed albatross populations.

Midway Island USA cruise terminal

The usual method to reach Sand Island (the only populated island of Midway Atoll) is on chartered aircraft landing at Henderson Field.

Henderson Field also serves as an emergency runway for transpacific flights.

Midway Island USA - user reviews and comments

to submit an obituary

To place an obituary, please include the information from the obituary checklist below in an email to [email protected] . There is no option to place them through our website. Feel free to contact our obituary desk at 651-228-5263 with any questions.

General Information:

• Your full name,
• Address (City, State, Zip Code),
• Phone number,
• And an alternate phone number (if any)

Obituary Specification:

• Name of Deceased,
• Obituary Text,
• A photo in a JPEG or PDF file is preferable, TIF and other files are accepted, we will contact you if there are any issues with the photo.
• Ad Run dates
• There is a discount for running more than one day, but this must be scheduled on the first run date to apply.
• If a photo is used, it must be used for both days for the discount to apply, contact us for more information.

Verification of Death:

In order to publish obituaries a name and phone number of funeral home/cremation society is required. We must contact the funeral home/cremation society handling the arrangements during their business hours to verify the death. If the body of the deceased has been donated to the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program, or a similar program, their phone number is required for verification.

Please allow enough time to contact them especially during their limited weekend hours.

A death certificate is also acceptable for this purpose but only one of these two options are necessary.

Guestbook and Outside Websites:

We are not allowed to reference other media sources with a guestbook or an obituary placed elsewhere when placing an obituary in print and online. We may place a website for a funeral home or a family email for contact instead; contact us with any questions regarding this matter.

Obituary Process:

Once your submission is completed, we will fax or email a proof for review prior to publication in the newspaper. This proof includes price and days the notice is scheduled to appear.

Please review the proof carefully. We must be notified of errors or changes before the notice appears in the Pioneer Press based on each day’s deadlines.

After publication, we will not be responsible for errors that may occur after final proofing.

Payment Procedure:

Pre-payment is required for all obituary notices prior to publication by the deadline specified below in our deadline schedule. Please call 651-228-5263 with your payment information after you have received the proof and approved its contents.

Credit Card: Payment accepted by phone only due to PCI (Payment Card Industry) regulations

EFT: Check by phone. Please provide your routing number and account number.

• The minimum charge is $162 for the first 10 lines.
• Every line after the first 10 is $12.20.
• If the ad is under 10 lines it will be charged the minimum rate of $162.
• On a second run date, the lines are $8.20 per line, starting w/ the first line.
• For example: if first run date was 20 lines the cost would be $164.
• Each photo published is $125 per day.
• For example: 2 photos in the paper on 2 days would be 4 photo charges at $500.

Please follow deadline times to ensure your obituary is published on the day requested.

MEMORIAM (NON-OBITUARY) REQUEST

Unlike an obituary, Memoriam submissions are remembrances of a loved one who has passed. The rates for a memoriam differ from obituaries.

HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM (CLOSED WEEKENDS and HOLIDAYS)

Please submit your memoriam ad to [email protected] or call 651-228-5280.

Travel | ‘So much to see right in our back yard’:…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window)

Today's Paper

• Movies & TV
• Food & Drink
• Treasure Hunt

Things to Do

Subscriber only, travel | ‘so much to see right in our back yard’: longtime st. paul tour guide leads her last trip.

Sandy Mansee’s tour groups have been to Bayfield, Chicago, St. Louis, Fargo and Sioux Falls.

They’ve toured the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa; Ulysses S. Grant’s house in Galena, Ill.; the Spam Museum in Austin, Minn.; and the Orphanage Museum in Owatonna. They’ve learned how candles, paint, pillows, mattresses, cardboard boxes, cement trucks, windows and baked beans are made.

“I like to learn things,” said Mansee, a tour guide for the St. Paul Public Schools Community Education program. “I’ve always been curious. I like to go to new places, and it’s always fun to go to places where the general public can’t go. There’s so much to see right in our back yard.”

Now, after more than 33 years and 300 tours, Mansee is giving up her microphone and the front seat of the bus. On Thursday, Mansee, 64, of Vadnais Heights, led her last tour for Community Education; she retires on May 30.

“It’s a special day,” said Mansee, as she greeted the 22 participants on the bus Thursday morning outside Oxford Community Center in St. Paul. “This will be my last bus tour after 33 years of working with St. Paul Community Education. … We’re going to have a great day. Please ask questions. You guys usually have questions.”

The tour participants — each of whom paid $65 for the day — joined Mansee for a guided tour of St. Paul City Hall and the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown St. Paul, lunch on their own at Rosedale Center in Roseville, and a tour of the “On + Off Weaving” exhibit and a “behind-the-scenes look” at the Dye Lab and Dye Garden at the Textile Center in Minneapolis.

Although they couldn’t go on Thursday’s tour, longtime tour participants Ron and Marghe Tabar stopped by to give Mansee a hug and wish her a happy retirement. “We’ve been lucky to have Sandy as our tour guide all these years,” Marghe Tabar said. “She’s cheerful and well-organized. She is clear of her expectations of those on the bus. The tour days run on time, and she’s done her research.”

The couple has enjoyed — “and bragged about” — Mansee’s “Made in Minnesota” tours for many years, Marghe Tabar said.

“I’ve kept a list of most of the tours because sometimes the places we visited are unusual locations to take visitors,” she said. “Somehow she talks business owners into opening their doors to groups.”

Some of the Tabars’ favorites include: QBP (Quality Bicycle Products); the MyPillow factory; the Original Mattress Factory; Captain Ken’s Baked Beans factory; WestRock, the corrugated packaging company; Tilsner Carton Co.; Podiumwear Custom Sports Apparel; the Schwing factory, maker of truck-mounted concrete pumps; Andersen Windows; a hydroponics factory that grew fish and herbs; TruStone Coffee Roasters; Vistabule Teardrop Trailers; Minnesota Knitting Mills; BEKA Wood Products; and the U.S. Postal Service mail distribution site in Eagan.

Mishaps and Mystery Tours

Mansee organizes everything and does her research, said Rita Jondahl, 75, of St. Paul. “She knows everything, and she makes it fun. It’s nice because there are always other people around, even if you’re by yourself.”

Jeanne Driscoll, 73, of St. Paul, has taken 16 of Mansee’s tours. Her favorite tours are Mansee’s “Mystery Tours” — the ones where Mansee picks the locations, but tour participants have no idea where they are going until they get on the bus.

Mansee, whose official title is Community Education program coordinator, said she especially loved planning the Mystery Tours. “I’d plan the day, set the price, and people would sign up,” she said. “They’d have no idea where they were going. When they boarded the bus, they just trusted me to take them on an adventure.”

One of the best Mystery Tour destinations was a trip to the Minnesota Highway Safety & Research Center in St. Cloud, she said. “They actually let us drive their training course and drive the (Minnesota State Patrol) trooper cars around the track and run the sirens and the whole deal. Everybody who wanted to drive got to drive the course and be in the driver’s seat of a trooper’s car. They loved it.”

There have been some mishaps, of course. Buses have broken down. One bus driver refused to help with the luggage. Trips have had to be postponed because of bad weather. Passengers have gotten sick. Some haven’t understood the concept of being back at the bus at a set time.

Once, during a visit to the Island of Happy Days, a historic estate on Stout Island in Wisconsin, tour participants were served beef stroganoff for lunch, Mansee said. “It was so slippery that we could barely pick it up with our forks. You had to use your fork and your spoon, and hope you got it to your mouth. Every time I see anybody who was on that tour, we still talk about that.”

Mansee once lost her voice on an overnight trip to Duluth — a major obstacle for a tour guide, she said.

Yes, Mansee said, she is supposed to talk on her trips.

“All I could do was squeak, but they laughed at me, and they just thought it was the best,” she said. “People thought it was hilarious that I enjoyed my job and I screamed and supported them so much.”

‘Enriching lives’

Mansee’s enthusiasm is infectious, said Katy Mommaerts, community programs supervisor for Community Education. Mommaerts served as Mansee’s direct supervisor for six years.

“Sandy will not plan something that she is not willing to do herself,” she said. “She will zipline, fly on a trapeze, whatever it takes.”

In addition to organizing bus tours, Mansee was responsible for coordinating Community Education’s walking tours, business and technology classes, and the 55-plus discount driving classes.

“Sandy has just been such a gift to Community Ed,” Mommaerts said. “She’s committed to the mission of enriching lives, of trying to make people feel excited about things in their community they don’t know about. It’s hard to imagine her not being here.”

Mansee grew up in Hartland, Wis., outside of Milwaukee, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation. She and her husband, Mark, have two sons.

Prior to joining Community Education in October 1990, Mansee worked in senior programming at Capital Community Services, which later merged with Keystone Community Services, and was the activities director at Episcopal Homes in St. Paul. “I did card clubs and exercise classes and craft activities,” she said. “I organized outings and lunches and took people walking. Not only did I organize exercise classes, I taught them.”

She organized her first tour for Community Education in the fall of 1991; the group went to the Grain Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and had lunch at City Center, she said. “We went to Stockholm (Wis.) that winter and did a Christmas lights tour along the Mississippi River, and we had dinner at the Stockholm Cafe. Early on, we went up to Mille Lacs and did a fishing tour.”

It’s easy to spot Mansee in a crowd during a tour. She’s the one wearing a straw hat covered with dozens of enamel pins she’s collected while traveling with Community Education. Among the locations featured: Pipestone, Galena, Ashley Furniture, Al Capone’s Hideout, the St. Louis Arch, Door County, Wisconsin Dells, the Music Man Square, and the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial.

“They can always pick me out of a crowd,” she said. “When we go to a venue, and they say, ‘Who’s in charge?’ they all go, ‘The lady in the hat.’ I love wearing hats, so I always wear this one.”

What makes for a good tour guide? “You’ve got to make sure everybody feels welcome and included, and you give that extra TLC,” Mansee said. “It helps if you are well organized ahead of time, trying to foresee all of the things that can or could happen. You can’t head them all off, but it’s so much easier now, compared to in the early years, because now we have cellphones, and we have texting, and we have email.

“Back when I first started leading tours, we didn’t have any of that, so when I was running behind, there was no way to reach destinations and say, ‘I’m coming, but I’m half an hour late.’ You just winged it and hoped for the best. Technology has helped a lot in that regard.”

Tour guides can’t foresee bad weather or road construction or bus breakdowns, “so you just have to be open-minded and go with the flow,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to bite your tongue because we’ve all had locations that didn’t pan out to be what you thought, or they had the time wrong, or I had the time wrong, so things can get a little wonky sometimes.”

Gerhard and Mary Jane Keilen, who went on numerous tours with Mansee through the years, said they were sad to say goodbye to her on Thursday.

“She explains everything in detail,” Gerhard Keilen said. “She’s just fantastic.”

“She’s so personable,” said Mary Jane Keilen. “She knows everybody by name. She’s so informative, and she researches everything. She’s fun, she’s patient, and she finds us the most interesting places to see. They enlighten your mind and bring a song to your heart.”

St. Paul Community Education tours

Yes, St. Paul Community Education plans to continue offering tours after Sandy Mansee retires.

Information about the tours can be found in the “Trips and Travelogues” section of its catalog.

For more information, go to commed.spps.org .

More in Travel

Travel | Beyond the Paris Olympics: Other intriguing events set throughout France this year

Business | How you can prioritize debt and still take a vacation

Travel: Charming Georgia town a treat for ‘Flanatics’ of celebrated Southern writer O’Connor

Travel | Travel: After 5 years of closure, ‘glamping’ back again in Yosemite National Park

Travel | Survey: More than 1 in 3 American travelers plan to go into debt for their summer vacations this year

Travel | Airbnb rentals could be harder to come by in Hawaii. Here’s why and when that might happen

Midway Island

Little island – big history.

Welcome to our gallery featuring a collection of Midway Island photos. Our selection offers a window to explore this isolated yet historically significant atoll in the North Pacific Ocean.

Discover the island’s stunning natural beauty, including its pristine beaches, lush vegetation, and the diverse wildlife that calls it home, such as the majestic albatross. Our collection also pays homage to Midway’s rich historical legacy, with images of landmarks and remnants from the pivotal Battle of Midway during World War II.

Our photo gallery provides a sorted collection of Midway images.  Delve into our collection and immerse yourself in the beauty and history of one of the Pacific’s most intriguing islands.

Battle of Midway Photos   Demolition   Events GAO Report Photos     Google Tours   Historic Photos Locations

• Barrack Housing  
• Barracks – Historic Marine
• Boats and Ships
• Cable Houses
• Cable Station – AT&T
• Captain Brooks
• Carpentry Shop
• Clipper House
• Communications Department
• Doctor’s Cemetery
• Eastern Island
• FWS Office 
• Gooneyville  
• Hangar – NAF  
• Hangar – SAR
• Hydroponics
• Mall – Store Area 
• Midway Harbor
• Midway Housing 
• Midway Piers
• License Plates
• NavFac Area
• NOAA Tide Station
• Power Plant
• Public Works
• Scanned 35mm Images
• School – Cannon 
• Signs and Pictures
• SKI Warehouse
• Theater – Station Theater
• Transmitter Building 
• Water Plant
• Water Tanks
• Water Tower
• Keoki Underwater

2 thoughts on “ Photos ”

At the rate they’re going it’ll probably be demolished…to me it’s a shame to demolish all these buildings instead of restoring them

This an awesome website for Midway Island. I was stationed there from Feb 76 to April of 77. I was a MSSN assigned to the Officers Club,BOQ. Does anybody have any pictures of those buildings as I have not come across any in all of the pictures I have seen. I would love to be able to go back and see Midway again. I will definitely add this site to my favorites.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Bad Bunny Has It All—And That’s the Problem

The Puerto Rican superstar is known for his anthems of community. His latest tour is about his own isolation.

Near the end of Bad Bunny’s 2022 World’s Hottest Tour in Las Vegas, all the lights went out. The Puerto Rican singer and rapper filled the darkness before the song “ El Apagón ” with a six-minute speech in Spanish about what makes his home island bien cabrón —“really fucking awesome.” He highlighted not only Puerto Rico’s beauty but also its resilience in the face of immense challenges: corrupt governance, poor electricity and water access, a hurricane only five years after the devastation of Hurricane María . Although “it is always becoming harder for Puerto Ricans to live on the island,” he said, their strong sense of kinship saves them: “The leaders are the people, who always help one another.”

His speech soon turned into a lament twinged with guilt. “Sometimes I see comments that are like, ‘Where is Bad Bunny?’” he told the stadium. “I’m here, in Las Vegas. This is my job.” The price of fame, he went on to suggest, was a type of exile—work that he cherished but that kept him from the island and people he loved.

Community has long been central to Bad Bunny’s work. The Latin-trap superstar, who has set Spotify streaming records and repeatedly topped the Billboard 200 chart, seldom introduces himself without mentioning where he comes from (accepting the 2022 Video Music Awards Artist of the Year trophy, he declared, “I’m Benito Antonio Martínez, from Puerto Rico to the world!”). He famously resists singing or giving interviews in English. Many of his songs contribute to a long Caribbean musical tradition of rebellion against colonialism . Meanwhile, others form an archive of place; the mountains, rivers, and beaches of Puerto Rico seep into numerous perreo anthems. “This is my beach / This is my sun / This is my land / This is me,” ends the house track “El Apagón,” signaling an understanding of Caribbean people as inextricable from the islands themselves. Bad Bunny’s latest tour and album, however, mark a spiritual departure for the artist, finding him retreating inward to wrestle with cynicism and isolation at the top of the world.

Read: SNL didn’t need subtitles

The ongoing Most Wanted Tour, which began in late February, is less of a communal celebration and more of a solo rodeo. I don’t mean this only metaphorically: Midway through the Barclays Center concert I attended this month in Brooklyn, Bad Bunny appeared onstage atop a real, live horse. In the lead-up to this entrance, the stadium darkened as a three-minute video played on-screen, revealing a desert landscape of desolate sepia tones. “They tell me Jesus was in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights,” the singer growled in Spanish. “I’ve lost count of the years I’ve spent between sand and cactus.” In the video, a masked Bad Bunny, encased in a buckskin jacket, rode a slow-trotting horse into an apocalyptic sunset. “I remain like this,” Bad Bunny said. “Alone.” (At this point, my friend’s 78-year-old Puerto Rican grandmother, whom I attended the concert with, cried out in concern: “We’re here for you, baby!”)

This new lonely-cowboy persona is in line with the artist’s most recent album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana , the 22-song trap opera behind this tour. In it, Bad Bunny explores what it means to be the caballo ganadór , or winning horse—at least that’s what he calls himself in the opening track, “Nadie Sabe,” an orchestral rap that samples trampling hooves. In 2022, he was, by several measures, the top artist in the world. Yet he doesn’t seem convinced that the hype is worth the stress. “Everyone wants to be No. 1,” he raps. “If you want it I’ll give it to you, motherfucker.” What fun is being No. 1 when no one can share it with you?

From the get-go, the new tour has approached listeners from a more standoffish posture. “If you’re not a real fan, don’t come,” read the official ads . Instead of energetic house warming up the audience as happened in 2022, this year’s show opened with the longing strings of a classical orchestra. (My friend’s grandmother: “They’re putting me to sleep!”) The ensemble’s rendition of Charles Aznavour’s French ballad “Hier Encore”—which Bad Bunny’s “Monaco” samples—set an early tone for the evening of nostalgia, as if happier days existed largely in the past.

Visually, the Most Wanted Tour was also decidedly placeless, leaning into minimalism and abstraction. At the World’s Hottest Tour show I attended in Las Vegas, the vibe was “beach party”: Bad Bunny appeared in an array of joyful pastels. Dancers in bikinis and denim shorts freestyled under string lights. Visuals showed cartoon dolphins swimming toward island oases. I remember feeling shocked when I left the stadium and stepped into the Mojave Desert’s hot and twisting air. The concert had felt like a portal home to the Dominican Republic, ready to rival JetBlue. I could almost feel the cool shine of the sea melting over my feet.

Yet this time around, tropical maximalism was replaced by nondescript, arid visuals and monochrome Yeezy-style fashions. The dancers, dressed in all-black hoodies or chaps, appeared sparingly. Most often, Bad Bunny was onstage by himself, hopping from one end to another while performing trap bops in burgundy cowboy gear.

For much of the performance, he also sported a Spider-Man-style mask or a studded nun’s habit (à la the Virgin Mary )—a tongue-in-cheek choice for a singer frequently criticized for his lewd lyrics. His hidden face added a layer of distance between him and the audience, seemingly signaling how much access to him we should really get to have. Bad Bunny has rebuked the parasocial aspects of fame, including people’s entitlement to his personal space. Throughout the Nadie Sabe album, he makes several references to a much-reported instance in which, during a vacation in the Dominican Republic, he threw a fan’s phone into some bushes after she photographed him without his consent.

Yet despite the lingering specter of celebrity’s dark side, the show’s final act still managed to conjure a wider sense of connection within the audience. Bad Bunny ended with a slew of his reggaeton hits, old and new, and segued into his song “Tití Me Preguntó” with a roll call of places— asking where, among other groups, his Ecuadorians, Mexicans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans were at. With each mention, the stadium erupted into ecstatic screams of recognition. Flags rippled; decibels flared. The rare roar of a crowd of Dominicans, all in one place in the U.S., immediately brought tears to my eyes. Once the song started, we screamed back his lyrics about bringing a roster of girlfriends to his VIP table. We in the audience were there, together. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny looped the stage, alone again.