American Islands You Probably Haven't Heard Of

American Islands You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Story by Rachel Truman

 

The hidden map of America

The hidden map of America ©Brenda Smith DVM/Shutterstock

Fun fact - the traditional map of America you're probably familiar with isn't actually 100% accurate. – At least in the sense that it excludes territories and other islands recognized by the US Geological Survey. With volcanoes, tropical rainforests, sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs and some of the nation’s oldest fortifications, these fascinating isles are worth getting to know, but aren't actually in the states at all.

 

 

US Virgin Islands©Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

No passports are required for US citizens visiting this trio of isles in the Virgin Islands archipelago. Part of the wider Leeward Islands, they consist of St Croix, St John and St Thomas. The territory is located around 40 miles (64km) east of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean Sea.

 

US Virgin Islands©BlueOrange Studio/Shutterstock

Often nicknamed “America’s Paradise”, the idyllic islands offer visitors everything you’d expect from a typical Caribbean escape – fabulous beaches, spectacular snorkeling and unspoiled natural beauty. Hurricanes Maria and Irma tore through the islands in 2017, claiming lives and damaging property. The destination has since reopened its hotels and taken big steps towards recovery, even creating a new artificial reef and dive site from the wreckage.

 

US Virgin Islands©YaromirM/Shutterstock

Unsurprisingly the islands are usually a popular cruise-ship stop with St Thomas, the most developed of the three, having two of the Caribbean’s busiest ports. It’s home to historic buildings including one of the oldest synagogues in the Western Hemisphere, St. Thomas, as well as the 17th-century Blackbeard’s Castle, which was used by the notorious pirate according to legend. Plus, there are plenty of pristine beaches, including Magens Bay and Trunk Bay (pictured).

 

US Virgin Islands©Brent Barnes/Shutterstock

The island of St. Croix, considered the easternmost point of the US, is known for its tranquil atmosphere. One of the main draws can be found not on the island itself, but in its surrounding waters: protected coral reefs provide a kaleidoscope of color and there’s plenty for snorkelers and scuba divers to explore.

 

Northern Mariana Islands©Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

Located in the western North Pacific Ocean, the Northern Mariana archipelago comprises 22 islands and islets. Fought over by the US and the Japanese during the Second World War, the Northern Marianas came under American ownership in 1947.

 

Northern Mariana Islands©ArtNat/Shutterstock

Saipan, the biggest of the islands at 44.6 square miles (115.4sq km), offers palm tree-lined beaches, mountainous landscapes and intriguing historical sites. But very few US visitors make it here given its far-flung location – tourists tend to come from Asia, particularly Japan.

 

Northern Mariana Islands©RaksyBH/Shutterstock

Another member of the Northern Mariana Islands is the tiny, 12-mile long (19km), three-mile (5km) wide island of Tinian. While it might seem a million miles away from the US mainland, it has an intriguing connection to New York. During the Second World War, it was used as a US air base and its streets were named after those in Manhattan, including 42nd Street, Broadway and Lenox Avenue. Pictured is the idyllic Tachogna Beach. 

 

 

American Samoa©Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

Located roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, American Samoa is an enchanting mix of untouched volcanic landscapes, dense rainforests and glistening turquoise waters. Following the establishment of a US naval base in Pago Pago Harbor in the late 1800s, the five-island archipelago became a US territory in 1900.

 

American Samoa©Brenda Smith DVM/Shutterstock

Despite evidence of American influence, Samoan culture remains well preserved on the islands and Samoan is spoken by 90% of indigenous people. Many traditions, including the wearing of Polynesian dress – lavalava (sarong) and puletasi (patterned skirt and tunic) – cooking in traditional earth ovens called umu, and performing siva, a Samoan dance, continue today. 

 

American Samoa©Martin Valigursky/Shutterstock

The territory includes five inhabited islands – Tutuila, Ta‘ū, Olosega, Ofu, Aunu'u and two coral atolls. The big draws for tourists in this Polynesian paradise are snorkeling above colorful coral reefs and whale watching. Parts of three islands are included in the National Park of American Samoa, which is also the only US National Park south of the equator.

 

Palmyra Atoll and the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument©Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

Palmyra Atoll is a ring-shaped constellation of roughly 50 uninhabited islets in the Pacific Ocean, whose combined size is just around four square miles (10sq km). The archipelago can only be visited with permission from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The neighboring islands – Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Midway Atoll, Wake Atoll and Kingman Reef – are part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world.

 

 

Palmyra Atoll©USGS Unmanned Aircraft Systems/CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia Commons

A number of unusual occurrences have led some to believe that Palmyra Atoll is cursed. In the 1800s, several ships wrecked near its shores, one of which was the Angel in 1870. Although its crew were thought to have made it to shore, their murdered bodies were found on the island a few months later by a passing vessel. Even more terrifying is the tale of Malcolm and Eleanor Graham, an American couple who embarked on a global voyage with the intention of visiting Palmyra Atoll – yet didn’t make it out alive...

 

Palmyra Atoll©USFWS/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

The couple set sail on their boat, Sea Wind, in 1974, yet a few months after leaving the US they were reported missing. Investigators who visited Palmyra Atoll found no trace of them or their possessions. Six years later, a couple visiting Palmyra Atoll discovered a metal container with a skull, several bones and a woman’s watch inside it. Inquiries found that they belonged to Eleanor Graham, who had been brutally murdered on the island. Duane Walker, who had previously been charged with stealing the Grahams' boat Sea Wind, was found guilty of the murder, while Malcolm's body was never found.

 

Baker Island©USFWS/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Baker Island isn't even one square mile. Yet the uninhabited, reef-fringed atoll that sits halfway between Australia and Hawaii is incredibly rich in wildlife. Classified as a US National Wildlife Refuge, it’s visited by more than a dozen species of seabirds and shorebirds and also provides a habitat for endangered sea turtles. It was designated as part of Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument in 2009.

 

Howland Island©Joann94024/CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikimedia Commons

Very few people visit Baker and nearby Howland Island, but those who wish to need permission from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The reason behind America’s ownership of these two isles? Seabird droppings. Yes, you read that right. In the 1840s, American farmers discovered that guano, meaning seabird droppings, was a powerful fertilizer and so in 1857 the Guano Act was established. Still in place today, the law gives the US the right to claim and “mine” unclaimed islands for the stuff.

 

 

Jarvis Island©Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

In 1856, Jarvis Island also came under US possession due to the Guano Act. Guano deposits were sourced here for the following two decades and it’s thought that a whopping 8,000 tons were collected, yet the mines were abandoned in 1878, along with the island itself. Today, the infrastructure of an abandoned town remains on Jarvis Island, serving as a haunting reminder of this forgotten period of history.

 

 

Kingman Reef©Kydd Pollock/USFWS/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

Midway Atoll, Wake Atoll and Kingman Reef are the remaining landmasses that fall within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Kingman Reef has some of the oldest deep water corals ever seen – some gold coral colonies are estimated to be 5,000 years old. The reef supports an abundance of marine life, including blacktip sharks, more than 225 recorded species of fish and several rare and endangered species of giant clams.

 

 

Navassa Island©USGS/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Navassa Island, located between Haiti and Jamaica, may only be a puny three square miles (7.8sq km), yet it’s thought to be a haven for endangered coral. That’s according to scientists working on the Global Reef Expedition, who discovered that the surprisingly rich ecosystem had avoided the damage from overfishing, climate change and pollution that other coral reefs in the region had experienced. Navassa Island was claimed by the US in 1857 under the Guano Act.

 

Guam©Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

Guam may be remote, but it’s got all the ingredients for beach vacation bliss: it’s home to azure waters, unspoiled coral reefs and white sandy beaches. Located roughly 5,800 miles west of San Francisco in the North Pacific Ocean, it’s the largest island in Micronesia with a total area of 217 square miles. 

 

Guam©Rueben Olivas/Shutterstock

The island’s roughly 167,000-strong population is made up of indigenous Chamorro people, as well as people of Filipino, Spanish, Mexican and European descent. Its varied cultural influences can be seen in the diverse range of traditions that intersect here. The Festival of Pacific Arts, which takes place every four years, brings together the 27 Pacific Island nations and territories and gives Guam an opportunity to celebrate its Chamorro heritage through music, food, dance and art.

 

 

Guam©Enzo Bro/Shutterstock

Away from developed Tumon Bay, where most of Guam’s big hotels are, there are deserted beaches, charming little villages, tumbling waterfalls and the mighty Mount Lamlam. The island’s highest peak at 1,332 feet, Lamlam offers amazing views of the island and beyond.