Sea Gypsiesvideo

Visiting the very remote island of Tikopia, in the Solomon Islands

6 November 2017 · 10 min · 273K views · Tikopia

What this video covers

After a 14-day passage, a vessel arrives at Tikopia, a remote 1.8-square-mile island in the Solomon Islands.0:05 Visitors must request permission from the chief to land, typically offering gifts such as coffee, sugar, and cigarettes.0:13 The island maintains a sustainable population through strict mandates that limit the number of residents, requiring families with excess children to emigrate.1:06 The community operates without electricity, engines, or a money-based economy, relying on traditional knowledge and subsistence practices.8:29 A Norwegian family living on the island for six to nine months reports that reaching the location required a 26-day journey from Norway, including a 10-day transit on a cargo ship from Honiara with no cabins or facilities.6:16 The island experiences significant mosquito populations during wet periods.6:58 The visitors have integrated into the chief’s clan, Tafura, to learn local fishing and agricultural techniques rather than providing instruction or missionary work.9:04

Watch on YouTube

More from Sea Gypsies

Sea Gypsies: The Far Side of the World (full film)Mar 2026Sea Gypsies : The Plutonium Dome (Runit Dome Marshall Islands)Jan 2022Trying desperately to plug all the leaksOct 2017Whole lot of sailing (45 min of ASMR)Oct 2017

From Sea Gypsies — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.

Report an issue