Today, while the people of Bikini have yet to resettle their homeland, the island is populated by Bikini Project Department construction workers and some U.S. Department of Energy staff. There is, however, a large population of Bikinians living elsewhere in the Marshall Islands and overseas who hope to have the ability to return to their homeland someday soon.

Above: The March 1, 1954 Bravo hydrogen bomb crater. Photo © Matt Harris

In 1996 the people of Bikini opened their atoll to the outside world as a dive, sport fishing and tourism destination, and has since drawn praise from many around the globe. When you visit Bikini, it has been said that you don't just dive, fish or sunbathe, you get a history lesson for the ages. A representative from Skin Diver magazine recently proclaimed Bikini Atoll as one of the top five dive destinations in the world, and in October of 1997 Conde Nast Traveller magazine named Bikini as one of the "Ten Best" scuba diving destinations. In 1998 Bikini opened for sport fishermen. Field & Stream magazine declared in their November 1997 issue: "Bikini is the last of the best saltwater fishing in the world." Bikini was featured on Discovery Channel's Shark Week in 1999 in their opening show, entitled: Live from a Shark Cage from Bikini Atoll. Bikini Atoll was featured in the PADI Diving Society's officially sponsored dive magazine, Sport Diver, in February 2000. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, in their July 2000 issue, declared Bikini Atoll as one of the "Top 50 Worldwide Island Escapes" stating: "...There are not many places that could look more like the Garden of Eden..." In the October 2002 issue of Skin Diver magazine Bikini Atoll was named one of the "24 dives of a lifetime." The October 2004 National Geographic Traveler Magazine 20th Anniversary issue declared Bikini as one of their 80 "Around the World Destinations."

The tourism program suspended operations in June of 2008 due to the situation with the local airline and soaring energy costs.  It is uncertain when or if the operation will open again.

Table of Contents for the Bikini Atoll Website:

	History Traces the unique history of the island, nuclear testing, and the status of the Bikini people and their land today. Also, the true origin of the bikini bathing suit. Article: Bikini Excavation Indicates Early Man in Micronesia.
	Resource Page Our excellent Resource Page--with references to documents, books, magazine articles, films and interviews about Bikini Atoll--is available for those students researching our history and also for those wishing to order books about nuclear testing from Amazon.com.
	A Tribute to the Late Bikinian Senator Henchi Balos, July 15, 1946-September 10, 2000 Pictures and Comments: *Government Memorial Service. *The Burial of a Hero *What Senator Henchi Balos meant to the People of Bikini.
	Bikini Facts Statistics, maps and geographical info about Bikini Atoll and its people. Also information about the weather, the sea, plant and domesticated and wild animal life.
	Reparations for Damages and Bikini vs. U.S. Lawsuit Court Filings & Updates Discusses issues concerning the compensation paid to Bikinians by the U.S. Government. Download and read the March 2001, $563,315,500 decision of the Nuclear Claims Tribunal in favor of the people of Bikini. Contains a memorial section for Bikinian elders who have recently passed away. Download film clips of the Able, Baker, and Bravo nuclear blasts. Download .PDF copies of the various legal briefs filed with regard to the Bikinians April 2006 lawsuit and appeal against the United States Government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
	RMI Changed Circumstances Petition for nuclear victims' compensation still needed from the United States [condensed]. Submitted to the United States government on 9/11/00. The November 2004 Bush Administration response to the RMI Petition in PDF.
	Radiological Cleanup and Future Plans Looks at the ongoing steps that have been taken to make the atoll safe for habitation and outlines some future plans for Bikini.
	Resettlement Program to Date An in-depth analysis of the relocation and resettlement program for the Bikinian people.
	The Educational Priorities of the People of Bikini Read about what the people of Bikini are doing to further the education of their people with Dartmouth College and Japanese Overseas volunteers as teachers.
	Dive/Tourism Information The tourism program suspended operations in June of 2008 due to the situation of the local airline and soaring energy costs.  The operation may reopen in 2009. Dive Bikini Atoll's Nuclear Fleet! Learn more about the exciting opportunities that await divers and other visitors to Bikini today. Read an exclusive journal entry of The Final Voyage of the HIJMS Nagato Battleship by U.S. crewman Fred Herschler. Read the story, Been There-Done That, by Captain Robert Gohr, who once landed planes on Sara's deck then came back to dive her! View pictures of our dive, dining and recreational facilities.
	Sport Fishing/Tourism Information The tourism program suspended operations in June of 2008 due to the situation of the local airline and soaring energy costs.  The operation may reopen in 2009. Learn more about the exciting opportunities that await sport fishermen on the last real saltwater fishing frontier: Bikini Atoll. Read the Field & Stream and Salt Water Sportsman articles about fishing on Bikini.
	What About Radiation in Bikini Atoll? Addresses possible concerns of visitors regarding remaining radiation levels in the atoll. Read the conclusions of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 1998 final report on Bikini Atoll: Prospects for Resettlement. Also read about the 15 mrem radiation standard adopted by the Nuclear Claims Tribunal.
	Bikini Atoll Government Members of Bikini Atoll local government, overseas representatives, and other useful addresses and information about our local government council.
	Bikini Anthem, Flag and Interviews with Bikinian Elders Lyrics of the Bikini Anthem, composed in 1946. Download the first two verses of the song in MP3. Also, a picture of the Bikinian's flag and its meaning. Read firsthand accounts by Bikinian elders of their half-century of exodus.
	Bikini Bathing Suit History Why would someone name an island atoll after a bathing suit? The true origin of the bikini.
	Links to other sites: It's a Bikini World! A page of unusual and fantastic links to other locations on the Internet concerning Bikini Atoll and the region...From Annette Funicello to Godzilla to the U.S. Department of Energy to Albert Einstein to Moby Dick to Sports Illustrated: It's a Bikini World! A Tall Bearded Iris named "No Bikini Atoll"? A thoroughbred race horse named Bikini Atoll? A series of Salvador Dali paintings about Bikini Atoll? A Movie set in Bikini called Attack of the Crab Monsters? A book about gay lovers set in Bikini entitled, The Handsomest Man in the World? A rock band named Bikini Atoll? An X-Files book set in Bikini Atoll? Yes! and more!
	Discover the Fascinating History of Bikini Atoll: Ordering information for the award winning historical DVDs about Bikini Atoll and the islanders, and also for a book that is exclusively about the people of Bikini. We also have Bikini Atoll T-shirts, sweatshirts, patches, Marshall Islands feature films, CDs, hats and Bikinian music for sale. Our online store has been serving--and satisfying--customers from around the world since 1999: We use a U.S. based secure server and try to ship the same day we receive orders.
	Current Media Events about Bikini Atoll Media events about Bikini Atoll and the people, and also a list of awards for this web site.
	What YOU can do to Help the People of Bikini Atoll...
	Meet Your Host A short biography about the author of this website. Also, take The Cultural Journey: Interviews by the host with Bikinians discussing their proud heritage, customs and history.

Above: Bikinian mother and child. Photo © James D. Watt.

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