Clouds clinging to the peaks, a crown of reefs and, everywhere, a deep green that runs down to the mangroves: Pohnpei must be earned. The largest island in the Federated States of Micronesia receives some of the heaviest rainfall on the planet, and this streaming water has sculpted a world of waterfalls, dense forests and enclosed bays. Ships, rare and eagerly awaited, dock near Kolonia, the main town, the starting point for one of the most exotic port calls in the Pacific.

Kolonia, a capital on the island's scale

The town stretches between the harbour and the green slopes, with no superfluous storeys and no hurry. Colonial powers succeeded one another here, Spanish, German and then Japanese, and each left its mark: a section of 19th-century Spanish wall survives near the centre, the remnant of a vanished fort. The streets are home to markets, churches and small shops where you encounter more smiles than visitors. It is a peaceful introduction before the two big events of the day.

Nan Madol, the Venice of the Pacific

On the southeast coast of the island, about an hour and a half by road from Kolonia, lies one of the most astonishing archaeological sites in Oceania. Nan Madol, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lines up nearly a hundred artificial islets built on the reef using basalt columns stacked like giant beams. This lagoon city served as the seat of the Saudeleur dynasty, which ruled the island for centuries. You travel between the black walls along channels that the tide fills and empties, in a silence broken only by the water against the stone. How were these multi-tonne blocks transported and lifted into place? Archaeologists still debate it, and local legends have their own answer: the magic of two sorcerer brothers who came from the west.

Kepirohi Waterfall

Not far from Nan Madol, Kepirohi Waterfall offers the perfect counterpoint to the site's stone. A fall of about twenty metres slides down a basalt wall before spreading into a clear pool, surrounded by lush vegetation. Swimming is allowed and welcome in this climate; few things round off a morning of exploration better than diving into this cool water that has come down from the mountains. Excursions almost always combine the two sites.

Sokehs Rock

Facing Kolonia, a basalt cliff rises from the sea like a ship's prow: Sokehs Rock, sometimes nicknamed the "Diamond Head of Micronesia." The most athletic can attempt the climb, an hour and a half of sustained effort on a steep trail, rewarded with a plunging view over the reefs, the barrier reef and the rooftops of the town. Others will settle for photographing it from the coast, which is no mere consolation.

Living traditions

Pohnpei remains a society deeply attached to its customs. Sakau, a ceremonial drink made from the roots of a pepper plant, is still prepared on flat stones to the dull thud of pounding stones; some excursions include a demonstration. Respect is expected everywhere: you ask before taking photos, take off your shoes where required and accept the island's pace, which is not that of ship schedules.

Leaving the green island

When the ship pulls away from the barrier reef, Pohnpei often disappears the way it appeared, behind a curtain of rain pierced by sunlight. What remains are powerful images: basalt walls set on the water centuries ago, a waterfall in the forest and a people who continue to live by their own rules in the middle of the ocean. In a lifetime of cruising, port calls of this calibre can be counted on the fingers of one hand.