Tarawa's sights cluster around two themes: the legacy of the November 1943 Battle of Tarawa on Betio islet at the western end, and the everyday life of South Tarawa stretched along the lagoon road. The atoll is small, the roads run essentially in one line, and a couple of long days are enough to see the essentials. For something quieter, take a boat or causeway crossing into North Tarawa, where reef life and traditional villages have a very different rhythm.