The Majuro Lagoon is the defining feature of the atoll and the best reason to linger here beyond a cursory visit. The water is extraordinarily clear and the coral, though affected by bleaching events in recent decades, still holds enough colour and marine life to make snorkelling worthwhile. Several guesthouses and dive operators can arrange boat trips out to better sections of the reef.
Kayaking across the lagoon from the D-U-D shore is one of the most pleasant ways to spend a morning in Majuro. You cover distance quickly in calm conditions, and the view back at the low-lying islets — barely a metre or two above sea level — brings home the fragility of these islands in a way that no text can convey. The lagoon is also a working waterway: fishing canoes and supply boats move through it constantly, and the contrast between the ancient atoll environment and the modern port is one of Majuro's most striking qualities.