Buada Lagoon

Buada District, Nauru

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Buada Lagoon, located in Buada District of Nauru, is the island’s only landlocked freshwater lake, covering about 3.8 hectares (9.4 acres) with a depth reaching up to 2 meters after heavy rain.

Although called a lagoon, it is actually a slightly brackish freshwater lake with no connection to the sea, classified as an endorheic basin. The lagoon is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation including palm trees and pandanus, contrasting with Nauru’s otherwise rocky and arid landscape.

Traditionally, the lagoon supported local fish farming, especially milkfish, which was practiced until the 1960s, and recent efforts aim to revive this activity despite water pollution challenges. The area around Buada Lagoon is one of the few fertile parts of Nauru, where locals grow bananas, pineapples, vegetables, and indigenous hardwoods.

It serves as a peaceful natural oasis, attracting visitors for birdwatching, nature walks, and quiet reflection, and plays an important role in the island’s ecological and cultural life.