Kiribati is remote and tourism is very much in its infancy. However, after Kiribati changed the International Dateline to make its uninhabited Caroline Island the 'first to see the year 2000' (causing hefty arguments with neighbouring 'first-dawn' contenders Fiji and Tonga in the process), the country has moved further into the tourist spotlight. The islands boast superb white sandy beaches and crystal-clear lagoon waters.