The high walls
Basalt blocks.
Leluh is the ruin of an ancient city on small Lelu Island, beside the island of Kosrae in Micronesia. High walls of black, moss-covered basalt blocks line narrow stone lanes, with trees and ferns growing over the stones in the shade of the forest. The city peaked in the 14th and 15th centuries, and from it the rulers unified all of Kosrae and governed it as a monarchy. It was built of coral and basalt blocks, with housing, royal tombs and sacred spaces. The king and the high families lived in the centre behind tall basalt walls similar to those of Nan Madol, with everyone else around them in coral houses and huts. You walk the lanes between the walls and see their height and the huge stones. The site was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The ruins are about 2 km in a straight line east of Tofol, and you reach Lelu Island by a road on a causeway. The ground is uneven and often overgrown, so wear sturdy shoes. We found no set fee, so ask on the island when you arrive, and carry cash.
Basalt blocks.
In forest shade.
At the city's heart.
Lelu Island, Lelu Harbour, Kosrae State
By car from Tofol over the causeway to Lelu Island.
Sturdy shoes; the ground is uneven.