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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Little Diomede
Diomede
Skip unless you have a specific reason to visit the westernmost Alaskan village: 2–3 days minimum, helicopter from Nome, no roads, no alcohol, and everything costs a fortune.
Little Diomede is a remote Iñupiat island in the Bering Strait, 3.2 km from Russia's Big Diomede. With 135 residents, no roads, a heliport, and a ban on alcohol, it's one of the most isolated communities in the US. Most travellers should skip it unless they have a specific interest in Arctic Indigenous culture or extreme geography.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Diomede
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Oct–May (ice, storms, limited helicopter flights)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $100–150 excl. helicopter · Mid $150–250 excl. helicopter · High $250+ excl. helicopter (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Diomede School room per night | $70 |
| Arrival fee | $50 |
| Helicopter Nome–Diomede one way | $500–800 |
| Grocery basics (milk, bread, eggs) | $15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DIO · Diomede Heliport
- Helicopter service from Nome; $50 arrival fee charged to all visitors
Typical fares
- Helicopter Nome → Diomede
- about $500–800 one way, weather permitting (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No roads or vehicles. The village is walkable on foot; snowmobiles and ATVs are used locally.
See and do
Known for
- Closest US land to Russia
- Visible International Date Line
- Iñupiat Inuit community
- Extreme remoteness
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nome, Alaska | Helicopter from Diomede Heliport, about 1.5 h | About 2 h including check-in and weather wait |
Sleep
- Diomede School
- Rooms available for $70/night; the only accommodation on the island
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Quyanaqkoo-yah-nak |
| Thank you | Quyanaqpakkoo-yah-nak-pak |
| Yes | Iiee |
| No | Nauminow-mee |
| How much? | Qanuq akit?kah-nook ah-kit |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Alcohol is banned on the island.
- Everything is expensive — groceries and supplies are flown or shipped in.
- Helicopter flights are weather-dependent; delays of days are possible.
- The $50 arrival fee is charged to all visitors by air or sea.
The main risks are extreme cold, weather delays, and the isolation itself. No medical facilities beyond basic first aid; a medical evacuation is very expensive and slow.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Little Diomede yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Closest US land to Russia
- Visible International Date Line
- Iñupiat Inuit community
- Extreme remoteness
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Little Diomede, revision 5307479 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5307479
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Little DiomedeDiomede
Skagulimun, quyanaq
To the school, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
Iñupiaq is the local language; English is widely spoken.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/little-diomede). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.