Aranuka is known for its old stand of Rhizophora stylosa mangroves that have grown as tall as coconut trees and are now a breeding site for birds.

[3] Thomas Gilbert and John Marshall, sailing in the First Fleet vessels Charlotte and Scarborough, were the first Europeans[5] to describe visiting Aranuka, in June 1788.

[7] At some point between 1860 and the late 1880s, the islands of Aranuka and Kuria were conquered by Tenkoruti (King Karotu), the paramount chief of Abemama, when a former ruler (Ten Temea) of Kuria and Aranuka gave up these two islands to King Karotu from Abemama and left for Maiana, another of the Gilbert group.

[8] Aranuka has white sandy beaches and blue waters, and is the only island in Kiribati to have tall mangrove trees with heights of more than 15 m (49 ft).

Aranuka Airport is situated near the northern tip of Buariki, and is served by two flights a week from South Tarawa, which also link to Kuria.