Tucked away in Alitak Bay and often overlooked, Akhiok is the most remote village on Kodiak Island.
Community profile
The Alutiiq community of 51 residents anchors the south end of Kodiak Island, 98 miles southwest of the city of Kodiak and is accessible via plane or boat. Originally called Kashukugniut and located at Humpy Cove, Akhiok was established as a sea otter hunting settlement by the Russians in the early 19th century and then moved to its present site in 1881. Commercial fishing and limited tourism are the basis of the village’s economy. Akhiok, like many small Alaska Native villages in Southwest Alaska, is a strong Orthodox faith-based community and many residents maintain a lifestyle based on hunting and fishing to this day.
Things to do
For adventurous travelers seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences, Akhiok serves as a gateway to some of the most isolated areas of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. Notable community sites include the Russian Orthodox Church and the Protection of the Theotokos Chapel, which today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The south end of Kodiak Island offers world-class sportfishing in protected coves, bays and inlets off shore, rivers that host excellent sockeye and pink salmon runs and many inland lakes. The area is also rich in sea mammals and birds, while the original village site on the Aliulik Peninsula has a high brown bear density and ancient Alutiiq petroglyphs are preserved near the present village.