In the heart of the Western Pacific Ocean, a trio of destinations deliver some of the most storied dives on the planet. Yap's international claim to fame are the giant manta rays that appear within near clockwork precision, often joined by grey, black and white tip reef sharks.
The floor of Chuuk Lagoon is strewn with a Japanese fleet now covered in thick growths of coral, with dim interiors holding relics of a time past. Palau delivers a smorgasbord of underwater adventures, from the swirling sea life drawn by the currents at Blue Corner to the shadowed chambers of Chandelier Cave and the unique freshwater residents of Jellyfish Lake.
Best Places to Dive in Micronesia
The waters of Chuuk Lagoon are famous for Japanese war wrecks such as the Fujikawa Maru and Shinkoku Maru, but Palau also has a ghost fleet, including the Amatsu Maru, which is the largest shipwreck in Micronesia.
Schooling fish and sharks gather at current-washed sites such as Blue Corner, and the Big Dropoff is considered one of the finest walls dives in the world. Stalagmites decorate the submerged chambers of Chandelier Cave, and endemic jellyfish create a curtain of life in their namesake lake.
Yap’s Valley of the Rays offers year-round opportunities to dive with giant manta rays, while sites like Yap Caverns provide chances to explore intricate cuts and chimneys carved into the reef face.
