Micronesia encompasses an extensive area of the western Pacific. It’s really a subregion of Oceania. There are nearly seven and a half million square kilometres/three million square miles of ocean and less than three thousand square kilometres/one thousand square miles of land. The region is comprised of small islands and even smaller coral-ringed atolls. If you think it sounds tailor made for divers, you’d be right. The reputation as a premier dive destination is well deserved. The main dive destinations — Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae — offer countless dive opportunities.
Visit Yap from December to April to see manta rays during mating season. Males will chase the tails of larger females, and you might sometimes spot a pregnant female. Manta rays are almost a guaranteed sighting in Yap as are reef sharks at a drop-off called Vertigo.
In the Truk Lagoon at Chuuk, shipwrecks attract all manner of sea creatures looking for food and shelter. Sharks are often seen passing by as schools of fish like fusilier and snapper hang around the wrecks. Mandarin fish, anthias and anemone fish always delight. A closer look will reveal critters like nudibranch, scorpion fish and shrimp. Palau has its famed Jellyfish Lake filled with non stinging jellyfish.
At Pohnpei, you’ll find huge schools of barracuda near the atolls and other pelagic species like sharks, trevally, tuna and sea turtles. Look out into the blue for eagle rays, which come to the atolls to feed and clean. Kosrae will reveal beautiful coral reefs buzzing with life. Colorful reef fish, critters and also resting nurse sharks can be found, and this is also frequently visited by eagle rays.
The Federated States of Micronesia is relatively difficult to get to. Fly to Palau or Guam and take connecting flights to the four main island states. Guam’s main airport is Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM). Many international flights arrive here and then go on to other Micronesian destinations. On Palau, you arrive at Roman Tmetuchl International Airport (ROR). In Yap, the airport is Yap International Airport (YAP) and Chuuk International Airport (TKK) in Chuuk.
Yap is heaven for divers who love the manta ray with resident mantas frequenting several sites along the Mi’l Channel from November-May and Valley of the Rays from May-November. The best time to dive Yap is during manta ray mating season which occurs over December-April. The only drawback of diving at Mi’l Channel is that the visibility can sometimes be cloudy at...
There are only a handful of dive operators to choose from on Pohnpei as the diving industry is still in its infancy. That is a good thing as it means uncrowded dive sites and pristine coral reefs. It is difficult to escape the rain in Pohnpei as it rains heavily throughout the year. Winds do pick up during December to March but it is still possible to dive here on a...
The beauty of diving Kosrae is that you are likely to be the only divers at the site. Dive sites consist of drop-offs, hard coral gardens and sandy bottoms dotted with coral bommies which are often cleaning stations. There is also a shipwreck to visit known as the Lenore which sunk in the 19th century. Technical divers will not be left out here as there are deep...
Chuuk Lagoon is relatively easy to dive as the surrounding reef protects the lagoon from strong currents. Some wrecks lie in deeper waters making Chuuk Lagoon a perfect playground for technical divers. There are two options for diving which is either land-based or via a liveaboard diving vessel. The area can be dived on a year-round basis but the best conditions are...