SeaFocus - scuba diving reviews, images and information

Diving Yap | Micronesia

DESTINATION OVERVIEW | Yap's gently rolling landscape consists of four islands: Yap, Tomil-Gagil, Maap and Rumung. These tightly-knit land masses are dissected by three channels that lead outwards over a broad lagoon, to the surrounding reefs.

The marine realm is something of a surprise. Each of the channels that separate the islands are rather shallow, lined by mangrove swamps and with thick areas of seagrass. The water can be murky in these channels but head seawards and it’s all change. The visibility clears where the surf breaks against the submerged reef edges and the marine landscape lurches into coral clad hills and valleys. Many pelagics are attracted to this environment but the manta ray populations are world famous. There are cleaning stations in two of the channel mouths so manta sightings are more-or-less a daily event.

Sharks flock here at certain times of year and Yap is also becoming known for it’s macro life. A selection of the small, reef building animals can be seen if you can just drag yourself away from the manta rays. And while the mantas are almost guaranteed by day, by dusk there are colonies of tiny mandarinfish. The southern reefs are also impressive and despite some typhoon damage a couple of years ago, there is plenty of coral.

manta ray

Yap scuba diving features

Marine Life

Manta rays
Sharks
Mandarinfish

Top dive site Valley of the Rays
Seasons year round
Visibility 10 – 40 metres
Water temperature 28 – 30º C
Deco chambers Chuuk
Flights to Manila or Guam with a connection to Yap. The only airline is Continental.
Accommodation The best known hotel is Manta Ray Bay although there are several others.

PROS AND CONS | Yap is not an easy destination to reach. From Europe it will take two days to get there and flights cost a lot more than many people would normally consider paying. However, this is one of the few places in the world where an encounter with a manta ray is almost guaranteed. For better value for money try going to Palau or Chuuk (Truk Lagoon) at the same time.

SCUBA DIVING | Diving conditions change with the daily tides. There is always some current in the channels – which is why the mantas are there – and when the currents drop the mantas go. Dives are scheduled to take advantage of that. Conditions vary from the east, or windward side, to the west of the island, so there is always somewhere to go even when the weather is less than perfect.

OPINION | This may well be a once in a lifetime destination but you really do have to do it. We planned a three week long trip to do Palau, Yap and Truk together but combining them wasn't easy as liveaboard schedules for each place do not coordinate with each other. We don't feel we saw the best of it, but at least we saw it.

Complete reports on this area are in Diving the World

Click the image to read more or order via Amazon here

MAP | locate Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia with google maps

MICRONESIA | diving in Palau and Chuuk (Truk Lagoon)

ORDER | Images on this page are available as prints. Take a note of the name then go to the photo order form.

SEARCH SeaFocus | Looking for something on this site? Type in a few words and google will take you there.

Where do you want to go diving?
dive
Australia | dive Belize | | dive dive Borneo | Egypt | dive Fiji | dive Galápagos | dive Grenada | dive Honduras | dive Indonesia
| dive Jordan | dive Kenya | dive Malaysia | dive Maldives | dive Mexico | dive Micronesia | dive Mozambique | dive Oman | dive Palau | dive Papua New Guinea | dive Philippines | dive Solomons | dive Tanzania | dive Thailand | dive West Papua
SeaFocus | scuba diving destination reviews • dive travel • resort and liveaboard reports | Underwater photography • diving photo galleries • scuba diving pictures • diving videos • marine species images and information | Dive travel guide books art prints custom made calendars |Dive travel advice | About SeaFocus | Links | Contact us | All work on this site is under copyright to SeaFocus | Sitemap