Each of the islands within Micronesian waters were thought to be first inhabited by seafarers from the countries we now know as Indonesia and the Philippines. All their ancient cultures were quite sophisticated with highly structured social groups, however, as each island developed in isolation from each other, their cultures differ.

After several centuries of European colonialism, the islands have been most heavily influenced by the Japanese during WWII and the Americans afterwards.

Palau has become a cosmopolitan melting pot, with Chinese, Japanese, and Europeans adding to the local flavour. Yap has retained far more of her original flavour, so much so that one island has even closed itself off from all outside influences.

Meanwhile Chuuk, better known to divers as Truk, is struggling to come to terms with the modern world. Traditions are getting lost in the rush to catch up with Western influences.

Yap is less than an hour’s flight north and famous for just one thing, her resident manta ray populations. However, there is much more to discover than these incredibly graceful beasts, with large populations of diminutive mandarinfish as well as some very good reefs.

Chuuk, and her famous lagoon, is a couple of hours away. If you are into wrecks and war history this is a unrivalled destination. Most have been reclaimed by the sea and are now incredible artificial reefs. But there is little else, the reefs outside the lagoon have been battered by both man and nature.

Dive conditions vary considerably from one island group to the next, and are completely influenced by local geography. The only similarities are water temperature and tropical marine life. Bio-diversity is highest in Palau and decreases the further east you head.

Of all the many islands in this part of the Pacific these three are the best known and the most attractive for divers.

Geographically, these islands are either limestone or volcanic in origin and nearly all are ringed by reefs. These drop to extreme walls perforated by caves and tunnels that have been flooded by the sea. The largest island is Babeldaob, but most diving is centred around the islands to her south. Koror, the capital, and Malakal, the harbour, are linked by road bridges. The lagoon near Malakal has enough wrecks to give Chuuk a run for its’ money plus there are plenty of macro specific sites and some unusual shallow cave dives.

A little further south is the most picturesque group, the limestone Rock Islands which have dramatic undercuts and look almost like they hovering above the sea. This is where you will find the stunning Jellyfish Lake, one of several marine lakes and an unmissable experience. At the bottom of the chain is Pelilu Island which was the scene of a horrendous land battle in WWII.

Palau sits between the North Pacific and the Philippine Sea so her marine life is influenced by two environments. This creates an impressive amount of dive diversity with reefs, walls, wrecks, lakes, caves... you name it you can probably do it.

Conditions tend to be fairly easy - when there are currents it's usually at sites that attract pelagics. Although the diving here is year round, there are a few seasonal features although nothing is ever guaranteed.

Shark mating season is February to April, Moorish Idol migration is March, groupers spawn in May and June. Manta Rays are expected December through February but can be seen all year.

Where the surf breaks against the submerged reef edges, the visibility clears and the marine landscape lurches into a lively series of coral clad hills and valleys. Fifteen miles east of Yap is the Yap Trench, one of the deep water trenches that forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The water here drops down to over 8,000 metres which explains the depth of colour in the sea - the shade of blue is something frequently commented on.

Of course, you won’t get down that far but you will see a lot of pelagics that are attracted to this environment. The manta populations are world famous with two channel dive sites that are visited daily. The mantas come in to be cleaned and feed in the currents.

Yap is becoming equally well known for it’s macro life. There are a good selection of the small and often whacky reef building animals to look for if you can just drag yourself away from the mantas. The southern reefs are impressive and despite some typhoon damage a couple of years ago, there is plenty of coral.

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. It’s another all year destination, but manta mating time is December to April.

You will discover the remains of tanks and jeeps, antiaircraft guns and torpedo tubes and more ammunition than you care to think about. There are broken aircraft and abandoned submarines. You won’t encounter any human remains: as many as could be recovered were returned to their homeland, regarded as vital to Japanese religious beliefs. One thing you also won't encounter is as many artefacts as you may have thought. Sadly, many small items have been systematically stolen whether by the odd tourist who thinks taking a souvenir is clever, by locals who try to profit from selling artifacts on by local fishermen who salvaged explosives for their own use.

The dives here tend to be deep - not so deep as to be dangerous but most are well beyond 20 metres. There are some wrecks that sit at well over 50 metres, well beyond Nitrox limitations. For air divers, these should be approached carefully and planned thoroughly. Operators ensure that emergency tanks are always hung at 5 metres.

Water temperatures are consistent year round with an average of 28 degrees. Currents are rare, with just occasional surface movement. Visibility can be said to be good year round although less clear in the rainy season (July - Nov) when there are also plankton and jellyfish blooms. There are also dives on the outer reefs, some of which are known for their shark populations but a combination of natural and man made damage means that these reefs are not worth diverting away from the wrecks.

Entry: Visas not required but check US regulations for transiting through Guam.
Flights: coming from Europe or Australasia the best departure point is from Manila as you can connect to the lone airline that services Micronesia - Continental. From the US flights depart from Hawaii or Los Angles.
Departure tax: Manila: US$10, Palau: US$20, Chuuk: US$15

DIVING
Seasons: Tropical climate with warm and humid weather all year round. Best dive seasons are listed above.
Visibility: 5 metres to 40 or more
Water temperatures: 25-29 degrees
Deco chambers: Palau, Yap and Guam

GENERAL:
Language: local language are rarely used in tourist related areas, English is spoken everywere
Money: The US dollar is the official currency.
Electricity: 110 volts
Health: No specific inoculations

Disclaimer: All facts were checked at time of publication but things change! Check with relevant authorities for updates.