| Palau and Yap, Micronesia - Feb/Mar 2009 Our Pacific odyssey begins on the tiny island of Yap, embedded in the vast Pacific Ocean over 8000 miles away! Yap is known for its fascinating intact island culture, beautiful native villages, friendly people, and incredible diving! Yap is world famous for its large population of over 100 resident manta rays. On Yap a manta dive does not mean diving hoping for a manta encounter, it means diving to see the mantas. There's much more to diving in Yap than just Manta Rays, however. Yap's outer reefs abound with species of tropical reef fishes, invertebrates and corals. When coupled with the abundance of larger species like mantas, sharks, and turtles, Yap is a paradise for the underwater photographer or videographer. More than 200 species of hard and soft corals form the reefs of Yap.
Yap Caverns, at the southern tip of the island offers a truly spectacular dive with an array of caverns, swim-throughs and pinnacles populated by Lionfish and sleeping whitetip reef sharks. Large schools of Huge Bumphead Parrotfish are often seen here. A unique feature of Yap Caverns is that the dive not restricted to advanced divers, beginners have no trouble negotiating the swim-throughs, and are able to share an experience of magical beauty otherwise reserved Many species of marine creatures that are rare in some parts of the world are plentiful in Yap. Dive sites such as Lionfish Wall offer a chance to experience the beauty of a pristine coral reef. One perpetual favorite of divers is the colorful clownfish. Five species can be seen in Yap. Some of the anemones they live in are over four feet across and host dozens of clowns. We’ll also have the opportunity to explore the countryside of Yap and visit the native villages. Hanging out with the locals and learning about their still-primitive way of life is an experience you won’t soon forget.
This Package-Of-A-Lifetime Includes:
You can find more information about the destinations at these websites |
for more experienced divers. The reefs on the East side of the island (windward side) feature gently sloping terraces with one of the most diverse selections of hard corals in Micronesia. The west side of the island (lee side) is composed of a series of vertical walls starting in 15 feet of water and plunging straight down hundreds of feet. The visibility on the reefs usually exceeds 100 feet and frequently is over 150 ft. 
After Yap we’ll head for Palau, arguably one of the greatest dive destinations in the world and the shining star of Micronesia. This incredible cluster of islands and giant lagoon offer the most diverse range of diving experiences, plus several one-of-a-kind attractions that can’t be matched anywhere else in the world. We’ll dive vertical walls that start knee-deep and plummet to over 1000 feet, a bizarre landlocked lake with millions of non-stinging jellyfish, sharks, mantas, and the huge pelagics at world-famous Blue Corner. Dive after dive you’ll encounter strange creatures and understand why Palau is considered the world’s best diving. We have a huge dive package of 7 days with Neco Marine, and extra boat dives can be added, too. In addition, we’ll be staying for 10 nights at one of our favorite properties, the luxurious and beautiful Palau Pacific Resort, situated on the water with a reef just offshore, available for shore dives and night dives! We’ll also have lots of opportunities to explore the islands by foot and kayak, visiting the overgrown relics of WWII battles.
