Yap Island

Micronesia

If you want to dive with Manta Rays, Yap is your destination. In the world of dive travel, some islands become so famous for one attraction that everything else is overshadowed. Such is the case with Yap. Yap is the unchallenged leader of manta ray diving. Over 100 manta rays live year round in the waters surrounding Yap and in the winter (usually December to late April) the mantas congregate in even greater numbers in Mi'l Channel for the mating season. During the summer season, they spend their mornings in Goofnuw channel in the Valley of the Rays and you can encounter usually four to eight mantas on any given dive.

This remarkable undersea phenomenon is just one of the many reasons to stop over in Yap. The island offers a wide range of superb diving options including deep channels that are home to large schools of fish and pelagics and limitless opportunities to probe the mysteries of its virgin reefs. 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 for more experienced divers.

Topside, Yap is a tropical Eden. It is a rare and wonderful mixture of past, present and future where an ancient culture exists side by side with the 21st century. Known for years as the Land of Stone Money, Yap is the only place in the world where you can view these 1,800 year old pieces, some of which are up to 12 ft in diameter and still used as currency today. The friendly locals have maintained and preserved their culture, and a visit to some of the island villages is a must.

Dive Packages are offered by the Manta Ray Bay Resort.