Micronesia Diving Holidays
When mentioning Micronesia, you will most likely be greeted with a blank stare and 'where on earth is that?'. It easy to see why people know very little about the archipelago of Micronesia since the string of islands lie out in the Pacific, seemingly in the middle of nowhere and are somewhat tricky to get to. Having said this, it could quite possibly be the dive trip of a lifetime if you are willing to fly that bit further.
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is made up of four states from West to East: Yap, Chuuk (previously known as Truk), Pohnpei and Kosrae. Theses states make up approximately 607 islands (only 65 are inhabited) spread over 2,500km just north of the equator in the Western Pacific. The land area of the FSM is only about 270 square miles however it occupies more than one million square miles of the Pacific Ocean with numerous atolls and in fact, venturing beneath the waves is what makes a visit to these islands so special.
When it comes to the diving in Micronesia, it is hard to believe the variety on offer. How about the best wreck diving in the world at Chuuk Lagoon? Over 70 wrecks lie in the shallow waters of the lagoon, historically fascinating, at times harrowing and overflowing with coral and fish life. Or Yap which has a resident population of manta rays, and for 10 months of the year they are absolutely guaranteed. And then there is Kosrae with virtually untouched reefs and pristine coral - more than 150 species of coral and 250 species of fish. These waters really do have it all.
Each of the four states have their own culture and adventures which are worth experiencing if you can tear yourself away from the diving. Highlights include the old stone money banks in Yap or canoeing through ancient mangrove forests.
We know it's a long way to get there but we think this is actually a good thing: not another diver in sight in such fascinating waters. This is rare to come by. So the message is simply, go diving in Micronesia, before it changes!
