SCUBA TOURS WORLDWIDE - Representing the world's finest scuba diving
Yap, Micronesia
Yap | Manta Ray Bay Hotel | Trader's Ridge Hotel | Sample Itinerary | Truk Lagoon or Palau Add-ons |
Introduction to Yap
Yap state lies 360 miles north east of Palau in the Pacific Ocean and consists of 134 islands and atolls, of which only 22 are populated, and covers more than 100,000 square miles of ocean. Yap is famous for it’s large population of resident manta rays and you can dive here at all times of the year and have a very good chance of seeing them.
In addition to the attraction of manta rays congregating around the channels, the outer reef walls drop steeply and here in the clear ocean waters are sharks and pelagics cruising up and down the reefs. Shark feeding dives are conducted here once a week providing an exhilerating opportunity to witness and photograph a shark feeding frenzy up close with numbers often exceeding 40 sharks.
Yap is one of the most intriguing islands in Micronesia. It is an exotic land steeped in ancient traditions and legends and peopled by one of the most distinctive cultures in the Pacific. Dance is an artform on Yap, and it is through these raucous and well-orchestrated dances that legends are told and history is recorded. These dances can be seen during local village visits and are a must for the visitor.
Yap is known as the 'Island of Stone Money', after the strange and incredible carved discs that can be seen all over the island. Brought over from distant lands, such as New Guinea and Palau in ancient times, these discs are still considered to be legal tender among the villages. The larger the disc the more value it has and some reach 12 feet in diameter and would require 20 men to move it.
There are no liveaboards in Yap, but there are two excellent hotels to choose from; the 'Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers' and the 'Trader's Ridge Hotel'. The hotels are just a few minutes stroll from each other and guests are freely invited to drink and dine in each of them.
Both hotels have excellent dive centres that typically set off in the morning to make two-tank dives with a third scheduled in the afternoon. Dive sites are easily reached, with the furthest being around 55 minutes away, and the journey is a scenic one through vast mangrove swamps to the reefs beyond. Speciality dives are also scheduled daily, and these include dusk dives to see the mandarin fish, night dives and the shark feeding dives.
Yap is a year-round destination, enjoying a wonderful tropical climate that changes little throughout the year. Water temperatures average 28C and the visibility can be excellent, especially on the outer reefs.
Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers
The Manta Ray Bay Hotel is a dedicated dive resort, designed by divers for divers, with accommodation in 17 Ocean View Rooms, 5 Deluxe Ocean View rooms and 13 Standard Rooms. All rooms are en-suite with air-conditioning. The hotel has a swimming pool and also a newly built spa, offering a range of beauty treatments and massages.
The Manta Ray Bistro - the island's finest restaurant with a great view of the lagoon - is located on the main deck of the S/V Mnuw; a turn of the century South Seas Schooner anchored by the hotel and reached by a gangplank. Guests can also enjoy a cold beer fresh from the resort's very own micro-brewery, or a refreshing tropical drink in either the Nautical Weaver Bar, located on the Bridge Deck of the Mnuw, or in the Crow's Nest Bar located on the top deck under the mizzen mast.
Adjoined to the hotel is the excellent Yap Divers, the longest established dive base on Yap. The fully equipped dive shop offers all levels of instruction. The dive boats set off each day for morning and afternoon two-tank dives to either the Manta sites or the reefs and walls, or on one of the many speciality dives that are offered. NITROX is also available.
Trader's Ridge Hotel
The Traders' Ridge Resort is an intimate retreat of 20 rooms and 2 Grand Suites, styled in unique 1880's Victorian architecture and offering all the amenities of a 5 Star Hotel. The spacious rooms are beauitfully furnished with hand crafted furniture and original artworks from the Ethnic Art Institute of Micronesia. All rooms have air conditioning, a ceiling fan, mini bar, TV/VCR, IDD telephone, hardwood floors and French doors that open onto a patio or veranda.
Located on the ground floor are 6 Patio rooms, with french doors that open onto a private patio surrounded by a garden and hedge. On the second floor are 6 Veranda Ridge rooms with tropical views. Overlooking the swimming pool and with breathtaking views of Chamarro Bay and the ocean, are the 8 Veranda Ocean rooms. Top accommodation at the hotel is in the 2 Grand Suites, which have almost 800 square feet of living space. The suites include two bathrooms, wet bar, living room, bedroom and dressing area and have set a new standard for luxury in Micronesia.
The Veranda View Restaurant offers fine dining with an island flare. An intimate ambiance is created with soft lighting and ceiling fans, stirring the richly scented tropical air as chefs create gourmet dishes served A La Carte. There is also a poolside Cafe and Bar, serving a wide range of meals and snacks.
The Trader's Ridge has an excellent and fully stocked dive shop offering a range of courses from beginner to Divemaster. Diving is offered daily, from one of the four fast and comfortable dive boats, and towels, soft drinks and snacks are provided during the trips. Nitrox is free to certified divers.
The Trader's Ridge Hotel also has it's own private and very comfortable departure lounge at Yap International Airport, exclusive to guests staying at the hotel. Here they can enjoy a cool drink in style while waiting for their departure flight home.
Sample Itinerary
To get to Yap we recommend flying from the UK via Manila, with a one-night stop over there en-route. From Manila, Continental Micronesia airlines operate flights to Yap a few days of the week, with a transit through Guam. The transit times through Guam can be long - sometimes in excess of 12 hours - so we recommend guests take a Day Room to make the journey more relaxing and we can arrange this for you.
Continental Micronesia flight schedules are notorious for schedule changes so please call us for a firm itinerary according to your preferred departure dates. The following is a sample itinerary travelling on Emirates from Heathrow to Manila:
Day 1 Depart London Heathrow at 1345hrs for overnight flight to Manila via Dubai
Day 2 Arrive Manila at 1545hrs and transfer to hotel for 1 night
Day 3 Depart Manila at 2310hrs for flight to Guam, arriving at 0440hrs and transfer to hotel for Day Room
Day 4 Depart Guam at 1945hrs for flight to Yap, arriving at 2120rs and transfer to hotel for 9nts
Day 5 Begin 8 days of superb diving on the wonderful reefs of Yap
Day 13 Depart Yap at 0440hrs for flight to Guam, arriving at 0530hrs and transfer to hotel for Day Room
Day 13 Depart Guam at 1900hrs for flight to Manila, arriving Manila at 2040hrs.
Day 14 Depart Manila at 0020hrs for flight to UK via Dubai, arriving Heathrow at 1135hrs.
Combine your trip with Truk Lagoon or Palau
Guam is one of the main hubs for the Continental Micronesia flights that travel on to Truk Lagoon and Palau. Air passes are available for two or more destinations and it is therefore quite easy to incorporate more than one destination. From Guam, Truk Lagoon is less than three hours flight away, and Palau is just over 2 hours. From Palau it is possible to take a direct flight back to Manila, which makes this combination a popular one.
We are very experienced in putting together itinereraies for trips to Micronesia and we have first-hand knowledge of each of the destinations so please give us a call to find out more and to get a personalised itinerary and quote to suit your requirements.
