Micronesia, Palau, Truk, & Yap
January 7-28, 2011
Three glorious weeks diving in Micronesia, truly a trip of a lifetime. Come enjoy the exotic beauty that has made this destination legendary in the dive community.
Truk Lagoon Jan 9-15:
7 Days/6 Nights/5 days of two tank boat dives, accommodations at Blue Lagoon Resort, airport transfers
Palau Jan 16-23:
8 Days/7 nights/6 days of diving aboard the Palau Aggressor Live Aboard. Up to 5 dives/day except the last day which has only 2, accommodations, non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages, all meals and snacks except last night supper.
Yap Jan 23-28:
6 Days/5 nights/4 days of 2 tank boat dives, ocean view accommodations at Manta Ray Bay Resort, breakfasts, airport transfers, NITROX, 10% government room tax.
Miscellaneous: 3 nights accommodations during travelling days
Package does not include: Airfare, dive gear, gratuities, some meals, departure taxes where applicable.
Deposit Requirements: $2000US deposit required at the time of booking. Balance is due October 01, 2010.
Cancellation Policy: No refunds. Be sure to have trip cancellation insurance.
Diver and Non-Diver $5799 US pp based on dbl occupancy
- Palau is a beautiful tropical paradise, and one of the true unspoiled destinations on the planet. Most of the 100-plus islands are small low-lying coral islands, ringed by barrier reefs. The exception is mountainous Babulthuap, volcanic in origin.
- The economy revolves around agriculture and fishing, but scuba diving in the pristine reefs is a growing-in-popularity tourism activity. Palau enjoys a tropical climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82°F (28°C). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, averaging a total of 150inches (3,800mm). The average humidity over the course of the year is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine.
- The official currency of the Republic is the U.S. Dollar. Visa, JCB, Master Card, and American Express cards are widely accepted at stores and visitor facilities.
- In 1969, the famous French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and his team explored Truk Lagoon. Following Cousteau’s 1971 television documentary about the lagoon and its ghostly remains, the place became a scuba diving paradise, drawing wreck diving enthusiasts from around the world to see its numerous, virtually intact sunken ships. Scattered mainly around the Dublon, Eten, Fefan and Uman islands within the Truk group, a number of the shipwrecks lie in crystal clear waters less than fifteen meters below the surface. In waters devoid of normal ocean currents, divers can easily swim across decks littered with gas masks . In the massive ships' holds are row upon row of fighter aircraft, tanks, bulldozers, railroad cars, motorcycles, radios, plus thousands of other weapons, spare parts, and other artifacts. Of special interest is the wreck of the submarine I-169 Shinoharawhich was lost when diving to avoid the bombing. The sub had been part of the attack on Pearl Harbour.
- The coral encrusted wrecks attract a diverse array of marine life, including manta-rays, turtles, sharks and corals. In 2007, 266 species of reef fish were recorded by an Earthwatch team and in 2006 the rare coral Acropora pichoni was identified.
- The reefs surrounding the islands of Yap are home to a rich diversity of tropical marine life. The most popular natural resource is the resident population of manta rays, which divers and snorkelers have a good chance of seeing on an almost daily basis. Usually found inside the lagoons, the dive guides in Yap are experts at finding the mantas, plus a host of other animals to keep visiting divers and snorkelers entertained. Yap also boasts lively colourful coral reefs and walls teeming with sharks, trevallys, nudibranchs and another favourite, mandarin fish.
