Yap has managed to let most of the modern world pass by and practices Micronesia's most reserved and traditional lifestyle. Yapese men wear the traditional bright loin cloths and women are in grass skirts. They marry according to custom and still practice traditional handicrafts. Most intriguing to visitors is the famous stone money of Yap--massive wheels of solid stone quarried in far off Palau and placed outside the thatched men's houses and family huts to denote wealth and status.

Diving is excellent and unexplored in Yap's clear waters and virgin reefs. Manta Ridge, in Milli Channel, offers divers a unique experience. a school of manta rays--the graceful, gentle giants of the ocean--regularly feed here, unperturbed by divers swimming among them. Yap may not have the luxury and bright lights of a big island, but the friendly faces, traditional lifestyle and unspoiled beauty make it an unforgettable part of the charm and mystique that is the Micronesia experience.

Yap holds a special prize for divers - it is the home of the Giant Manta Ray. These marvellous, winged creatures appear daily and will spend hours hovering in the warm currents within feet of the diver. Yap boasts over 30 different dive sites, including such popular sites as Manta Ridge, Gilmaan Wall, Yap Caverns, Lion Fish Walls, Milli Channel and Valley of the Rays.

Best Time to Travel : Tropical climate with little seasonal variation. Average temperatures year round are 25C to 30C with 70% humidity, depending on the island.