Yap is a sleepy backwater in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) They have stuck to their traditional forms of dress and culture despite being overrun with 'helpful' foreigners. Yes, you can still see women wearing grass skirts and men in loin cloths. Betel nut is the drug of choice, and almost everyone over the age of 13 chews it. There's a whole lot of spitting going on.
Continental Micronesia serves the island with flights 2 days per week. You either stay for 4 or 7 days; you have no other choice. There are several layers of accommodation, from cheap hostels to swank resorts. Manta Ray Bay Hotel seems to serve the majority of divers, since Yap Divers is on site. The hotel is clean and in good repair. The retaurant/bar is on an old Indonesian sailing ship tied up next to the hotel.
Yap Divers runs enough boats to accommodate about 60 divers a day. Some days they have 6, some days 60. It's great to be there when it's only 6; the boat is uncrowded and you can bargain with the dive guide for where you want to go.
Yap is famous for having resident Manta Rays. There are cleaning stations in Mi'il Channel on the west side, and Goofnow Channel on the east side. Mantas can be seen here in numbers on most days. If you want a 'moneyback guarantee' to see Mantas, this is the place. But it isn't all mantas. The outside of the reef, particularly the south end of the reef has excellent wall dives. There is an abundance of life here, especially on the top of the reef during your safety stop. You'll see eels, sharks, mantas, octopus, and a host of reef fish.
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