“Yap is the most intriguing island in Micronesia. It is a land steeped in ancient traditions, fascinating legends, and peopled by one of the most distinctive cultures in the Pacific.”
Dance is an art form in Yap. Through dance, legends are passed down, history is recorded and entertainment is created. The dances of Yap are raucous, colorful, and well-orchestrated. Men and women both start at an early age to learn this special Yap tradition. This traditional life carries into the villages where fishing, sailing, and weaving are still important parts of everyday life. Grass skirts for the women and thu’us (a type of loincloth) for the men are the basic garb in the small towns that sit in tranquil settings around the island. The people of Yap are shy, but warm. They don’t mind visitors who are respectful and appreciative of their lifestyle. With a little coaxing, the visitor may soon find him or herself helping with a chore like launching a canoe, weaving a basket, or carrying coconuts. This special kind of island encounter is not unusual on Yap, and is part of the Yapese spirit that makes the island so enticing and enchanting. Visitors can still see some of the traditional houses in the villages. The villages of Yap proper still retain the foundations of meeting houses and platforms used by the elder male residents to discuss community matters.

“Traveling through Yap’s thick jungle canopy transports you through time as if by magic. The lush vegetation…seems to wrap around you, a warm, friendly embrace that welcomes you.”
Yap is covered with rain forests and has tropical flowers in bloom year round. From sweet-smelling plumeria to vivid red and pink hibiscus to delicate spider lilies, Yap is a botanical treasure-trove. Before roads and vehicles, Yapese traversed their island on well-maintained stone paths through the jungles; many of which still exist today. For the active person, there’s plenty to do on land and in the ocean. The visitor can expect to go mountain biking, hiking on an ancient stone path, or deep sea fishing as part of the Yap experience. Want to relax instead? Go ahead, take a nap under a coconut tree on one of Yap’s unspoiled beaches. Exploring the villages and ancient paths by foot or mountain bike is a popular pastime for visitors. Yap’s rolling hills, lush vegetation, and unspoiled beaches are home to a wealth of wildlife that provide spectacular views and photo opportunities. Sea kayaking through the natural and man-made canals of the surrounding mangroves is one of the best ways to experience the islands' natural beauty. There are also a number of WWII wrecks and gun emplacements to be discovered at various sites on Yap Proper.

“While clear waters and sheer drop-offs certainly describe Yap’s diving, one fact still stands above the rest. Yap is the world’s foremost destination for seeing manta rays up close and personal.”
Yap is famous for its clear waters where schools of tuna, dolphins, and reef fish are found in abundance. Observing the magnificent abundance of marine life on the reefs and in the channels has become a must for divers around the world. Imagine yourself nestled in a patch of sand on a coral ridge thirty feet beneath the surface of a deep water channel, just a quarter mile from the open sea. A school of two hundred bigeye trevally (jacks), alarmed by your presence, steam quickly by like sentinels guarding the palace gate of a fantastic underwater empire. Then, from the west comes a half dozen giant Manta Rays, undisputed rulers of a magical kingdom under the sea. Twisting and turning in great formations, they move their massive wings to the beat of an ancient rhythm. Unafraid of their human guests, the mantas pass almost close enough to touch, and stare curiously at you. Then, with a final passing nod, the majestic mantas soar back out into the deep of the channel, disappearing as mysteriously as they first arrived. Yap exceeds the four primary criteria for a successful diving destination: Warm water, clear water, diverse marine life, and living coral reefs. A variety of dive sites are available to satisfy novice to experienced divers; including sharp reef drop offs, gentle slopes, channel drifts, or the protected confines of the harbor. Yap offers an underwater experience diverse with giant manta rays, sharks, turtles, a wide variety of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and sunken ships and planes.