Category: YapBlog

The Yap State flag proudly carries the history and identity of the Yapese people. The blue background represents the Pacific Ocean that surrounds and connects Yap’s islands. At the center, a graphic of the traditional sailing canoe and star honors Yap’s skilled navigators and the ancestral knowledge used to travel by the stars, winds, waves,…

When Patricia and I opened Yap Divers back in 1986, we never imagined that forty years later we’d still be here welcoming guests from around the world. Somewhere along the way, many of you stopped feeling like guests and simply became friends. As we begin celebrating our 40th Anniversary this week, I wanted to take…

In July, 2026, Manta Ray Bay Resort and Yap Divers celebrate a milestone forty years in the making. What began as a small, harbor-side dive center founded by a young Peace Corps volunteer has grown into one of the world’s longest-running, family-owned dive resorts. To mark this anniversary, we invite divers, underwater photographers, adventurers, and long-time…

Yap Island WWII Tourism and Memorial Project The Missing Air Crew Project began as an initiative between Patrick Ranfranz, the nephew of a member of a US B-24 aircrew shot down over Yap in 1944, and the Yap Visitors Bureau (YVB) in 2005. Since then, 13 sites have been identified, cleared and preserved with memorial…

The 1st Annual Canoe Launching was held at Wacholab, Maap, on the third day of the 56th Yap Day Celebrations, this March 02, 2026. The Director of the Department of Health , Mr. Theo Thinnifel, welcomed all off-island guests, including the Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia, His Excellency, Aren B. Palik along…

The Yap Day Celebrations are one of the largest and most authentic of all of Micronesia’s cultural events. The festivities always begin with the traditional conch shell blowing and presentation of stone money, which is then followed by a number of Yap’s carefully chosen and well-rehearsed traditional dance routines. The colorful and rhythmic dances are…

In traditional Oceanic cultures the art of body tattoos, called Gachow in Yapese, evolved as an integral part of social and spiritual customs of the island populations. The tattoos reflected status and lifestyle and marked significant milestones and achievements such as puberty, marriage and birth, a warrior’s prowess, social standing and individual preferences. Designs mimicked…

Yap is perhaps the one of the best kept secrets in all of the Pacific. One of the four island states that make up the Federated States of Micronesia, this tropical destination located is off the beaten path and offers the experiential traveller and adventurer several unique experiences. These are top six: 1. Discover the…