Suggestions for a second week before/after Truk

[jorgie6]

Has anyone mentioned Yap?
Fly back to Guam then to Yap. Not sure if they've changed the arrival /departure times on United...very late at night..yuck. We lived on Guam for 7 years and certainly enjoyed our dive travel in this part of the world. Check out the website for Manta Ray Bay Home. September is the beginning of the wet season ...watch the weather for those typhoons/systems that form east of Pohnpei/Kosrae and move westward. Don't think September is prime seaseon for manta rays, which Yap is famous for. We always went in November, but still mangaed a sighting or two. Yap is quiet , peaceful...sublime.

You should consider buying Andrew Marriott's book:Truk Lagoon Book – Fata Morgana by Andrew Marriott . He was given permission to photograph all the contents of the Kimiuo Aisek Memorial Museum on the grounds of Blue Lagoon Resort. Kimiuo's son, Gradvin, now runs the Resort & dive shop there. We dove Truk Lagoon 4 times with our family and Yap ,3 times..... My last review on TA: Our favorite place to dive in Micronesia! - Review of Truk Blue Lagoon Resort, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia - TripAdvisor

Enjoy your diving!

 

[Damselfish]

did mention Yap, back near the beginning of the thread.

I don't expect they would be changing the times on these flights, unless planes get a lot faster. I think they schedule them to depart/arrive in the major international airports at somewhat reasonable times, times that have a chance of syncing up better with connecting flights. Those airports may be technically open 24x7, unlike some of the airports that feed them. But in reality even they seem to not have a lot going on at like 1-4am, for which they'd have to have security, immigration, etc. running and other staff. The flights are of a length that it's hard for the origin and final destination to be at reasonable times and all the islands on those routes to also have service at a reasonable time. So the little islands get what they get, and are probably happy to get it.

 

[jorgie6]

As far as suggestions for another week in Truk, is that what you are looking for or do you want to add on something different? Combining Truk and Palau makes sense if you want more variety on the trip, but as you already know you want to pay close attention to the flight days/times when planning the order of things as flight schedules are just (understandably) weird in the Pacific islands. Yap is another possibility. Not everyone is a fan but I liked it quite a bit, and it doesn't have to be just about mantas.

I personally think liveaboard is the best way to dive Palau, unless there's a specific reason not to. Like not liking liveaboards, looking for a less expensive (and less dives) alternative, being with a non-diver, or maybe just a desire for more beach time. We've done the Palau Aggressor, but very long ago so I don't have current info on that one. We did Ocean Hunter 3 in 2015. The boats are different but both were great trips. On land we've only stayed at Palau Pacific for some pre and post-trip days, which does have a dive shop with boat dives leaving from there and even something of a shore dive. It's a nice resort but depends what you want for accommodations. There's a number of other hotels people have used that are talked about on other threads here.

 

[jorgie6]

We enjoyed Pohnpei as well. We were fortunate enough to be there when the The Village was still open. So sad to hear about the closing..but that's a nasty political/$$$ tale in itself. Our second trip was in Aug. 2015..we dived with Pohnpei Surf Club...some of the old guides from the Village pick up work with PSC. Actually saw more mantas at the cleaning stations there than off season in Yap. We enjoyed our inner & outer reef dives. Not much diving going on there anymore . I think it's PSC and one other shop that caters to business from Japan. The island is lovely and roads are fantastic. It's worth it just for the hikes, and exploration of Nan Madol Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (You can always tell when someone has traveled in Micronesia...they ALWAYS comment on how good or bad the roads are.)

 

[ManBearPig]

Going to Truk in January and going to Palau the week prior. Logistically we come in from NRT into ROR on Delta arriving just past midnight on Sunday AM. We will dive with UDE and Sams that week Diving Palau with Sam’s Tours and Unique Dive Experiences Then set off for Truk Sunday AM on United. Note the flight leaves at freaking 0020 from ROR, stops in Yap, and then gets into GUM at like 0500. If you book it as ROR to TKK, you will be on the morning flight to Truk, and cant yet get on the boat. So you will have to hang out with your bags in Truk, which would suck. There are no cabs that I am aware of.

Book on United two single flights ROR-GUM and GUM- TKK for Sunday and you will have from about 0500 till about 1900 on Guam. Still gonna suck, but you can get a nice hotel room for the day, get a good brunch, get a rental car and drive the island, etc. Then you will be on the PM flight to TKK, and that is when the Odyssey crew will pick everyone up as they expect all to come in on that flight. Either way, you are going to have a blast, and Odyssey is the only way to do it.