Yap Dive Sites
Aliko Reef
Aliko Reef is a mini-wall from 6-15 meters (20 – 50 ft.) with a broad coral plateau tapering off to the depths. There is a great variety of hard corals on the walls and plateau, and some areas have large formations of bright green Cabbage Patch Coral. Large coral pinnacles also rise up like giant mushrooms, with massive Boulder Star Coral formations as large as a house dotting the reef. Many of the smaller fish school-up near the upper edge of the wall. Lionfish have been found in the crevices along the bottom of the wall. If you swim out over plateau you can see White Tips Reef Sharks, Stingrays and Nurse Sharks resting in small, sandy bottomed chasms (click to return to map).
Big Bend
This dive starts about 200 metres (640 ft.) north of the Big Bend and the gentle, prevailing southerly current carries you towards Cabbage Patch. There are many fissures and ledges along the wall, creating swim-throughs and niches that make this a good dive to just poke along and explore. Below 15 meters (50 ft.) the wall switches to a gentle slope that drops down to the depths. There are a wide variety of hard coral species and be on the lookout for tubeworms in the Porite bommies. Similar to Spanish Wall, some of the small niches are filled with delicate, White Pulse Coral. Almost every ledge and hole hides reef fish and turtles have been seen resting on the terrace just below the wall. On the longer drifts, you will be going through more than one of the territories staked out by large, resident Barracudas (click to return to map).
Buena Vista
This is combination slope and wall to 25 meters (80 ft.) with a gentle slope to the bottom. There are several large canyons on the walls, and this is usually done as a gentle southerly drift dive. Excellent colour exists above 9 meters (30 ft.) with schools of smaller reef fish and corals. Larger reef fish such as Humphead Parrots can be found down deep, and most dives report sightings of solo sharks, turtles and Barracuda. Christmas Tree Tube Worms can be found around 15 meters (50 ft.). on some of the larger coral heads (click to return to map).
Cabbage Patch
Cabbage Patch is a vertical wall to 80 ft. (25 m) followed by a gentle slope to the bottom that is usually done as a gentle southerly drift dive, but watch for counter-currents near the large fissures in the wall that are blanketed in soft leather corals. Groups of Christmas Tree Tube Worms can be seen at around 50 ft. (15 M) on coral heads, with many reef fish and colour corals found above 30 ft. (9 m). Larger reef fish, such as Humphead Parrots, can be found down deeper with regular sightings of Sharks, Turtles, and Barracuda (click to return to map).
Cherry Blossom Wall
Due to this portion of the wall extending much deeper than most of the other walls, this is one of the few places on Yap's reef that black coral and deep-water sea fans can be found, though they are most frequently located below 36 meters (120 ft.). In addition to numerous hard and soft corals, there are several different types of Crinoids and pink and purple soft corals to be found just over the edge of the wall at 18 meters (60 ft.). Typical of many of the walls on the western side of the island, reef fish are found in numbers near the top of the wall and schooling gamefish and pelagics are often sighted by keeping an eye trained to the blue depths alongside the wall (click to return to map).
Crescent Reef
Located in Gabach Channel, Crescent Reef is usually done as a drift dive, either in or out of the channel depending on the tide. A bit deeper than most dives in Yap, the action is excellent with a large school of Black Bar Barracudas showing up almost every time, as well as schools of Striped Snappers, huge Napoleon Wrasse, Black Snappers, Fusiliers, Bumphead Parrotfish, and large Groupers. If that is not enough, schooling Scalloped Hammerheads have also been seen on a regular basis! (click to return to map)
Eagle's Nest
This small coral bommie, just north of Lionfish Wall, sits in about 15 meters (50 ft.) of water on a sandy plateau and sometimes hosts several Eagle Rays swimming slowly around it. The sandy plateau tapers down to a flat sandy bottom at a depth of 40 meters (130 ft.) with large coral outcroppings in the shallow areas and smaller patches of corals and some purple soft coral on the slope and near the bottom. Turtles, Stingrays and Sharks are often sighted in the area. Occasionally large schools of Barracuda are also seen, while Moray Eels and Lionfish are plentiful (click to return to map).
End of the Land
This is a near-vertical wall from 18 meters (60 ft.) down to the ocean floor covered with soft corals and Crinoids. The reef terrace above 18 meters (60 ft.) has a very gentle slope with many bommies, fissures and numerous hard and soft corals. There are several different types of Crinoids and soft pink and purple corals to be found just over the edge of the wall. Sleeping Sharks and Black Spotted Stingrays can often be seen from the upper lip of the wall by looking down to the sandy ocean floor. Turtles regularly cruise the wall and rest in the canyons leading up to the reef (click to return to map).
Fan Dancer
This channel has a sandy bottom and coral walls that push more than three miles into the lagoon. The mouth of the channel is a favourite site for night diving with lots of fish activity around the numerous and large sea fans. The sandy bottom around the channel entrance is littered with artillery shells and other ammunition from WWII, including a Japanese torpedo and a machine gun. The sheltered walls inside the lagoon are lined with a great variety of pristine hard and soft corals, with swim-throughs, overhangs, and sea fans at the deeper depths, making this dive a delight despite the occasional limited visibility caused the tidal wash from nearby mangroves. Reef Sharks are often seen near the channel entrance and Nurse Sharks commonly hide in the crevices on the bottom and along the walls (click to return to map).
Gapow Reef
The near-vertical wall from 5-15 meters (15-50 ft.) sits atop a wide sandy coral reef terrace that gradually slopes off to 22 meters (70 ft.) where another vertical wall drops off to the ocean floor. An excellent mix of hard and soft corals can be found here, and small reef fish collect on the upper wall. Divers more interested in watching pelagics can swim along the lip of the deeper wall (click to return to map).
Gilmaan Wall
This vertical wall runs northwest from Yap Caverns with lots of crevices and overhangs. Its proximity to the southern tip of the Island, makes it home to a prolific variety of marine life. Hard corals predominate with very large blankets of brown Porite coral, some of which play host to colourful tube worms. Frequent patches of Daisy Corals are interspersed among the hard corals and patches of yellow soft coral can be seen under ledges at a depth of about 21 meters (70 ft.). Expect a wide variety of reef and pelagic fish life including Squirrel Fish, Snappers, Groupers and large schools of small Anthias, with the occasional Lionfish and Clown Triggerfish often spotted near the bottom of the wall (click to return to map).
Goofnuw Mini Wall
This site is usually done as a drift dive and often combined with a fast dive to the Valley of the Rays to watch the Mantas as they enter and leave the cleaning stations. Near the entrance large coral heads attract schools of reef fish before the channel narrows and a white sandy bottom ascends to a depth of 9 meters (30 ft.). Beyond this shallow area, the bottom quickly drops away as the channel widens out to form the entrance to the Valley of the Rays. The shallow portions of the reef have a prolific growth of hard corals, with White Tip Sharks and Stingrays often seen among schools of Snapper and Humpheads. Groups of up to 10-20 White Tip Sharks can be seen near this sandy area while Leopard Sharks occassionaly rest on the bottom. Lobsters can be found on the lower ledges at the south side of the channel (click to return to map).
Kurrekurredutt Dropoff
This area on the western side of the island is still largely unexplored and Kurrekurredutt Dropoff was not dived until 1998. There are still areas here that you might be the first diver to visit, if you have the opportunity to do one of the regular discovery dives, and you may get to name the dive site. A good variety of hard corals exists here and be on special lookout for the large brain coral called "Niklas". Lots of anemones with a variety of anemone fish species can be found here and if you keep an eye towards the blue waters, you might see large pelagics and schools of Barracuda (click to return to map).
Lighthouse Pass
Usually, this is a drift dive following the tidal current coming into Palaek Entrance. The coral wall and shelves here are fissured with many small holes, chimneys, swim-throughs and crevices. This channel provided access to a Japanese lighthouse during the war and a good mix of both hard and soft corals can be found here. Many of the larger ocean pelagics can be seen near the entrance including White Tips, Gray Reef and Leopard Sharks along with Turtles, Eagle and Manta Rays, and a good selection of larger reef fish (click to return to map).
Lionfish Wall
This vertical wall at the southern tip of Yap drops to 40 meters (130 ft.). and then slopes to a 60 plus meters (200+ ft.) ledge before disappearing into the blue abyss. Numerous currents flowing down the coastline meet here, bringing a steady flow of nutrients which attract high concentrations of fish and corals, making this one of the premier walls dives in the world. The entire face of the wall is carpeted with a wealth of soft daisy corals, punctuated with brightly coloured Crinoids. The dive is named after the many Lionfish that live in the crevices along the wall, while Mantas, Eagle Rays, Turtles, Sharks, huge Tuna, and other pelagics abound in the waters adjacent. Schools of thousands of orange and yellow Bartlett's Fairy Basslets, and the highly camouflaged Leaf Fish can be found along the top edge of the reef (click to return to map).
Magic Kingdom
This gradually sloping reef site was considered as one of Micronesia's most beautiful diving jewels until a typhoon in November of 1992 inflicted heavy damage to the corals. Today however, the reef can already be seen to be going through the colourful process of rejuvenation and the storm damage actually created lots of habitats for small reef fishes to hide in. Frequently clouds of them are found surrounded by large schools of jacks, barracudas and other predators on the lookout for stragglers. White Tip Reef Sharks and occasional Gray Reef Sharks can also be seen cruising the reef (click to return to map).
Manta Ridge
This 9 meter (30 ft.) coral ridge across Mi'l Channel intensifies the tidal current creating a convenient cleaning station for the Mantas. As many as 30 mantas have been sighted from this ridge at one time and a wide variety of small reef fish are present to provide cleaning services for them. Hard corals are interspersed with small clumps of soft coral and anemones here, while schools of Jacks and Black Snappers congregate on the ridge. White Tip Reef Sharks regularly cruise the ridge along with the occasional Gray Reef Shark (click to return to map).
Mi'l Channel
During an incoming tide, this channel makes an impressive drift dive with both sides of its vertical coral walls visible while divers "fly" down the centre, a sandy, coral rubble bottom. Tightly packed hard corals are interspersed with wide swaths of leather and similar soft corals, and near Manta Ridge, if the current is strong, large quantities of purple soft coral open their polyps to feed. Scores of tropical reef fish, including Soldierfish, Humphead Parrotfish, and Moray Eels, live among the coral and in the channel’s outer waters Mantas, Hawksbill Turtles, large Barracuda, Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, and schools of Jacks and Snappers create a passing parade. Lobsters and Octopi can also be found in the walls (click to return to map).
Millennium Gardens
A series of terraces with an abundance of pristine hard corals offering an amazing variety in shape, form, and colour. The landscape is marked by a spectacular wall interspersed with dive-throughs and crevices, some of which open up into small caves. Millennium Gardens offers a huge variety of hard corals, all in perfect shape and untouched by coral bleaching. A wide variety of reef fishes as well as Anemone Fish and Stingrays can be found in the sand passages (click to return to map).
O'Keefe's Passage
This sandy-bottomed shipping channel extends from the ocean to the docks of Colonia over a distance of almost 3.2 kilometres (2 miles). On the southern side divers drift through schools of colourful fish while Black Snapper, Humphead Parrotfish and sightings of pelagics are common just outside the entrance. Lobsters can be found in the niches and small caves of the entrance walls and further along a WW II wreck sits upright in the channel with a torpedo resting in the sand 21 meters (970 ft.) behind it. In 1992, Yap Divers sank a 25 meter (80 ft.) circus boat, Laura Marie, on the side of the channel to create a night dive for when the seas are rough outside. Inside the lagoon colourful corals quickly change to large bommies as the channel slopes down to the sandy floor (click to return to map).
Paaw Reef
The north section of the reef consists of a gentle coral slope that extends to an abrupt drop-off that starts at about 22 meters (70 ft.) and the south portion of the reef has a large shelf of the flat sandy bottom at about 20 meters (65 ft.). The coral slope features a wide variety of hard coral species interspersed with the occasional soft coral. The mushroom-like Porite bommies are the most outstanding coral feature of the sandy shelf. Along the coral slopes, reef fish are abundant and Stingrays are frequently seen on the sandy bottoms. Sharks and Turtles are frequent cruisers along this section of the reef (click to return to map).
Pealek Corner
Following the edge of the plateau at about 18 meters (60 ft.) allows you to overlook a large sandy plain. Looking up, you may see schools of reef fish; looking down, you may see Sharks and Stingrays on the sandy ocean bottom. Mostly hard corals with some soft corals mixed in can be found here as well as schools of small reef fish and passing game fish such as Barracuda and Jacks. Turtle sightings are frequent (click to return to map).
Rainbow Reef
Is an Inshore reef located in front of O' Keefe's Island. Here the "balconies" of Stag Horn Corals are home to the biggest population of Mandarin Fish in Yap, which makes it a photographers' favourite during their mating in the evening hours. Due to its proximity to the coast, Rainbow Reef is very much influenced by the mangrove forests and not as rich in corals as the outer reef. Still, there is a good variety of hard corals. You can also spot Lionfish, juvenile Barracudas, eels, reef lobsters, and 'critters' like Pipefishes. On the sandy patches in the very shallows, you may find Octopi and Cuttlefish (click to return to map).
Sakura Terrace
A series of gentle terraces with many niches, crevices, and coral outcroppings drop gradually to a coral plateau with large mushroom coral heads and bommies to swim around. Small reef fish can be found in the shallower depths with Sharks, Turtles and the occasional Spotted Eagle Ray found in deeper waters. It is regular night diving sites when the seas are calm and large numbers of Mortfish, Stone Fish, sleeping Parrotfish and occasionally lobsters can be seen here (click to return to map).
Samakai Wall
This site features a vertical wall that curves in and out with a current of usually less than 1/2 knot that makes this an easy drift dive. This portion of the reef has a steeper wall than most of the sites on the east side of the Island and is sometimes done as a night dive if the seas are particularly calm. Big crevices running perpendicular to the reef are filled with many hardy Star and Table Corals. Look for a lot of small schooling reef fish at the top of the wall and turtles sleeping in the crevices. Sharks, Barracudas and Moray Eels can be seen in the daytime and Lionfish, Stonefish, and lobsters at night (click to return to map).
Slow & Easy
Here the inshore reef gradually drops down from the surface to a sandy bottom. Many niches, crevices and outcrops provide shelter for numerous 'critters' and nocturnal species, making this site a macro fan and night dive favourite. These richly nourished inshore waters host an excellent selection of hard corals, several whip corals, various anemones, crinoids and sponges. Bumphead Parrotfishes and White Tip Sharks regulary visit the reef, and you can find many Nudibranch, Leaf Fish, Pipefish, Goby, Shrimp, Stone Fish and White Mantis Shrimp here. Three juvenile Hawksbill Turtles are seen here most of the time (click to return to map).
Spanish Wall
This is usually done as a slow drift dive past steeply descending slopes, over a series of vertical walls roughly 50 meters (164 ft.) long. This part of the reef takes its name from the delicate, White Pulse Corals which look like Spanish lace and grow in the alcoves, crevices and undercuts. These lace corals will only be found in niches that are sheltered from heavy waves and strong currents. There is also an abundance of pink and purple Lace Coral growing here. A full range of pelagics and larger reef fish are found below 9 meters (30 ft.) with sharks along the deeper sections of the wall and Moray Eels if you look for them (click to return to map).
Stammtisch - Manta Ray Dive
This is Yap's signature Manta Ray dive. It is a shallow, static dive spent at the cleaning station with up-close interaction. During the winter (Dec-Apr) the mantas are courting, and the cleaning station becomes an hub of graceful activity with Manta dancing rituals being performed across the reef (click to return to map).
Stonehenge
A vertical wall curves in and out with a gentle current making this an easy drift dive. Star and Table Corals fill the crevices that run perpendicular to the reef with schools of small reef fish active along the top of the wall. Turtles frequently sleep in crevices along this section of the reef, while Sharks, Barracudas, and Moray Eels can be seen during the day and Lionfish, Stonefish, and Lobsters are common at night (click to return to map).
Sunrise Reef
The gradual drop-off at this site provides hundreds of acres of habitat at 12-20 meters (40–70 ft.) for hard corals to flourish on. Numerous large coral pinnacles sprout up from the reef and this site is a hard coral heaven with an exceptional variety of hard corals in pristine condition. It is possible to see over three times the number of coral species than exist in the entire Caribbean on this one dive. Count on finding a wide and plentiful range of reef fish, Turtles, Stingrays, Sharks and look for Giant Clams hiding in coral crevices (click to return to map).
Telegraph Reef
A great night dive for exploring among the rocky shelves and bommies before coming to the channel entrances where there is active fish life. On night dives this site yields a large number of Lionfish and bright red Stonefish. You may also see huge Sea Hares with brilliant blood-red colorations that look like a Nudibranch but are nearly a foot long. Remnants of a subsea telegraph cable laid by the Germans at the turn of the century can be seen in places along the top edge of the reef (click to return to map).
Tradewind Mini-Wall
Tradewind Mini-Wall is a series of vertical mini-walls from 6-15 meters (20–50 ft.) and below 15 meters (50 ft.) there is a short plateau before a gentle sandy slope starts dropping off towards the ocean bottom. As you move further north along the mini wall, the selection of hard corals becomes more diverse. Many of the smaller fish school-up near the upper edge of the wall and lobsters have been found in the cuts and niches along the bottom of the wall. If you swim out over the sandy plateau that drops very slowly from 18 meters (60 ft.) to the ocean floor you can see resting White Tips and Stingrays (click to return to map).
Valley of the Rays – Manta Ray Dive
Coral outcrops rise from the sandy bottom of the channel to serve as Manta cleaning stations. The Mantas hover over the coral heads to allow Cleaner Wrasse and smaller species of reef fish to pick off parasites. The centre of the valley is dominated by a huge formation of Lettuce Coral called the 'Merry-Go-Round', the largest of the Manta cleaning stations. 'Car Wash', a smaller formation of Lettuce Coral, serves as a second cleaning station and 'Manta Rock', a large coral pinnacle that rises to within 10 meters (33 ft.) of the surface, is the third. Several Mantas will often circle in a holding pattern, much like airplanes at a busy airport, and is common to see White Tip Sharks, large Pufferfish and Octopi along the bottom of the channel (click to return to map).
Vertigo
The dive is located on the West coast of the island south of M'il Channel, a 25 to a 35-minute boat ride, and is one of the of the best shark dive sites in all of Micronesia. Schools of Black Tip and Grey Reef Sharks circle the reef and you can get as close as you are comfortable with, safely making eye contact and providing great photo opportunities. This is also a popular snorkelling site due to these close shark encounters (click to return to map).
Yap Caverns
The southernmost tip of the island offers divers the most diversity of marine life and interesting topography where divers can swim through the reef surrounded by a vast variety of large and small reef life. Yap Caverns amphitheatre is one of Yap's best environments for macro subjects at every depth. Porcelain Crabs, Moyers Dragonettes, Nudibranchs, Leaf Fish, Scorpion Fish, Antheas, Flame Angels, Cleaner and Ghost Shrimp, as well as more exotic subjects such as the ornate Ghost Pipefish abound here (click to return to map).
Yap Corner
Yap Corner is a very exciting, relatively new discovery (Autumn 2000) dive site that has all the potential to equal Palau's famous Blue Corner. Here you can view large oceanic Gray Sharks and White Tip Reef Sharks, among Schools of Jacks, Snappers and Barracudas and a school of Eagle Rays that are seen on almost every dive (click to return to map).
Yap Trench
Located a mere 3-5 miles (5-8 kms) off the coast of Yap, Yap Trench is an exceptional deep-sea dive site for experienced divers and underwater photographers. Its depths, plunging over 9,000 meters (30,000 ft.), create a unique diving environment. As a drift dive, the Yap Trench offers a dynamic experience, with divers carried along by the flowing underwater currents. A preferred blackwater dive, Yap Trench reveals a hidden nocturnal ecosystem, seldom observed in other parts of the world. This site thrives with an array of marine life, including squid, octopus and various fish larvae illuminated against the backdrop of the ocean's deepest depths (click to return to map).
