Resort Diving

Updated November 18, 2022

This is the eighty-third in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is Yap. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Yap before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Yap Scuba Diving

Background

Yap is part of the Caroline Islands and a member of the Federated States of Micronesia.  It consists of four contiguous islands separated by narrow channels of water and a number of outer islands, mostly atolls, to the east and south as far away as 800 kilometers (500 miles).  The four main islands are 100 square kilometers (38.7 square miles) in area and are surrounded by a common reef.

The topography consists of rolling hills with dense vegetative cover and mangrove swamps lining most of the shoreline.  Some beaches can be found on the north sides of the islands.  A population of fewer than 12,000 lives in Colonia, the capital, and many smaller villages around the islands.

The first European sighting of Yap came in 1528 by Alvara de Saavedra and before too many years had passed it became a Spanish colony.  After the Spanish American War, it was passed to the Germans and then to the Japanese in 1914.  They controlled it until the end of WWII.  The U.S. then replaced them and held it in trusteeship until 1986 when it became a part of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Yap is known for its seven-tiered cast system, stone money as large as 4 meters (13 feet) in diameter, and for hanging onto its culture more than the other Micronesian states.

Today the economy is fueled by a small tourism industry which as recently as 2010 only involved 4,000 tourists per year.  For better or worse, the China Exhibition and Travel Group have announced plans to build a 4,000-unit resort hotel.

The Yapanese have their own languages from the Oceanic group, but English is used as the common language.

Undersea World

Yap has developed a reputation as the best place to go to see manta rays in great numbers.  The mating season is from December to April, but there is a large population that is resident and appears frequently at cleaning stations and in water as shallow as 10 meters (35 feet).

The mantas are far from all Yap has to offer.  There are 160 kilometers (100 miles) of barrier reef around Yap and a great variety of undersea terrain including inner and outer channels, Colonia Harbor and lagoon areas, gentle slopes, steep walls, caverns, and shallow coral gardens suitable for beginners, and snorkeling.  Sharks are almost as prevalent as mantas with blacktip, whitetip, and grey reef sharks appearing in numbers.  There are schools of 50 or more bumphead parrotfish, schooling barracuda, tuna, amberjacks,  and turtles.  A macro highlight is the mandarin fish to go along with a nice list of other critters and fish that includes tubeworms, nudibranchs, moray eels, sergeant majors, anemones, crinoids, sea goldies, tangs, trunkfish, trumpetfish, crocodile fish, schools of fusiliers, goatfish, Moorish idols, butterflyfish, octopus, cuttlefish, squid, batfish, big snappers, and sweetlips.  These live on a reef rich in hard and soft coral, sponges, sea whips, gorgonians, and other encrusting invertebrates.

Seasons and Conditions

The air and water are both very nice and warm all year.

Air temperature average daily highs are from 30-31°C (86-88°F).

Water temperature runs from 28-30°C (82-86°F) requiring minimal to no thermal insulation.  A 3mm full or shorty or Lycra suit for skin protection is probably all you will need.

Rain is significantly greater between May and December with the chance of a tropical storm or typhoon greatest from August through November.  It is possible to lose a few days of diving and have some difficulty flying in and out when there is a storm. It rains a fair bit even in the dry season when there is some rainfall on 13 days a month.

Visibility can be affected by tidal flows that can move mud around from the mangroves and cloud the water leaving visibility as low as 6 meters (20 feet).  Often though, it is as good as 30 meters (100 feet).

Many sites only have mild to moderate currents with a few occasionally having a strong drift.

Waves and surface chop are not very significant except during storms.

There are 30 or more dive sites with diving suitable for all levels.

At last count there are 5 dive operations prepared to provide a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

Micronesia Liveaboard Diving

There is not a liveaboard that directly cruises the Yap dive sites, but there are boats that go to Palau and Chuuk (Truk).  Here are my reviews and links to those liveaboards:

• Best Scuba Diving Vacations – Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll Wrecks
• Best Palau Diving Liveaboard Trips

Pacific Master, Truk Lagoon Liveaboard – Check the Price

Rock Islands Aggressor, Palau Liveaboard – Check the Price

Here are some other popular reviews of Pacific island liveaboards and resort diving:

• Scuba Diving Guam
• Saipan Scuba Diving
• Best Scuba Diving Oahu Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Hawaii Liveaboards
• Best Fiji Dive Resorts and Liveaboard Diving
• Best Diving French Polynesia Liveaboards
• Best Scuba Diving Trips, Solomon Islands Liveaboards

Selected Yap Dive Sites

Manta Ridge: 10 meters (35 feet), hard coral with anemones and some soft coral, variety of reef tropicals including cleaner wrasse, up to 30 mantas from 2-4 meters (6-13 feet) in width, schooling jacks, mahi-mahi, big black snappers, parrotfish, moray eels, whitetip and grey reef sharks, dolphins possible, mild to strong current, all levels

Vertigo: 10-20 meters (35-68 feet), a steep wall with a plateau at 15 meters (50 feet), reef tropicals, Napoleon wrasse, moray eels, snappers, grouper, blacktip and grey reef sharks in large numbers, little current, all levels

Cabbage Patch: 5-30 meters (16-100 feet), wall to 24 meters (80 feet) and gentle slope from there, large crevices with lots of leather coral, large coral heads at 15 meters (50 feet), tubeworms, lots of reef tropicals in the shallows, deeper are bumphead parrotfish, single sharks, barracuda, turtles, mild to moderate current, drifting to the south, all levels

Yap Caverns: 5-35 meters (16-120 feet), rich corals in an amphitheater-like setting with tunnels and swim-throughs, 12-meter (40-foot coral pinnacles), porcelain crabs, dragonettes, moyers, nudibranchs, scorpionfish, leaf fish, flame angels, cleaner and ghost shrimp, ghost and ornate pipefish, lionfish, bumphead parrotfish, stingrays, loads of whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, big pelagics like tuna and amberjacks, little to no current, experienced level

End of Land: 18-40 meters (60-130 feet), gentle slope with coral heads and crevices to a steep wall from 18 meters (60 feet) to the bottom, encrusted with soft corals and lots of featherstars, stingrays, and whitetip reef sharks on the bottom, turtles along the wall, mild to moderate current, experienced level

Crescent Reef: 13-27 meters (45-90 feet), drop-offs, walls, striped and black snappers, fusiliers, bumphead parrotfish, big grouper, Napoleon wrasse, large schools of blackbar barracudas,  shoals of scalloped hammerheads are not unusual, drift dive with mild to moderate current, in or out based on the tide, experienced level

Peelack Channel: 12-38 meters (40-120 feet), lots of hard and soft coral, lobster, octopus, cuttlefish, schooling reef fish, sharks, turtles, eagle and manta rays, stingrays, leopard sharks, mild to moderate current, good drift dive into the channel on the flood tide, experienced level

Valley of the Rays: 15-21 meters (50-70 feet), usual entry from the moorings on the south side, sandy bottom from the channel with coral heads and outcrops, lettuce, staghorn, and table corals on the edge of the channel, octopus, cleaner wrasse, reef tropicals, pufferfish, whitetip reef sharks, mantas coming for a cleaning, mild to moderate current, all levels

Yap Photos

With the interesting undersea terrain, walls, beautiful hard and soft corals, variety of fish, moray eels, sharks, manta rays and dolphins, scenic shoreline, and historical and cultural sites as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Yap Transportation, Lodging, and Dive Shops

Transportation

Yap International Airport is only accessed by United Airlines through Guam.  There are no domestic or other international flights from Yap.  The hotels usually provide free airport transfers.

Taxi service is available from several private companies.  Taxis are usually unmarked and not easy to identify, so calling, rather than flagging them down, is more fruitful.

Colonia has a public bus system often used by government workers and students that runs in the mornings and evenings between outer villages and Colonia which is free to use for tourists.

Car rental is also possible at reasonable rates.  Ask at your hotel or in Colonia.

A government ferry or chartered boat can take you to the Outer Islands.

Lodging and Dive Shops

There are only a few hotels and dive shops on Yap.  The Yap Pacific Dive Resort comes highly recommended for the accommodations and the in-house dive operation.  They offer full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding, and boat dive cruises.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Yap Pacific Dive Resort

Things to Do in Yap (aside from scuba diving)

Most of the activities on this small island are related to the outdoors, culture and history, and water sports.  Many of the beaches are privately owned, so be sure to get permission to enter.  A list of places to visit and activities includes the following:  snorkeling, surfing, riding an outrigger canoe, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, biking, hiking the Tamilyog Trail, history and cultural tours, Yap Museum in Colonia, traditional dance shows, Yapanese arts and handicrafts, stone money, Protestant Church, Colonia Bridge, Sunset Park, crashed Japanese Zeros, Ethnic Art Institute of Micronesia, Bechyal Cultural Center, birding.  Your hotel will be a good source of information related to these and other sites and activities.

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Yap scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving in Yap.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:    >>comments<<

Updated August 26, 2024

This is the one hundred and eighty-first in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is on Pohnpei. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Pohnpei before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving Pohnpei

Background

Pohnpei (known as Ponape or Ascension in the past) is one of four island states in the Federated States of Micronesia.  It is the largest at around 60 miles (96 kilometers) in circumference with a population of 34,000 and is the most developed of the group.  8 atolls, 25 small islands, and an additional 137 other scattered atolls are also part of the state.  Most of the people live in the northern area where the two major cities, Palikir, the administrative capital of the Federated States of Micronesia, and Kolonia are located, or on the ring road around the outside of the island.

Pohnpei has a tropical rainforest climate with 10-20 inches (254-508 mm) of rain per month.  With no natural beaches, the island is surrounded by mangrove forests with the highest point on Mount Nanland at 772 meters (892 feet).

The island was first populated by people of the Lapita culture from the Solomon Islands or the Vanuatu Archipelago with no western contact until the arrival of Spanish explorers in 1825.  Several early arrivals by the Spanish, Australians, and Russians were met by resistance which permitted no landings to be made.  However, by the mid-19th-century missionaries had established a presence.  In 1854 a major smallpox epidemic wiped out a major portion of the population and by the end of 1886, the Spanish had laid claim to the four Caroline Islands.  Purchased by Germany in 1899, they held sway until the Treaty of Versailles at the end of WWI stipulated that the Japanese would take over the German colonies.  At the end of WWII, the U.S.A. assumed responsibility for administration until the Federation was formed in 1977, and full independence was granted in 1986.

Subsistence farming and fishing are the main economic drivers with slowly increasing tourism becoming a factor.  Pohnpei is more ethnically diverse than the other three states due to its position as the capital of the Federation with people from each in residence for government positions and historic influences from the multiple foreign colonizers and the peoples they brought with them including Filipinos and Chamorros.  Pohnpeian is the official language with many people, especially in the cities capable of English.

For more details on the history, geography, culture, and demographics of Pohnpei, check Wikipedia-Pohnpei.

Undersea World

Pohnpei has a diverse and rich coral reef on an interesting subsea terrain.  The island is surrounded by a mangrove shoreline and lagoons enclosed by barrier reefs and islands.  Channels into the lagoon bring lots of nutrients to nourish marine life with significant current possible especially related to tidal flow.

Inside and outside the barrier these conditions have encouraged rich invertebrate life, and a large variety of reef tropicals and pelagics.  Many species of colorful hard and soft corals, sponges, sea whips, gorgonians, and tree corals provide a backdrop for big schools of jacks, snapper, fusiliers, and barracuda, groupers, Napoleon wrasses, turtles, reef sharks, eagle rays, dogtooth tuna, dolphins, and manta rays which are seen regularly and in great numbers.

The health of the reefs is enhanced by government enforcement of 11 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Seasons and Conditions

Diving is possible year-round in Pohnpei.

• Average daily air temperature highs are 30-31°C (86-87°F) all year.
• The water temperature is likewise always warm at 29-30°C (84-85°F).
• It rains pretty heavily all year with 258-492 mm (10-19 inches) per month but it doesn’t often affect the diving.
• Visibility is usually excellent at 30 meters (100 feet) or greater and can range out to 60 meters (200 feet). When it is raining visibility can be affected.
• Currents can be mild but there are times and locations where they can be strong due to tidal flow. From November through June the easterly trade winds can increase currents and surface chop, especially on the north and west sides of the island.
• Pohnpei has sites suitable for all levels of diver.  There are several dive shops in the north and one in the west offering the full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

Liveaboard Diving

There is not a liveaboard that directly cruises the Pohnpei dive sites, but there are excellent boats that go to Palau and Chuuk (Truk).  Here are my reviews and links to those liveaboards:

• Best Scuba Diving Vacations – Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll Wrecks
• Best Palau Diving Liveaboard Trips

Pacific Master, Truk Lagoon Liveaboard – Check the Price

Rock Islands Aggressor, Palau Liveaboard – Check the Price

Here are my reviews of other Pacific island liveaboards and resort diving:

• Scuba Diving Samoa
• Scuba Diving Easter Island
• Scuba Diving the Cook Islands
• Best Scuba Diving Tonga
• Scuba Diving New Caledonia
• Scuba Diving Vanuatu
• Yap Scuba Diving
• Scuba Diving Guam
• Saipan Scuba Diving
• Molokai Scuba Diving Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Maui Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Kauai Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Oahu Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Hawaii Liveaboards
• Best Fiji Dive Resorts and Liveaboard Diving
• Best Diving French Polynesia Liveaboards
• Best Scuba Diving Trips, Solomon Islands Liveaboards

Selected Pohnpei Dive Sites

Manta Pass (north): 3-24 meters (10-80 feet), located between the fringing reef in a channel before getting to a reef further out, very strong currents possible which increases the possibility of mantas including black mantas, other highlights are large schools of fusiliers and jacks, turtles, and whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, suitable for advanced levels

Mwahnd Pass (north):  3-30 meters (10-100 feet), dive the west side of the pass, a catamaran wreck is on the edge of the channel, crinoids, tree corals, and lots of sea whips and fans deep, rich macro life,  look for reef sharks, eagle rays, and Napoleon wrasses, current possible on the flood tide, suitable for advanced levels

Areu Wall (east):  34 meters (112 feet) maximum depth, located along the wall of the inner reef, good site for macro critters, sponges, sea squirts, anemones, soft corals, and reef tropicals, sea whips, and fans at middle depths, possible whitetip reef sharks and barracuda, strong currents possible at times, suitable for all levels

Joy (east): 37 meters (121 feet) maximum depth, in the bay channel south of Joy Island (Nahnningi Island) on the outside of the barrier reef, possible barracuda, turtles, and big manta rays, suitable for experienced levels

Ros (south): 5-40 meters (16-130 feet), east of Ros Island in the narrow pass, big schools of snappers, jacks, and barracuda are often there, and green turtles and mantas up to 40 at a time are also possible, suitable for experienced levels

Laiap Bridge (south):  34 meters (111 feet) maximum depth, a good spot for turtles, sharks, and pelagics especially on flood tides, suitable for experienced levels

Kehpara Wall (west):  6-37 meters (20-121 feet), located along the outer reef wall inside the Kehpara Marine Protected Area, highlights are sponges, gorgonians, tridacna clams, lobsters, jacks, groupers, wrasses, barracudas, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, and silvertip sharks, suitable for experienced levels

Dauahk Bridge (west): 36 meters (118 feet) maximum depth, highlights are huge schools of red and black snappers, and barracuda, eagle rays, and shoals of grey reef sharks, suitable for advanced levels

Pohnpei Resorts, Transportation, and Dive Shops

Transportation

Air – Pohnpei International Airport (PNI) near Kolonia is serviced by United Airlines which offers island hopper connections in each direction three days a week.  Nauru Airlines has weekly connections from Majuro which further connects to a number of destinations.  Air Niugini has flights from Port Moresby through Chuuk to Pohnpei.

Getting Around – There are no street names or addresses but there is only one main road going around the island so directions are not difficult.  Taxis are available and cheap.  Rental cars are also available.  Ask for details at the airport or through your hotel.  Roads are not always in great shape with many potholes and at night more than a few drivers are enjoying the narcotic effects of sakau, so caution is advised.  In Kolonia, the distances are all less than 3 kilometers (2 miles) so walking is often feasible.

For further transportation and tourist information, please check Wikitravel-Pohnpei.

Lodging and Dive Shops

There are only a few dive shops in Pohnpei but they do offer full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding, and boat dive cruises.  There are lodging options in the north starting at $38 per night.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Pohnpei Lodging

Things to do in Pohnpei (aside from scuba diving)

Cultural and historic sites along with the natural beauty of the sea and rainforests are truly intriguing.  Here are some activities and attractions to  check out:

Nan Madol (ancient city), Spanish Wall, hike to Sokeh’s Ridge and Sokeh’s Rock, Kepirohi Waterfall, Ant Atoll, Sokeh’s Rock, Mt. Pwesehn Malek, Liduduhniap Falls, Pilen Seleur Eel Pools, Pohnpaid Petroglyphs, surfing, kayaking, mangrove forests, Japanese relics, Peppermill (restaurant), Sei Restaurant, Jungle Bar, South Park Restaurant, Sakau en Pohnpei (kava, a narcotic beverage), Club Flamingo (only nightclub).

These two short videos are a nice introduction to what you have in store in Pohnpei.

Photography in Pohnpei

With the interesting undersea terrain, beautiful hard and soft corals, sea fans, a variety of fish, turtles, rays, sharks, scenic beaches, forests, waterfalls, and historical and cultural sites as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Pohnpei scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:   >>comments<<

Koh Lipe Reef – Thailand (Photo courtesy of Forra Diving – Day Tour and TripAdvisor)

Updated October 10, 2022

This is the one hundred and seventy-eighth in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is on Koh Lipe, Thailand.  In addition to this series on diving destinations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you been diving in Koh Lipe before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Koh Lipe Scuba Diving

Background

Koh Lipe, which means Paper Island, small at 2 kilometers x 1 kilometer, is located in the Strait of Malacca 70 kilometers (38 miles) off the coast of the southern tip of peninsular Thailand just north of the Malaysian border.

It is on the western edge of the largest nature reserve in Southeast Asia, the Tarutao Marine National Park.

On the far eastern side of the island near Sunrise Beach, there are several villages where 500 of the original indigenous people of Koh Lipe, the Chao Ley, or Sea Gypsies live.

Elsewhere, tourism is a huge business which at times results in water shortages and waste disposal problems.

Undersea World

The dive sites accessible from Koh Lipe encompass over 30 islands and as part of the long-protected marine park, the reefs are in excellent condition.  There is great biodiversity on granite-based reefs with lots of soft and hard corals, and a variety of gorgonians and sponges including large barrel sponges.  Most of the sites are shallow fringing reefs suitable for all levels but there is more challenging topography including some richly encrusted current-bathed pinnacles.

The islands are home to a vast array of macro critters, reef tropicals, and megafauna that includes this list:  squid, cuttlefish, octopus, seahorses, nudibranchs, mantis shrimps, morays, crabs, banded cleaner shrimp, peacock flounders, ghost pipefish, flatworms, spiny lobsters, cowries, sea moths, lionfish, scorpionfish, snake eels, stonefish, sea kraits, angelfish, batfish, boxfish, butterflyfish, damselfish, frogfish, yellowback fusiliers, blue-spotted stingrays, crocodilefish, barracuda, catsharks, nurse sharks, leopard sharks, marble rays, mobula rays, snappers, sweetlips, unicornfish, surgeonfish, wrasses, tuna, manta rays, and whale sharks.  There are locations in the park where there is also a possibility of dolphins, sperm and minke whales, and dugongs.  Be sure to take a look at the videos to get a taste of the diversity and condition of the sites.

Seasons and Conditions

Diving is possible all year in Koh Lipe.  The busiest season is when it is driest from November through April, especially around New Year.

• Air temperature average daily highs stay in a range of 31-34°C (88-93°F) all year.
• The dry season is from November through April.  From May through October it rains 18-23 days per month with the most brutal rains from August through October.  There are usually scattered showers rather than non-stop rain such that diving isn’t often interrupted for long.
• The water temperature at the surface is around 29-31°C (85-88°F) throughout the year.  Most divers will never need something thicker than a 3mm wetsuit.
• Currents are generally mild but strong at times in some locations based mainly on tidal flows.  Seas can be rough when it is raining and at times during the dry season due to seasonal east-to-west winds.  Westside sites are more protected at that time.
• Visibility ranges from 5-30 meters (16-100 feet) but most of the time will be better than 15 meters (50 feet).
• There are sites suitable for all levels of divers from beginner to advanced levels.  8 or more dive shops can provide a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.  PADI, SSI, SDI, and CMAS are all represented.

Liveaboard Diving

None of the major liveaboard yachts travel to Koh Lipe.  However, there are quite a few that cruise sites in the Andaman Sea on the west side of Thailand.  Here are several with links for booking and details:

 

MV Deep Andaman Queen, Similans, and Andaman Sea Liveaboards – Check the Price & Details

MV Pawara, Similans, and Andaman Sea Liveaboards – Check the Price & Details

Merdeka 3, Southern Andaman Sea Liveaboards – Check the Price & Details

Here are my reviews for dive sites in Malaysia, the Andaman Sea, and the Gulf of Thailand:

• Langkawi Scuba Diving Malaysia
• Kuching Diving Sarawak Malaysia
• Scuba Diving Kota Kinabalu
• Diving Redang Island Malaysia
• Scuba Diving Malaysia La Buan Wrecks
• Best Perhentian Islands Holidays Scuba Diving
• Tioman Island Scuba Diving Review
• Best Dive Resorts Malaysia – Layang Layang & Lankayan Island Borneo
• Best Sipadan Scuba Dive Resorts
• Best Scuba Diving Cambodia
• Scuba Diving Koh Chang Thailand
• Chumphon Scuba Diving Thailand
• Best Scuba Diving Pattaya Thailand
• Best Koh Tao Thailand Diving
• Scuba Diving Khao Lak Thailand
• Best Scuba Diving Phuket Thailand Liveaboards
• Best Scuba Diving Thailand Liveaboards
• Best Scuba Diving Burma Liveaboards

Dive Sites Map courtesy of Sabye Sports Dive Adventures Thailand and TripAdvisor

Selected Koh Lipe Dive Sites

Koh Usen: 5-25 meters (16-82 feet), a small island off the southern end of Sunrise Beach, Koh Lipe, rocky slope with large coral bommies, sea fans, and barrel sponges, look for macro critters and highlight marine life like flying gurnards, stick pipefish, mantis shrimp, octopus, morays, pufferfish, boxfish, schools of surgeonfish and fusiliers, gentle to strong current possible, suitable for all levels

Stonehenge: 5-25 meters (16-82 feet), a range of granite pinnacles reminiscent of the famous Druid ruins, lots of soft corals, gorgonians, red anemones, and barrel sponges providing habitat for nudibranchs, frogfish, ornate pipefish, lionfish, morays, batfish, barracuda, jacks, leopard sharks, and possibly whale sharks, mild to strong current possible, suitable for all levels

8 Mile Rock:  16-50 meters (52-164 feet), 8 miles (13 kilometers) south of Koh Lipe, several pinnacles peaking at 16 meters (52 feet), rich invertebrate growth with portions covered in anemones and sun corals, a variety of macro critters like scorpionfish, lionfish, morays, and ornate ghost pipefish to go with pelagics like sailfish, barracuda, and jacks, giant groupers, leopard sharks, and possibly manta and mobula rays, and whale sharks, mild to strong currents bring nutrients for feeders, during the biggest tidal drift currents may be too strong and visibility poor, suitable for advanced divers

Koh Yang South:  5-30 meters (16-100 feet), diverse subsea terrain with shallow sheltered bays, steep rocky walls, deeper are large boulders, lots of soft corals, look for pipefish, shrimps, sea kraits, porcupine puffers, butterflyfish, spiny lobsters, and juvenile angelfish, mild currents, suitable for all levels

Yong Hua Wreck:  30-45 meters (100-148 feet), 75-meter (246-foot) fish processor that sank in a fire more than a decade ago, resting on her port side, encrusting gorgonians and soft corals are developing, look for scorpionfish, lionfish, groupers, big schools of barracuda, jacks, and tuna, mild to strong currents, suitable for experienced divers

Sail Rock:  5-18 meters (16-60 feet), undersea ridge parallel to the south coast of Koh Butang, lots of hard corals and sponges, nooks and crannies house nudibranchs, banded boxer shrimp, and flatworms, other highlights include pufferfish, schools of batfish, stingrays, and hawksbill turtles, mild to strong currents possible, suitable for all levels

Koh Pung: 5-35 meters (16-115 feet), in the channel between Koh Butang and Koh Rawi, rich diversity, rocky terrain with big coral bommies, sea fans, and purple and white soft corals, macro critters like seahorses, lots of reef tropicals, turtles, mild to strong currents possible, suitable for advanced divers

Koh Adang-Hin Yai (Huge Rocks):  5-30 meters (16-100 feet), on the west coast of Koh Adang, terrain of gigantic boulders encrusted with purple, white, and pink soft corals, coral bommies, tube corals, and sea whips,  look for marble rays and nurse sharks underneath, juvenile emperor angelfish, clown triggerfish, sponge snails, mild to strong current possible, very fast drift is possible, suitable for advanced divers

Things to Do in Koh Lipe (aside from scuba diving)

Many sites and activities on the small island of Koh Lipe take advantage of the sea and scenic landscape.  There is a significant tourist infrastructure and nightlife, though not on the wild side like some of the other destinations in Thailand.

Here are some of the highlights to check out:  Sunrise on Sunrise Beach, Yoga Class, Environmental Trash Clean-up, Bioluminescent Plankton Tour, Koh Adong Day Trip & Beach, Hike to Koh Lipe Viewpoint or Pirate Waterfall, Sea Kayaking, Art Garden Batik Workshop, Visit the Temple, Walking Street, Sunset Beach, Massage on the Beach, Nightlife at Pattaya Beach, OMG! Sports Bar, Long Boat Island Tour, Maya Bar, Fire Show, Souvenirs, Sangsom Cocktail at Sea La Vie, Thai Seafood Dishes.

This video is a brief introduction to some of what awaits.

Koh Lipe Transportation, Hotels, & Diving Services

Transportation

• Air Asia and Nok Air both have at least daily flights from Bangkok to Hat Yai Airport.  From there both offer an island transfer service that includes a bus to the port and the ferry to Koh Lipe.
• A variety of boats are available from many of the ports and popular islands in the Andaman Sea in Thailand and Langkawi in Malaysia during the high/dry season from November to May.  During the low/wet season when seas are rougher the only ferries are coming from the port at Pak Bara.
• For getting around to the other local islands boats can be rented and tours arranged.
• Reasonably priced motorcycle taxis (with sidecars) are available to take you around the island.
• A few resorts have cars.
• No motorcycles or cars are for rent but bicycles are available.
• Most distances can be covered by walking.

For additional transportation and tourist details, especially regarding detailed boat transfer information, go to Wikitravel-Koh Lipe.

Hotels and Diving

In Koh Lipe, there are more than 100 lodging options running from $9-$437 per night, and at last count 10 dive shops are in operation, most located within or associated with hotels.  They offer a full range of services that include equipment rental, diving certification classes from beginner through tech-rec, dive guides, and boat tours.  PADI, SSI, SDI, and CMAS are all represented.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking for the lodging.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on their site.  The rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Koh Lipe Lodging

Photography in Koh Lipe

With the interesting underwater terrain, encrusting reef life, a variety of fish, macro critters, mantas, whale sharks, and interesting shoreside targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and give scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on scuba diving in Koh Lipe interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated May 13, 2023

This is the sixteenth in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Malapascua, Cebu, Philippines.

In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard dive locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards / Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Malapascua before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Best Diving in Malapascua

Background

Malapascua Island is situated off the far northern tip of Cebu Island in the central Philippines.  On Christmas Day in 1520, Spanish sailors encountered bad weather and found themselves broken down on this particular island.  It was a pretty bad Christmas day for them there.  Roughly, in Cebuano, bad Christmas translates as Malapascua.  A little bit later, on April 27, 1521, Magellan had a bad day, too, down on Mactan Island (near Cebu City, today) when Chief Lapu Lapu and his men killed him.

Undersea World

Today lots of divers come to Malapascua in search of a good time scuba diving, primarily by watching the usually very shy thresher sharks at as shallow a depth as 20 meters (68 feet).  In the early morning, they frequently come up from the deep for small reef fish to relieve them of irritating parasites.  The site at nearby Monad Shoal is perhaps the most reliable place in the world to see them, sometimes at a distance of 5-10 meters (15-35 feet).  At the same time, manta rays may also appear.

Kimud Shoal is also nearby where hammerheads are often spotted.  Other highlight areas are Chocolate and Calangaman Islands and Gato Island where you can see nurse, whitetip reef, and bamboo sharks.

Other sites can boast devil and eagle rays, turtles, and rich hard and soft coral areas that host sea horses, frogfish, mandarin fish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, ghost pipefish, and other great smaller critters that macro photographers crave.

In addition, you can visit an awesome cave and four wreck sites, including the MV Dona Marilyn, where 389 people died in the 1988 tragedy.  In all, there are more than 30 dive sites.

Seasons

Diving is good year-round.

The best time to spot hammerhead sharks at Kimud Shoal is from December to April.

Mantas appear more often during the plankton bloom in December and January.

Heavy rain, winds, and typhoons, which are prevalent in much of the Philippines, usually by-pass Malapascua, however, they did suffer significant typhoon damage in November 2013 and the typhoons have been more prevalent in recent years. It rains a bit in most months of the year.

Air and Water Temperature

Water temperature is 27-30°C (80-86°F) most of the time.  From December to February, it can drop to 25°C (77°F).

Average air temperatures are warm year-round in a range of 27-30°C (80-86°F).

Visibility

The best visibility is from June to September at 15-30 meters (50-100 feet).  It can dip to the 5-10 meter (16-35 foot) range during the plankton bloom in December and January.

Selected Popular Malapascua Dive Sites

Monad Shoal – 20 meter (68 foot) sunken shoal, thresher shark cleaning station, manta rays, mobulas, barracuda, snappers, lionfish, macro critters including nudibranchs, mantis shrimp, and pygmy seahorses, occasional strong drift on the full moon, 10-15 meter (35-50 foot) visibility usually, experienced level

Dona Marilyn Wreck – 98 meter (325 foot) ferry sunk in 1998, lying on the starboard side, 18-35 meters (60-115 feet) deep, port side covered in soft corals, blue-spotted stingrays, eagle rays, and whitetip reef sharks possible, sweetlips, batfish, scorpionfish, nudibranchs, urchin crabs, colemani shrimp, possible strong currents, visibility 10-20 meters, experienced level

Gato Island – 3-27 meters (10-90 feet), big rocks with soft corals, tunnel and swim-throughs, bamboo and whitetip reef sharks, banded sea snakes, nudibranchs, harlequin ghost pipefish, pygmy seahorses, and other macro critters, usually mild current, open water level

Mogami Maru – WWII Japanese wreck in 50 meters (170 feet), upright, ammunition still inside, tech dive

Lighthouse – 8-10 meters (25-35 feet), the chance of spawning mandarin fish, seahorses, big crabs, many varieties of shrimp, bobtail squid, banded pipefish, blue-ringed octopus, common octopus, juvenile sweetlips, banded sea snakes, frogfish, no current, great night dive, open water level

Calangaman Island – 5-40 meters (16-135 feet), wall, lots of hard and soft corals, black coral, fan corals with pygmy seahorses, long nose hawkfish, sea moths, nudibranchs, frogfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, orangutan crab, spotted garden eel, possible thresher sharks, no current, open water level, unless deep

Bantigue – 5-15 meters (16-50 feet), coral garden washed away by Typhoon Yolanda, now a sandy bottom with coral sections, muck area, sea moths, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, flying gurnards, dragonets, lionfish, black pitted snake eel, banded snake eel, helmet crab, porcelain crab, devil fish, blue-ringed octopus, no current, 10-20 meters (35-68 feet), open water level

Kimud Shoal – to 40 meters (135 feet), smaller plateau than Monad Shoal, possible schooling hammerhead sharks and threshers from February to April in cooler water, 15-30 meters (50-100 feet) visibility, no current, advanced level

Lapus Lapus – 8-25 meters (16-83 feet), best coral garden in the area, overhang, rock formation to 20 meters (68 feet), rich soft corals, lots of reef fish, frogfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, and nudibranchs, 10-20 meter (35-68 feet) visibility, possible strong current, open water to advanced level

Deep Rock – 16-26 meters (52-87 feet), 20-meter wide (68 feet) rock rich with soft and hard corals, pygmy seahorses, frogfish, nudibranchs, batfish, cuttlefish, zebra crabs, dragonets, pipefish, juvenile sweetlips, various shrimp, lionfish, 10-25 (35-83 feet) meter visibility, possible strong current, open water level

Malapascua Liveaboard Diving

Currently, three of the major liveaboard yachts cruising the Philippines make trips to Malapascua.  Seadoors is one of the three.

Seadoors, Malapascua Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price  

For my reviews of Malapascua liveaboard diving, click these popular articles:

• Best Liveaboard Scuba Diving Philippines (Malapascua and the Visayas)
• Best Diving Philippines Visayas Liveaboards

For my reviews of other liveaboards and resort diving in the Philippines, please check these titles:

• Scuba Diving Romblon Philippines
• Scuba Diving Camiguin Philippines Review
• Scuba Diving Siquijor Island Philippines Review
• Scuba Diving Dumaguete Philippines Review
• Philippines Puerto Princesa Scuba Diving Review
• Best Liveaboard Scuba Diving Philippines (Malapascua and the Visayas)
• Best Liveaboard Diving – Tubbataha Reefs National Park
• Best Coron Wrecks & Apo Reef Liveaboards
• Best Scuba Diving Philippines Subic Bay Wrecks 
• Best Diving Bohol Philippines – Panglao Island Resorts
• Best Scuba Diving Puerto Galera Philippines
• Best Scuba Diving Holidays Boracay Philippines
• Philippines Best Diving Mactan Island
• Best Philippines Diving Bacuit Bay El Nido
• Best Diving Philippines Anilao Batangas
• Best Diving Reviews Anda Bohol

Malapascua Island Resorts

There are also a number of resorts and hotels there in the 2-3 star range.  Many of them are equipped with dive shops.  Otherwise, there are several quality diving operations nearby.  This website is a good source for the available options and can arrange a booking:

• Malapascua Island Resorts

It is suggested to ask your hotel to advise you on arrangements from the airport on Mactan Island to Malapascua.  They can help organize the most comfortable means.

Malapascua Photo Opportunities

With the macro life, beautiful, diverse coral reef, and lots of fish, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of diving cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Malapascua scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving there.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated October 3, 2022

This is the ninety-eighth in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is on Papua New Guinea. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Papua New Guinea before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What liveaboard or dive shop did you use?  What are the best dive spots and the conditions there like the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Papua New Guinea Scuba Diving

Background

42,000-45,000 years ago Africans were the first settlers in New Guinea.  Today with a landmass of 452,860 square kilometers (174,850 square miles), the “Independent State of Papua New Guinea” is the least explored region by outsiders with serious speculation that there are still several small civilizations of people as yet undiscovered.  It is a country of 8,000,000 with at least 851 languages representing the most cultural diversity for a population in the world.

Papuans developed agriculture 7,000 years ago and traditional subsistence farming is still the economic staple for most of the 82% of the citizens who live rurally.  The rugged highlands and rain forests are rich in minerals, natural gas, and replenishable resources, and since 2006 GDP has been growing at greater than a 6% clip.

Unfortunately, law and order are not well maintained at times and that has a negative effect on everything.

Intriguing fauna related to that in Australia is on the main island.  (The outer islands were never linked by land to the main island.)  There are a number of active volcanoes and majestic mountains like Mount Wilhelm at 4,509 meters (14,793 feet) which receives snowfall in winter, as well as stunning beaches on the shoreline.

Traditional headhunting and cannibalism that New Guinea is famous for are reported to have disappeared by the early 20^th century and today 96% are Christians.

Primary education is common and another modernizing influence for the still very traditional people.

English is the official language, though it is not widely spoken.  There are a couple of commonly used pidgin languages including Tok Pisin which is related to English.

Australian and English-inspired organized sports have a degree of popularity with rugby league at number one.  It is suggested that traditional tribal warfare has been abated or replaced to a degree because of this.  Other sports played include Australian Rules football, association football, rugby union, and cricket.

For detailed demographic, historical, and cultural information on Papua New Guinea, go here:  Papua New Guinea – Wikipedia 

Undersea World

Part of the coral triangle, Papua New Guinea has excellent biodiversity on a variety of pristine, healthy reefs, from barrier reefs, walls, pinnacles, and coral gardens, to a large number of WWII airplanes and shipwrecks that are accessible even to near novice divers.

Many great muck diving sites are also available to the macro photographer’s delight.  Highlights include a variety of exotic frogfish, scorpionfish, seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs, anemone shrimp, crabs, lobster, cuttlefish, octopus, and many other invertebrates.  There is an equal diversity of reef fish like clown triggerfish, trumpetfish, moray eels, and large schools of yellowback fusiliers, black snappers, and surgeonfish.  And then there are the pelagics and bigger creatures that include whitetip, blacktip, and grey reef sharks, silvertip, hammerhead, and whale sharks, dugongs, dolphins, whales, eagle, and manta rays, dogtooth tuna, turtles, and big schools of rainbow runners, jacks and barracuda.

Seasons and Conditions

Diving is good all year.

It is always quite warm with air temperature daily averages of around 24-25°C (75-77°F).

Water temperatures go from 23-31°C (74-88°F).  Most divers would need no thicker than 5 mm of protection when the water is at its coolest.

It rains significantly every month with a wetter time from December to March, which may affect the visibility some.

The range for visibility is 20-45 meters (68-150 feet) with the best from May to November.  If you are diving in a muck area or around mangroves it will likely put the visibility at the low end of the range.

Most sites do not have much current, but in some areas, there is the possibility of more.  Check with your dive guide.

There are sites suitable for all levels of diver.

The available dive shops can offer a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.  Currently, five major liveaboard yachts also cruise Papua New Guinea.  Check the details below.

Here is my review of Papua New Guinea liveaboards and links to several of the top-rated PNG liveaboard yachts:

• Papua New Guinea Liveaboard Diving

MV Febrina, Papua New Guinea Liveaboard – Check the Price & Details

Oceania, Papua New Guinea Liveaboard – Check the Price & Details

Selected Papua New Guinea Diving Sites

Port Moresby – the capital of the country, the gateway to the coral sea, a barrier reef, Nateara Reef is there, variety of sites inside and outside the lagoon, known for good macro diving, a number of wrecks

Milne Bay – located at the eastern tip of the main island, 400-600 islands in the bay, variety of sites, nice reefs, coral gardens, walls, muck diving, pygmy seahorses, unusual scorpionfish, manta rays, hammerheads, pelagics

Kimbe Bay – on New Britain Island, huge marine protected area, pristine corals, great biodiversity, variety of fish and invertebrates, gigantic sea fans, hammerhead, and silvertip sharks on the offshore reefs, Witu group of volcanic islands is reached from there

Rabaul – part of New Britain province, major Japanese base area during WWII, more than 50 ships sunk in the harbor, most covered from a volcanic eruption in 1944, 10 have been found and are regularly dived

Kavieng – at the remote northern tip of New Ireland, pristine reefs, strong current possible in the channels, large pelagics, schooling silvertip sharks, ship and plane wrecks, muck diving areas, too

Madang – reefs, wrecks, channels, underwater shoals, huge volcanic seamount, Planet Rock which tops at 5 meters (15 feet) and descends to 615 meters (2,000 feet), strong current possible, big schools of silvery jacks and reef fish

Tufi – numerous fjords, WWII wrecks, barracuda, hammerhead sharks, more than 30 sites

Papua New Guinea Photos

With the pristine coral reefs, wrecks, biodiversity including manta and eagle rays, turtles, a variety of sharks, dolphins, whales, macro critters, reef tropicals, and interesting onshore scenery, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Papua New Guinea Transportation, Lodging, and Dive Shops

Transportation

• Air – Jacksons International Airport is the country’s only international airport, in Port Moresby.  A number of Australian and Asian cities are served by Air Niugini, Airlines of Papua New Guinea, Pacific Blue, and Qantaslink. Domestic air service is available to most of the provincial capitals on Airlines of Papua New Guinea and Air Niugini.
• Sea – Several Liveaboards serve PNG.  Check the details above.  There are no international ferries landing in PPG.  Internal ferries run between Madang, Lae, and Port Moresby on the main island and Kieta, Rabaul, and Kimbe on the islands.  Shipping lines also provide several trips a week for passengers hopping between cities.  For local transportation, banana boats can be hired.
• Land – Entry by car from West Papua is possible, but you will need to have a visa in hand, which you can arrange at the consulate in Jayapura, Indonesia.  The road network isn’t very extensive.  The passage can be arranged on PMVs (public motor vehicles) with the locals.  Ask your hotel for information.

For a few more details on transportation logistics, please click here:  Wikioyage – Papua New Guinea

Lodging and Dive Shops

There are hotels in all the cities, towns, and resort areas where there are dive shops.   The shops offer full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding, and boat dive cruises.  The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking.  Each of the links is for a particular area where there are dive operations.  Many of the hotels also have an in-house dive shop.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on the site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Tufi Dive Resort
• Tawali Dive and Leisure Resort & Alotau Resorts
• Walindi Plantation Resort & Kimbe Resorts
• Rabaul Resorts
• Madang Resorts
• Port Moresby Resorts

Things to Do in Papua New Guinea (aside from scuba diving)

The pristine natural environment of mountains, forests, rivers, and the seaside of PPG is unmatched.  Cross-cultural interaction with the mostly very friendly local people in their villages is often welcome.  There are also many historic and wartime sites and relics of interest.  These are excellent options to explore.  Logistics can be an obstacle.  Once you decide on where you plan to do your diving, I suggest getting some advice from the people at your hotel on the local options.

These videos can give you a feel for the country and its attractions.

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Papua New Guinea scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know about your diving experience or concerns.  Have you ever been diving in Papua New Guinea?  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<