A Stunning Paradise & Diving Heaven！5 Reasons You Must Visit Yap Island

▲ Five Must-Go Reasons for Yap Island！(Photo / Ah Biao)

Text & Photos /Ah Biao

Last year, I went on a self-guided diving trip to Guam and Yap Island. Many people weren’t familiar with Yap, so they asked me why I wanted to dive there. Well, here are five must-go reasons—Up～

Reason 1: Because It’s Famous

Yap Island has been selected as one of the world’s top ten diving spots by Skin Diver Magazine, and also ranked among the world’s top ten “big stuff” dive sites by ScubaDiving. There are so many dive sites in the world, and starting with a list of top recommendations is a great approach. The first time I saw so many huge mantas flying around me, the shock was beyond words. It’s no exaggeration to say that Yap is a diving paradise.

Reason 2: Because It’s Simple

Diving in Yap is very easy—all dives are boat dives, and the currents are not strong. Even cave penetrations don’t require advanced skills, unlike Sipadan’s Turtle Tomb, which is full of maze-like traps. For divers of all skill levels, Yap offers a safe and enjoyable underwater world.

(Can you tell this is a fish? He's so low-key.)

Reason 3: Because It’s Thrilling

When diving in Yap, mantas keep coming, sometimes even in groups. And if you ever get tired of seeing mantas (such luxury!), you can also spot sharks—they’re everywhere and super easy to find. Sometimes you’ll see several, including species like white-tip sharks, nurse sharks, grey reef sharks, blacktip sharks, hammerheads, tiger sharks, silver tips, oceanic whitetips, and even whale sharks (though I didn’t see all of them). There are big creatures and plenty of small ones too. Plus, since the manta dives are in just a few meters of water, you can stay underwater for over fifty minutes—that’s really thrilling.

Reason 4: Because It’s Not Crowded

This place is really pristine, with very few tourists, so you won’t feel like you’re diving in a crowded night market. In fact, during my diving days, I only encountered another group once—and they were just two people. Our group had six (including two dive guides), and that was it!! Almost every dive felt like having the entire ocean to ourselves, which was amazing. Also, because there are fewer divers, the marine life is unafraid and quite curious—sea turtles even check out GoPros that get close to their noses. Due to the low number of visitors, over 50% of the coral reefs remain unexplored, earning it the title “World Class Diving’s Best Kept Secret.”

Reason 5: You Can Dive All Year Round

Yap Island is suitable for diving all year, making it extremely convenient for trip planning. The manta mating season runs from December to April—the time when they appear most densely—but mantas can be spotted year-round, as can sharks. In fact, some dive shops guarantee shark sightings on every dive outside the Manta Bathhouse site.

With such amazing diving in Yap, come on over～

Read More >>>>>> Introduction to Yap Island 　

Ah Biao
Let travel open one magical door after another, and take us soaring together~