Yap
Yap is an island located in Micronesia and is one of the Federated States of Micronesia.
Cities
Understand
The island is famous for its stone money, which is rather large and cannot easily be moved. The island was opened for tourism in 1989 and has seen a good amount of tourists visiting, especially for the scuba diving and to catch a glimpse of the traditional micronesian island culture. Skin Diver Magazine has called Yap "the most interesting island in Micronesia" and gives Yap the honor of being one of the magazines top 3 dive sites.
The state of Yap consists of 134 islands and atolls. Twenty two of these are populated, stretching across an excess of 100,000 square miles in total area. Yap's main island is made up of four high volcanic islands, accounting for 38 of Yap’s approximate total 50 square miles of land area. The main island of Yap is where the state capital and commercial center, Colonia, is located. Most of the outer islands stretching approxmiately 600 miles east of Yap Island are coral atolls. These atolls are sparsely populated by people different from the Yapese in both culture and language.
- The US dollar is the official currency in Yap, and Micronesia.
- Standard 110 volt and the same US type outlets are used on Yap.
- Visas are not required for tourists staying 30 days or fewer. Travelers must have a valid Passport and/or documentation of Citizenship. All visitors to Yap must have an onward or return ticket. Entry authorization for stays greater than 30 days must be obtained in advance from Immigration and Labor, FSM National Government, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FSM 96941.
- Time Zone: (GMT + 10) - Yap shares the same time zone as Sydney, Australia. Yap is one hour ahead of Tokyo, Japan.
Holidays
- Yap Day - Observed in first week of March Annually.
- FSM Constitution Day – May 10
- UN Day – October 24
- FSM Independence Day – November 3
- Yap State Constitution Day – December 24
Talk
Yapese, Ulithian, Woleian and Satawalese are the island's official languages (all of which are indigenous), but English is also spoken by many of the locals and travelers will have no problem getting by knowing little if any of the indigenous langauges. Many of the elderly Yapese people are fluent in the Japanese language as well.
Get in
Contenental Air Lines offers flights to Yap a few times a week. Many visitors to Yap make it a stop over on the way to Palau.
Get around
Taxis are plentiful in Colonia, and travelers are free to use the public bus system in Colonia to get around. These busses are often used to transport students and government workers and run between Colonia and the outer villages in early mornings and evenings.
While on Yap, visitors may charter boats to the outlying Islands, which can be taken care of at a variety of places on the island.
See
- On the island of Yap there are quite a few villages, as well as endless beaches and places to learn about the unique island life.
- The outer reefs around Yap are full of other aquatic life, and they attract divers from all corners of the globe.
- Official Tourist Guide
- Visit Yap, The Mysterious Land of Stone Money
Do
- scuba dive looking for Manta Rays.
- surf the islands legendary waves.
- take a cultural tour and check out the local island life.
Sleep
- Manta Ray Bay Hotel. =>. One of the larger hotels on Yap. Here you can make arrangements to scuba dive, and view the Manta Rays that the waters around the island are famous for.
- Trader's Ridge Resort. =>. The hotel is on the site of the original pre-war Japanese command post.
- ESA Bayview Hotel. => A family owned and operated hotel located in the heart of Colonia.
Get out
From Yap you can make the journey by boat or plane to Palau or to the other nearby islands of Micronesia.
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