Things to do in Micronesia, Federated States of

25 things to do in Micronesia, Federated States of

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Scuba dive the WWII wrecks of Truk Lagoon

  Descend into a vast underwater museum where over 60 Japanese warships and aircraft, sunk during Operation Hailstone in 1944, lie eerily preserved, encrusted with corals and teeming with marine life.

  Chuuk State

• Explore the ancient stone city of Nan Madol

  Wander through the ruins of a mysterious 13th-century ceremonial centre built on 92 artificial islets, connected by a network of canals, with massive basalt log walls rising from the lagoon.

  Pohnpei

• Swim with manta rays in Mi'il Channel

  Glide alongside graceful reef manta rays as they perform barrel-roll feeding dances in the strong currents of this channel during the winter months, a world-class marine encounter.

  Yap

• See traditional stone money in Yap

  View the enormous rai stones, some over 3 metres in diameter, still used for major transactions and symbolizing wealth, scattered in village men’s houses and along pathways.

  Colonia, Yap

• Hike to Kepirohi Waterfall

  Follow a short jungle path to a 20-metre cascade plunging into a cool, swimmable pool, surrounded by lush ferns and tropical blooms near Nan Madol.

  Pohnpei

• Snorkel in the Blue Hole of Kosrae

  Float above a vertical limestone sinkhole that drops over 30 metres, its walls encrusted with colourful corals and patrolled by reef sharks, accessible from a shallow entrance on the fringing reef.

  Kosrae

• Paddle through the mangroves of Utwe-Walung Marine Park

  Glide silently across a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve’s emerald waterways, navigating tunnels of mangrove canopy alive with herons, fruit bats and mudskippers.

  Kosrae

• Visit the Lelu Island ruins

  Stroll among the overgrown basalt walls, royal tombs and platforms of this 14th-century chiefdom capital, a counterpart to Nan Madol, set on a small island off Kosrae’s coast.

  Kosrae

• Surf the legendary break at Palikir Pass

  Paddle into a heaving left-hand reef break that delivers long, barrelling waves ridden by legends of the sport, but only for experienced surfers who respect the power of this remote spot.

  Pohnpei

• Attend a traditional Yapese dance performance

  Watch men in grass skirts and women in vibrant hibiscus skirts move in synchronised, storytelling chants and rhythms during a village feast, often accompanied by bamboo pole percussion.

  Yap

• Visit the Tamilyog Traditional Navigation Canoe House

  Examine a hand-carved outrigger canoe and learn about the star-compass techniques that enabled Micronesian voyagers to sail open ocean centuries before Western instruments.

  Colonia, Yap

• Climb Sokehs Rock

  Trek up a steep volcanic pinnacle for a panoramic view of Kolonia harbour and the fringing reef, passing Japanese WWII gun emplacements and observation posts en route.

  Pohnpei

• Kayak to the Rock Islands of Pohnpei

  Launch a sea kayak from Kolonia and weave between tiny forested islets and coral heads, stopping to snorkel in crystal-clear lagoons teeming with colourful reef fish.

  Pohnpei

• Discover WWII Japanese bunkers and caves in Kolonia

  Crawl into hillside tunnels and pillboxes built during the Japanese mandate, some still holding rusted machinery and offering a tangible, haunting link to the Pacific War.

  Kolonia, Pohnpei

• Eat fresh sashimi at the Kolonia Public Market

  Buy just-caught yellowfin tuna sliced to order by local vendors, seasoned with soy and wasabi, and eat it on the spot while watching fishing boats unload.

  Kolonia, Pohnpei

• Participate in a sakau ceremony at a nakamal

  Sit cross-legged in a thatched meetinghouse and accept a coconut shell cup of the sedative kava-like drink, poured with ritualistic claps, and feel the numbness spread.

  Pohnpei

• Birdwatch for the Micronesian kingfisher in Pohnpei's upland forest

  Spot this critically endangered cinnamon-and-azure kingfisher in the high canopy of the island’s pristine watershed, one of the rarest birds in the Pacific.

  Pohnpei

• Dive with sharks at Shark City in Chuuk Lagoon

  Descend to a seamount where dozens of grey reef sharks school in the blue, joined by barracuda, jacks and eagle rays, making for an adrenaline-packed drift dive.

  Chuuk State

• Explore the lava tubes and caves of Yap

  Crawl through dark volcanic tunnels formed by ancient basalt flows, some used as WWII hideouts, others revealing prehistoric pottery shards, guided by a local elder.

  Yap

• Visit the Yap State Museum

  Handle replicas of rai stones, examine traditional fishing implements and see ethnographic displays explaining the caste system and the art of dancing, housed in a modest building in Colonia.

  Colonia, Yap

• Hike to the summit of Mount Nanlaud

  Climb Pohnpei’s highest peak through muddy, mossy rainforest to reach a cloud-shrouded summit providing glimpses of the entire island and its encircling reef on clear days.

  Pohnpei

• Float in the Tinuw Salt Water River

  Drift down a unique tropical river where freshwater springs meet the ocean, creating a stratified layer of cool fresh water over warm salt water, perfect for a lazy inner-tube ride.

  Kosrae

• Learn Micronesian star-navigation with a master navigator

  Spend an afternoon on the beach learning to identify navigational stars and swell patterns from a traditional wayfinder, a tradition that once spanned the entire Pacific.

  Yap

• Dive the pristine Minto Reef

  Take a long boat ride to one of Micronesia’s most remote and untouched coral reefs, where massive schools of bigeye trevally, sharks and turtles circle an isolated atoll.

  Pohnpei State

• See giant clams at the Marine and Environmental Research Institute of Pohnpei

  Walk through tubs where foot-long Tridacna clams are grown to repopulate reefs, and learn about mangrove ecology and sea turtle conservation at this working research centre.

  Kolonia, Pohnpei