Fishing doesn't get any better than on Yap and locals are proud of their prolific
waters and fishing traditions. Schools of tuna, mahi, wahoo and reef fish abound
offering great sport and even better BBQ's. Yap has also come to be recognized
as one of the world's great dive destinations. The manta rays of Yap have become
as famous as the WWII wrecks of Truk Lagoon and attract increasing numbers of
divers from across the world each year. The huge variety of marine life, clear
waters and deep drop-offs also provide plenty of big fish and shark action to
stir a diver's adrenaline and keep photographers busy. Good snorkeling is available
in the lagoons and on the fringing coral reefs. Snorkelers can also be taken
by boat to swim among the mantas in the channels where they regularly play in
shallow surface water and, like dolphins, enjoy the extra attention.
History: Yap is situated in the Western Carolines, between Guam and
Palau. It is off the main tourist routes and made up of four main islands, Yap
Proper, Tomil-Gagil, Map, and Rumung, as well as another120 islands that stretch
nearly 600 miles east across the Pacific. Most of the outer islands are coral
atolls and are sparsely populated by islanders with a different culture and
language from the Yapese. Four indigenous languages, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian
and Satawalese are spoken, with English as the official language.
The town of Colonia on Yap Proper is the capital and while it is much more
of an urban centre than the village areas and outer islands it still retains
the character of the Yapese village lifestyle. The four adjoining islands that
make up Yap Proper have a distinct landscape of rolling hills and lowlands covered
in dense vegetation with coastal areas made up of mangrove, white sand beaches
and offshore reefs, quite distinct from the outer islands which are classic
coral atolls with a single fringing reef.
Because of its location far from the established trade routes, Yap was only
slightly affected by the Spanish colonization of Micronesia in the 1500s, or
by the German occupation from the late 1800s to the start of WWI and the Japanese
occupation from then until their defeat at the end of WWII. The American presence
and administration up until independence in 1986 has had the greatest influence,
largely because of technological advances in communication and the ability of
the islanders to be able to travel to the US for education, business and leisure.
This intimate retreat of 20 rooms and two grand suites is styled in 1880s Victorian architecture and offers the amenities of a 5-star hotel.
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