TRAVEL

Part of the Caroline Islands in the Western Pacifc Ocean, Yap is the westernmost state of the Federated States of Micronesia and is said to be the most traditional of the four states. Frances Valintine pays a visit to one of the world’s last tourist-free destinations.

My Continental Airlines flight from Guam to Yap had been short but the journey to Guam from Auckland had been a stop-start experience punctuated by long delays between connecting flights, including a layover in Guam. It was very clear to me as I disembarked into the balmy evening heat, that Yap is a place for the intrepid traveller who can deal with adversity and challenge.

A handful of passengers stepped off the 737 with me while a four-wheel drive vehicle backed up beside us to remove the few bags that collectively arrived with us. The majority of the passengers remained on board the plane awaiting the continuation of their flight to Palau, which is seen as the tourist mecca within Micronesia.

My fellow travellers were a mix of locals returning from shopping trips to Guam, Yapese students returning from international schools and a couple of tourists from the US who were there for the famous diving opportunities that enabled them to swim amongst giant manta rays in the crystal clear waters of the Mi’il or the Gofnuw channels.

I was soon left standing alongside the two Americans who were awaiting the arrival of their diving gear. We stood together nervously looking at the now empty wooden table propped up on one corner that had been used to stack the luggage from the plane. Gone were the overstuffed boxes of canned food and perishables, the boxed electronics and the bulging suitcases strapped tight with rope and tape. Gone were the relatives collecting family as they set off with tales of shopping, big cars and fast living. Most importantly, gone was my bag and the diving gear destined for the two divers waiting with me.
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