Micronesia

Arrive in Yap in the early hours of the morning and transfer to the hotel to rest before gathering for a late morning briefing and lunch. This afternoon, snorkelers head for nearby calm waters to test equipment for best fit and comfort while divers depart for a check-out dive. Gather with fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail this evening.

After breakfast, take a speed boat to Manta Ridge, a 30-foot ridge of coral that straddles Mi'l Channel. Conditions permitting, enjoy a drift snorkel as the tidal current allows easy access for manta rays to glide in and out of the lagoon. The area is also popular with white-tip and gray reef sharks, as well as schools of jacks and black snappers.

Spend the morning snorkeling at Blue Holes. Named for the sandy holes in Tomil Lagoon, they contain large hard coral outcrops and are often surrounded by fields of staghorn coral. Stingrays are often found resting in some of the shallower holes. In the afternoon, explore the small town of Colonia and take a cultural excursion to learn how the Yapese have surpassed the rest of Micronesia in preserving their ancient culture. Stroll through a traditional Yapese village and learn about the history, and modern-day life, of the Yapese people.

After breakfast at the hotel, board our charter flight to Palau, which includes a sightseeing tour over the Rock Islands for stunning aerial views of the verdant limestone islets. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch before embarking on our first of many underwater activities.

In the true spirit of exploration, daily activities are determined based on current weather and tide conditions to ensure we visit the best sites at the most ideal times. The following is a sampling of locations we hope to experience:

Rock Islands
Board a covered speed boat and enjoy gorgeous tropical scenery en route to Palau’s geologically fascinating Rock Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jellyfish Lake
Take a short hike through lush forest to the world-famous Jellyfish Lake. Snorkel among thousands of melon-sized jellyfish (if present) and learn about their relations with symbiotic algae. Swimming alongside these pulsating creatures as they follow the movement of the sun is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

German Channel
During the German occupation of Palau, this channel was blasted and dredged to connect the inner lagoon of Angur Island to the open ocean. Explore these nutrient-rich waters that flow into the channel with the tide as they attract manta rays, schools of sharks, jacks, barracudas, trevallies and snappers. The sandy bottom is home to garden eels and blind gobies.

Ngemelis Conservation Area
A sheer vertical wall runs along the length of Ngemelis Island, providing a habitat for soft, leather and fan corals. Watch for colorful anemones and an abundance of reef fish on the reef's upper layers. Sharks, green and hawksbill turtles, Moorish idols, sergeant majors, and a variety of butterflyfish and angelfish patrol the reef edge.

Long Lake
Conditions permitting, enjoy a kayaking excursion at Long Lake. Paddle through winding mangrove forest, keeping an eye out for kingfishers, herons and fruit doves. The calm waters provide habitat for a variety of juvenile fish with frequent sightings of young spotted eagle rays and feathertail stingrays. Step ashore on a powdery white-sand beach, fringed by rich tropical rainforest, to watch for nesting birds, then go for a snorkel at Einstein's Coral Garden to marvel at its collection of multi-colored brain coral.

Cemetery Reef
Named for an artificial structure in the shape of a cross that was placed on top of the reef, Cemetery Reef is a great snorkel site with many hard and soft corals at shallow depth. The area abounds with small reef fish such as fusiliers, anthias and rainbow runners.

Giant Calm Beach
Hundreds of giant tridacna clams, some weighing up to 500 pounds, line the beach here. With an amazing variation of color and patterns within the clams' iridescent mantles, these beautiful living pieces of art make fantastic subjects for photographers.

Stone Monoliths
Possibly the oldest and largest archaeological site in Palau, the Badrulchau Stone Monoliths are situated on the slopes of Babeldaob Island. Explore the site, consisting of 52 basalt megaliths lined up in two rows, estimated to date back to around the year 161.

Risong Bay
Paddle quietly by kayak among the hidden bays and lagoons that have served for millennia as nurseries for baby sharks, stingrays, and eagle rays. Pristine coral gardens such as Blue Devil Gardens and the Sunken City, undisturbed by divers or fisherman, are rich marine biodiversity centers bursting with baby butterfly fish, honeycomb groupers, and the unusual crocodile fish.

Babeldaob Island
Visit a traditional Men’s Meetinghouse and, if time allows, the terraces that were built by ancient Palauans and which are still the subject of research. We can take a short hike to the Ngchesar Waterfalls for a dip in the upper pools.

During WWII, Palau was the site of a fierce battle between the United States and Japan. Peleliu was the site of one of the Pacific's bloodiest battles as U.S. Marines made an amphibious assault on the beaches in an attempt to liberate the island from Japanese forces. Visit the infamous Thousand Man Cave and the Japanese Shrine, and witness remnants of Japanese buildings, gun emplacements, tanks, planes and weapons still scattered around the island today.

Transfer to the airport shortly after midnight for flights home, via Guam.