• Depth: 9-30 ft | 3-10 m
• Visibility: 15-50 ft | 5-15 m
• Current: 0-1 mph | 0-2 km/h

Inshore reef, located in front of O’ Keefe’s Island. The “balconies“ of staghorn corals are home to the biggest population of Mandarinfishes in Yap (and also within the entire range of distribution), which makes it a photographers’ favorite during the mating time in the evening hours.

Due to its proximity to the coast, Rainbow Reef is very much influenced by the mangrove forests and not as rich in corals as the outer reef. Still, there is a good variety of hard corals.

Mandarinfishes in the shallows. Also lionfishes, juvenile barracudas, eels, reef lobsters, and critters like pipefishes. On the sandy patches in the very shallows, you may find octopuses or cuttlefish.