Special Events & Regional Partners
Special Events
Yap Day
March 1st and 2nd are Yap Day (this year celebrations are February 29 and March 1st, 2024), the island’s day to celebrate everything Yapese – culture, tradition, food, family, community… and scuba diving. It’s the most colorful day of the year with traditional dances, crafts, tattoos, competitions, and demonstrations in ceremonial dress. It’s also the peak of the manta ray mating season when trains of mantas take over the lagoon and dance in courtship.
Celebration Dates: March 1st – 2nd, 2025
Micronesia Expo 2025
Yap is excited to host the 4th Micronesia Expo from July 21-25, 2025. This annual event celebrates the rich culture and heritage of the Federated States of Micronesia—Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap—and is a highlight of the Micronesian calendar. Hundreds of visitors and delegates will converge on Yap to enjoy activities such as a parade of the states, traditional dance and singing, handicraft and carving demonstrations, fishing and cooking tournaments, island tours, and a cultural village operating throughout the Expo.
Dates: July 21-25, 2025
MantaFest Photo School & Photography Contest
Join our two-week photo/video school with classes and one-on-one training by a panel of international pro photographers with special photographic dive plans and cultural excursions as well as an all-level image contest with $20,000 in prizes given away!
Dates: August 24th – September 8th
Manta Ray Mating Season
Wintertime is the right time for seeing our mantas in groups dancing over the reef. Mating behavior is the most exciting to watch, females have would-be courting partners training behind them in shallow water at a protected dive site.
Dates: December through April
Regional Partners
Palau + Yap
The Best of Micronesia – Experience a week on each island and the best diving in the region. 7 nights / 13 dives with Palau Diving Adventures and your choice of hotels in Palau. 7 nights / 10 dives at the Manta Ray Bay Resort in Yap and your choice of 3 different room types.
Dates: Year-Round!
Philippines + Yap
Dive the Best of Micronesia and the Philippines in one vacation! Experience Anilao, Philippines, and Yap in a combination dive package with special flight rates through us. We created a very special combination package that offers the best of the West Pacific and Coral Triangle. Enjoy the luxury at Aiyanar Resort in Anilao, Philippines, and a week in Yap.
Dates: Year-Round!
Ocean Hunter Palau + Yap
Combine a week on the Ocean Hunter with a week in Yap for an exclusive Micronesia diving experience. Liveaboard diving in Palau puts you on the best dive sites when there are the fewest people; first thing in the morning before any of the land-based operations have even left the dock, and again in the afternoon. Guaranteed big animals, clear water, schools of fish, healthy reefs, and an exclusive diving experience at uncrowded sites.
Dates: Year-Round!
Siren Fleet or Master Liveaboard + Yap
Combine Yap and any Siren or Master Fleet trip. You can book through us or with Siren.
Dates: Year-Round!