Truk Lagoon
I have been to Chuuk several times and I intend to keep going back. It is that good. If you love soft corals, GO. If you love wreck diving, GO. If you love war history, GO. If you are a tech diver, GO. If you have a camera, GO.
I have dived the wrecks from shore based dive shop and also from the Truk Aggressor, now gone but there are other liveaboards in the lagoon.
The island has changed dramatically in the 20 some years I have been going. The days of letting your gear dry on the lanai of the Truk Continental Hotel are over, at least if you ever want to see your gear again they are. When I was on the Aggressor, we had a night security guard who kept people from paddling up in the night to steal our gear. That being said, if one just uses caution all should be well.
The diving is sublime. The visibility in the lagoon can be a bit murky but since the dives are all on wrecks it never seems to matter. I found the diving to be very doable for most divers. Although some were deeper, it was very easy to dive in the 60 to 100 foot range. The wrecks, aside from being amazing pieces of history, are covered with stunning soft corals and anemones with their resident skunk clown fish and microscopic shrimps. Tiny reef fish such as damsels and anthias sweep over the wrecks in unison like some sort of fishy ballet. Angel fishes, butterflies also swim in and out of the structures and looking closely one can find lion fishes as well. If one takes the time to look up from this stunning display pupio can be seen swimming by and occasionally a reef shark. Ammunition also also covers some of the decks along with gas masks, jeeps, tanks, bottles and even bicycles.
When I was there in 1994, a group from Japan had just been there to remove remains from the wrecks and take them home to Japan. It was the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Chuuk. Although since then, I have seen bones that were found within the wrecks and then left on display and photographed by divers. It is in poor taste and usually the remains are placed back inside the wreck by a divemaster.
Making night dives on the wrecks is something especially not to be missed as the place just comes more alive. It's difficult to believe this place could become more spectacular but it does.
Seeing this bit of history is an incredible opportunity one should not pass up if at all possible.
