Diving in Kosrae
Why dive here
Kosrae offers some of Micronesia's richest diving, with 116+ marine species recorded in the area - including sperm whales, whale sharks and napoleon wrasse. Water ranges 29-30°C, warmest August, September, October.
Kosrae is a quiet place, like diving in a dream. We’ve been lucky enough to explore a fair few Pacific islands, and this one stands out for its sheer, understated health. The hard coral walls here are something else, easily some of the healthiest we’ve seen anywhere. You glide past immense structures of plate and brain coral, feeling the cool water slide by, occasionally spotting a Four-saddle Grouper peeking out from a crevice. When we dive Kosrae, we always make sure to keep an eye out for the Giant Squirrelfish, they’re truly magnificent creatures, and we love seeing the flashes of yellow from the Golden Rabbitfish against the blue. Visibility is generally excellent, often pushing 30 metres, which makes those wall dives even more spectacular. You get to see the whole panorama unfold. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a Giant Long-finned Eel snaking its way along the reef face. Our favourite moments are often the quieter ones, watching Lamarck's Porcelain Crabs scuttle over a coral head, or seeing the iridescent scales of a Japanese Parrotfish in the sunlight. It’s a gentle place to dive, deeply restorative, and refreshingly uncrowded.
Kosrae Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Kosrae
Kosrae Dive Sites
5 dive sites in Kosrae
Hiroshi East End
Hiroshi East End is one of our absolute favourite spots in Kosrae, a site that really showcases what this little island delivers. We love the drift here, it’s rarely too wild but it’s consistent, carrying you along a wall that drops out of sight. Keep an eye out for the deeper ledges where the bigger groupers often hang out, we’ve seen some enormous Argus Grouper there, just lurking in the shadows. The coral coverage is exceptional. We’re talking sprawling fields of staghorn coral, so healthy and vibrant it almost hurts your eyes. It’s not just big stuff though; the smaller details are just as captivating. Look for the lettered mitre shells in the sand patches, and the puntang gobies darting around their burrows. We always spot a few Maori wrasse here too, their colours are just stunning against the blue. It’s a site that suits divers who appreciate healthy reef ecosystems and a good drift, giving you plenty of time to soak it all in. If you can time it for mid-morning, the light on the wall is incredible, really making the corals pop.
Hiroshi West End
Hiroshi West End is one of our absolute favourite Kosrae sites for a reason. You drop onto a sandy slope that feels like a highway for critters, running down to about 20 metres. We love how the reef structure here is completely different from the pinnacles closer to the harbour; it’s flatter, more spread out, and we find ourselves spotting things we miss elsewhere. Look closely for the New Guinean anglerfish, they're surprisingly common here, often blending into the coral rubble. The highlight for us is always the sheer number of parrotfish, especially the big dusky ones, just cruising along the reef edge. You’ll see them in little gangs, gnawing away, leaving those tell-tale trails in the coral. We also find a good concentration of blue-ribbon wrasse darting between the branch and staghorn corals. It's generally a pretty relaxed dive, good for photographers who want to spend time hunting for those smaller details without battling a current. We’d suggest going in the morning; the light on the sand really brings out the colours of the gorgonians.
Old Clam Farm
Old Clam Farm is one of those places that genuinely surprises you. We've explored our fair share of clam farms, and honestly, many are just okay. But here, the name feels almost misleading. Instead of endless rows of giant clams, you find yourself drifting over an expansive, healthy reef dotted with them. What we really love are the Snowball Chamas, absolutely massive and surprisingly common, sitting right alongside vibrant staghorn and table corals. Look closely, and you’ll spot Yellowmargin triggerfish darting between the branches, occasionally nudging against a resting Honeycomb grouper. The sheer size of some of the clams is something to behold, often with curious Saddleback butterflyfish picking around their edges. We'd suggest going on an incoming tide; the water is usually clearest, and you can just hang back and let the gentle current carry you along, taking in the intricate reef architecture. It’s a beautifully relaxed dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who appreciates a calm, unhurried exploration of a thriving ecosystem.
Shark Island
Shark Island, off Kosrae, is exactly what it sounds like. We’ve had consistent encounters with grey reef sharks here, often patrolling the reef edge where it drops into deeper water. It's a drift dive, best suited for those comfortable with some current, allowing you to cover more ground and increase your chances of seeing the bigger pelagics. Expect solid shark action, a good option for a dedicated shark dive.
Walung Drop Off
Walung Drop Off is one of those walls that just keeps giving, a serious contender for our favourite dive in Kosrae. You start on a shallow reef shelf, maybe 10 metres, and then the whole world just drops away. The wall itself is incredibly healthy, a crazy quilt of plate and staghorn corals, and we’ve seen schools of big-eye trevally here so thick they genuinely block out the sun for a few moments. Keep an eye out for the humphead wrasse, they cruise along the edge, sometimes in pairs, completely unbothered by us watching them. We particularly love the late morning here; the sun hits the wall at an angle that just makes everything glow, really bringing out the purples and oranges of the sponges. Conditions are usually pretty calm, making it a good pick for divers who appreciate a slow drift along a beautiful, vibrant vertical reef.
Kosrae Dive Centres
1 dive shop and operator in Kosrae
Ocean Wildlife in Kosrae
116 species recorded in Kosrae
Kosrae Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Kosrae, calculated from coordinates
Today - Sunday 11 October
Sunrise
05:55
Sunset
17:57
Daylight
12h 2m
Golden Hour
17:29
First light (dawn) at 05:34 · Last light (dusk) at 18:18
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:23 | 18:13 | 11h 51m |
| Feb | 06:25 | 18:22 | 11h 57m |
| Mar | 06:16 | 18:21 | 12h 5m |
| Apr | 06:02 | 18:16 | 12h 14m |
| May | 05:55 | 18:16 | 12h 21m |
| JunLongest | 05:57 | 18:22 | 12h 26m |
| Jul | 06:03 | 18:27 | 12h 24m |
| Aug | 06:05 | 18:23 | 12h 18m |
| Sep | 06:00 | 18:09 | 12h 9m |
| OctNow | 05:54 | 17:55 | 12h 1m |
| Nov | 05:57 | 17:50 | 11h 53m |
| DecShortest | 06:09 | 17:58 | 11h 49m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Kosrae.
Where to Stay near Kosrae
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Marine Protected Areas near Kosrae
1 protected area near Kosrae - please respect local regulations when diving
And Atoll
Getting to Kosrae
Okat
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