Yap Caverns

Best months: Dec–Apr

Why dive here

With 297+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, giant moray eels, grey reef sharks and seahorses - Yap Caverns offers some of Yap's richest cave diving. Water ranges 29-30°C, warmest June, July, October.

Best timeDec–Apr

WetsuitA 3mm shorty or thin full wetsuit

Marine lifeBarracuda, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Giant Moray Eels, Grey Reef Sharks and Seahorses · 297+ species recorded

Water29-30°C · warmest June, July, October

CharacterCave dive · max 10-30m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

Yap Caverns is one of those spots where you just settle in and let the reef show you its rhythm. We love it because it’s not about ticking off big pelagics, though we often see grey reef sharks cruising just outside the mouth. Here, it’s about the feeling of being inside the reef itself. You drop onto the top of the reef, around 10 meters, and then you’re weaving through archways and tunnels. Sunlight shafts filter in, turning the water an incredible iridescent blue-green, especially on a sunny afternoon. Keep an eye on the ceiling for sleeping white-tip reef sharks. We’ve found our best sightings are often tucked into a sandy nook. The walls themselves are alive with little critters – peppered squirrelfish darting into crevices, camouflaged groupers blending so perfectly you almost miss them, and those bizarre variable strombs inching along the rock. It’s an advanced dive, not because of depth, but because you need good buoyancy control to navigate the tight spots without kicking up silt. The currents can pick up, particularly around the exits, so be prepared for a bit of a push. Our favourite moment is always that last tunnel, opening out onto the deep blue where jacks often school, and the reef sharks make their final pass.