Diving★ 4.5
Fujikawa Maru
advanced
Destinations
Chuuk, FM
TRUK LAGOON (CHUUK)
The world's biggest ship graveyard: dozens of Japanese WWII wrecks, aircraft and tanks, many within recreational depth, in a warm Micronesian lagoon.
1
Sport
Sea level; Weno is low volcanic island, Mount Teroken on Weno rises roughly 300 m (approximate, unsourced)
Elevation
13,700
Population
Chuuk Lagoon (historically Truk) is a large atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia. In Operation Hailstone, a US carrier raid on 17 to 19 February 1944, 12 smaller warships and 32 merchant ships were sunk and 275 aircraft destroyed, and Wikipedia calls it the biggest graveyard of ships in the world. The underwater fleet was added to the US National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and the wrecks are treated as a Japanese war grave. Diving is the reason to come: ships such as Fujikawa Maru, Shinkoku Maru and the huge Heian Maru carry guns, trucks, tanks, aircraft and personal items, and some wrecks lie in less than 15 m of water. Weno, the state capital (about 13,700 people), has the airport and most operators; some resorts and the liveaboards work from the lagoon itself. Land-based adventure is minimal and crime is higher here than elsewhere in the FSM, so this is a dive-focused trip.
1 sport to explore
ADVENTURE SPORTS IN TRUK LAGOON (CHUUK)
Leave no trace
TREAD LIGHTLY
- Do not touch or remove artefacts; the wrecks are a protected war grave and a US National Register site.
- Avoid penetration without training, which can damage the fragile hulls, and avoid kicking up silt.
The hit list
TOP SPOTS
The places you can't miss in Truk Lagoon (Chuuk), best rated first.
Diving★ 4.5
Shinkoku Maru
intermediate
Diving★ 4.5
Heian Maru
beginner
Diving★ 4.5
Nippo Maru
advanced
Diving★ 4.5
San Francisco Maru
technical
Diving★ 4.5
Hoki Maru
intermediate
Diving★ 4.5
Yamagiri Maru
advanced
Diving★ 4.5
Unkai Maru
intermediate
Plan the trip
GETTING THERE
There is no real road network between islands. Dive operators and resorts meet flights and move you by boat; Weno has taxis and rough roads. Most diving is by dive boat or liveaboard inside the lagoon.
Airports
- TKKChuuk International Airport (Weno)On Weno itself, about 5 km from the main town area (estimate) · About 10-20m to Weno hotels (estimate); dive resorts and liveaboards on other islands add a boat transfer drive
Served by United (Island Hopper route via Guam and Pohnpei per common itineraries; confirm current schedules). Not a regional hub.
- GUMAntonio B. Won Pat International Airport (Guam)About 1,000 km west-northwest (estimate) · About 2h flight (estimate) drive
The usual gateway for travellers from the US, Japan, Korea and the Philippines; connects to TKK.
- HNLDaniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honolulu)About 4,500 km (estimate) · Island Hopper flight with several stops (estimate) drive
Honolulu is the eastern start of the United Island Hopper that continues through the Marshalls and Pohnpei; confirm schedule with the airline.
- PNIPohnpei International AirportAbout 700 km east (estimate) · About 1.5h flight (estimate) drive
Island Hopper stop before Chuuk; the nearest FSM state capital with a US embassy (Kolonia).
Drive from
| City | Distance | Drive to Truk Lagoon (Chuuk) |
|---|---|---|
| Guam (Hagatna) | No road: about 1,000 km by air | About 2h flight (estimate) |
| Honolulu, USA | No road: about 4,500 km by air | About 9-12h via Island Hopper stops (estimate) |
| Tokyo, Japan | No road: about 4,000 km by air | About 6-9h via Guam (estimate) |
| Manila, Philippines | No road: about 3,100 km by air | About 6-9h via Guam (estimate) |
| Cairns, Australia | No road: about 3,700 km by air | About 10-14h via Guam or Port Moresby (estimate) |
Field notes
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
What a trip to Truk Lagoon (Chuuk) costs, what to sort out ahead of time, and how to stay safe.
What it costs per day
Daily Costs
—
Prices are in US dollars (the FSM uses USD). A Chuuk dive permit is about US$50 per diver, valid one year (Abyss/PADI listings), with US$30 airport departure tax (Zublu; the FSM tourism page lists US$20 for Chuuk, older). A 2008 Undercurrent review quoted a US$30 permit, so confirm. Older resort rates showed a one-tank dive near US$79. A 7-night liveaboard charter was quoted around US$3,195 in an older Sport Diver article. Rough judgement-call budgets (not sourced): resort diver US$250-400 per day, liveaboard US$400-600 per day.
Permits & reservations
Chuuk dive permit
About US$50 per diver, valid one year, payable on arrival with land-based operators; liveaboard fees bundle it in (Abyss, Zublu, PADI listings). Older sources say US$30.
Airport departure tax
About US$30 (Zublu, Master Liveaboards); an older FSM tourism listing says US$20.
Entry, health & culture
- Entry & visas
US citizens do not need a visa for tourism in the Federated States of Micronesia (US State Department, July 2026). Bring a valid passport; travel between FSM states is treated as international. Stays over 30 days require an entry permit (travel guide, not official). Check the passport validity requirement with the airline.
- Health
Hazardous water conditions (currents, tides) can occur (health summary). Recompression chamber access could not be confirmed from our sources: check with your operator and carry dive accident insurance such as DAN. The US Embassy is in Kolonia on Pohnpei, not Chuuk, so consular and medical help is distant.
- Local culture
The wrecks are Japanese war graves and human remains are present: take nothing and respect local customs.
Stay safe
The US State Department rates…
The US State Department rates the FSM Level 1 but notes crime is significantly higher in Chuuk, including assaults on US citizens; stay on public roads and venues and limit night travel.
Flash floods
Wreck penetration, depth and deterioration are real diving hazards: use a guide and dive within your training.
Honest take
THE GOOD & THE REAL
Why Truk Lagoon (Chuuk)
5- Dozens of WWII wrecks and aircraft in one lagoon, many within recreational depth
- Warm water of about 27-30 C all year
- Shallow, easy wrecks such as Heian Maru (about 10 m) and the Betty bomber
- US citizens need no visa
- Deeper technical wrecks such as San Francisco Maru for advanced divers
Know this
5- Very remote: long, expensive flights via Guam or the Island Hopper
- Crime is higher in Chuuk than elsewhere in the FSM; stay on public roads and limit night travel (US State Department)
- Wrecks are deteriorating and are war graves; penetration is risky
- Little to do besides diving and limited tourist infrastructure
- Recompression chamber availability not confirmed in our sources; check before diving
For Families
FAMILY FRIENDLINESS
3/10
Best for older kids
Truk Lagoon is mainly for certified divers, so it suits families with teen or adult divers more than young children. The score is a judgement call, not a sourced rating.
Family-friendliness is scored from real web evidence across multiple sources — trail difficulty, access, and how families describe each spot — not a single opinion.
Best bets with kids
Heian Maru
6/10low confidence
Certified teens and parents can dive this huge wreck lying on its side at about 10 m, the shallowest big wreck in the lagoon. Use a guide and stay outside the hull.
Betty bomber (Mitsubishi G4M)
6/10low confidence
A plane wreck in shallow water just off the runway end, with a swim-through fuselage for experienced divers; shallow wrecks like this are the easiest first look.
By Sport
SEASON BY SPORT
| Sport | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diving | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | — | — | — | — | — | ~ | ✓ |
✓
Peak~
Shoulder—
OffPeak — Go now
Most sources point to December to April as the best window for visibility and water temperature, and one notes visibility can reach 24 m or more in a dry spell from November to February.
Shoulder — Strategic
Diving works year-round; rain is intermittent and one guide says it rarely interferes with diving inside the lagoon. Exact shoulder months are a judgement.
Avoid — Skip it
No source marks a closed season. Judgement call: the wetter, more squall-prone summer months give the lowest odds of calm, clear days; sources conflict on rain months so treat as soft.
Where to Stay
NEIGHBORHOODS
Weno (Moen) town
$$The busiest island: airport, government offices, shops and a few hotels; rough around the edges.
Stay here if: You want to be near the airport and shops, or are on a budget (judgement).
Dive resorts on the lagoon
$$$Operators run boat-based resorts a short way from Weno, with wrecks close by.
Stay here if: You want easy access to wrecks with minimal transfers and a dive-focused stay.
Liveaboards
$$$$Floating bases that move between wrecks over 7 to 9 nights, with permits bundled in.
Stay here if: You want the maximum number of dives and the deeper sites.
On the Ground
LOCAL RESOURCES
storefrontGear Shops
- Blue Lagoon Dive Shopdive shop
Resort-based operator whose package includes tanks, weights and a guide; the $50 Chuuk dive permit is extra (Abyss 2026 listing). Check current status before booking.
- Truk Odyssey (Zublu)liveaboard
Liveaboard listed with a US$50 permit and US$30 departure tax as extras (Zublu).
- Pacific Master (Master Liveaboards)liveaboard
7- and 9-night Truk Lagoon trips; local taxes and permit fees listed at about US$265 per person for 9 nights, plus US$30 airport departure tax.
tourGuide Services
- Dive guide briefings on all wrecksdiving
The Dive Magazine guide says penetrating Shinkoku Maru's aft hull needs careful planning or a guide; hire a local guide for wreck penetration.
- Technical diving at San Francisco Marudiving
Deck at about 50 m and seabed at about 65 m; technical training, gas and rebreather support needed. Confirm operator capability before booking.
Plan it
GO TO TRUK LAGOON (CHUUK).
You've got the field notes. Time to put it on the calendar.