Is Micronesia a safe place to travel?
Micronesia , the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a fascinating part of the world. In many ways it is very Western without the plague of crime that some countries have in the west. Local people are generally very friendly, helpful, obliging and consider it an honour for you to visit their home. This makes Micronesia generally a very safe place to travel.

Foreign Affairs departments of all major nation do offer "official travel advice". We don't always agree with them as we have usually more detailed information, but please judge for yourself:

Do I need a Passport or Visa?
U.S. citizens do not require passports or visas; however, proof of citizenship is required. All other visitors require a valid passport, and for entry into Guam most non-U.S. citizens (except Canadians) can have stays without a visa of up to 90 days.

When is the best weather to visit and dive in Micronesia?
Weather is quite constant all year round. Mostly it's hot with high humidity. The rainy season generally goes from October to December; the driest months are January and February. The live aboard operators offer great dive expeditions in a variety of locations, at different times of the year throughout Micronesia. They chose their locations according to the best prevailing weather conditions at the time, so you can be assured of great diving anytime. Year round water temperatures average a balmy 27C (80F) and land temperatures average 28C (84F) year-round . Gin-clear waters make 30 metre (100 ft ) visibility under water the norm.

Current satellite images of Guam, Yap, Chuuk, Palau, Pohnpei & Marshall Islands.

Do I need vaccinations before I travel to Micronesia?
With all travels into a tropical climate you should have an active immunisation against tetanus and a current polio protection. Having said that, Micronesia is a healthy place to visit. There are no tropical diseases and health care is readily available. Each of the FSM states has a modern major hospital.

What do I need to know about the currency?
U.S. dollars are used throughout Micronesia. It is recommended that travellers purchase U.S. dollar travellers cheques. International credit cards are also widely accepted.

Will my electrical appliances/computer/chargers etc. work in Micronesia?
Electricity is the same as on the US mainland: 110/120V, 60 cycles, with two-pronged plugs. Adapters and converters aren't readily available for photographers with 220/240 V systems, so bring your own if you need to convert.

Can I use my drivers licence to hire a car?
In Micronesia they drive their cars on the right hand side of the road ( as in the US or most parts of Europe ). If you are used to driving on the left hand side use a little caution at the beginning and you should get used to the right hand side quickly. To hire a car a valid national car drivers licence (in English) or an international drivers licence is needed. In some parts of Micronesia, you might be better advised to find a local guide to take you around and show you places, rather then driving by yourself.

Should I bring any special clothing?
Bring casual, light and comfortable clothes. The evenings can get relatively cool with a sea breeze so something warm for the evening is recommended. Bring some very light clothing which offers sun protection for trips around the islands. If you plan to stay overnight in Guam dress is relaxed and casual, with a shirt with collar, long pants and shoes (not runners) for men and the women dress equally tasteful. It will get you admission to just about everywhere. Bring

• Slacks or other informal dress
• Long sleeved shirt
• Sweatshirt or jacket or windbreaker
• Walking shoes or sandals
• T-shirts
• Shorts
• Swim suits
• Sun hat

How much tips do I need to give?
No one in Micronesia expects any tips for services. Tips have never been part of the culture. This is not to say that people don't like to be rewarded for very good service. Give as much or little as you feel fit. On live aboard vessels it is customary to give the tip to the Skipper and ask it be distributed amongst the crew.

What is the time difference to Micronesia?
Micronesia stretches across 3 time zones: Palau is 9 hours ahead of GMT; Guam and Saipan 10 hours ahead and the Marshall Islands 12 hours ahead. On the top right corner of this webpage you see the time in Cairns, Queensland/Australia at the moment. Cairns and Guam are in the same time zone. Just calculate the difference to your local time.

Are airport transfers included?
Most hotels, cruises or tour operators do offer complementary pick up services from the airport. This will be marked clearly on the product description.

Land based vs Liveaboard diving?
This is a question asked by many potential divers visiting Palau and will very often depend on your particular preference. Many divers like to go back to the comfort of their hotel/resort after a great day's diving and spend time enjoying relaxed evenings in Koror. Initially, land based diving is also a lower cost option for some divers. However, some divers have found the land-based option in Palua to be quite tiring as most dive sites are at least a 50-60 minute boat ride from Koror and this does make for a very long day on what are generally quite small boats.

For those who can't get enough diving, or who prefer to dive in their own time and at their own pace, the liveaboard option is well worth considering. As your vessel will be located near to all the dive sites you will get the chance to dive at various times of the day…before and after the day boats have visited, with plenty of night dives, of course.