Chuuk Lagoon (Truk)

A world-famous wreck-diving mecca, where dozens of Japanese ships and aircraft sunk in 1944's Operation Hailstone lie on the lagoon floor.

Chuuk Lagoon (formerly Truk) lies in Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia. It is a vast lagoon enclosed by a barrier reef some 200 km around, sheltering volcanic islands such as Weno, Tonoas, Fefan, Uman and Tol. In World War II it was a key forward base of the Japanese Combined Fleet in the Pacific. In February 1944, the US Operation Hailstone sank dozens of ships and destroyed hundreds of aircraft in just two days, turning the lagoon into the world's greatest concentration of diveable wrecks. Zero fighters in the hold of the Fujikawa Maru, tanks on the deck of the San Francisco Maru, giant shells aboard the Yamagiri Maru and the periscope of the Heian Maru all remain intact on the warm, clear seabed, cloaked in coral and swarming with fish. Most dive sites are 15–40 m deep and suit advanced-certified divers; the deeper wrecks require technical diving qualifications. On land you can visit Weno's Sapuk Lighthouse, the Tonotan guns and caves and Mount Tonachau, take a boat to Tonoas and Eten Island to see the remains of Japanese bases, or unwind snorkeling on Jeep Island. Visitors usually stay in the state capital, Weno, flying in from Guam on United Airlines' Island Hopper; liveaboard dive boats are also based here year-round. The dry season (Dec–Apr) brings the best sea conditions, and the water is about 28°C all year. Island infrastructure is basic, roads are potholed and cash (US dollars) is king. Many historic sites are on private land, so hire a guide and pay a small fee. Plan on 5–7 days, mostly for diving.

Top sights

• Fujikawa Maru Wreck – Chuuk's most famous wreck, sitting upright on the seabed. Zero fighter wreckage remains in its holds, and the coral-covered gun mounts make…
• San Francisco Maru Wreck – A deep-diving destination known as the “million-dollar wreck.” Three tanks are parked on its deck, and its holds are filled with trucks, mi…
• Shinkoku Maru Wreck – One of the most heavily coral-covered wrecks. A large oil tanker sits upright on the seabed, and its bridge, medical room, and schools of f…
• Heian Maru Wreck – One of the largest wrecks in the lagoon, once a luxury liner later converted to a submarine tender, lying on its side with periscopes and t…
• Yamagiri Maru Wreck – A cargo ship that carried giant 460 mm shells for the Yamato-class battleships; the shells in its hold are Chuuk's most unique sight
• Tonoas (Dublon) Island – The base of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Fourth Fleet headquarters in WWII; the island still has the remains of a hospital, command post an…
• Eten Island – A small island levelled by the Japanese into an 'unsinkable aircraft carrier', with runway remains and concrete bunkers still standing
• Fefan Island – The 'garden island' of the lagoon, famous for its farm produce and weaving crafts, surrounded by anchorages of several well-known wrecks
• Sapuk Lighthouse – A former Japanese lighthouse on the northeast hilltop of Weno, riddled with bullet holes; the summit offers the best view of the lagoon and…
• Tonotan Guns and Caves – Japanese coastal guns and a tunnel network cut into the hillside on Weno's west coast; the guns still point at the lagoon entrance and are…
• Mount Tonachau – A basalt peak in northwest Weno, sacred in Chuukese legend, with a summit view over the airfield and lagoon
• Xavier High School (former Japanese Communications Center) – A well-known school built atop a Japanese reinforced-concrete communications centre, its thick walls still bearing wartime shell marks
• Jeep Island – A tiny island on the southern edge of the lagoon, ringed by coconut palms and white sand, a postcard-perfect spot for snorkelling and day t…
• Nippo Maru Wreck – A cargo ship wreck with a Type 97 light tank and field guns on its foredeck, one of the most popular deep wrecks in Chuuk Lagoon
• Rio de Janeiro Maru Wreck – A former Japanese passenger-cargo liner on the South American route, later converted to a submarine supply ship, lying on its side with hug…
• Hoki Maru Wreck – Formerly the New Zealand cargo ship Hauraki, its holds contain trucks, bulldozers and rollers in neat rows, dubbed the 'underwater car park'
• Betty Bomber Wreck – The wreck of a Japanese Type 1 land-based attack aircraft in the shallows off Eten's airstrip; the intact fuselage can be swum through, rea…
• I-169 Submarine Wreck – The only Japanese submarine wreck in the lagoon; it took part in the Pearl Harbor attack and sank in 1944 while diving to escape an air rai…

Where to eat

• Truk Stop Hotel Restaurant – The largest restaurant and nightlife hub on Weno, with a lagoon-view terrace for sunsets, and seafood, steaks, pizza an…
• Blue Lagoon Resort Restaurant – An open-air restaurant at a resort on the southern tip of Weno, overlooking the lagoon, focused on fish of the day and…
• High Tide Hotel Restaurant – A large restaurant beside Chuuk airport that is popular with locals, with huge portions at good prices. The tuna sashim…

Itineraries

• Chuuk Lagoon Wreck Liveaboard – Spend 7 nights on a liveaboard, focusing on Operation Hailstone wrecks like the Fujikawa Maru and Shinkoku Maru.
• Micronesia Island Hopper Crossing – Follow the United Airlines Island Hopper route east from Guam, passing through Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae to Majuro.