Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# To go or not to go? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Micronesia, Federated States of
thelittlevoice 18:48 UTC 01 May 2007 | So I already booked my tickets to Palau but I could add Yap by paying $300 more. Would you guys do it if you were me? |
5waldos 19:05 UTC 01 May 2007 | Argh...hard call. But Yap is quite interesting, the most culturally intact of the micronesian islands. I guess the trip is so outrageous anyway that I would go for it. Do hire someone to take you around the villages. It is definately a different culture than Palau. | 1
Laszlo 20:01 UTC 01 May 2007 | Would that 300 USD plus be a RT with Continental? | 2
thelittlevoice 20:52 UTC 02 May 2007 | Yes on CO. | 3
Laszlo 21:39 UTC 02 May 2007 | Do go - I may well go myself to these very same islands this year! ;-) | 4
5waldos 23:56 UTC 02 May 2007 | Make sure it isn't cheaper to fly from Manila to Guam RT, then stop in Yap and Palau on the return. | 5
thelittlevoice 21:59 UTC 03 May 2007 | It's $630 for MNL - ROR - YAP - ROR - MNL on CO. But I booked MNL - ROR - MNL on Asian Spirit, $330 but I haven't paid yet(the deadline is on Mon) so I can cancel it to choose CO if I were to add Yap too. I can't really make up my mind. Argh. I live in Thailand, it's about $200 to go to Manila while $600 to go to Guam. Do you know if Visit Micronesia pass still exists at all? I keep getting mixed up info. If it does, maybe it's a better idea to do Yap on a different trip together with Chuuk, Korsrae and Pohnpei? | 6
Laszlo 23:11 UTC 03 May 2007 | I was looking into this and actually found doing it all with CO better, mainly because they seem flexible about changes (important to me, though probably less to you) and their ticket is valid for a year. Also, the agent here can't actually sell AS tickets, and their website is not great either. From what I understand, the visit Micronesia pass is/was intended primarily for those island-hopping between Hawaii and Guam, with Yap and Palau offered as extensions, rather then main destinations. But it seems fluid so check with them in BKK. To me Yap sounds more interesting than Palau - the latter is more about scenic beauty, of a type which you also have in Thailand (Phi Phi, Phang Nga), after all - even if less spoilt here. | 7
5waldos 06:50 UTC 04 May 2007 | Both are great- Palau is largely about the underwater- which is simply magnificent. And the natural beauty of the rock islands and the color of the water is mind boggling- after living there for years I still gasped at the beauty. Although I have never used the pass, I thought it was actually for going around the islands- that you had to get to Guam via Continental, then bought the pass to visit the other islands. The island hopper goes through the southern eastern islands- the Marshalls, Kosrea, etc etc, up to Guam. It is true that Air Mike is usually pretty good about changing around tickets, and I really don't know if there is an Asian Spirit on island. And no- Chuuk Kosrea and Pohnpei are beyond Guam, to the east. Palau and Yap are next door to each other. Definately do Yap and Palau together. | 8
wouter1979 19:17 UTC 05 May 2007 | I am travelling to Yap and Palau in September. By what I have read about it Yap is a very special place which is worth a visit. And because you are relatively close I would definitely go to Yap....And what is 300 dollar on an already expensive trip! | 9
thelittlevoice 20:19 UTC 06 May 2007 | I already made up my mind, would go for both Palau and Yap. Now I just need to see how the hell I can check in with Continental for MNL - ROR in time! I wonder if they can check in my backpack through from Bangkok to Koror. | 10
5waldos 04:23 UTC 13 May 2007 | They should be able to. Or you overnight in Manila? That would be a problem, but if you are, try to see if they can check you when you arrive in Manila- saves HUGE amounts of time in the morning. And I don't think you will regret your decision. | 11