Yap, MICRONESIA
Airing Date: Jun 30th, 2003
Surrounded by tropical palms and following a traditional lifestyle, this remote paradise should be on every traveller's wish list.
Yap offers a cultural journey into a primitive world that is relatively untouched.
Here locals still dress in loincloths and hibiscus skirts, houses are made of thatch, rope and bamboo, and bank notes are made in stone.
The stone money is like nothing you've ever seen. It is just made of stone; it can also range up to 3.6 metres in diameter and can weigh as much as five tonnes. Locals use the giant-sized notes primarily for traditional reasons - as a gift from one village to another, or to buy land or canoes. More remarkable is the fact that Yap's stone bank notes were even rated on the US currency exchange chart until just a few years ago.
As you explore the island, you'll notice different communities dotted along the countryside.
Village houses are still built in a traditional way, using building materials from the land. Most of these villages don't invite visitors in because by nature, the Yapese people are quite shy. If you'd like to learn more about their traditional culture, your best chance is the Bechiyal cultural village.
Here, locals will introduce you to the Betel nut. Betel nuts are to Yapese what coffee is to most of us. The nut is sprinkled with dry coral lime, wrapped in pepper leaves and then chewed. The effect is a mild high that lasts for about 10 minutes - and there's no hiding you've had one because your lips end up bright red.
The unspoilt beauty of Yap isn't limited to land. The underwater world surrounding it is home to the Giant Manta Ray. These fascinating, winged creatures spend hours hovering in the warm currents of the ocean. Divers can even swim up close for a better look at these gentle giants of the deep.
The facts
To fly to Yap, first fly to Cairns. Qantas flies to Cairns daily from all capital cities. Prices start at $858 from Perth and $501 from Sydney.
Qantas
Tel: 13 13 13
Through Travelworld, Talpacific has package deals flying Continental Airlines from Cairns, including three nights at the five-star Traders Ridge Resort and four nights in Guam, starting from $2079 per person twin share. From September through December 19 2003 you can take $300 off that price.
Travelworld
Tel: 13 14 35
Traders' Ridge Resort
A Village Cultural Tour costs $89 per person. A two-tank Manta Ray dive costs from $169 per person.
