Truk Lagoon (Chuuk) Diving — Federated States of Micronesia

Truk Lagoon contains the world's greatest concentration of diveable shipwrecks — over 60 Japanese vessels sunk during Operation Hailstone in February 1944. These ghost ships now rest in warm, shallow water, their holds still containing tanks, aircraft, torpedoes, and personal artifacts that paint a haunting portrait of war. Coral has transformed the wrecks into artificial reefs, creating an eerie fusion of history and marine life that no wreck diver should miss.

Score
66.3 / 100
Country
Federated States of Micronesia
Region
Micronesia
Area
Chuuk State
Nearest airport
Chuuk International (TKK)
Visibility
9–30 m
Water temperature
27–30 °C
Max depth
61 m
Current strength
mild
Dive types
wreck, penetration, reef, night
Best months
December, January, February, March, April, May
Minimum certification
Advanced Open Water
Access type
boat
Average 2-tank dive cost
$130 USD
Budget tier
mid range
Key species
grey reef shark, eagle ray, barracuda, soft coral, giant clam, Napoleon wrasse
Google rating
4.7 (2,400 reviews)
Top operators
Blue Lagoon Dive Shop, Truk Lagoon Dive Center, SS Thorfinn Liveaboard
Nearest hyperbaric chamber
Chuuk State Hospital Hyperbaric Chamber (~5 km)
Back to directory
World Class
Advanced
Truk Lagoon (Chuuk)
Federated States of MicronesiaMicronesia
66.3

SCORE

7.4167°N

151.7833°E

Truk Lagoon contains the world's greatest concentration of diveable shipwrecks — over 60 Japanese vessels sunk during Operation Hailstone in February 1944. These ghost ships now rest in warm, shallow water, their holds still containing tanks, aircraft, torpedoes, and personal artifacts that paint a haunting portrait of war. Coral has transformed the wrecks into artificial reefs, creating an eerie fusion of history and marine life that no wreck diver should miss.

The Ghost Fleet of the Pacific

Visibility9–30 m
Temperature27–30°C
Max Depth61 m
Currentmild
2-Tank Dive$130
Best MonthsDecember, January, February, March
CertificationAdvanced Open WaterAdvanced

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

ML70.0CH65.0VIS62.0SV82.0TMP92.0DA78.0OP72.0TS28.0GT25.0VAL55.0CRD90.0SP90.0

Marine Life

70.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity
68
Megafauna Encounters
55
Reef Fish Abundance
72
Macro Life
78
Endemic Species
58
Marine Life Diversity
70.0
Coral & Reef Health
65.0
Visibility & Conditions
62.0
Dive Site Variety
82.0
Water Temperature
92.0
Depth & Access
78.0
Operator Quality
72.0
Topside Experience
28.0
Getting There
25.0
Value & Cost
55.0
Crowding
90.0
Social Proof
90.0

Key Species

grey reef sharkeagle raybarracudasoft coralgiant clamNapoleon wrasse

Dive Types

wreckpenetrationreefnight

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

WWII history tourssnorkeling over shallow wrecksBlue Lagoon beach trip

Nearby Cultural Sites

  • Japanese WWII relics
  • Xavier High School (former Japanese communications center)

Non-Diver Partner Score

3/10

Dedicated dive destination — not ideal for non-divers.

Family FriendlyNot recommended
Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org
Hyperbaric Chamber5 km — Chuuk State Hospital Hyperbaric Chamber
Nearest Hospital5 km

Basic chamber on island; limited medical infrastructure; serious cases evacuated to Guam or Honolulu

Skill LevelAdvanced
Current Strengthmild

Top Operators

Blue Lagoon Dive Shop

PADI

4.6
340 reviewsNITROX

Truk Lagoon Dive Center

SSI

4.5
220 reviewsNITROX

SS Thorfinn Liveaboard

PADI

4.4
180 reviewsNITROX
Compare This Dive Site
Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives
45+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification
Advanced Open Water
“Truk is a wreck-diving pilgrimage for people who are into WWII history. If you're not into the history, it's just 50 rusty ships in 25m of viz. Know why you're going.”

What will challenge you

  • →Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 61 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
  • →Wreck penetration requires Wreck specialty training at minimum, and often decompression planning. Don't improvise inside.
  • →Wreck penetration on the Fujikawa Maru, San Francisco Maru, and I-169 sub require documented wreck training. People die here getting lost. Ops that let you penetrate without training are the ones to avoid.
Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down.

Morning
  • Viz
    peak
  • Current
    slack
  • Crowd
    empty
  • wreck penetration
  • wide angle on shallower wrecks

Truk is 50+ WWII wrecks in one lagoon. Morning dive on Fujikawa Maru — Zero fighters in the hold, still. Sun angle works for wide-angle on shallow wreck decks.

Afternoon
  • Viz
    high
  • Current
    slack
  • Crowd
    empty
  • deeper wrecks
  • penetration training

Afternoons are for the deeper wrecks — San Francisco Maru, I-169 sub. These require advanced wreck training and decompression gas planning. Don't 'try it' if you're not current.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month Viz (m) Temp (°C) CurrentSea RainConfidenceHighlights
Jan20–3029SlackCalmWet75%rainy season tail
Feb25–3529SlackCalmLight85%peak viz
Mar25–3529SlackCalmLight88%peak
Apr25–3529SlackCalmLight88%peak
May25–3529SlackCalmLight85%peak
Jun20–3029SlackCalmWet75%rain starts
Jul20–3029SlackCalmWet70%rainy
Aug20–3029SlackCalmWet70%rainy
Sep20–3029SlackCalmWet70%rainy
Oct20–3029SlackCalmWet70%rainy
Nov20–3029SlackCalmWet72%tail
Dec20–3029SlackCalmWet75%shoulder
Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects73
Wide angle69
Viz stability55
Hover friendliness100
Natural light34

Recommended kit

  • →Macro lens (60mm or 105mm), focus light, dual strobes positioned for fill
  • →Dedicated video light for dark wreck interiors; don't rely on strobes alone
Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget
$2,950–$4,000

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US)
$1,550–$1,850
Accommodation / day
$50–$100
Diving / day
$110–$130
Food / day
$30–$55
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Mid-range
$4,350–$6,350

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US)
$2,150–$2,650
Accommodation / day
$120–$220
Diving / day
$130–$170
Food / day
$60–$120
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Splurge
$7,000–$10,700

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US)
$3,050–$3,750
Accommodation / day
$260–$500
Diving / day
$170–$220
Food / day
$130–$250
Transfers + misc
$50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here