Micronesia
Oceania · Palikir · FM
Micronesia is the ocean-locked country of the western Pacific, a federation of the hundreds of islands and the atolls that spreads the coral reefs, the lagoons and the remote worlds of the Chuuk, the Yap and the Pohnpei across an ocean area larger than the continental United States. The capital of the Palikir on the island of the Pohnpei lies in the lush interior of one of the wettest inhabited places on earth, while the island of the Yap preserves the stone money and the strict traditions of the ancient culture, and the lagoons of the Chuuk hold one of the great wreck-diving sites of the world from the war of the Pacific. The diving, the island hopping and the slow life of the outrigger canoes and the coral atolls are the experience of the country. Expensive to reach and profoundly authentic, Micronesia is the true far edge of the island Pacific.
Overview
Micronesia is a country in Oceania. Its capital is Palikir and the international dialling code is +691. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English. Local currency is the US Dollar (USD). We also list 1 city in Micronesia: Palikir.
The Ruins of the Nan Madol and the Venice of the Pacific
The ruins of the Nan Madol, the extraordinary ceremonial city built from the enormous basalt columns on the artificial islets of the lagoon of the Pohnpei, are among the most mysterious archaeological sites of the Pacific, the Venice of the eastern ocean where the rulers of the island dynasty raised their walled compounds above the water. The ruined city, with its massive walls, its canals and its tombs, is dated to the centuries of the island kingdom, and the legends of its builders and the scale of its construction, the columns transported from the island of the quarry across the lagoon, still divide the archaeologists. The site, reached by the boats through the mangroves and the channels, is one of the great unsung wonders of the Pacific world.
The Stone Money of the Yap and the Islands of the Tradition
The island of the Yap, the westernmost of the main islands of the country, preserves one of the most complete traditional societies of the Pacific, and the great stone money of the island, the enormous carved discs of the calcite that the ancestors quarried on the distant island of the Palau and shipped across the sea, still serve as the ceremonial currency of the communities. The villages of the island, with their stone platforms, their meeting houses and their strict taboos, follow the old protocols of the Yapese life, and the men's houses and the dances of the island carry the deep, intact spirit of the ancient culture. The island, deliberately removed from the modern economy, is the most traditional destination of the whole country.
The Wrecks of the Chuuk and the Diving of the Lagoon
The lagoon of the Chuuk, the enormous protected lagoon of the central islands, is the legendary wreck-diving destination of the Pacific, the resting place of the fleet of the war of the region, sunk by the air attacks of the Allies in the famous operation of 1944. The wrecks of the lagoon, the dozens of the ships and the aircraft that lie in the clear turquoise water, are among the most accessible and the most spectacular wreck dives in the world, their holds packed with the tanks, the aircraft, the torpedoes and the equipment of the sunken fleet, now overgrown with the coral and the life of the decades. The diving of the lagoon, from the shallow reefs to the deep wrecks of the open water, is the great, eerie attraction of the country.
The Rainforest of the Pohnpei and the Waterfalls of the Interior
The island of the Pohnpei, the largest of the country and the seat of the capital, rises in its lush volcanic peaks from the surrounding reef, one of the wettest inhabited places on earth, and its interior holds the dense rainforest, the fern valleys and some of the most beautiful waterfalls of the Pacific. The island is crossed by the streams and the sacred eels of the rivers, and the hikes of the interior, from the falls with their cool pools to the viewpoints of the peaks, thread the green, dripping interior, while the coastal villages and the markets of the island hold the everyday life of the wet, fertile land. The agricultural wealth of the island, the taro, the sakau of the ceremonial and the fruit of the tropics, has made the Pohnpei the breadbasket of the region.
The Atolls of the Outer Islands and the Life of the Canoes
The outer islands of the federation, the hundred atolls and the coral islets that spread across the enormous ocean area of the country, hold some of the most remote communities on earth, where the traditional life of the canoes, the fishing and the copra of the palm still runs on the old rhythms. The islands of the east, from the historic atoll of the Kosrae, the lush green island with its ancient ruins and its mountain peaks, to the isolated atolls of the north and the south, are reached by the tiny planes and the infrequent ships, and the life of the atolls, the sailing canoes, the churches and the Saturday markets of the lagoon, gives the visitor the true, unspoiled corner of the island Pacific. The environmental work of the country, protecting the reefs and the giant clams of its waters, completes the picture of the fragile paradise.
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- Capital
- Palikir
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +691
- Internet TLD
- fm
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Micronesia.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Micronesia?
Palikir is the capital of Micronesia, and the country sits in Oceania.
What currency is used in Micronesia?
You pay with US Dollar (USD) in Micronesia. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Micronesia?
The languages we list for Micronesia are English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Micronesia?
The dialling code for Micronesia is +691 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Micronesia do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Micronesia: Palikir (capital).