Truk Lagoon
World War II wreck diving capital of the worldTruk Lagoon is a wreck diver’s paradise steeped in World War II history and is a unique destination.
During World War II the atoll of Truk, in the south‐west Pacific, was the forward base for the Japanese Imperial Navy. On the 17th and 18th February 1944 the Americans laid siege to Truk Lagoon, executing a destructive aerial bombardment known as ‘Operation Hailstone’. Around 30 waves of American bombers destroyed 250 Japanese planes, an estimated 60 vessels, as well as thousands of Japanese and Chuukese citizens. ‘Operation Hailstone’ set a World War II record of destruction, with over 180,000 tons of shipping being sunk in just two days.
Today, dozens of Japanese ships and artefacts can be seen in the clear Lagoon waters. The average depth for the majority of wrecks is between 28m ‐ 45m and the diving is often in little, or no, current.
Diving on these ships captures a historic moment in time. Their guns remain facing the sky, still armed with spent ammunition shells strewn across their decks, and holds are packed full of military hardware and explosives. Truk Lagoon is a ‘must’ for any discerning diver.
How to get there
Truk Lagoon is most easily reached through Manila, in the Philippines. There are many airlines operating flights to Manila from the UK and you would need to take a night’s accommodation there prior to continuing your journey to Truk the next day. From Manila, there are flights to Truk Lagoon operating two times per week, travelling on United Airlines via Guam. Flight time from Manila to Truk is just eight hours, although the flight times can be at very unsociable hours.
Stay a bit a longer
Truk Lagoon has so much to offer it is likely that you may not be looking to add any other destination to your trip, but there are several options to consider. In Truk itself, you can take a day off diving and head into the island to see historical sites and visit many World War II relics.
You can also consider extending your trip by exploring more of the Philippines. Or, if you fancy more diving, then you could combine Truk Lagoon with a stay in either Yap or Palau. United Airlines service all these areas, with flights to Yap and Palau operating via Guam.
Whichever option you fancy, we will be happy to guide you and assist with all your travel needs.
Quick Guide: Truk Lagoon
- Location: 630 miles south east of Guam
- When to go: All year round
- Average air temp: Tropical 28°C – 30°C
- Average water temp: 27°C – 29°C
- Recommended diver level: PADI Advanced (or equivalent) with minimum 25 dives
Resort Diving
The wrecks of Truk Lagoon are in quite a concentrated area and are easily reached from shore. The Truk Blue Lagoon Resort is a great option for those looking to do a shore based Truk Lagoon itinerary. The furthest wreck from the hotel is around 55 minutes by boat and the nearest just a few minutes away.
Usually, the dive boat departs in the morning to make a two-tank dive, with light refreshments served during the surface interval, before returning back to base for lunch. There will be a third (afternoon) dive scheduled, along with night dives as and when divers would like to do them. You can book your stay at Truk Blue Lagoon Resort with a two dives per day package, or three dives per day.
Find out more on our Blue Lagoon Resort page.
Liveaboard Diving
Liveaboard diving in Truk Lagoon will give you more dives per day, plus after each dive you will return to the liveaboard giving you time to freshen up and relax before your next dive. The Truk Odyssey is a superbly equipped vessel and comes highly recommended for anyone looking to dive the wrecks of Truk Lagoon by liveaboard.
The Truk Odyssey offers up to five dives per day and during the 7 night itinerary the liveaboard will move to new anchor points to explore the wrecks nearby, thus meaning much shorter boat rides to each wreck and more time to relax between dives.
Find out more on our Truk Odyssey page.
The Truk Master is part of the Master Fleet of steel diving boats that operate in some of the best dive destinations in the world. Completely refurbished in 2016, the Truk Master is 37m long and consists of 8 well appointed cabins taking 16 divers on Truk itineraries and 12 divers on Bikini itineraries.
During the Truk season (October – April) the Truk Master runs 7 and 10 night trips to the main concentration of wrecks located within the bay. This unique area is home to hundreds of wrecks from World War 2 as a result of the aerial bombardment from ‘Operation Hailstone’. Many of the wrecks are in clear visibility and within recreational diving depths, making this the best place in the world for wreck diving.
Find out more on our Truk Master page.
Ready for your next adventure?
Great Escapes Diving Holidays Ltd
Combs Tannery
Tannery Road
Combs
Stowmarket
Suffolk
IP14 2EN
United Kingdom
Office hours: Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 5pm
Tel: 01449 535010
Email: info@greatescapesdiving.com
All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate
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