Wreck Diving Truk Lagoon & Drift Diving Palau: A Bucket-List Adventure
Mark Duvall Jul 23, 2025
Wreck Diving Truk Lagoon & Drift Diving Palau: A Bucket-List Adventure
Imagine descending onto a vibrant reef at 97 feet, admiring soft and hard corals stretching as far as the eye can see—only to realize you’re actually looking at a shipwreck. This is the Kiyosumi Maru, a 450-foot Japanese resupply ship sunk during Operation Hailstone on February 17, 1944, in Truk Lagoon. Once a vessel of war, it's now an artificial reef teeming with marine life.
Next up: the Nippo Maru. Originally a freshwater transport, this ship might’ve also doubled as a sake and beer carrier—walls of bottles still rest in crates, untouched for over 80 years. Inside, you’ll also find gas masks, shell casings, and hospital supplies—a surreal reminder of history frozen in time.
Diving in Truk Lagoon is more than just spectacular wreck diving—each descent is a history lesson. The crew aboard the Truk Odyssey delivers incredible briefings that combine dive profiles with stories of the ships, what artifacts to look for, and which underwater creatures you might encounter.
One of the most unforgettable moments came during a dive on the Yamagiri Maru. Peeking over the ship’s edge, I spotted a sea cucumber standing nearly vertical, looking like it was waiting to be beamed up by a spaceship. A closer look revealed dozens more doing the same—they were spawning! It was one of those surreal natural events you never forget.
Over the years, I’ve been on many liveaboards, but Truk Odyssey ranks among the best. The boat is well-maintained, the rooms are spacious, the food is excellent, and the crew goes above and beyond. With a group of fun, experienced divers along for the ride, it turned into a trip to remember. Shoutout to the awesome new friends from Zionsville, Indiana!
Next Stop: Palau – Drift Diving Paradise
My dive dream has always been to explore both Truk Lagoon and Palau—and neither disappointed.
Palau kicked off with an early morning dive at White Face, a stunning wall dive full of vibrant corals and unique critters. Most of the dives here are drifts, letting the current carry you past an endless parade of marine wonders.
One of the standout dives was the famous Blue Corner, often ranked as one of the best dives in the Pacific. It was my first time doing a hook-in dive, and after getting over the initial awkwardness (yes, I felt like live bait), I settled in to watch dozens of sharks cruise by—some closer than I expected!
At German Channel, we encountered multiple manta rays and massive bait balls—one easily held over 300 fish. We also spotted a rare red fire anemone among the reef, a true treat for macro lovers.
Another unforgettable dive: Blue Holes. Divers descend into a cavern system through a large reef hole. Inside, white tip reef sharks rested among the shadows, and the entire space—about 200 by 150 feet—opened into the vast blue beyond.
Turtle Cove lived up to its name, with 20–30 turtles on a single dive. Night dives were equally amazing, especially at German Coral Garden, where we saw hundreds of sea cucumbers (including Lion’s Paw and Lampert’s varieties), plus free-swimming green moray eels on the hunt.
A gentle swim through Jellyfish Lake added another unique moment, though the jellyfish were scarce due to an early rainstorm. Still, a magical experience.
And then there was our final dive: Chandelier Caves. Not for the claustrophobic, this otherworldly site includes four chambers connected by narrow swim-throughs. You surface inside each one to breathe the air and admire the stalactites. When the lights go out, it's—as my grandfather would say—darker than the inside of a cow.
Final Thoughts
These were two of the best dive trips I’ve ever taken. From the haunting wrecks of Truk Lagoon to the thrilling drift dives and surreal caves of Palau, this combo is a must for any passionate diver. Whether you're into wreck exploration, pelagic encounters, or underwater photography, Truk and Palau deliver unforgettable dives and world-class liveaboard experiences.
Ready to plan your next dive adventure? Don’t miss these legendary destinations.
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