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The Micronesian state of Chuuk is a wreck divers' Disneyland. After French oceanographer Jean Cousteau featured this group of southwest Pacific islands in a 1971 television documentary, Chuuk became an overnight sensation for scuba diving aficionados on the hunt for ghostly underwater finds like Chuuk's gardens of soft corals growing over virtually-intact World War II sunken ships. At the heart of the ruins lies the I-169 Shinohara, a Japanese submarine that played a part in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Also known as Truk Lagoon, Chuuk means mountain in the local Chuukese speech. It is Micronesia's most populous state. The most famous attraction of Chuuk is the Chuuk Lagoon, a large archipelago with mountainous islands ringed by islets on a barrier reef. On Chuuk's waters is a thriving populace of manta rays, turtles and sharks swimming in a potpourri of artifacts such as fighter jets, bulldozers, motorcycles, torpedoes, and radios—WWII trashes that have become treasures in the world of underwater photography.

Traveling by kayak is one of the best ways to enjoy Chuuk from island to island. The towns of Poluwat and Pollap have given birth to Chuuk's master navigators who have ferried the seas from time immemorial, using only outrigger canoes and accumulated knowledge on the movement of stars and ocean waves. The country's last remaining navigation schools, Weriyeng and Faaluush, are in Pattiw Region, whose airstrip and portal to Chuuk is located at the town of Houk.

Fishing, weaving, and garden-tending keep the people busy. Women are usually spotted waist-deep in mangrove-dotted shores, hunting for crabs or exotic fish, while men straddle by the reefs with torchlight, looking for baby octopuses at the dead of the night. High in the hills, boat makers craft vessels while woodcarvers make their renowned warrior masks and busts. Particularly unique to the Chuukese is their “love stick,” a legendary erotic practice. When trade winds blow, the hearts of the tourists start throbbing as they mark the beginning of the season for sailing and windsurfing.

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