Frequently Asked Questions

Which is it - Truk or Chuuk?

The official name is Chuuk which means "mountains or mountainous" in the local Chuukese language. It was changed to Truk during the Japanese era but changed back to Chuuk in the mid 80's. Most people now know Chuuk is still Truk, or Truk is now Chuuk, but old timers and divers still talk about Truk Lagoon.

Where is Chuuk and what's the best way to get there?

Chuuk (formerly called Truk or Truk Lagoon) is one of four States which comprise the Federated States of Micronesia. Physically located at 7.30 degrees North Latitude and 151.45 degrees Longitude, Chuuk is just north of the equator, about half way between Hawaii and the Philippines, and only 633 miles southeast of Guam.

Is Chuuk a safe place to visit?

The short, quick answer is yes - Chuuk is a perfectly safe destination for the visiting diver or tourist. The Chuukese people are some of the finest, humble, and respectful people you will find anywhere and they genuinely care that the visiting traveler has an enjoyable time while in Chuuk.

Chuuk is admittedly an unsophisticated destination without a social structure that invites the visitor outside of their hotel for an evening of entertainment. This has been mistaken over the years as to mean that Chuuk is not a safe place. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Is Truk Lagoon only for deep and technical divers?

No. It is a common misconception that Truk is only for the technical or advanced diver. This is not true and has kept many capable, recreational divers who would truly enjoy diving Truk Lagoon from coming.

The advanced, technical diver will find many deep wrecks to explore but so will the non-technical diver who dives on air with a single 80 cu. ft. tank. There are more than 20 excellent wrecks to dive in the Truk Lagoon at 100' or less

What kind of tanks and valves do you have?

We have single and double aluminum 80's (11L) cylinders, many with convertible valves for DIN or YOKE use. We have sets of doubles with the industry standard manifolds and bands (11" center to center), some aluminum 100 cu. ft. tanks plus 13 cu. ft (2 liter). and 19 cu. ft (3 liter). cylinders for rebreathers.

What type of electrical power do you provide?

The electrical power island wide is 120V/60hz. The Truk Stop provides 220V single phase power for divers who need this for charging their camera batteries and other equipment requiring this type of electricity.

How far is the boat ride from the hotel to the wrecks?

Our Lagoon Dive Map shows that the majority of our wrecks are clustered in 3 locations that are very close together. The distance from the Truk Stop dock to the wrecks ranges from just 1 mile to about 4 miles with a boat ride to any of the frequently dived wrecks being about 25 minutes.

How many dives can I do in a day?

The Truk Lagoon Dive Center can provide up to 4 regular, non-technical dives in a single day. This is generally 2 wreck dives in the morning then a combination of a 3 rd wreck dive, with the 4 th dive being either another wreck dive, a shark dive, or a night dive. Most divers do 3 dives per day.

What kind of land tours are available?

Yes, a land tour is a must for any visitor to Chuuk. There is an excellent 3 - 4 hour tour that most visitors take on their last, non-diving day or departure day. This tour includes Xavier High School , the former Japanese Commander Center that is Micronesia 's premier high school run by a Jesuit Order out of New York , and some caves with World War II canon still inside pointing to our outer reef. Land tours can be arranged through the hotel front desk staff.

Do you accept credit cards?

The Truk Stop Hotel & Dive Center accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express plus Travelers Checks for all services provided by the hotel and dive center. Not all local hotels and business do so you should check if you are not sure.

Yes - but it hasn't worked in years. So the real question is - is there a working MTM in Chuuk and the answer to that question would be "NO". The Truk Stop will advance cash against a credit card for a small fee which is much less than a bank transaction for the same thing.

Is there an MTM in Chuuk?

No. There is no place in Chuuk to change or exchange foreign currently. Chuuk uses U.S. currency exclusively.