Bechiyal Cultural Center

Bechiyal at the northern end of Yap runs as a cultural centre in an actual village, with a traditional faluw, the men's house built on a stone platform, stone money standing along the paths and the old stone-paved ways running between the buildings. Visitors are shown the village by its own people. Yapese custom around dress, photography and where you may walk is explained and applies. Yap is one of the few places in the Pacific where the traditional caste and land system still governs daily life, and the centre exists partly to explain that to outsiders.

What you actually see

• The faluw - the traditional men's house on its stone platform.
• The stone paths - the old paved ways running through the village.
• The stone money - the carved discs standing along the paths.
• The village context - a living settlement rather than a reconstruction.

When to go

December to April is the drier season. Visits should be arranged rather than turning up. Custom days may close the village.

Honest expectations

Yapese custom governs behaviour, dress and photography closely and must be followed. Accommodation is very basic traditional huts. Access requires arrangement and fees.

Nearby

Colonia is south, and the Tamilyog Trail is southeast.