Yap and its Stone Money

Yap is one of the most traditional and culturally intact islands in the Pacific, where ancient customs endure strongly in daily life. It is famous above all for its rai, or stone money, extraordinary discs of carved crystalline limestone, some over three metres across and weighing tonnes, quarried long ago on distant Palau and carried home by canoe, which are still owned, valued and exchanged for important ceremonial transactions, lined up in stone-money banks along village paths. Beyond this, Yap preserves traditional thatched men's houses, dance, chewing of betel nut, a system of caste and custom, and a proud, dignified way of life that visitors encounter with respect and permission.

What you actually see

• The stone money - the giant carved rai discs and stone-money banks.
• The traditional villages - the thatched men's houses and custom.
• The Yapese dance - the traditional ceremonial dances.
• The living culture - the enduring customs and way of life.

When to go

December to April tends to be slightly drier and is a good time to visit; cultural events and festivals, such as Yap Day around March, showcase traditional dance and custom. Yap is reached by flight, and its villages and stone money are best experienced respectfully, with a guide and with permission, as much is on private and customary land.

Honest expectations

Yap is remote, reached by long flights, with limited facilities, and its culture is a living, private tradition, not a spectacle, so visits must be made with real respect: permission is needed to enter villages, walk certain paths, photograph people or stone money, and to observe local etiquette and dress. For the rare privilege of encountering one of the most traditional and intact living cultures in the Pacific, though, with its extraordinary stone money and enduring customs, Yap is genuinely fascinating and unforgettable.

Nearby

The other Micronesian states and the diving reefs of Yap are within reach.