TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
TBA |
| Currency |
(USD)
U.S Dollar |
| Electrical |
120 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 691, City Code, Pohnpei 320+4D, Chuuk 330+4D, Yap 350+4D |
Time:
Owing to the vast area covered by the islands, Micronesia spans
two time zones:
Chuuk and Yap: GMT + 10.
Kosrae and Pohnpei: GMT +
11.
Telephone:
IDD is available. Country code: 691. Outgoing international code:
00.
Climate:
Tropical with year-round high humidity.
Required
clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens, with light
rainwear advisable all year round.
Food
& Drink: Local specialities include breadfruit (Chuuk)
and thin slices of raw fish dipped in a peppery sauce. Pohnpeians
have over 100 words for yams and grow them to massive proportions
(it may take several men to carry one); yams occupy a central
position in local culture. Although some dining rooms serve buffet-style
fare, table service is usual and operates at a leisurely pace.
Sakau, as it is known on Pohnpei, or kava, as it is known throughout
the rest of Polynesia, is made from the root of a shrub which
yields a mildly narcotic substance when squeezed through hibiscus
bark. There are several sakau bars where visitors can sample it
and watch it being made. Alcohol is prohibited on Chuuk (with
the consequence that nearby islands are often used as picnic resorts).
Shopping:
Favourite purchases on Chuuk include love sticks and war clubs.
Yap people produce colourful grass skirts, lava-lavas woven from
hibiscus bark, woven baby cradles, betel-nut pouches and stone
money. On Pohnpei, there are elaborate, carefully scaled model
canoes and woven items. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700. Some
stores open Sun 1200-1700.
Photography:
Permission should always be sought. Though people are friendly,
and usually accommodating, not to seek prior permission before
taking pictures is considered an insult, especially on some of
the more remote islands.
Tipping:
Tips are neither encouraged nor expected.
Currency:
Giant stone money remains in use on Yap, but not for ordinary
transactions or any that are likely to involve visitors. For information
on convertible currency, see Money in the Pacific Islands of Micronesia
section. The US Dollar is the official currency. There are several
US FDIC insured banks operating (although there are no banks on
Chuuk) and most major credit cards are welcome at major businesses.
