Pakin Atoll
Outer atoll like Ahnd but without a true pass into the lagoon, so divers mostly stay on the steep outer walls. Pakin has five marine protected areas of its own (Wahulap, Painpwel, Sapangin, Kehrot and Mwahnid) and is visited on full-day trips.
Facts
- Region: Micronesia – Yap, Pohnpei & Kosrae
- Area: Pohnpei (incl. Ant Atoll)
- Level: advanced
- Current: strong
- Type: wall, drift, reef
- Coordinates: 7.0, 157.78 (approximate)
- Highlights: grey reef sharks, hard coral, soft coral
- Permit: Pakin Atoll has five Pohnpei marine protected areas; entry is arranged through a licensed Pohnpei tour or dive operator, who holds the permits. No public fee schedule for Pakin was found; Pohnpei state MPA user fees (2014 regulations: non-resident scuba US$5 one time) apply.
- Issuer / contact: Division of Forestry and Marine Conservation, Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (Pohnpei State)
- Website: https://www.pohnpei-adventure.com/mpa/
- issuer named in the 2014 MPA regulations (permits sold Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00); no phone or email published there
- Unverified: Position is approximate: the pin is placed at the atoll from general knowledge of its location, not from a published dive-site GPS. Access is arranged by the operator.
- Tips: Remote – no chamber on the island, so dive conservatively and check conditions with the operator.