WENO
Weno is the second largest island in the Lagoon, and it is here passengers deplane and disembark from the field trip ships. Hotels are dotted along the main road, and it is best to become acclimated to the equatorial sun at your hotel. Once you are comfortably situated, Weno has plenty of sites for you to check out.

LAGOON ISLANDS
You can travel to the other Lagoon islands by hitching a boat ride near the Commercial Port. Every morning and evening, the Lagoon serves as an ocean highway as boaters ferry food, supplies, and people to Weno's commercial center. Be careful when traveling by boat: The weather is unpredictable. High waves and strong winds can make the trip a dangerous adventure.

TONOAS
The closest island to Weno, Tonoas, or Dublon as it was known until 1990, once served as Japan's largest colonial naval installation during World War II. A number of Japanese war sites can be seen here, including melted oil tanks, a naval cemetery, hospital ruins, and a former seaplane base (today, it's the junior high school). But, the best-kept secret on Tonoas is known as the General's Cave, a series of large tunnels. Today, during infrequent typhoons that pass through Chuuk, residents seek shelter in the General's Cave.

PICNIC ISLANDS
A large number of small uninhabited islands scattered throughout the Lagoon islands serve as "picnic islands'' for the locals. The islands are privately owned and managed, and families will sail to their islands whenever free time permits, to enjoy good food and cheer. Travelers can hook up with families and join them, or you can ask the Chuuk Visitors Bureau or your hotel to make arrangements on your behalf. Picnic islands include Osakura (also known as Pisiwi), Pisamwe, Falos, and Pisar, to name a few.

FAICHUK
The western part of the Lagoon is collectively known as Faichuk and is considered relatively isolated. Here you can visit Tol, a group of three islands -- Tol, Polle, and Patta -- separated by mangrove channels. Faichuk waters are renowned for sport fishing, and arrangements can be made in Weno. 

OUTER ISLANDS
Venturing to the outer islands is exciting and well worth the effort. The outer islands are peaceful and relaxing, and modern accouterments are minimal. The only way to communicate with the outside world is by using gasoline- or solar-powered radios. To get there, you need to sail aboard one of the state's two field trip ships. It is not advisable to travel in a 20-foot fiberglass motorboat as many outer islanders do. All too often, these boats are sadly lost at sea.

The Westerns, known in Chuuk as the Pattiw Islands, are considered to be the most traditional, but contain many Yapese cultural attributes. Here, age-old navigation techniques and canoe-building, traditional tattooing and house construction still exist. The people are gracious and accommodating, knowing that the journey to their home is long and oftentimes difficult.