Deep in Pohnpei's rainforests we discover immense tropical plants and wildlife of innumerable variety. It is in this dense rainforest canopy that Bob and Patti Arthur created The Village.
Winners of the world's first ecotourism award in 1991, Bob and Patti handcrafted each stilted hut and The Tattooed Irishman Restaurant from local materials. Taming this voracious jungle into a tropical hideaway cascading down the steep hillsides of Pohnpei's volcanic mountains is no small feat. Seven years of hard labor have borne fruit, encouraging adventurers to follow in their footsteps.
Drip, drip, croak, and chirp. . .rainforest sounds lull us to sleep in our open-air, thatched hut. Then it begins again. Rain, then torrents of water crash down on us silencing even the most vocal tree frogs. We jolt awake with the thumping noise pelting the enormous tropical leaves that engulf our hillside bungalow. Just as soon as the noise reaches a crescendo, it recedes into the calm rhythm of drip, drip, drip. We wiggle under our mosquito netting over the waterbed (what else), to settle in for another nap. So go our nights in The Village.
Daylight brings a flurry of activity to ready everyone for a day's diving and the trip to Nan Madol, the ancient lost city of Pohnpei. Tumbling off the side of the dive boat we descend into schools of tropical fish and are surrounded by lush coral reefs covered with immense sea fans and gorgonians in a rainbow of colors. We marvel at the diversity of sea life in this centuries-old aquarium. Pohnpei’s reefs are in pristine condition and do not suffer from man-made pollution or an abundance of divers. Too soon our air tanks run low and we must surface. Diving here is an effortless, solitary experience.
Our surface interval is spent enjoying lunch and practicing our “lizard in the sun” imitation on a nearby shore. Off to another exciting dive site in the afternoon where we are treated to the spectacle of 8-foot high orange sea fans, lush reefs and walls, and teeming fish life of all shapes and sizes. Huge orange, yellow, and black crinoids spread their wispy arms out into the nutrient-rich current feeding all day long. We are watched closely by schools of barracuda, jacks, and swim alongside a friendly turtle who happens by.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
