Yap Archives - Family Dive Adventures

Manta Ray Bay Resort

Introduction

A Resort on the forefront of sustainability in the diving industry

The Resort: The Yap motif of the entire hotel is marine life, with each of the rooms individually decorated in tropical elegance. Each room bears a fish name and is decorated accordingly, with photographs and paintings of that fish, hand-carved vital chains, and handmade bedspreads. Seven nights, three dives daily, meals, and some of the best diving Yap offers, from $1,799 per diver.

Diving in Micronesia
Welcome to our guide for diving and traveling in Micronesia, where you can discover the incredible diving experiences available across these islands and the best ways to explore them.

What Divers Should Know About Micronesia
Micronesia is a region in the North Pacific consisting of thousands of islands, known for some of the world’s finest diving. This area includes the Federated States of Micronesia, the Caroline Islands, Guam (part of the Northern Mariana Islands), and Palau.

The Micronesian islands are among the least visited places in the world, with scuba diving being the primary driver of tourism in the region. Interestingly, all of Yap’s waters are privately owned by local village clans, adding a unique aspect to the diving experiences available there.

The Islands of Micronesia
Covering nearly 3 million square miles of the Northern Pacific Ocean, Micronesia comprises three main countries: the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Guam, which is part of the Northern Mariana island chain. Despite the vast ocean territory, the total landmass of Micronesia is surprisingly no larger than the city of Los Angeles. To dive in this captivating region, visitors must travel to one of these three countries.

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Sustainability: Manta Ray Bay Resort has been at the forefront of sustainability in the diving industry.

1. Renewable Energy: Solar water heaters for the hotel were the first phase of solar implementation. Every roof has solar panels to offset island power usage.

2. Direct Investment in Ecology and Marine Environment Education: Manta Ray Bay is happy to announce a 2019 Shark Conservation Dive Package with Divers 4 Sharks and the Shark Angels.

The previous creation was a joint project with Manta Trust and the Micronesian Conservation Coalition that became one of the most successful dive packages, Manta Mania. Another special event is Marine Biology Weeks in Yap, where guests dive with a marine biologist, Stephan Moditzo, and perform laboratory exercises during three workshops.

These events take money to get going time spent nurturing connections with scientists, meeting with activists, and working with the people who support them. This investment is made to continue leading in the industry and grow future divers awareness of the issues concerning our ocean.

3. Coral Reef Restoration: This coral reef restoration project, in partnership with Richard Shaul and Sea Byte, Inc. Three restoration areas have been established and samples harvested. This project includes monitoring, evaluation, and capacity building by creating a local team that will carry out this project.

4. Plastic-less: All plastic is on the chopping block, including drinking straws, food wrappers, and containers, as well as drinking cups. We might not be able to end our relationship with plastic, but our operation cuts every disposable plastic product out of the daily program.

Rates, Prices & Specials

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Packages

Family Dive Adventure vacation package

Standard Room (7 Nights / 5 Dive Days: $1,799, 15 dives)

Each unique Standard Room is well-appointed in tropical style and features one or two queen-sized beds. The standard rooms are on the opposite side of the resort, with views of the hills and beyond.

Includes:

NITROX
On-the-Boat Lunch
Free WiFi
Wake-up call with Coffee/Tea DeliveryBreakfast on the S/V Mnuw

Let us custom-design your Yap family dive vacation, and we can pre-book your non-diver activities, meals, specialty dives, tours, and excursions. Call us today at 803-419-2556. Congratulations to the Mantaray Bay resort for their green thinking and implementation.

Accommodations

Faraway Luxury

Luxurious Ocean-themed Rooms
Experience luxury in our beautifully appointed, individually themed rooms and suites. Enjoy breathtaking views of the bay and our floating restaurant, The Mnuw, from a private veranda. Relax in a warm sunset soak in a private rooftop jacuzzi or take a refreshing, romantic dip in a private pool. Indulge your senses in an island-inspired shower with a waterfall and warm rain effect. We have accommodations to suit every guest.

Standard View Room
Our unique Standard Rooms are tastefully decorated in a tropical style and come with either one or two queen-sized beds. These rooms are located on the opposite side of the resort, offering views of the hills and surrounding area.

Ocean View Room
Each individually themed Ocean View Room boasts a stunning view of the lagoon. Wake up to the beautiful sunrise reflecting off the calm waters. These rooms are styled in tropical décor and provide either one or two queen-sized beds. Some even feature water beds for an added touch of comfort!

Deluxe Ocean View Room
The Deluxe Ocean View Rooms are our premier accommodations. They offer spectacular ocean views, king-sized beds, private patios, and unique interior designs. Some rooms include private plunge pools, exceptional stone showers, or even private rooftop jacuzzis! Each room is unique and equally elegant, ensuring a memorable stay.

Diving / Diving Site(s)

The Diving

The dive shop also offers a variety of specialty dive certifications for those looking to enhance their formal training. Notably, Yap Divers is home to the only PADI-certified Manta Ray Awareness Course in the world, creating a unique opportunity for an unforgettable Yap Island vacation. Divers can enjoy a plethora of experiences, including regularly scheduled drift dives, wall dives, cavern dives, night dives, and our specialty—Giant Manta dives! Consider adding Palau for an extended, even more amazing trip!

Dive Training

The Dive Staff: Yap Divers, an award-winning dive center, is Yap’s first PADI Golden Palm Resort, located adjacent to the Manta Ray Bay Hotel, forming the island’s first PADI Gold Palm Resort. With Yap Divers, you can expect clean and pure air, safe diving, and comprehensive instruction available from Open Water to Divemaster levels.

Dining / Restaurant(s)

Ocean view at every table

Mnuw Restaurant & Nautical Bar

The Mnuw is one of the most unique restaurants and bars in Micronesia, if not the world. This 170-foot (55-meter) Phinisi schooner from Indonesia features three dining decks, two bars, and a fully-equipped kitchen on board. Start your day with a stunning sunrise breakfast, or unwind after a full day of activities with a cold beer or tropical drink while sharing sea stories.

The Manta Ray Restaurant
Imagine rough-hewn beams and floors, teak walls, wall sconces, cozy nooks, and the nostalgic aroma of wood. Experience intimate lighting and a warm atmosphere at our restaurant. Located on the main deck of the SV Mnuw, the hundred-year-old South Seas schooner, you can enjoy fine views through panoramic windows.

The menu is inspired by Asian, local, and European recipes, offering generous portions that are both wholesome and delicious. Daily delights include homemade pizza, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and fresh fish sandwiches. Pair your meal with the microbrewed beer from Stone Money Brewing Company, and you’ll quickly understand why guests find it hard to leave this venue.

The Crow’s Nest Bar
On the spacious top deck of the Mnuw is the “Crows Nest Bar,” a perfect spot to enjoy the open air while overlooking the sea. It’s an ideal place to wrap up a day of diving, sipping on a tropical drink made right before your eyes, or enjoying a tasty Stone Money brew on tap. They also serve a full restaurant menu up here.

The gigantic movie screen, oftens showcase a mix of Yap’s finest diving footage, guest productions, and mainstream movies. There’s nothing quite like watching a film outdoors on the deck of a schooner in a tropical paradise, all while sipping a cold beverage after a day of breathtaking diving.

Activities

Yap is remarkable to explore

Snorkeling
The warm, crystal-clear water and the incredible diversity of ocean life make Yap an ideal destination for snorkeling.

Kayaking
As you paddle among the mangroves, you will discover areas that can only be accessed by kayak. There are no roads or powered boats, and no habitation—just you and nature. This offers the perfect opportunity to explore one of the few ecosystems on our planet that remains untouched by humans.

Fishing
Imagine looking over the side of your kayak into the deep blue water, so clear that you can see fish swimming 100 feet below. Picture yourself just 20 yards from the edge of the reef, gazing across the turquoise lagoon towards a lush green tropical island in the background. You cast your lure into the waves breaking on the reef, and suddenly—boom! A massive black Giant Trevally charges from the surf, attacking your wooden bait. The fight is on!

Land Tours
The concierge staff at the Manta Ray Bay Hotel offers a complete range of land tours designed to showcase the unique island culture of Yap. These tours cover everything from the famous stone money and stone money banks to traditional thatched-roof men’s houses, centuries-old stone paths that still connect various villages, and the island’s unique flora and fauna.

Know Before You Go

Yap is easier to get to than you think

Getting to Yap

Traveling to Yap may initially seem challenging, but it is actually quite simple. You can reach Yap directly from major airports in Guam (GUM) and Palau (ROR), which are connected to international hubs in the USA, Japan, Germany, Australia, and many other countries. With a bit of planning, you can easily arrange your trip.

International & Regional Flights

There are several flight options available for getting to Yap. United Airlines offers international flights from Guam twice a week. Additionally, PMA provides regional flights from Palau twice a week, along with special charter options.

Photos & Videos

More Yap Photos

Mother leads her family to the sea

The treasure of Kids Sea Camp

I have always loved the sea, would read about it, dream about it, and aspire to live beside it one day.

“I can see the sea!!” shouts seven-year-old me from behind the car. It was the highlight of my year. Growing up in inner-city London, UK, our summer trip to Margate, on the coast, was a much-anticipated event. All three children in the back seat competed to be the first to see the sea! I always won!

Meeting Dave

When I met my unique, excellent, and fabulous husband, we didn’t share many common interests. We were far too competitive to take up each other’s hobbies. So we resolved to start something new together. Our honeymoon was in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, and we decided to learn to scuba dive. Imagine our shock when we were presented with books and exams on our honeymoon! (Way before e-learning!). We learned together. And both of us became utterly mesmerized by the underwater world, the beauty, the color, the action of the reef, and the peace in our hearts. The strands of love woven together to create our family tapestry had begun to take shape. Scuba diving was one of those strands.

Dave and I traveled the world on every vacation to dive. We also took up diving in the cold and murky waters of the UK. Loving to be at one with the sea in all its forms: cold, warm, crystal clear, murky green. We loved the camaraderie of diving. The discussions about our underwater adventures. The concern from all of us is for protecting the environment. And the lack of concern for what we might look like as we came out of the ocean, with hair everywhere and snot pouring out of our noses! Diving is a great leveler!

Finding Kids Sea Camp

Fast forward a few years, and we live in Eswatini, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, with two small children. We continued diving. It became more complicated trying to find places where childcare was available to cover the diving parents . I was delighted when a friend from America visited and brought “Scuba Diving” magazine, which Dave and I devoured from front to back. I was drawn to an advert for “Kids Sea Camp,” which sounded like the perfect vacation for our little family! My children, Holly and Zebedee, were only 1 and 2 at the time, but I cut out the advert and saved it, and it came with us halfway across the world as we set up our new home in Bermuda. (See our event calendar)

When Holly turned four, I saw the advert and asked about Kids’ Sea Camp trips. So began our journey into diving as a family and in strengthening that strand of the rope of love that binds us together. I hoped my children would love the ocean as we did, and hopefully even scuba diving, but I had yet to learn how much they would love it!

Our first Kids Sea Camp

We went to Curacao on our first Kids Sea Camp family dive vacation, and after that, there was no question of seeking out other vacations since we had found the winning deal! Kids’ Sea Camp family vacations are amazing! It is an actual holiday for parents, who get to spend time with other like-minded parents who share similar values, a love for the ocean and the environment, and a desire to share this with their children.

The parent boats are a haven of hilarity and fun, which can be enjoyed knowing that your children are having their absolute blast doing PADI SASY, PADI SEAL, or diving on the kids’ boat with the incredibly highly experienced Kids Sea Camp dive team that not only supervised our kids but mentored them, taught them, and became like family to them. From Margo and Tom to Woody, Olivia, and many others, they have inspired, encouraged, and nurtured our kids to love diving and travel.

The kids loved KSC

Watching Holly and Zebedee, then 4 and 5, being taught all sorts of childhood fun by the older children brought me so much joy. They would be carefully watched as they jumped off the dock, ran around the beach, and did crazy stuff like learning new high-five maneuvers from teenagers! It was heartwarming to see “the village raising the child,” and the other children vacationing with us were so kind and loving. It just made for an amazing couple of weeks for all of us!

We were hooked!

Children see things differently from adults and learn alongside other children, furthering their dive education while having so much fun and framing diving with a new perspective. Diving becomes the child’s hobby and the parents’ since they control their decisions, diving, and responses. The children come off the boat full of excitement at what they have seen, what they have done, and what they have achieved. KSC kids share their experiences, forming friendships that can continue throughout the year. The children vacation together and have a great time. They switch the tables around in restaurants so they can eat together, and their world is shared through each other’s eyes, not just the parents’.

The kids connect

Meanwhile, the parents love watching their children connect, enjoying crab racing, shell collecting, sunsets, basketball, hammocks, and hilarity while they sit at the bar and chat through the day, laughing, joking, and sharing some of the challenges of parenthood. Some of my best friends, with whom I have shared the most from my heart, are friends from Kids Sea Camp. I have learned so much from such fascinating people and the challenges they have overcome. I would love to spend the whole year with them, but if it is just a couple of weeks, I will aim to repeat it every year!!

Kids Sea Camp has been much more than a dive vacation to our family. It’s been a place to meet interesting new people and a place to meet old friends with whom we had spent previous Kids Sea Camp weeks. It is a place for children to come together, be kids again, and learn valuable skills while enjoying the fun of new and old friendships. Kids Sea Camp is a space where you feel physically and emotionally safe. It’s great to see old faces you trust, who you know will look after your children, underwater and above the water. It’s a space where you can connect with friends and feel safe to share your anxieties or concerns, as well as your high points and celebrations. Kids Sea Camp is a place to learn from other parents and gain different perspectives on how to approach things.

Oodles of fun

These are the reasons we have gone back to Kids Sea Camp time and time again. The key to a vacation is fun, and Kids Sea Camp has oodles of it. The key to fun is building relationships, and there are plenty of opportunities at Kids Sea Camp.

The side benefits of traveling the world, experiencing other cultures, and occasionally being uncomfortable are, of course, all there as well. Still, they are not limited to Kids Sea Camp and are just a function of traveling with children. However, Kids Sea Camp can make it all stress-free, easy, and safer.

When we returned from Palau on Continental, most of our group was on this same flight. The children started playing together, playing cards, coloring, sharing stories from the week, and keeping one another entertained. We had so many comments from others on the flight about how much of a joy it was to watch them. And asked, “Are you all a big family?” The air stewardesses came and handed out ice cream from first class to everyone! These moments are unique, but at Kids Sea Camp, Tom and Margo Peyton create them in abundance.

Loving KSC is easy

There are not enough positive words to express my love for everything Kids Sea Camp has provided for our family. My children, Zebedee and Holly, both live by the ocean in Australia. Holly became a Divemaster and an instructor through Kids Sea Camp. She is now a PADI Course Director at 21, with over 2000 dives. Holly is working full-time as a dive instructor in Queensland, Australia, whilst also studying at university. She and her partner have set up their own dive company. Learning from and working with Margo and Tom Peyton at Kids Sea Camp was invaluable. They provided a wealth of experience and generously shared their home, hearts, and time. We are so very grateful for the direction provided. Zebedee also loves to dive, but you are more likely to find him out on a surf break in the early mornings than donning scuba gear. (See our Catalog)

Happy 26th Birthday, Kids Sea Camp! A quarter of a century well spent shaping a future generation of ocean enthusiasts and environmental protectors. Thank You!!

By Cathy Wakely

“Diving into Memories: The Danks Family’s Legacy with KSC”

Kids Scuba, Family Scuba Diving Adventures, Kids Sea Camp, Margo Peyton

Margo often says there are only 17 summers.

She advises others to spend them wisely. Time is the only investment we continually make, yet we never know the balance in our account. The Danks family spends it wisely.

14 summers started in 2007

August 2021, in St. Lucia, was a bittersweet trip for the Danks family. We had enjoyed – been thrilled – 14 consecutive summers together at Kids Sea Camp. Interrupted only by COVID the preceding summer. It was to be the last for the whole family. Three granddaughters had graduated and taken on new interests outside of scuba diving. At ages 19, 19, and 21, getting everyone to make time for summer vacations had become more challenging. But let us start at the beginning.

In 2007, when we learned about and booked our first KSC through a friend of Margo’s, Heather Crowder. Our KSC adventures began in Curacao. Joe and I (Grandma and Grandpa) had just started scuba diving a few years before. Or two sons had also enthusiastically taken up diving.

The whole family loved Kids Sea Camp Curacao – granddaughters, then 4, 4, and 6, were enrolled in the Kids Sea Camp custom-designed SASY program for 4-7-year-olds. SASY included fun activities like swimming with dolphins, painting, snorkeling, and learning about the ocean through games and presentations. Our sons, David & Mark, were established divers, David’s wife, Mara, preferred snorkeling, and Sharon also enjoyed diving. We loved having the whole family together, and our precious time was spent on a scuba-diving family vacation.

“Where are we going next year?”

The following year, Margo suggested Roatan, and the pattern was solidified. The girls enjoyed mastering their swimming skills, snorkeling, and making new friends. Swimming with the dolphins and horseback riding were the girl’s favorite activities. We enjoyed our time together as a family and had plenty of time apart with our adult kids diving and exploring Roatan. On the first day, after the KSC treasure hunt, Ayden asked me, “Where are we going next year?” Her mother was appalled at the question, but Joe and I knew the family was hooked on Kids Sea Camps from that point forward.

Goodies Boxes

Each year, Kids Sea Camp sends out goodie boxes filled with T-shirts, SCUBAPRO fins, masks & snorkel sets, tote bags, and other gifts for the kids. The boxes create so much excitement about their upcoming trip. We continued to Bonaire at Buddy Dive. At Buddy Dive, here, the girls were introduced to the PADI Seal Team and were able wear scuba gear made for youngsters. They loved the Donkey Sanctuary, turtle hatches, treasure hunts, and pizza movie night. Joe and I enjoyed the relaxed pace of Bonaire, its ease of diving. Buddy is the perfect place to visit with our grandkids, with the ocean just off the dock.

In 2011, the Danks decided on Grand Cayman as Maia, the oldest, turned ten and became a PADI Jr. Open Water Diver that summer. Grand Cayman did not disappoint; pirates, tug-o-war, bonfires, a treasure hunt, and baby turtles were released. Maia was certified with her open-water dive on the Kitti Wake wreck. Ayden and Kiera were enrolled in the PADI Seal Team and enjoyed dives at Sting-Ray City that week, while Maia got to experience the world’s best 12 ft dive with her mom and dad.

The Palau Adventure

The quality of service and level of safety that Tom and Margo provide on their trips convinced us to head across the Pacific in 2012 to Palau for our next KSC adventure. We spent two memorable weeks there, and the family was amazed by the diversity of sea life and the cultural interactions along the beautiful beaches and on boat rides. One memorable dive was at the Blue Corner. While the adults were hooked in at about 60 feet, Maia and the other certified kids were at 40 feet, and Ayden and Kiera were doing a Bubble Maker Dive at 6 feet with their instructors. The whole family was watching the shark show at the same time.

All the kids are certified

In the summer of 2013, Kiera and Ayden earned their long-awaited Junior Open Water certifications. It was an incredible memory and time to celebrate that all the kids were certified to dive. The family is so excited about diving together, and each summer, we plan another awesome dive adventure. We bounced back and forth between Caribbean sites, returning to Bonaire Buddy Dive Resort, St. Lucia Anse Chastanet, and the Cayman Islands. The bigger 10-14-day trips to the Pacific, including Yap at Manta Ray Bay, Palau again, Wakatobi (Indonesia), and Fiji all remarkable. All those incredible family adventures eventually led to that final trip as one big family in 2021 to St. Lucia, our 14^{th year}of KSC.

However, as luck would have it, that would not be the end of traveling with Tom, Margo Peyton, and the Kids Sea Camp crew. It was just a change in how many of us traveled together. 2021 was a big summer for us; our granddaughter Kiera completed her DM in Roatan under PADI Instructor Robbie Peyton and then went directly to the KSC IDC in Bonaire. She was joined by friends Kendal, Sydney, Melea, and Mara, who had been through the Kids Sea Camp journey as youngsters. Margo allowed Kiera to intern and teach in St. Lucia in 2021 and again in Belize in 2022. So many friendships, stories, and fond memories were created during that 15-year period.

18 trips later

To date, the Danks have made 18 total trips. The Kids Sea Camp crew provides a wonderful mentorship for the sport of scuba diving. Having spent valuable time with our kids and grandkids over the years, meeting like-minded families, and making lifelong memories, KSC became one of the best choices we made each year for the Danks family.

Tom and Margo have provided amazing, professional, caring leadership for this organization. They have been responsible for providing priceless opportunities for young divers. While our family has grown up. The Empty Nester trips with Margo and Tom have allowed us to continue traveling with them.

Congratulations, Peyton family, on your 25th anniversary of Kids Sea Camp. (See our new 2026 Catalog) Thank you for the cherished memories with our adult children and grandchildren.

By Carol Danks

Margo Peyton’s Journey to becoming a diving pioneer

Kids Sea Camp, diving with Kids, diving with family, Margo Peyton

Her father started it all

Margo Peyton grew up in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a coastal haven with one of the most diverse marine environments in the US. Her father, Eddie Salvador, was a diver from the 1950s who poured his own lead weights and used an old Deco regulator with a J-valve and a homemade horse-collar BCD—back when gauges weren’t commonplace. Margo recalls her dad telling her that when breathing became labored, it was time to pull the wire on the J-valve and ascend to the surface using the 300 psi reserve in his tank. “What about your safety stop, Dad?” she’d ask. “There was no knowledge of that sort of thing back then,” he’d reply.

Kids Sea Camp is celebrating its 25th anniversary of providing unique, off-the-beaten-path diving experiences for families worldwide. This year marks a truly unforgettable milestone: Margo Peyton, the heart and soul of Kids Sea Camp, was inducted into the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame on September 28, 2024. This prestigious honor recognizes Margo’s 36 years of diving, traveling, and advocating for our underwater world.

He tried to deter her passion for diving, fearing the many things that could go wrong in the 1980s when she began. Nevertheless, he bought her a Deco regulator with a J-valve in 1988, along with an SPG and octopus, which were becoming popular at the time. Margo loved the ocean and learning about marine animals. She spent every summer as a child on the boat with her dad and brother, who hunted for giant bluefin tuna and fished for bluefish, bass, and cod. Encountering massive pods of bluefin tuna, dolphins, orcas, and humpback whales was the norm for Margo.

She learned to love and respect the sea, becoming familiar with basking sharks, great whites, mako sharks, and blue sharks, among others. Her dad instilled in her an adventurous spirit, while her mom nurtured her compassionate heart for saving and protecting animals. Margo worked at the Provincetown Sea Aquarium, where she cared for rescued sea lions, loggerhead turtles, and even a pair of orphaned coyote pups. The aquarium became a second home, and it was there that Margo’s passion for animal rescue blossomed. Over the years, this has included seagulls, kittens, puppies, snakes, pigeons, horses, whales, crabs, rays, octopuses, turtles, and countless others.

Sink or swim

When Margo was just a young child, her father threw her overboard into a school of wild dolphins to teach her how to swim. His philosophy was “sink or swim.” Margo has been a pioneer in the dive industry, encouraging everyone to embrace the family market. Her efforts have resulted in over 8,000 children becoming certified divers without a single diving accident. Her tenacity, courage, strength, and passion for her own kids and the ocean have always been her driving force.

Margo’s dedication to safety alone would merit her prestigious awards. However, her true impact lies in the countless individuals who started as junior divers and have become PADI professionals. Margo’s passion for the “living classroom” she created has resonated with like-minded families around the globe. Her love for diving has shown thousands of couples that having children doesn’t have to mean the end of their diving days. In fact, it’s just the beginning of creating amazing family memories.

Margo’s mission

The concept of bringing together like-minded families who love the ocean, adventure, and travel was unprecedented in the dive industry. Margo had to prove to dive operators in a male-dominated industry that kids had value and that educating and training them was essential. She had to convince major equipment manufacturers that making kids’ dive gear—tiny tanks and wetsuits—was not only financially beneficial but also crucial for the future of diving. She saw a need and was on a mission to fulfill it.

I have personally witnessed Margo’s hard work throughout her 35-year career, whether in the office, at a trade show, or on the island. Margo takes on multiple roles during a typical week at Kids Sea Camp: underwater photographer, artist, MC, mediator, mentor, activities director, hotel consultant, dive team organizer, advisor, events planner, celebration coordinator, presenter, and even shuttle bus driver. As a PADI professional, she often oversees kids and adults in the water.

Daily check-ins

During lunch, Margo takes the time to follow up on daily events, such as cupcake decorating, go-karting, Seal Team demonstration dives, graduation dives, birthday cakes, poetry contests, and treasure-hunt prizes. Her favorite time is spent with the kids, discussing their day, their dreams, and their diving adventures, making sure they are having fun. Margo Peyton spends most of her days in the ocean, photographing the Seal Team or SASY program. In the evenings, she ensures everyone is happy with their day in the ocean and at the beach. During dinner, she loves to walk around and listen to families sharing stories about their day.

For Margo, one indicator of a job well done is the absence of cell phones at the dinner table, with unplugged kids happily chatting and adults enjoying each other’s company. She ends each day dedicating herself to sorting through the day’s images until nearly midnight. The images ensure that all families have a visual record of the incredible day’s events. Treasure hunts, horseback riding, sunset sailing—it’s all captured for the end-of-week slideshow.

Margo’s passion

Margo’s passion, courage, and determination to establish a kid- and family-friendly dive company in a male-dominated industry are remarkable. She didn’t achieve this alone; numerous courageous and visionary women. As well as the wise men, who also played crucial roles in bringing the company to life 25 years ago. Their contributions are integral to Margo’s journey. The support has been instrumental in her success. This is a celebration of their collective efforts and the progress they have made in the industry.

Today, Kids Sea Camp is a beacon of excellence in dive safety, old-fashioned family fun, and personalized service. Margo’s moment is a tribute to all the vendors and families who believed in her vision. The beauty of her moment continues to be built upon all the moments that families have shared with Margo.

By Tom Peyton, husband and KSC Vice President

Worlds Best Family Dive Adventure Vacations

Peyton family, Kids Sea Camp, diving with Kids, diving with family

Kids Sea Camp an award-winning company

Margo Peyton created this multi-award-winning family adventure travel program, which has contributed to well over 8,100 kids’ and adults’ PADI scuba diving certifications. (see link)

Kids Sea Camp’s (KSC) motto is “Give them a week they will remember forever.” Based on the hundreds of testimonials from kids, teens, and parents who have participated in Kids Sea Camp trips. The company has created dive vacations that are memorable and magical: “Kids Sea Camp has changed my life, and I know it has done the same for others.”

“KSC holds a special place in my heart. It was my true catapult into the diving world.”

“The Kids Sea Camp team went out of their way to create memorable moments that will most certainly last a lifetime.”

Tom & Margo are great owners

Tom Peyton and Margo Peyton have hand-chosen PADI resorts and liveaboards in the Cayman Islands, Indonesia, Bonaire, Roatan, Galapagos, Red Sea, The Philippines, Fiji, Palau, Yap, St. Lucia, Dominica, Belize, Indonesia, Maldives, and more, to host their trips, while ensuring the highest level of standards and safety. Over the past 25 years, KSC has certified over 8,100 divers and has not had a single dive accident.

Staffed by highly qualified professionals. KSC is dedicated to introducing scuba diving, family vacations, and the ocean to kids, teenagers, and their parents. Depending on their age and experience, kids work on various certifications and skills, from snorkeling and SASY to Bubblemaker, SEAL Team, Junior Open Water, Open Water, Advanced Open Water, and PADI specialty and pro certifications.

KSC scuba-diving family vacations include unique activities at each destination. The program includes meals, diving, and other water and land activities such as blow-karting, jungle biking, paddle boarding, culinary classes, cultural presentations, marine presentations, and photography. Like-minded multigenerational families migrate every summer from around the globe to Kids Sea Camp Family dive vacations. These families enjoy making new friends, unplugging from everyday life, and reconnecting with each other.

A KSC dive vacation is the perfect adventure for families who love the ocean and enjoy meeting like-minded people worldwide.

Hassle-Free Trip Planning

Let Family Dive Adventures handle the logistics for your private group or family vacation. They will custom-design the vacation to meet your specific needs and trip type. The trips can include reunions, family holiday celebrations, and memorable romantic dive getaways. (See our KSC events)

The Kids Are Gone—Now What?

Have your kids flown the coop? Why not try an “Empty Nester Travel” vacation? In 2019, Margo and Tom Peyton started living their dreams out loud and put together these thrilling adult group trips. They offer high-end luxury at sumptuous resorts and luxurious liveaboards, like the Arenui. Margo and Tom take adult guests to Africa, Egypt, the Red Sea, Lembeh, Raja Ampat, the Forgotten Islands, Borneo, Komodo, Manado, Bangka, St. Eustatius, Belize, and many more advanced adult trips that tempt their travel palette.

Contact Info: (803) 419-2556, familydivers.com, dive@familydivers.com

2024 International Scuba Diving Hall Of Fame Award. Margo Peyton (See link) will be inducted into the ISDH this September. The award is for her contributions to the future of diving through the education and dive training of over 8,100 youth divers. And for Margo’s continued commitment to safety for kids and their families.

Family Trippin in Micronesia with Kids Sea Camp

Yap, whale sharks, Kids Scuba, Family Scuba Diving Adventures, Kids Sea Camp, Family Scuba Diving Vacations, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, Manta Ray Bay

A Divers paradise and whole-family eco-adventures

Manta Ray Bay Resort, Yap. 2016: Yap and Palau have the strongest cultural bonds in Micronesia, are geographically next door to each other, and both offer unique family travel opportunities. Come here for the natural beauty, island culture, and iconic diving in marine sanctuaries on an eco-adventure. The Micronesia experience is embodied in nature, culture, and conservation. Yap and Palau put an exclamation point on your family’s trip for divers and non-divers alike.

These destinations have a lot of advanced diver allure; they come with special cultural and land-based opportunities for every traveler. Nothing says to bring the whole family more than non-diver adventures that rival the experiences of Vertigo, Blue Corner, or an Oolong Channel drift.

Each day of a Family Divers package includes eco-activities for small children, teens, and non-diving adults. In Yap and Palau, that means kayaking through the rock islands or a rich mangrove forest. Or taking a WWII history tour or visiting a traditional village, being “local” for a day, learning about village life or traditional skills and engaging people on a unique cultural excursion. Enjoy a private beach, snorkeling with manta rays, reef sharks, chambered nautilus, and giant clams.

Unplugging in Yap

Yap will help you forget about bling and the busy world. Here you’ll find a mix of fellow adventure travelers relaxing in the natural energy that comes from an undeveloped island. Your world shrinks down to 38 square miles of mangroves and gold sand beaches. A rainforest backdrop speckled with coconut trees, and your front yard is a glassy lagoon. It won’t take long until nature’s rhythm dominates. And you’ll notice your body feeling the tide changes and the afternoon sun falling behind the island.

Yap and Palau offer our modern lifestyle some counterbalance – busyness and our multi-tasking, the world gives way to the moment, and you might find yourself feeling and trying something new to you – after all, that’s why we travel, to learn something, engage ourselves, and embrace the world we live in.

This is where family time includes understanding our ecosystem, what threatens it, and what we can do to change that – then diving or snorkeling with protected animals. Yap and Palau have taken big steps in marine conservation through locally grown island initiatives. Yap established the world’s first government-backed manta ray sanctuary, which now includes shark and turtle protection, and legislation that allows these animals to safely interact with divers in ultra-close proximity every day.

The blue water classroom

Kids Sea Camp safely pairs kids with sharks through education and adventure. Led by local marine mammal experts and professional dive guides in Yap. “Vertigo” is a blue water classroom where divers of all levels safely interact with schools of reef sharks. Before entering the water, divers and snorkelers learn about the site, shark behavior, and how to safely observe these animals as a family.

Get some blue sky and clear water “me time” through careful activity planning. Parents dive on a private boat and a dive plan. Kids dive with extra guides on their own boats at different sites. Non-divers begin their adventure right after breakfast. Mixing it up brings the family together in the middle of the adventure. See your kids in a village on their surface interval. They might tell you that they just swam with a whale shark.

At the end of the day, photography lights up the dinner table with SeaLife cameras, smartphones with GoPro footage, or tablets being passed around. While fragments of the stories can be heard amid the excitement. Parents, kids, divers, non-divers, everyone gets their adventure. Whether you went to the reef, eco-touring, fishing, or getting your zen on at the spa. Yap and Palau; do them both and get two countries, two islands, two cultures. . . in one vacation.

Story by Brad Holland

Her first Manta encounter

Palau, sharks, scuba and kids, family dive vacations, kids sea camp

Finally, a Manta!

I smelled the salty air as I strapped on my scuba gear. I was anxious to get into the ocean. I hoped and hoped and hoped that I would see the one thing I’ve always wanted to see — a manta.

This summer, I was in Yap with Kids Sea Camp, an island in Micronesia, to scuba dive with my family. This morning, I was excited to go scuba diving with my friend, Sophie. My other friends were scuba diving with their parents, so it was just Sophie, Bill Acker (our instructor), Patricia Mangthin (his wife), and me. Bill had decided that we would go to the manta cleaning station to try to see some manta rays. We had tried so many times that my hopes weren’t very high, but as we got closer and closer to the diving site, they inched higher.

Now, here I was, my hopes higher than the sky. I put on my mask and stuck my regulator into my mouth. As I tumbled into the water, I shivered. The water wasn’t cold, but I always feel chilly when I first jump in. When everyone was in the water, we descended into the ocean.

A manta!

Sophie and I swam through the cool, salty water. We spotted brightly colored fish and little hermit crabs, but no mantas. My heart sank. Just as I was about to give up, Sophie jabbed me in the shoulder. I was about to give her that “what did you do that for?” look when I realized she was pointing at something. I looked.

“A manta! A manta!” I yelled. I had my regulator in my mouth, so it came out like, “Blubablurbla!”

Patricia waved us over to a better place to watch. The manta ray was so big and graceful as it swam through the blue sea. It had a white belly and a dark blue back. Soon, another one came and joined it.

As we swam back to our boat, I replayed what just happened in my head. My heart was pumping hard in my chest. I was so excited! Yap was the first time I had ever seen a manta ray, but not the last.

By Hannah McClure

The Beauty of Yap family dive adventure with Kids Sea Camp

Kids Sea Camp is at Manta Ray Bay in Yap

Margo, Tom, Jen Peyton, along with Fraser & Sophie Purdon, are leading Kids Sea Campers around the globe to Yap and Palau. See more in our Facebook photo album. Yap sure gives us memories to last a lifetime.

We have learned the legend of Stone Money, walked through the villages of Yap, and met the beautiful people of this amazing little Island. We have shared their home, their food, learned about their cultures, and enjoyed their company.

Arrive at Manta Ray Bay

Our rooms overlook the sea, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on an ancient sailing vessel called the Mnuw. Sunsets on the Crows’ nets are spectacular. Taro Leaf Spa for relaxing after a tough day of diving, and fresh, frosty Yap beer served poolside during happy hour. The kids have enjoyed diving, beaches, educational hikes, Kayak tours, and Digital photo dives with their new SeaLife cameras.

How is that to start your diving career?

Sophie and Lilly earned their Jr. Open Water rating and completed their final dive with sharks and a Manta. Mrs. Sarin and Mrs. MacDonald hit their 100 Dives here at Manta Ray Bay during Kids Sea Camp and were honored with Mantas saluting them overhead.

Morning coffee, off we go, 2 dives for adults and kids, a wonderful sunny day, lunch, and afternoon dives as a family. That’s not all, if you want more, we also enjoy dusk dives in the mangrove to spot the little Mandarin fish.

Still not done?

Dinner is waiting with slide shows of the day’s find. Night dives or snorkeling are always waiting for you. Tom Peyton got us singing and started the first Kids Sea Camp Youth Basketball club. Tyler is coaching, and dads are trying to find their game. Lying by the pool, the ladies sip their coconut drinks, soaking up the sun and thinking about the next activity.

Diving has been hard to beat

Macro and reef dives, Vertigo sharks, Goofnuw channel for manta, Napoleon rass, Munk head parrot fish, leaf fish, and more. Yellow wall and Cabbage Patch, Miil Cannel’s and Magic Kingdom, Gapow reef, and Lion fish wall, just to name a few. Surface intervals are spent playing among wild dolphins. We watch them jump and spin alongside our boats, and yes, even jump in to have a closer look at the moms and babies, too.

Pilot whales, white tips, black tips, grey reefs, and Yap showed us sharks galore! But best of all are those beautiful Manta Rays that will dance in our heads for the rest of our days.

7 days have flown by, and we are sad to go. We will return to Yap again, but for now we look on to Palau… (See the KSC gallery)