The simple answer at the moment is you can't so my trip there in November is off.
Chuuk in Micronesia is one of the few places in the world that remained Covid free they did that by closing the flights from any country that has cases and they have kept them closed. At the moment the only flights getting in are air freight. In fact, they are only now looking at ways for stranded Chuukies around the world to get back to the islands.
But in more normal times most people fly in using the regular United Airlines Island hopping via Guam from the west and Hawaii from the east. There are a couple of flights that come up from Australia via Papua New Guinea using smaller airlines but they do have a habit of going out of business on a regular basis.
Flights into Guam come in from all over the Pacific with regular flights from the US, Japan, Korea, Philipines and China. So there are plenty of options for the first part of your journey.
Guam is a funny old place and nothing like transiting through a normal airport. Your bags might have passed inspection to get there but that is no reason they won't get done over by the Transportation Security Administration the infamous TSA have been known to remove and destroy anything they don't understand so dive torches, camera equipment and dive gear such as rebreathers fall into those categories. The other odd thing about Guam is normally when you're in transit you get your travel documents and passport checked, your hand baggage x-rayed, and your off to the next gate. Some places like Singapore you don't even get that. In Guam you have to pass out through immigration and as it's US soil you need an ESTA or visa if you're not a US citizen just to go between flights. Then you have to back in through all the normal airport security to get your onward flight. It's a right palaver so you better have a couple of hours between flights, it took me 4 hours once. If you have to wait before going through to departures there's not a lot to do but the Capt' Kid Airport Cafe will keep you amused for a while, I understand its quite famous, but if its all you have you must make the best of it.
There is not much of a duty-free either, apart from the usual food court, hope you like burgers, perfume, or fashion shops and for some reason SPAM, there isn't a lot else I struggled to find a couple of sets of AA batteries last time I passed through.
The airport is on the main island and is one of the old Japanese fighter bases and the runway isn't that long its not unusual for flights not to land due to weather and a few years ago on 737 overshot the end of the runway and ended up in the sea, unfortunately, one passenger died even though lots of small boats arrived quickly to help the passengers and crew off the aircraft.
Arriving in Chuuk is a world away from Guam the immigration guys even smile as they stamp your passport at the airport on Weno. On arrival you will automatically get a 30 day visa stamp which should be more than enough for your stay. To be honest, when I had my retirement trip there and stayed for just over 2 months this was not an issue they just asked how long I wanted and dated the visa accordingly, I call that great service.
Now you are through immigration its time to pick up your bags. Don't expect a conveyor belt with your luggage either there is a metal shoot with a plastic curtain that the baggage handlers slide your case down. Having watched them in the past they are really quite careful and used to luggage with dive equipment. Unlike some airports where the handlers seem to take great delight in launching your bags from as far away as possible.
So your now in Chuuk in the next post I will look at the various options for staying and diving, that's probably why you came in the first place.
Well, Hivers I sorry this post is a bit wordy and not many photos, there will be more in the future I promise.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 7.462460 lat 151.843356 long d3scr)