Palau
The Republic of Palau (traditional name Belau) is Micronesia's westernmost island chain located 900 miles southwest of Guam and 400 miles south of Yap, north of New Guinea and east of the Philippines. The tightly clustered Palau archipelago consists of over 200 islands that run roughly North to South covering a distance of around 125 miles. Amongst these are the high islands of Babeldoab, Koror, Peliliu and Anguar, the low coral atolls of Kayangel and Ngeruangel and the famous limestone Rock Islands.
Palau offers some of the most unique holiday opportunities to be found anywhere in the world. Its natural beauty, untouched wilderness, intact culture, remoteness and stability combine to offer something for divers, adventure seekers, history buffs & nature enthusiasts as well as those who just want to get away from the rapid pace of their lives and soak up the peace and tranquillity.
Palau is the home to one of the world's unique phenomena, the Rock Islands. This collection of mushroom-shaped islets are largely uninhabited and are located in a large lagoon that harbours one of the world's greatest concentrations of corals, fish and other marine life. Not surprisingly, Palau has been named one of the "Underwater Wonders of the World" and is a treasured haven for both divers and snorkellers. However, the protected lagoon and astounding diversity of this area has also given rise to other activities in recent years such as sea kayaking, parasailing and sports
Palau's fringing coral reefs provide home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 700 species of corals and sea anemones. Below the surface, divers & snorkellers are treated to a paradise of fabulous walls, blue holes, breathtaking reefs, crystal caves and WWII wrecks. Vast numbers of pelagic predators, sharks, turtles, dolphins and many species of migratory fish gather here at this unique crossroads where three of the World's major currents converge.
Palau's most popular dive site, Blue Corner, is recognized as one of the best in the world due to its concentration of marine life, whilst Jacques Cousteau considered Ngemelis Wall, commonly known as Big Drop-off, to be one of the best dive walls in the world. Just a few minutes away, German Channel is known for its regular sightings of manta rays, which come in and hover over rock outcroppings inhabited by tiny cleaner wrasses.
The seas around the Rock Islands are dotted with sunken remains of more than 75 World War II military ships, Japanese seaplanes and Zeros. Located primarily in the lagoons around the Rock Islands, these relics have developed their own thriving ecosystem featuring fish, corals and other invertebrates not commonly seen along the outer reef systems.
A selection of the best local dive sites includes:
Blue Corner: The best known and most highly rated dive site in Micronesia features a shallow coral shelf that projects out into the ocean and has vertical walls on both sides. An upwelling created by the currents attracts schools of fish and large pelagics to the top edges of the walls. The dive is best known for its schools of grey reef sharks that cruise the edge of the wall. Two resident Napoleon wrasses often accompany the divers throughout their dive. Dogtooth tuna, eagle rays, manta rays, white tip and hammerhead sharks, turtles, schooling barracudas, and schools of reef fish populate the site.
Siaes Tunnel: An extraordinary deep dive on the west side of the Palau, close to the Ulong Channel. The dive begins on a sheer wall with the opening of the tunnel starting at 70'. You enter through an opening, which is about 50' across and 20' high, and swim through the tunnel, which parallels the wall for 150'. The inside of the tunnel is a large cavern with a ceiling at 80-90' and the floor at 120-130'. Halfway through the tunnel is a "Window" in the wall that looks out onto the deep blue. You exit through a large opening on the wall at 80'. Stingrays, turtles, schools of jacks, and sharks can be seen in and around the tunnel.
Short Drop-Off: A sloping wall just outside the entrance to Koror Harbour that is covered with giant seafans. The top of the wall is a beautiful coral garden loaded with tropical fish and invertebrates.
Big Drop-Off: A wall dive that begins as shallow as 2' at low tide and drops to 600'. It is considered by most to be the most beautiful wall dive in Palau because of its abundance of hard and soft corals, seafans, schools of pyramid butterflyfish, and a multitude of tropical reef fish.
New Drop-Off: Halfway between Blue Corner and Big Drop-Off, this vertical wall is similar to Blue Corner in that it is a shallow shelf that juts out into the ocean, catching the current and creating an upsurge that attracts schools of pyramid butterflyfish and barracudas, along with a number of grey reef sharks. The steep wall is covered with soft corals and seafans.
Ulong Channel: This channel is located on the west side of Palau, close to Siaes Tunnel and Wall. Its entrance is surrounded by walls that are topped by beautiful coral gardens. On the incoming tide, the mouth of the channel is filled with grey reef sharks. The channel extends for a distance of approximately one-half mile, averaging 100' in width. The maximum depth is about 60'. Coral covered walls run the length of the channel on either side. A shallow ridge running the centre of the channel is blanketed with soft & hard corals, sea fans, and anemones. Unique to this site is a huge patch of plate coral resembling lettuce leaves that is home to schools of squirrelfish, soldierfish and glasseyes. The current provides a gentle push, resulting in a beautiful, leisurely ride along the channel.
German Channel: This man-made channel through the southwest side of the barrier reef is home to two diving areas. One site, known as Manta Rock, is a natural cleaning station where giant manta rays come to have their bodies cleansed of parasites and debris by cleaner wrasses. Grey reef sharks also often avail themselves of the wrasses' services. The area is also inhabited by barracudas, snappers, titan triggerfish, gobies, lionfish, leaffish, and an octopus. Nearby is a coral garden that features crocodile fish, nudibranchs, flatworms, anemones and clownfish.
Ngedebus Coral Gardens: One of the best collections of hard corals in the Pacific, this dive features a spur and groove reef structure that supports turtles, cuttlefish, anemones, tridacna clams, white tip reef sharks, and thousands of small schooling fish. Jellyfish Lake: This is the most unusual snorkel in the world! After a short but breathtakingly beautiful climb along a forested trail, you snorkel in a clearwater lake filled with nearly two million jellyfish. Fissures in the limestone island allow for the transfer of saltwater from the ocean, yet keep other forms of aquatic life outside. Due to a lack of predators, the jellyfish have evolved to point where they have no ability to sting.
Blue Holes: This is a series of four large holes in the top of the reef that converge to form a gigantic underwater chamber. The chamber has a huge opening on a wall that is home to soft corals, sea fans, sea whips and hard corals. Large pelagics often encountered here include tunas, jacks, grey and white tip reef sharks, barracudas and eagle rays. Groupers, Napoleon wrasses, triggerfish, Moorish idols, butterflyfish, anemones and turtles are common at this site, which is situated next to Blue Corner.
Denges Passage: This natural channel, situated on Palau's eastern coast, is home to an entire family of cuttlefish. The uncommon creatures, related to the squid family, are as accommodating to photographers as they are rare. They are not often encountered by divers because of the relatively few locations in the world where they can be found, their ability to remain relatively motionless, and their excellent camouflage.
Ngerchong: The island of Ngerchong, just beyond Denges Passage has two dive sites nearby: Ngerchong Outside and Ngerchong Coral Gardens. Ngerchong Outside is a sloping wall dive featuring sea fans, anemones, soft corals and many hard coral formations. Sharks, bumphead parrotfish, and schooling fish are frequently seen here, as well as an occasional manta rays. The Coral Gardens, also known as Ngerchong Inside, is probably the best dive in Palau for seeing an abundance and variety of hard corals. Table coral, staghorn coral, elkhorn coral, mushroom coral and brain coral are just some of the varieties of corals found here. In addition, many anemones with clownfish, along with cuttlefish, turtles and other fish thrive here. This dive can be enjoyed at any depth between 10' and 80'.
Peleliu: The island of Peleliu, at the southern tip of the main archipelago of Palau, is bordered by magnificent walls. The dive sites include Peleliu Corner, Yellow Wall, and Orange Beach, among others. Peleliu dive sites are mainly steep walls covered with sea fans, sea whips, hard corals and anemones, but dominated by soft corals. Peleliu is an excellent place to observe large pelagic life, particularly sharks.
Chandelier Caves: A short swim through a tunnel at depth of 35' opens into a cave consisting of three chambers. Beautiful stalactites formed by water dripping down through the rock island above, hang from the ceilings and give the caves their name. Tiny holes to the outside wood allow fresh air to enter the chambers so that divers can surface and admire the beautiful surroundings.
Wreck of the Iro Maru: A 145' long merchant ship sunk during World War II by American bombers, the Iro Maru sits upright in 120' of water just 10 minutes south of Koror. Three mast and gun turrets at the bow and stern support a large variety of invertebrates and hard corals. The main deck is at a depth of 80'with open holds containing oil drums and machinery.
Wonder Channel: Located within the rock islands just a short distance from Jellyfish Lake and Clam City, this channel is best dived on the east side along a wall that starts at the surface and reaches a depth of 80'. Soft corals, sea fans, anemones, blue and red starfish, crown of thorns star-fish, crabs, pipefish, and a large variety of sea slugs, flat worms and nudibranchs can be found along this wall.
Jellyfish Lake:
One of the major attractions in the Rock Islands is a dip in Jellyfish Lake. The lake is a completely land locked salt water lake, trapping the millions of jellyfish that live there. They have as a result lost their ability to sting and a dive here is a very unique experience
Climate
Palau enjoys a pleasantly warm climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 27°C (82°F). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, and the annual average is 150 inches. The average relative humidity is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare as Palau is located outside of the typhoon zone.
Worldwise
All the advice for the other islands in Micronesia equally apply to Palau. The currents here can be very strong. Many divers use a reef hook especially if they wish to take photographs. Make sure you have practiced with one first – it’s a definite technique. There are often showers – pack a light rain mac. This is one of the best places in the world to see both large sea creatures and beautiful hard and soft coral. Bring a camera!
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