Koror

Jacques Cousteau made that claim in the 1970s and it has echoed in dive culture since. Palau consistently ranks in the top five worldwide for the combination of large pelagic species, wall diving, coral diversity, and WWII wrecks. The Blue Corner is one of the most famous single dive sites on Earth. Whether it surpasses Raja Ampat, Cocos Island, or the Red Sea is a debate without a consensus answer — but Palau absolutely belongs in the global elite.

Jellyfish Lake reopened in late 2019 after the population largely recovered from the 2016 El Niño event that killed approximately 99% of the jellyfish. Access status changes periodically based on population monitoring. Check with your dive operator or the Palau Visitors Authority before building an itinerary around it. When open, it operates strict no-scuba and sunscreen prohibition rules.

The Blue Corner and several of the open ocean sites require at minimum an Advanced Open Water certification and experience in current diving. A reef hook is mandatory at Blue Corner; many operators require AOWD + logged dives before allowing clients at these sites. Other sites — Jellyfish Lake (snorkelling only), Ngemelis Wall's shallower sections, the Chandelier Cave — are accessible to less experienced divers. Non-divers can snorkel the Rock Islands and Jellyfish Lake.

The Rock Islands (Chelbacheb) Visitors Permit costs $100 USD and is valid for 10 consecutive days. It covers all access within the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, including Jellyfish Lake (when open), all snorkel sites, and anchoring in the lagoon. Your dive operator or tour company will typically handle the permit purchase. There is also a separate national marine sanctuary diving fee collected by operators.

The German Channel manta cleaning station is most reliably active from November through April — the northeast monsoon season brings plankton-rich water that attracts mantas to the cleaning stations. Encounters in other months are possible but less predictable. The Ulong Channel and several sites around the outer islands also have manta populations that are less seasonally restricted.

The US Dollar is Palau's official currency — no conversion required for American travelers. Cards are accepted at hotels and dive operators in Koror. Carry USD cash for local markets, smaller restaurants, tips, and any village-based activities on Babeldaob. ATMs are available in Koror but supply can be limited; bring sufficient cash from home or your last major airport.

Palau International Airport (ROR) receives direct flights from a limited number of hubs. United Airlines operates from Guam, which connects to Tokyo Narita, Honolulu, and US West Coast cities. Cebu Pacific and other Asian carriers fly from Manila. Korean Air flies from Seoul. There are no direct flights from Australia, Europe, or most Pacific islands. Most travelers connect through Manila, Seoul, Guam, or Tokyo. Plan for 24–36 hours total travel from Europe or the US East Coast.

Very safe. Palau has almost no violent crime. The primary safety risks are ocean-based: Blue Corner current diving requires professional guidance and reef hook technique; Jellyfish Lake snorkelling has strict rules about depth and sunscreen for environmental protection. WWII-era unexploded ordnance exists on some outer islands and on Peleliu — stay on marked trails. Jellyfish: the golden jellyfish in the lake have no functional sting for humans; ocean species outside the lake do.

The Rock Islands kayak tour is the best topside experience — paddling through the limestone mushroom islands, stopping at snorkel sites, the Milky Way lagoon, and hidden white-sand beaches. The Peleliu battlefield visit is the most historically significant day trip. Babeldaob Island has jungle waterfalls, the new national capitol (Ngerulmud), and traditional bai (men's meeting house) villages accessible by rental car.

A bai is a traditional Palauan men's meeting house — an elevated, intricately decorated wooden structure where village elders and the chiefs' council (rubak) meet to govern local affairs. The carved and painted storyboards on the exterior and interior of a traditional bai record village history and moral teachings through narrative pictures. The finest existing bai is at Airai village on Babeldaob; the Belau National Museum in Koror has a reconstructed example and explanatory exhibits.

The Chandelier Cave is a shallow dive site in Koror harbour featuring a series of connected air chambers accessible by diving up through an underwater passage. The chambers have stalactites and stalagmites and provide a surreal above-waterline environment inside a coral cave system. It is accessible to Open Water certified divers and is unique within Palau's dive portfolio as a cave experience rather than a pelagic or wall dive.

Yes, though the experience is weighted differently. Snorkelling in the Rock Islands, Jellyfish Lake (when open, snorkel only), and the lagoon reefs accessible from shore provides excellent marine life access. The Rock Islands kayak tour is entirely above water. The Peleliu battlefield is a land-based half-day. Babeldaob island touring by rental car is accessible to everyone. The overall destination is diver-optimised, but a non-diver accompanying a diving partner can find a week well occupied.

Limited but adequate. The Koror morning market has fresh local produce and prepared foods. A handful of restaurants — mostly in the Malakal area and along the main road — serve Filipino, Japanese, Palauan, and American food. Palauan traditional food (taro, mangrove crab, giant clam) is available at local restaurants but rarely featured prominently. Eating costs are high given the island's import dependence. Budget $40–70 USD/day for restaurant meals.

Fish 'n Fins is Palau's oldest and most internationally recognized dive operator, credited with establishing Blue Corner dive practices and contributing significantly to marine conservation. Sam's Tours and Palau Diving Center are also well-established operators with strong environmental records. All major operators hold PADI or SSI affiliation. The Palau Marine Sanctuary means all operators must follow strict conservation protocols. Choose based on your accommodation proximity to their dock and their schedule for your priority sites.

The Palau Pledge is a commitment required of all visitors entering Palau since 2017. Stamped in every visitor's passport at the border, it asks visitors to act in an environmentally responsible manner — not to remove coral, fish, or shells; not to use prohibited sunscreens; not to damage cultural sites. It is not legally enforceable as a contract but signals Palau's leadership in conservation tourism policy. Palau was the first country to ban oxybenzone and octinoxate-based (reef-damaging) sunscreens.

Palau was intensively fought over in the Pacific War. The Battle of Peleliu (September–November 1944) was one of the Pacific campaign's costliest engagements. Tanks, artillery, aircraft, and personal equipment remain in the Peleliu jungle and on beaches. Multiple Japanese wrecks lie in Palau's waters, most accessibly the Helmet Wreck (Amatsu Maru) in the Koror lagoon. The Belau National Museum contextualises the Spanish, German, Japanese, and American colonial periods through artefacts and oral histories.

Yes. Palau is one of the more expensive Pacific destinations due to its remote location, import dependence, and niche tourism market focused on diving. Dive packages with accommodation run $350–600 USD/person/day all-in at mid-range. Budget travelers in guesthouses and eating locally manage $180–220 USD/day. The Rock Islands permit ($100), dive fees ($140–180/day), and the cost of flights to reach Palau all add up. Budget accordingly from the outset.