Where am I - Palau; an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean within the Micronesia subregion of Oceania.
Duration - 8 nights
A dream come true and now very accessible
I have always had a wish to visit Palau, a north-western Pacific destination in Micronesia, and home to the stunning UNESCO listed Rock Islands Lagoon – a marine sanctuary, stretching 30km off shore. Until recently however, it has been somewhat difficult to get to… but as Qantas have now committed to services direct from Brisbane, the 5hr 30minute flight means Palau is now as easy to visit as some of our better-known Pacific Island destinations.
On arrival
Our arrival, on the only international flight that day, was seamless with several immigration staff available for the necessary signature on the Palau Pledge – stamped in everyone’s passport on arrival and a dedication and promise to adhere to the unique Biodiversity of the country; to act in an ecologically and culturally responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau's children and future generations of Palauans.
Getting to know Palau
The wonderful tropical heat, and high humidity was immediately evident and no surprise given we were now just 7degrees north of the equator. This tiny island known as Babeldoab has 10 provinces still run by Palauan locals, where a strong tribal rule still applies, with the Council of Chiefs (men) meeting in a traditional Bai for decisions to be made and passed.
The Republic of Palau has a long history sighted by Europeans in 1522, but more notably when a Czech missionary drew up the 1st map of the island in 1697, instilling interest and several failed attempts to reach the islands from the Philippines.
Palau islands were sold to Germany in 1899, until control was taken by Japan in 1914 - The second world war saw the United States taking control and officially in 1947 became a part of the United Nations Trust Territory in the Pacific. In 1982 Palau entered a free association with the USA and after 8 referendums, and a change in the constitution Palau became an independent country in 1994.
Koror (Town Centre)
There is only one town in Palau, Koror which is approximately 20 minutes’ drive from the airport and accessed from the main island via the Japanese Bridge – this is where the majority of the tourist accommodation is located. While the town looks a little tired and run down on first impression, there is a good selection of shops, selling everything! Cafés, bars and restaurants are all worthy of exploration on foot and in doing so I found I get a more unbiased appreciation.
There is a huge new shopping centre near the Japanese Bridge, easy parking and a favourite with locals – almost seemed out of place – but definite progress into the 21st century.
Official currency is still USD, and we found many places, such as the small family run liquor stores only took cash.
Where to stay?
The upmarket area and best of the accommodation is via a further bridge onto an island, and this is where Palau Pacific Resort, still considered the best of the best in Palau and can be found at the end of the road (literally!) approx. 30 minutes from the airport. A taxi into Koror from Palau Pacific Resort is USD30.00 return, so we appreciated our rental car for ease of dining in town.
Initially I felt the resort was looking very 80’s, with dark wood and cane furniture in all bedrooms, a small pool, only one restaurant; but within a short time, I appreciated the fabulous service, and actually enjoyed the more casual and very welcoming feel to the resort.
The man-made beach allows for resort style day beds, and offers plenty of tree shade if required. Snorkelling is available from the resort with giant 100-year-old clams a real highlight. This is closely monitored by the Luuk Nature Center within the resort where a daily programme allows guests to learn about this very special country and all it offers on and off shore. The full-service Elilai Spa is available each afternoon (1pm until 9pm) and is surrounded by rainforest – a super relaxing environment to unwind.
All rooms have either a balcony or terrace and provided you can manage the stairs, the upper floor rooms have high cathedral ceilings and feel much more spacious as a result. The ground floor rooms are lovely too and the terraces feel quite private due to clever established tropical plant hedging.
If looking for something more upmarket, then The Pristine Pool Villas (each with their own infinity pool) and Overwater Bungalows with direct access to the Lagoon, are gorgeous.
Marriott Palau
It is worth noting the Marriott Palau is currently under construction, in the next bay to the Palau Pacific resort.
Palau Royal Resort – I visited this property during my time in Palau, and a good option for the more central Koror location – here you have the definite advantage of being able to easily explore easily the bars and restaurants of the town, mostly within walking distance.
The resort has extensive gardens providing a pleasant green aspect – offers a larger more modern hotel pool, its own boat ramp for exclusive easy access to Rock Islands for guided snorkelling and diving trips, and its own (small) man made beach for guests still wanting a beach resort style of holiday.
Dining on Palau
Elilai - This is considered the most ‘fine dining’ in Palau – we enjoyed the lovely atmosphere and seafront outdoor dining. The service was good and the predominantly seafood menu was fabulous. This restaurant does offer a free shuttle bus from most hotels which is handy.
Kramers - This eclectic café/restaurant was a little tricky to locate, near Palau Royal Resort in the seafront marina area and upstairs. It is owned and operated by a personable, helpful German man and his wife. There was a daily specials menu explained by the owner (also the chef), and other limited options. Would recommend if you’re after something a little adventurous and want to ‘eat local’
Drop Off Bar and Grill – very popular with local , and located adjacent to Neco Marine, making it a fabulous option for a post Snorkelling /Diving day at sea! There was a casual atmosphere, a varied menu and you can enjoy live music on weekends. For those planning on a fishing charter, Drop off will cook your catch for dinner!
The Sites
It is possible to drive around the complete island in 3 hours! And the brilliant standard of the road puts our Victorian roads to shame. If you want to get out and explore, I would highly recommend a hire car – as roads are quiet and the main sightseeing options easily visited independently of a guide.
Absolute MUST Visit List!
Ngardman Waterfall –tricky access via steep, stone or earth steps (over 400) and paths knotted with tree roots – well worth the challenge – we visited late in the day, at a cooler time with no tour groups – entry USD10.00 per person.
There are several other waterfalls not as easily signed – we managed to find Ngatpang Waterfall – easier access, more like 80 stair, and no one else there. In fact, we had to visit the local market (comprising of just 4 stalls just off the road) to ask for directions – the chief kindly led us there and then charged the USD10.00 per person tourist entry.
Ancient Stone Monoliths – ancient pillars built by Palaus 1st settlers (think Easter Island, or Peru but arguably not quite as visually impressive). Again, entry for tourists was USD10.00.
Melekeok Capital – This is a large palatial set of Government Buildings – huge in comparison to everything else in Palau and when built, the idea was to move locals from Koror to make another significant town and become the capital. Worth a look and if taking a guided tour – the tour groups have access within the buildings – we looked around the outside and enjoyed the large gardens surrounding the Capital.
Rock Islands Unesco listed National Park - the best way to visit and have the advantage of local knowledge for the best snorkelling and diving spots is to take a boat – there seemed to be several companies offering this taking up to 30 passengers – but having listened to feed back I consider the best option is to charter a boat for the day.
Neco Marine are the longest standing tour operator in Palau (they were our hotel airport transfer coach operator too) and have a range of daily charters to the Rock Islands with a choice of Kayaking, Snorkelling, or Stand Up Paddleboards.
Our chosen charter included our qualified snorkel guide at 5 snorkelling /dive sites, Snorkelling gear, lunch and our Jelly Fish Lake permits.
Everything in the Rock Islands absolutely exceeded expectation!! Each dive site was amazing and offered different experiences, with highlights including Stone Arch, shoal fish, massive 100-year-old clams and of course the German Channel – an artificial channel, approx. 1km in length, dug into the southwest side of Palau's barrier reef that connects the lagoon to the Pacific Ocean. The 35-minute swim/snorkel through the channel was spectacular and showcased an incredible variety of coral and sea life. Our next stop and another amazing experience was a visit to the Milky way – a quiet area with no sea life but therapeutic white limestone mud, which tourists are persuaded to rub over exposed skin.
Our private charter enabled us to visit all these sites avoiding any tour groups; well worth it!
My absolute highlight of the day (and trip!) came when a life-long wish was fulfilled – swimming with the Golden Jellyfish at Jellyfish Lake, a unique experience found only in Palau. The Golden jellyfish have no predators and have evolved with no sting allowing for a peaceful, surreal snorkelling experience – we snorkelled here for an hour.
It is important to note that tourist access numbers are strictly monitored and strict rules apply around sunblock and any other chemicals before being allowed into the reserve.
Access to the lake is via a hilly track, taking around 20 minutes - there is nowhere to leave anything (other than a towel) leaving the visit to wonderful memories rather than an Instagram post – ‘THE MOMENT’ of my visit to Palau!