Palau Underwater World

The real attraction of Palau is the below water’s surface. The underwater world of Palau is fantastic. You do not have to be a certified diver to enjoy its beauty. Crystal clear water helps you to view the beautiful soft corals, colorful small fishes and spectacular reefs. When you are lucky, you could see sharks, napoleon wrasse and turtle from far away. Cool, isn’t it?
Best snorkeling spots are Soft Coral, Cemetery Reef, around Fantasy Island and around Ngermeaus Island.

If snorkeling is that amazing, what about diving? A mixture of tropical fishes with warm water and great visibility are appealing for divers. Most Wanted Diving Spot in Palau is Blue Corner. When the sky is clear and tide is high, more than 100 divers could dive in this place. Wondering why? Two things that make this place very famous; first, you are challenged to dive in the strong current. Second, you are tested to dive with school of sharks!! Imagine there are 10 sharks swimming around you? Not to count some of nursing sharks that sleep on the bottom! However, do not be afraid because these sharks are used to the presence of the divers, so they would never attack you. Not everyday you could have this experience, diving with school of friendly sharks!

Tips: never forget to bring your reef hook so you can hold on to the reef wall to enjoy the sharks show.

Another well-known dive spots in Palau is German Channel. In olden times, Germany completed this channel to help the boat travel through the barrier reef in Southern Palau without having to be trapped by the reefs. What you can find in German Channel is Manta Ray and Spotted Eagle Ray. Camouflaged Sting Ray also easily found here. Normally these big creatures having its cleaning station in this spot.

Palau’s diving is also famed for its wall or drop-off diving. It is recommended to dive in Big Drop-Off and New Drop-Off. In these spots you can have beautiful scenery of various soft corals, colorful anemones, anthias, school of barracuda, bumphead parrot fish, napoleon wrasse, giant clams and turtles!

Blue Hole, Siaes Tunnel, Turtle Cove, Shark City and Ulong Channel are another great dive spots. Palau also offers Wreck Dive, but I was not able to do it back then. I believe it would be as great as the other dive spots.

Recommended dive operators are: Neco Marine, Sam’s Tour, Fish and Fins and Ocean Hunter. Guarantee you will have an unforgettable diving experience in your life! What are you waiting for? Get WET!!

Jellyfish Lake, Palau

You can’t miss Jellyfish Lake when you go to Palau. It is a MUST to visit this place. This spectacular thing can only be found in two places in the whole world. One in Derawan-Indonesia and the other one are here, in Palau.

Jellyfish Lake is located somewhere around the Rock Islands. Since the lake is a bit isolated, you need to exercise your hiking and climbing skill to get there. It’s not hard at all. In fact, it’s really fun!

The lake is a salt water lake, trapping the jellyfish that live there and also developed their symbiosis with photosynthetic algae. As a result, they lost their ability to sting.

Uh oh, so does it mean they are sting less jellyfish?? Yes, they are!! You don’t have to worry to get rashes from touching the jellyfish!

During the day the jellyfish follow the cycle of the sun. Normally the jellyfish head toward the surface to harness the sun's energy when the sun bright over the lake. The lake is a fragile ecosystem. Visitors are allowed to swim with the jellyfish but it is recommended that you do not use fins and swim slowly and carefully as to not disturb the jellyfish.

It’s magical to swim, snorkeling and diving with millions of jellyfish around you! I was thrilled! I bet you will too :)

A country named P A L A U

Left - Right : Malakal Port with Rock Islands in the background, KB Bridge aerial picture, Rock Islands seen from Malakal Tower

I believe most of you never know there is a country named Palau (in Palauan language called, “Belau” but officially Republic of Palau) in this whole earth. Located 800 kilometers from East Philippines, Palau is known as one of the most beautiful islands in Micronesia, and the world. Unfortunately, Palau is not as famous as Maldives, Tahiti, Fiji or other islands. However, it is still a recommended amazing tourism destination for beach and ocean lovers. Most of tourists come to Palau are divers because Palau is a Diving paradise for Diving freaks!

What attracts people to come to Palau is the Rock Islands. As it is called, Rock Islands are collection of rounded coral islands raised up from the reef that seems to float above the surface of the water. Most of them are topped with vegetation which makes them look like mushroom. Some of them are small, but many of them are large and have beautiful sandy white beaches decorated with water lily flowers to rest and relax even for overnight stay. The famous beaches around the islands are Ngermeaus Island, Fantasy Island, Ngemelis Island and Ulong Island. An island hopping trip through the islands is extraordinary!

Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing, Island Hoping, Beaching are the main things you can do around Rock Islands. I will share you more information about it in my next entries.

Wondering why I could end up living in this country? Work brought me here. At first I thought it would be a disaster but I was totally wrong. It was a blessing to live in this tiny island :) Hoping to go back there again someday...

Left - Right: Eleven islands, Rock Islands aerial picture, Ngemelis Island at dawn