Malakal Harbour, Koror
Risong Bay
Ulong Island
Peleliu
German Channel
Snorkel with millions of jellyfish at Jellyfish Lake
Drift dive Blue Corner and German Channel
Kayak through the Rock Islands’ marine lakes
Explore the WWII battle sites of Peleliu
Swim the Milky Way’s white limestone mud
Koror
Peleliu
Ngerukeuid Islands (Seventy Islands)
Angaur
Ngermeaus Island
November through April is generally regarded as the better half of the year, with lower rainfall and the best underwater visibility, particularly through the passes at Blue Corner and German Channel. Palau sits outside the main typhoon belt, so it sees far fewer weather disruptions than the Philippines or Micronesia to its north, and liveaboard and charter operators run trips through most of the year with only brief seasonal lulls.
Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, just outside Koror, is Palau’s only international gateway, with regular connections from Guam, Manila and, seasonally, Taipei and Seoul. Most charters clear in and provision at Malakal Harbour, a few minutes from the airport, before heading out into the Rock Islands. There’s no need to travel far before the diving and scenery begin: the Rock Islands start almost as soon as you leave Koror’s harbour.
Malakal Harbour handles clearance and provisioning, but most cruising happens further into the Rock Islands, where Risong Bay offers reliable shelter and doubles as a hurricane hole for local boats. Ulong Island and the waters around Peleliu both provide calm overnight anchorages close to some of Palau’s best diving and beaches, though several passes require daylight transit and careful chart work given unreliable GPS data in places.
Five to seven days give guests time to dive Blue Corner and German Channel, snorkel Jellyfish Lake, kayak among the marine lakes and still fit in a stop at Peleliu’s WWII sites. Diving is the main draw for most visitors, so itineraries built around Palau tend to run slower than elsewhere in the Pacific, with fewer, longer stops rather than a new anchorage every night.
Yes. A Rock Islands permit, valid for ten days, is required for the wider marine park, and a separate Jellyfish Lake permit is needed to snorkel there, both issued through a licensed local operator rather than sold to independent visitors. Palau also became the world’s first national shark sanctuary in 2009, banning commercial shark fishing across its entire exclusive economic zone, so protected species are a genuine, visible presence on almost every dive.
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