Situated in the coral triangle, one of the world’s largest marine protected areas, and at the convergence of major ocean currents, this diving destination is one of the most sought-after on a diver’s wish list. Palau’s scenery, both above and below the water, never fails to impress.
From the serenity of the rock islands and their turquoise inlets and bays to drift dives over impressive reefs teeming with fish life and healthy coral, Palau is constantly ranked as one of the best places to dive in the world. The archipelago is well known for various dive environments, including walls, caverns, reefs, and wrecks. It is a magnet for pelagic life, with manta and sharks visiting or residing.
Blue Corner, considered one of the world’s best dive sites, teems with reef sharks in a current. An exhilarating drift dive, getting swept to the corner where you can ‘hook in’ and enjoy the spectacle. As the story goes, reef hooks were invented in Palau, originating from the creative use of a bent fork just to dive Blue Corner.
In addition and recently discovered, Palau is home to large spawning aggregations of Twin Spotted Snapper and Bumphead Parrotfish. Liveaboard trips to see this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle can be arranged over both the full and new moon. Scuba diving Palau you can witness hundreds of Bumphead Parrotfish on the new moon while snapper get jiggy on the full moon.
One of the most significant marine protected areas in the world, the Palau National Marine Sanctuary is a conservation initiative located in the Palauan waters.
Established in 2015, the sanctuary covers an impressive area of 500,000 square kilometres (193,000 square miles). It safeguards Palau’s unique marine ecosystem by combating overfishing to create a sustainable fishing environment, conserve the area for the people of Palau, and protect the global Tuna population.
The marine protected area came into full force early in 2020 but has proven to be a tough battle to uphold, given pressure from the commercial fishing industry. By supporting conservation efforts through your Palau eco pledge and marine park fee, you can help this critical initiative survive.
Infinite Blue Dive Travel will help you arrange the most suitable dive schedule and care for your plant-based dietary needs.
Read more about how to get to and how to dive in Palau, and here are a few more suggestions on why we think you should make this stunning dive destination your next one.
Palau is part of Micronesia and is located in the Pacific Ocean close to the island state of Guam. The easiest way to get to Palau is to fly via Manila, Philippines, or from the United States through Guam. Other options are flights from Taiwan or Australia.
For the latest information regarding travel to Palau, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
You do not need to be highly experienced to dive here, but to get the most out of your dive trip, and to protect the environment, you should feel comfortable in the current. The best dives here are when the current is running.
Dive sites like Ulong Channel on an incoming tide, or Blue Corner, are best when there is current. For your safety and to protect the delicate corals, you should have a few dives under your belt. In order to experience the spawning dives on the full and new moon, you should have at least 50 dives experience.
The travel here and the diving are not the cheapest; however, they are also not the most expensive. The best diving is done by liveaboard and, depending on the length of the trip, usually 7 – 10 days, this will cost from 2000 USD upward.
Resorts are more expensive than average, due to the remote location, and land-based diving usually costs around 50 USD per dive. That said, the diving here is phenomenal—a bucket list destination, but one to dive when you have some experience.
You can do the whole range of dive courses here. Perhaps you want to get your entry-level certification or upgrade your current one. You can do it all here. For the best dive sites, though, you should be certified already.
That doesn’t stop you from taking a handy Nitrox course or a Drift Diving speciality. There is also some excellent night diving to be done, so the night diving section of the advanced course will come in handy.
All year round is the best time to dive here. The best conditions usually fall in the October to May period when the visibility is outstanding, and there are higher numbers of pelagics. The remarkable fish spawning events, however, happen all year round.
Washed by the Pacific Ocean, powerful currents can be here, but this also brings nutrients and marine life to this amazing place. Dives will be planned with currents in mind, but to get the most out of some dive sites, you should feel comfortable with drift diving and using a reef hook.
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