Palau is well-known globally as a word-class diving destination. Located about 800 miles southwest of Guam, this 100-mile long archipelago sits in one of the richest locations in the ocean realm. Not only is it's sea life abundant, it's islands are home to exotic birds, monkeys and graceful flying foxes. Near the center of the country are the emerald-colored jungles Rock Islands, these magnificent mushroom-like formations provide a maze of splendid natural beauty and a protected haven for many rare forms of sea life. Palau has a new airport and is served by major air carriers. It also has first-class hotels and several dependable dive operations that are constantly upgrading their services and equipment.

Palau's waters support huge sea animals like the whale shark and the saltwater crocodile (an animal of Palauan legend as well). They also host a wide spectrum of fish and coral life. Virtually every dive promises something new and breathtaking. Visibility ranges from 50ft (15m) to well over 100ft (30m) along the drop-offs, and water temperature varies slightly from about 78-82°F(25-27 °C).




Blue Corner
This is one of those dives that is consistently electric, providing fish action in every imaginable shape and size. Large sharks are common, as are small ones, sea turtles, groupers, schools of barracudas, snappers and small tropicals.

The Blue Holes
The bottom is sandy. Spotted leopard nurse sharks have been known to rest here, allowing divers to approach very close before being coaxed from their resting spot. White tip sharks sleep here as well.

New Dropoff
Schools of grunts, gray snappers and barracuda are common along the dropoff. A few lucky divers have seen a whale shark here.

Big Dropoff/Ngemelis Wall
The wall has an abundance of sea fans at all depth levels. The deeper fans can reach nine feet across and come in hues of crimson and green. The fish population is also quite varied, Big Schools of yellowtails course the wall vertically.

Turtle Cove
The inside of this cave is honeycombed with exits at various depths. One small passage is the home of a family of large lionfish. They have lived in this little cave for years and are occasionally visited by a grouper.

Sweetlips Dropoff
Lots of hawkbills and many reef shark at a deeper depth.

German Channel
Large triggerfish, and lots of cuttlefish.

Peleliu Tips
The southern tip of the island of Peleliu provides a dive that is a true example of sensory overload. It is wild, open ocean that rarely sees divers, and the richness of Palau's water is truly evident from the first plunge in the water. Sharks, turtles, sea snakes, large groupers and schools of massive bumphead parrot fish.

Anqaur
This spot is not dived much by sport divers because the open ocean crosses between Peleliu and Angaur must be attempted only when weather is very calm. The schools of fish can be quite large at times with a mixture of pelagic fish including whale sharks and even oceanic white tips and tiger sharks.

Siaes Tunnel
Exploring this tunnel is not child's play by any manner. At depths averaging 100-130ft (30-40m), the cave provides an experience that borders on the edge of safe sport diving. This site should garner some high voltage surprises.

Ngerumekaol/Ulung Channel
This dive provides one great ride past underwater terrain that appears to be landscaped.

Ngeremlengui Pass
Brilliant yellowtails and electric blues course by at the outcroppings, providing a show of motion and color. Large Sharks, Napolean wrasses, and dogtooth tuna swim by. The grey reef sharks can be very territorial here. This has been the only place that a mesekiu, or Palauan dugong, has been photographed underwater.

Northern Wrecks
This is the spot for sunken ships. One ship is the Samidare, a Japanese fleet destroyer. There are two large propellor shafts, parts of the turbine hawing, some gun barrels, a fire extinguisher, a machine gun and some plating. The deeper water here produces some nice hard corals and scattered anemones.

Short Dropoff
It is common for this site to be the first dive of newly arriving divers. Because many of those who travel to Palau are hard-core types who want to hit the water the minute they deplane, the convenience of having this sloping wall so close to the main hotels around Koror is taken advantage of.

Wonder Channel
Because it is located in the nutrient-rich waters of the Rock Islands, don't expect great visibility. The numerous sea fans, sponges, and other filter-feeding animals that make up the reef are here because all of the good things they like flow through the channel.

Jellyfish lake
Ever since the marine lakes of Palau appeared in National Geographic magazine, Jellyfish Lake has become a popular destination for snorkelers.

Soft Coral Arch
The soft corals at Soft Coral Arch have attained a variety of pastel shades that are a treat fro the snorkeler and the macro photographer.

Coral Gardens
This spot is very good for a third dive as it rarely dips below 40 feet.

Chandelier Cave
Located in the Rock Islands near Koror, this shallow cave is made up of many chambers and a high ceiling that rises above the water level, allowing divers to surface, converse and even take off dive gear and walk around in some of the chambers.