Marine life
This country of Oceania, is located in Micronesia, 800 km east of the Philippines and north of western New Guinea. This independent archipelago comprising no less than 200 islands has preserved and spectacular underwater fauna and flora. If you want to dive in Micronesia, Palau is a must. Expect to admire vertiginous drops, tunnels, canyons, caves, coral reefs and even salt lakes … Besides, the sovereign state of Palau decided to work on “blue tourism” to attract travelers. Its geographical isolation and exceptional seabed make it an ideal place to practice our favorite activity. Diving in Palau is a special experience. Do not miss the magnificent canyons of Peleliu and Siaes Tunnel, the drop offs at Peleliu Express, the blue holes of Ngemelis, the caves of Chandelier Caves or the Blue Corner dive site, the latter being a privileged resort to see gray sharks. Finally for wreck lovers, know that you will find in these waters many aircraft in excellent condition sunk during the Second World War. Keep in mind that, the best way to discover the archipelago is definitely to book a liveaboard in Micronesia.
When to go diving in Palau?
The best time to visit Palau is between November and May, but you can dive all year around in Palau. However, certain periods are conducive to the most beautiful encounters:
- – Manta rays from December to February
- – Whale sharks from March to May
- – Green turtles from May to September
- – Wreck season for the clarity of the waters from June to July.
Diving conditions
The visibility in Palau is excellent going on most dive spots up to more than 30 meters.
Marine currents can be important at the entrance to the passes and offshore. Inquire at your diving club.
Recommended dive level: This oasis of marine life is accessible to all levels of divers, including beginners. For drift dives or with strong currents, an advanced open water or a level 2 minimum dive will be necessary.
The temperature of the water is around 28 ° Celsuis from March to April.
Liveaboards in Palau
The best way to explore the region is to stay in a liveaboard in Palau. As a general rule, Palau Diving Cruise ships require divers to have at least Level 2 or Advanced Open Water. However, some boats like the Siren or the Ocean Hunter offer the possibility to book a open water liveaboard in Palau. In addition, the offer is relatively wide since a dozen diving boats crisscross Palau throughout the year. So you will have no trouble finding a luxury liveaboard in Palau or, on the contrary, a cheap dive cruise in Palau. The journeys generally last between one week and ten days.
What to see in scuba diving?
Sharks
The Palau government decided in 2009 to create the first shark sanctuary in the world … throughout the country! A gesture of global significance because since then, other countries have imitated it. Commercial shark fishing is prohibited and severely punished in its territorial waters. Apart of reef sharks, you might be able to dive with whale sharks in Palau.
Pelagic and Macro
In Palau there are micro-fauna species up to the largest pelagics: manta rays, green turtles, whale sharks, everyone can find what they are looking for. Macro and underwater photographers will not be left out; in fact, Micronesia is at the extreme east of the biodiversity triangle, so invertebrates in general and nudibranchs in particular are very well represented!
Jellyfish Lake
Composed of 450 islets of volcanic origin uninhabited, Rock Island is largely covered with tropical forests. There are also salt lakes, the most famous of which is undoubtedly the Jellyfish Lake where you dive in the middle of thousands of jellyfishes. No danger, they are perfectly harmless because, as there is no predators, they have did not develop any defensive system.
