Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

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Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Palau

Tree-D is getting pretty tatty,but it's OK,$35.In town is Palau hotel (www.palauhotel@yahoo.com),it's just west of Mingles Tototo,v. clean room with bathroom,TV,A/C, & fridge,$50 (I-net in the supermarket below is fairly good & cheap at $1.50/hr.).MW Motel is by Ormuul gift shop,$40.Posh hotels offer free airport pick-up,cheap hotels charge $20,same as the taxis who some-times ask $30.I hitch-hiked with no problem.
ARJ charges $35 per day car rental,phone 488-4435.Budget costs $53.
Decent snorkelling at Ice Box or Long Island park (the island before Malakol).
Sun-set & cock fights at T-dock.
Dragon Tei does great parrot fish cooked in banana leaf with Red Rooster on tap,it's open 7 days for dinner & lunch.Rock Island cafe is a great American style diner.Red Rooster cafe at Fisheries dock has turned posh,there's another in West Plaza by the Sea hotel with all 4 Red Roosters on tap,plus T-shirts & other souvenirs.
Ferries to :- Kayangel leave from the tip of Babeldaob,north of Badrulchau,twice per week,$20o/w,
Angaur do a return trip on Thursday,$4,plus 75c per bag o/w,
Peleliu,$4 o/w plus 75c per bag.3 return trips each week.Quite a few places to stay on Peleliu,best to get one with a kitchen as dining options are very limited.Adventure guest house (behind Liu store just before Storyboard) is fairly good,$25.Hire a bike,$5 - 10,& visit the WW2 remains,surprising how much there is left.The Jap. ruins are now a museum.
There's a brand new 55 mile tarmac road that circles Babeldaob,with a leg going all the way to the northern tip,passing Badrulchau ($5 entry).Highlight is seeing the new Capitol building appear from no-where.Palau's new capital is now in Melekeok & very surreal.

Thanks for your report. I just recently returned from Palau myself .

I took the Kayangel ferry from T-dock in June, $20 o/w. That ran every other week on payday weekend with boats going on Friday and Sunday. Reservations are required (call the State office and be very specific that you are making a reservation).

A great (and friendly) budget place to stay is at the Palau Maine Club http://www.palau-net.jp/pmc/2pmc-e.html for $25 per night w. A/C and fridge, the bathroom is shared, down the hall. (The budget rooms are up several flights of stairs.) They have daily maid service, with a change of sheets and towels plus they give you soap and shampoo and a toothbrush! They have an outdoor (but covered) sitting area with (instant) coffee and cold water from a cooler available free all day long. Airport transfers are $10 one way. It's right next to the ferry dock for Peleliu/Angaur and you get a great view across the water. There's even a little plunge pool but I didn't see anyone use it.

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