info about accommodation in Palau

Hi I am Mairo from italy

I plan to go to palau next december from 27th till 6 january. I am a diver but I travel with my 64y old aunt so I am looking for an accommodation near the beach where is possible swimming and snorkel and of course there's dive center. I am a little be worry about other messages about olmost inexistent of beaches in palau.

At the moment I have booked from 2nd to 6th january in Carp island. The problem, as we are in peak season, is to find an accommodation for the other days. Exluding luxury accommodation, I have this possibilities (already checked about availability:
Babeldaob
- North beach cottages
- Palau beach bungalow
- M&A Riverside Beach Bungalows

Peleliu
- Dolphin Bay Resort & Peleliu Divers
- Storyboard Beach Resort

Please help me to do the right choise as my aunt will kill me!! ehehe
It's important that there is a beach to relax and not to far a place where swimming and good snorlel (no shallow no jelly fish). we definitely will do daily trip ti rock island or jelly fish lake but when I'll do dives I need a place where my aunt will be confortable ... definitely she's not to old so we can rent a bike or kajak to explore the surrounding, but not to far ... I think you know what I mean

wait for your suggestions

thanks mario

I thought the tranquility of North Beach Cottages was amazing. Besides, you could easily reach Koror by car. I have not been to the other two places on Babeldoab, so I could not comment on which one is the best.

I would not choose P.eleliu for the beaches. (If you plan to base yourself there make sure the dive company is working out of there when you will be there. You want to make sure that it is not only there if they have enough customers. You aunt will be very bored unless she is interested in the battle of P.eleliu.)

Are you planning to dive from B.abeldaob? Is there a dive company operating out of there? Will you commute - at least an hour each way - to the greater K.oror area?

Where will you take your R.ock Islands - J.ellyfish lake tour from? I mean, will it actually be possible without staying in the K.oror area?

I would check if the P.alau P.acific Resort still sells day passes for $25. It's a lovely place for the day (with a man made beach) and when the tide is not out (as it was when I was there) I hear the snorkeling is very good. Your aunt can take a cab from a hotel in the K.oror vicinity. Since K.oror and vicinity is utterly without charm be sure to choose a hotel with at least some sort of outdoor sitting area that's nice (not easy in K.oror).

thanks guys but continue to be in troble ehehe
anyone knows this resort please?? Ngellil Nature Island Resort

thanks

There is a small beach at the Sea Passion Hotel, where there is a small WW2 plane wreck for snorkelling. There is also a small beach at the Palau Royal Resort. Both places are in Malakal Harbour, Koror and are next to Neco Marine (Dive Center).

I don't know anything about the other places you mention but they are all out of town. if you intend to be going on trips to the Rock Islands etc then it will not be convenient if you stay in Babeldaob - you may need to hire a car. There are generally not many places in Palau which have access to beaches; if the beach is essential then either stay longer at Carp Island or go to the Palau Pacific Resort, which has the best beach and the best snorkelling.

Hmmm....you probably want to be in Koror. Yes you can drive there from North Beach but you are really isolated. It is lovely and peaceful but there really are no services there. Most if not virtually all of the rock island tours leave from Koror. The Palau Pacific Resort is great but it is pricey. There is a hotel just up the hill from it though (can anyone help with the name? I have forgotten it) which allows you access to the PPR, including a shuttle, and is much less expensive. You really don't want to be out at the far end of Balbedaob. As noted, the PPR has the best beach and great snorkeling from shore. And some good food- do try their Taro Leaf Soup. It also employees almost only Palauans, unique in Palau. Peliliu often has jelly fish which can be a problem. Palau is expensive for sure- you might see if there are any package deals- I remember in the past seeing dive packages which included accommodations at the PPR- and they were great deals. Good luck and enjoy.

@5Waldos - is the hotel up the hill from PPR called the Cliffside Hotel? If so, yes I agree it's nice and if it has access to the PPR beach, even better.

I think I would stay somewhere like Cliffside or Sea Passion and then either go to PPR during the day or book snorkeling trips out to the Rock Islands etc. When Mairo goes diving, his aunt could come on the dive boat and just snorkel.

The Carolinas Resort This is the one actually. It sits above the PPR and you have access to the pool and beach. Cliffside is just further up the street. I think that the Necco shuttle bus stops there also.

Ciao Mario,

I would recommend staying in Koror also. dxb1969 is right, Sea Passion Hotel has a little beach and closely located to nice dive centers, such as Sam's Tours and Neco Marine. Because most dive sites are farther south, it doesn't make much sense to stay up in Babeldaob. But if you have a day, it's nice to drive up to Babeldaob and visit the North beach cottages area. Also, there's another little beach by Rip Tide Bar & Grill (south of Sea Passion) where you can snorkel.

Sam's tours, which is very close to Sea Passion Hotel, rents kayaks and also has very nice kayak tours. And the dock area at Sam's Tours has lots of mandarin fish that come out at sunset. Near Sea Passion Hotel are two good places to eat, Kramer's and Drop Off Bar & Grill.

I personally don't like PPR very much. I think it's over priced and the service I experience there was quiet bad.

Hope this helps.

Edited by: charlenechiu

What the other posters miss out saying is that if you stay on Baeldoab the tour companies would actually come to pick you up from your hotel for your tours. There were, as far as I remember, some system of taxis you could use to travel. Staying in Koror makes only sense if you use it as a bedroom only to sleep there and go on tours each day of your stay in Palau. If you were to have a holiday, I would recommend staying out of it, regardless of your destination. Or, if you were on a budget, but in such case you would not go to Palau in first place.

I would stay in Koror at a nicer hotel with beach and pool because that will be the most comfortable for your aunt. I like the Palau Royal Resort , the Sea Passion and the Palau Pacific Resort ( in that order, the last one has the nicest beach but is the most expensive) I snorkle at the Royal Resort and it is good with a lot of fish, and it is close to dive shops. ( I like cruise control, Blue Marlin or Neco for diving)

Oh also. Some dive shops may pick you up in babeldaob, but they will probably have to really go out of their way and cost to do so. Gas is $5 gallon in Palau and it is expensive to get up to the north of Babeldaod and tkaes about 1 hour each way. Plus I think the hotels in Koror are nicer than those in Babeldaob, all of which are kind of rustic and the beaches up there are not that great.

Also try IMPAC for rock island tours they are good

thanks for all your suggestions; at the end I decided to stay in carp island of course and to the new resort situated on Ngellil island; are both a little bit overpriced but nothing compare to PPR.

When I come back, definitely I'll give you reviews on that

for paolo: this is my choise ... maybe you can take into consideration to go to the budget resort in the north of the island