Peleliu - Storyboard or Dolphin Bay?

Hello -

Planning to be in Palau in December. Anyone willing to offer recommendation on Peleliu: Storyboard or Dolphin Bay?

Thank you -

I stayed at the Storyboard in 2002 and it was great. My brother and I were the only ones there at the time so in effect, we had a private diving trip for a week. The cabins were basic and rustic which we loved and the meals were family style (also good). The diving...what can I say...10 minutes to Blue Corner and most of the top sites. Godwin and his family were first class...I can't wait to take my family once the kids get a bit older. Have a blast!

Dolphin Bay is just down the beach and is new, run by the same woman who has several other places in Peliliu. But don't know of anyone who has stayed there. We stayed at Storyboard years ago- 1994?- and I did visit them last summer. Still looks fine. I suspect that both are reasonably comparable.

Just got back from a one-night stay at Storyboard, and had a good experience. The Filipino couple that runs it is quite sweet. Didn't do any diving out of Peleliu.

One note: I would avoid local guide Tangie Hesus at all costs. He has been recommended in numerous guidebooks, but is actually something of a con artist. Sam's used to use him, but no longer does due to customer complaints. Tangie seems to hang about the Storyboard.

I put up a description of our Peleliu visit on my blog below, with the contact info for another Peleliu guide.

And on what do you base this? Tangie is one of the local historians and has a great deal of knowledge about Peliliu.

Just read your blog, so see what you experienced. Have no way of confirming or denying any of this- certainly never experienced anything remotely like it with Tangie- nor would I think that anyone of the many people who have recommended him over the years experienced anything like this. Since I have no reason to think you are exaggerating, can only say- very very odd. Maybe life in the big city (Koror) corrupted him.

I imagine Tangie gives a pretty decent tour, given the number of recommendations over the years, but we found him so shifty that we wouldn't have had any confidence in what he said about the history of the island, either. The fact that Sam's stopped using him b/c of overcharging (what we were told was that he was imposing various additional charges on customers who were supposed to have paid all amounts already) gives me full confidence that it wasn't just us.

Hi amysn,

I'm going to Peliliu in December, too. I will stay in either Dolphine Bay or Storyboard. Because I'm going all by myself and is out in the water all day long, I don't really use one entire bungalow. Are you interested in sharing one bungalow to cut down cost? I'll be there for 3 nights from Dec. 15 to Dec.17. If interested, please contact with me. Thanks.

I've just encounter a situation similar to linenhiker but not about tour guide. It was about MAML dive shop. First, they charge $25 their own diving customer for land transfer from hotel to thier own dive shop in Koror. The last time I know, other dive shops don't charge this fee. Second, MAML reservation kept selling me only Storyboard or Dolphin Bay even though I've told MAML that I will be traveling along and don't need one entire bungalow. After I have digged out more information from internet, I asked about other accomodation options listed on their own website, MAML became unfriendly. Third, MAML kept asking me for how many dives I plan to spend with them, as if they were evaluating customer's value according to the number of dives. I really don't think it's good way to run business.

We have just left Peleliu and the Storyboard (January 2008). Our stay was delightful with accomodating weather and an island full of friendly, tourist-welcoming people...and some of the world's most charming children. Our time at the Storyboard was especially good because of the lovely couple now managing the place, Benjamin and Lanie. Benjie does the cooking (very good) and lots of other things around the place and can "make happen" about anything you are interested in doing. Lanie runs the business end of the site and she is the one who will correspond with you through the website. The cabins are of the older model...very much as you want a Pacific Island adventure to be with immaculate floors, good beds, clean bathrooms and a covered lanai for the rainy period of the day. There are some insects so you should bring mosquito repellent. Of course, the diving is superb and kayaks and bicycles are available on site.