Touring BABELDAOB On Our Own

I see that Sam's Tours charges $150 per person for trips to Babeldaob. Can you rent a car and visit this island on your own? Or are the roads too bad? We will be there then end of February for 10 days or so. We would like to visit the waterfalls and monoliths.

Thanks

You can certainly rent a car and tour Babeldaob on your own. There was a time when the compact road was in such sad shape that rental car outlets did not permit the use of their cads to travel in Babeldaob, but I am quite sure that the road is complete or nearly so by now, so that you can travel it's length without problem. I was there in 2006 and the road was near completion, so if others have been there later and there is a problem, let the writer know. The only exception that I see is to not travel during heavy rains, as there could be flooding.

Papa Mike

You'll encounter some rough road between Koror and the airport on Babeldaob. After that you'll be on the nice compact road. I believe Babeldaob State now requires a permit to see their waterfalls. As is a permit required for Rock Island tourist activities and Peleliu touring (though, apparantly not for just wandering around the backroads and stumbling upon a tank or two).

We will also be visiting Palau the end of February and plan to rent a car to do some exploring of Babeldaob on our own. I thought I would check in with the Tourist Bureau in Koror for maps and information. Silvanocat - thanks for that information on the permits needed - I didn't know that!

Maps. What a fasinating thought. Would love to hear if there are any that bear any resemblance to reality. But yes- you can tour by rental car. We did it 12 years ago when the compact road was a dream. And 2 years ago when the road was semi-complete and crumbling at the edges. If the stretch from Koror to the airport is the bad bit I would be astounded- that is the part that is used all the time. We were up on the north end and the recent rains had left mudslides, etc since the plantings designed to keep the edges up weren't doing their jobs. Do get off the main stretch into the small villages- that is where Palau still lives.