Palau trip report

Here's my thoughts on Palau, hope someone finds it useful.

I flew to Koror with China Airlines/KLM from Amsterdam via Taipei. There are occasionally some very good deals on this route (I paid $450 return including tax); you just need to look out for them in the usual places. This, along with Guam and Oahu, makes Palau the cheapest Pacific island to get to, which was largely why I went.

Accommodation in Palau is expensive; I was originally booked to stay in Ms Pinetrees Hostel which was around $300 for a week in a dorm; I decided to 'upgrade' to DW Motel for a private room with bathroom; this came to a little over $600 for the week. DW Motel was very clean, has nice and helpful staff working there, and is located a 5-10 minute walk from 'downtown' Koror and the bridges to Malakal and Arakabesang islands. I was happy with my choice.

Only citizens of Bangladesh and Myanmar need visas for stays of up to 30 days. Instead of a visa, tourists now have to sign a pledge to the children of Palau to protect the environment. This is stamped into your passport, and you have to sign it. A nice gesture, but one that means the queue at immigration can take a very long time- I would advise trying to be first off the plane. The environment seems to be taken quite seriously in Palau- I was impressed with the recycling facilities- but nobody seems to have told some of the locals, who happily drive absurdly short distances in ridiculous, gas-guzzling SUVs.

There are various places to eat in Koror with a wide variety of food, ranging from American fast-food, to Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian and even a few Palauan dishes (fruit bat is expensive at $30 but worth a try). You can get a good Filipino meal for around $8-10 at M&Js on the main street or at Emaimelai a little behind it. Mog Mog is quite expensive but has some interesting local seafood, bat and good Japanese seafood dishes. There is also great gelato in some interesting local flavours at L'Amarena, a little past the Palasia hotel. Near DW Motel, Anthia's cafe does a good breakfast for $7 (quite a bargain in Koror) and the Rock Island Cafe serves large portions of mostly American food at good prices. On Malakal Island, I ate at the Drop Off and Kramers, neither of which was particularly cheap.

Some cafes and restaurants have free wifi; the best was at the Drop Off, Mog Mog and Coffee Berry. Anthia's Cafe also has wifi for customers but fairly slow.

Koror was relatively uninteresting but still fairly pleasant- while I wouldn't advise spending much time there especially if only in Palau for a week, it is worth a day's exploration. There are a few indoor/mostly indoor attractions for a rainy day; of these I only visited the aquarium ($10) which was nicely set up and useful for identifying the fish seen during snorkelling trips. It's important to realise that Koror/Palau is largely not a beach destination. Koror is mostly surrounded by mangroves, and has very few beaches- most of which are artificial and privately owned. The Palau Pacific Resort on Arakabesang island charges $99 for a day pass; the Sea Passion and Palau Royal Resorts on Malakal also have their own beaches but I don't know if they are open to non-guests and at what cost. Riptide on Malakal charges $10 for beach access but was a bit too close to the sewage treatment plant for my liking. The only natural beach I found was at the seaplane dock on Arakabesang island; small and sandy, not particularly paradaisical but as far as I could tell free for anyone to use. Take the first right after the hospital when arriving from Koror and it's a short walk from there. If not too hot/humid, a walk up to the top of the road on Arakebesang provides good views of the other main islands in Koror; there is an expensive restaurant at the top (Elilai) with the best views. Other than visiting a beach, or walking up the hill on Malakal island, there aren't many free/low cost outdoorsy things to do in Koror- it really is more somewhere to stay, eat/drink (plenty of supermarkets), get money (a few ATMs on the main street), and enjoy the atmosphere (an interesting mix of low-key, fairly Americanised Pacific Island culture and Japanese/Taiwanese mass tourism).

Probably the best thing to do in Koror is to visit Long Island Park with a snorkel. The small coral reef there has what to my inexperienced eye seemed fantastic snorkeling; a big variety of different fish and coral, almost as good as some of the spots visited while on tours. There are no facilities other than a covered picnic area, but it's a nice place to swim (the tidal current is quite strong), and not far to walk from downtown Koror or Malakal. There is also according to LP's 2000 edition of 'Micronesia' fairly good snorkeling at Ice Box Park at the tip of Malakal, but again this was a bit too close to the sewage plant for comfort.

I'd recommend hiring a car and exploring Babeldoab for the day. If you take your time, two days might be worth it but you could probably do it 'all' in one if you hurried. I paid $55 for a Ford Escape with collection the following morning. Driving is on the right but the vehicles are left hand drive. There is very little traffic outside of Koror. One annoying feature of Palau mentioned by others is the constant need to pay fees to visit every (seemingly) insignificant site. The worst is $25 to visit the Japanese military HQ in Airai State- with a $500 fine for those caught without a permit. We visited in the morning, and there was nobody to collect the fee. The same at the bai in Airai state. Melekeok village is beautiful and has a lovely sandy beach and a nice walk along the pier. We weren't asked to pay here either. Melekeok also has a cafe, one of very few places to eat and drink on the island (outside of Airai, which is closest to Koror and basically a kind of suburb). The national capital buildings are fascinating to wander around; a bizarre set of buildings rising out of the jungle with no houses, shops or other services in sight. Tapping the fake Roman columns reveals them to be hollow and made of some kind of plastic. You won't be allowed inside the buildings, but opening the door reveals a strong stench of mould. There is a very good view of the capital from the causeway leading North to Ngiwal. Lake Ngardok is worth a visit for a walk in the jungle with the chance to see saltwater crocodiles. We paid $10 for an hour's tour led by a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. Unlike most of the other fees paid, this seemed good value for money. If driving anticlockwise around the island, don't take the first turning towards the lake; head past the capital buildings (visible on your right) and downhill- there is a sharp and unsigned turning to the left, next to an information sign.

Further north in Ngeraard State are two places to say; both have restaurants which can provide a simple lunch. Both also have sandy beaches too. In the northernmost state (Ngarchelong) the stone monoliths are well worth visiting and have beautiful views over the coast, as does the Japanese lighthouse (not marked on some maps; a steep right turn a short while before the northernmost tip of the road). Both are $5 each to visit, depending on whether someone is there to collect the fee.

The west coast seems to have fewer attractions, the main one being the Ngardamau waterfall, which was closed when we arrived at 4.30. It can be visited on $95 tours from Koror- it would be far more economical and enjoyable to simply hire a car and drive there. Babeldoab is beautiful, covered in jungle with mostly mangrove-fringed shores. The main road is well paved with minimal traffic. The speed limit is 25 mph and some drivers take it even more slowly; passing seems to be illegal too.

I took two tours to the Rock Islands with IMPAC; one was $80 the other $95. Expensive but worth it for the beautiful scenery and the snorkelling. IMPAC seemed very professional and although the cost was painful, I didn't feel ripped off. Both trips allowed plenty of time to relax and enjoy the 'sights' with lots of snorkelling time. The underwater world in Palau was breathtaking- I'd love to return some day as a diver. The shapes and colours of the Rock Islands are probably best appreciated from a sightseeing flight; these are available from around $180. However, I found being on the water very enjoyable and I didn't feel the islands were overhyped- they really are quite memorable.

The public boat leaves from Malakal to Peleliu; the timetable varies by day but there is one (or less) boats each day and to appreciate the island an overnight is necessary. Unfortunately, my boat didn't arrive until 5pm and left at 10am and the island is really too big to visit the main WWII sights without a car- the village is in the north and most of the sites bar some caves and a pill box are in the south/central part of the island. However, I found the village a nice change of pace from Koror and enjoyed strolling around. Storyboard Resort seems to be closed- it has a small stretch of beach. I stayed at Raiko's Guesthouse- booked through IMPAC. A room was $62 and I was told beds are available at Peleliu Adventures Inn for $60. I expect cheaper places might be available through Air BnB. Peleliu Adventures operate a simple cafe on the main street; there are also a few stores where food can be bought. No restaurants that I saw. Peleliu has a large number of Bangladeshi residents; it seems the locals use them for all the menial jobs.

Most flights leave Palau late in the evening and DW Motel charge a $10 per hour late check out-fee. I mostly spent the last day buying souvenirs and snorkeling. Drop Off in Malakal has free showers and a pool, both open to anyone who eats lunch there. If you want to spend your last day in the water but have an evening flight and no hotel room, this is a good place to go. Likewise, the tour companies also have showers available; a tour might be a worthwhile thing to do on the last day. However, many tour boats were delayed one day due to a storm, so be sure that the weather report is favourable before taking this option. Sam's on Malakal island offers kayak rental for $35 for a half day.

There is no escaping the $50 departure tax when leaving; payable in cash Dollars only.

Hope some of this is useful for anyone thinking of visiting Palau. As a non diver, I felt that there was enough to fill my time with in a week. Maybe I could have stretched out to 10 days, but beyond that I think I'd have started to get bored. As a first time visitor to the Pacific, I found the islands to still feel fairly 'traditional' but others might find them a bit too westernised/Americanised. There are quite a few tourists- relative to population Palau is in the top 10 'most touristy' countries in the world- but it hardly felt like Ibiza. Most people speak excellent English (sometimes less so with a mouth full of betel nut) and in Koror it's easy to get things done. Non-drivers might find the lack of any public transport frustrating (Koror has a $7.50 tourist shuttle, tickets valid for a week). I found the snorkelling to be a highlight and I'm sure it's even better for divers. The real killer was the cost- food was fine, but the cost of tours and permits adds up (a $50 permit is needed to visit the Rock Islands). As Koror lacks many free things to do, you need to either hire a car or take a tour to make the most of your time. The fees left a slightly sour taste given the general lack of information at some of the sites and the poor attitude of many locals towards the environment.

I'd happily return to Palau but on the proviso that I get a similarly good fare and am able to dive. Otherwise, I'd say one week was enough time for an enjoyable stay in a part of the world I'd never previously visited, and though I'm glad I went, I won't be rushing back. It's a beautiful country with generally very friendly people, doesn't feel as touristed as expected and has a lot of variety within a small space- but it does come at a hefty price.

Whow, the best trip report on Palau I ever read in the forum. To be honest, nothing to add. We have been there late October, only 4 days. First night we stayed in West Plaza Downtowon Hotel, good for one transit night, helpful, and reliable with airport pick up. Via this hotel we booked a car, very easy, very little formalities. We moved later to M&A Resort in the north. You have to bring all your food, the kitchenette was ok. The resort is run by contract workers from Philippines, the landlady was showing up for a short moment, no greetings, no information. But the surrounding is nice.

Appreciate the long report, thank you

Whow, the best trip report on Palau I ever read in the forum. To be honest, nothing to add. We have been there late October, only 4 days. First night we stayed in West Plaza Downtowon Hotel, good for one transit night, helpful, and reliable with airport pick up. Via this hotel we booked a car, very easy, very little formalities. We moved later to M&A Resort in the north. You have to bring all your food, the kitchenette was ok. The resort is run by contract workers from Philippines, the landlady was showing up for a short moment, no greetings, no information. But the surrounding is nice.

Thank you. We stopped at M&A Cottages for lunch- they have a small restaurant/snack bar there, next to the river. Limited choice of food but was decent and not horribly overpriced (food seems to be one thing in Palau which is often fairly good value, at least by European standards). Beach access was $10- maybe I was a bit paranoid, but I didn't fancy swimming in the sea at the outflow of a very murky crocodile-friendly looking river. A beautiful spot though, and I think along with North Beach Cottages possibly the only place to stay in Babeldoab outside of Airai area? I think if I ever returned to Palau then that is one area I'd like to stay and spend a bit more time in- Babeldoab is such a beautiful island.

Thanks for posting this report,very interesting!

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