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Palau is the maximum expression of marine purity and majesty on our planet. Located in the heart of the western Pacific, this Micronesian archipelago emerges from crystalline waters like an untouched Eden where the emerald green of the jungle merges with every imaginable shade of turquoise blue. Internationally recognized for creating the world's first shark sanctuary and requiring every visitor to make a written pledge of environmental respect in their passport, Palau is not only a world-class diving destination; It is a living temple of biodiversity. Here you swim among millions of jellyfish that have lost their stinging ability in a lake isolated in time, you fly over calcareous islets that look like floating mushrooms in the sea and you discover vestiges of the Second World War swallowed by the jungle. A trip to Palau is a moving immersion in the ancient respect for the ocean and the hospitable warmth of an ancient matriarchal culture.
Capital
Ngerulmud
Population
18.094
Langue
PAU, Inglés
Sites du patrimoine de l'UNESCO
0
Scores basés sur des données réelles de 0 à 100
Located on the island of Eil Malk, Jellyfish Lake (Ongeim'l Tketau) is a marine lake isolated more than 12,000 years ago. Its waters are home to millions of golden jellyfish (*Mastigias papua etpisoni*) that, lacking natural predators, evolved by practically losing the ability to sting. Gently snorkeling while thousands of jellyfish pulse around you following the sunlight is one of the most peaceful and surreal underwater experiences on the planet.
Blue Corner is considered by divers from all over the world as one of the best diving spots on the planet. Hooked to the reef wall by means of a reef hook, divers watch, suspended, the incessant parade of dozens of gray reef sharks, gigantic schools of barracuda, horse mackerel and hawksbill turtles. In the nearby German Channel, cleaning stations attract giant oceanic manta rays feeding on plankton.
Milky Way is a sheltered cove between the Rock Islands where the seabed is covered in extremely fine white volcanic limestone mud. Local guides dive to extract the mud from the bottom, with which travelers completely cover their bodies as a scrub and mineral mask before jumping into the warm turquoise waters to rinse off.
Peleliu Island was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific during World War II in 1944. Touring the island with a local guide reveals rusty Sherman tanks among the vegetation, downed planes, coastal canyons hidden in rock caves and the emotional Peace Monument on Bloody Nose Ridge, where nature has healed the traces of history.
Chelbacheb's more than 400 coral limestone islands and islets have water-eroded bases that give them a characteristic mushroom shape. Gliding in a touring kayak in absolute silence allows you to enter marine tunnels, hidden coves of jade-colored waters inaccessible to motor boats, and caves with stalactites where tropical seabirds nest.
Babeldaob is the largest island in Palau. An authentic 'Bai', the centuries-old community gathering house built entirely of nailless bwaik wood, with steep thatched roofs and facades richly painted with geometric motifs and tribal legends, is preserved in Airai village. To the north, the 52 megalithic stone monoliths of Badrulchau continue to hold the mystery of the ancient Micronesian builders.
Palau's cuisine is a true reflection of its island environment and Micronesian heritage, enriched over the decades by subtle Japanese, Filipino and American influences. It is based on the purest ocean products (yellowfin tuna, red snapper, parrot fish, mangrove crabs and shellfish) combined with traditional root vegetables such as taro and cassava, fresh coconut milk, tropical fruits and citrus marinades.
Taro is not only the basic plant sustenance, but the heart of Palau's culture and matrilineal structure. Its cultivation in humid terraces is an ancestral knowledge transmitted from mothers to daughters, considered a symbol of wealth, fertility and social prestige in all community banquets.
The fish is usually consumed a few hours after being caught. Whether raw in thin slices with soy and calamansi (Japanese influence of sashimi), roasted whole over hot coals wrapped in green leaves or slowly cooked in aromatic coconut milk, the marine product stands out for its purity.
Freshly caught red snapper, grouper or parrotfish, marinated with minced garlic, fresh ginger, calamansi lime juice and soy sauce, wrapped in tender banana leaves and slowly grilled over coconut shell coals to retain all its natural juices.
Traditional and comforting stew cooked in a clay pot, combining tender pieces of purple or white taro root cooked in a light broth with fresh fish fillets, tender green taro leaves, ginger and creamy coconut milk.
Large mangrove crabs caught in the estuaries of Babeldaob, steamed and sautéed in a pan with fresh concentrated coconut milk, plenty of crushed garlic, ginger and a pinch of hot chili, served with white rice or boiled cassava.
Cubes of fresh yellowfin bluefin tuna or sailfish marinated to order with calamansi lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, chopped sweet onion, ginger and crispy local seaweed, a testament to the Japanese culinary legacy on the islands.
The most popular sweet and street snack on the islands. Small spheres of dough made with flour, cane sugar and yeast, fried in hot oil until golden and crispy on the outside and extraordinarily spongy and tender on the inside.
Hearty homemade soup of Filipino heritage adopted by local households, made with pieces of free-range chicken or fish slowly cooked with slices of tender green papaya, sliced fresh ginger and water spinach ('kangkong') leaves.
The natural drink par excellence of the islands. The green coconut freshly taken from the palm tree is opened to drink its fresh water, rich in electrolytes, and later the gelatinous interior pulp is tasted with a coconut spoon.
Palau's only award-winning microbrewery, founded in Koror. It produces unfiltered craft beers using pure rainwater and selected malts, highlighting the Red Rooster Amber Ale and the Light Mango Lager.
Refreshing juice made by squeezing fresh calamansi (a small indigenous aromatic citrus fruit with mild acidity) mixed with cold water, ice and a touch of wild mangrove honey or cane sugar.
Traditional infusion of sun-dried local medicinal herbs and leaves, highly valued by village elders for its renowned antioxidant and purifying properties.
The quintessential festive dessert of Palau. Sweet dough made by finely grating cassava or taro mixed with brown sugar and thick coconut milk, tightly wrapped in banana leaves and patiently boiled until it acquires a gelatinous and aromatic consistency.
Fresh tapioca pearls slow cooked in pure coconut milk with pandan leaves, vanilla and cane sugar, served cold in polished coconut shells.
The essential everyday dessert: local papayas with intensely sweet orange flesh, sweet dwarf bananas, ripe breadfruit and water mangoes freshly fallen from the tree.
Creamy natural lilac ice cream made with cooked taro root puree, fresh milk cream and coconut milk, very popular in cafes and restaurants in Koror.
Palau offers an unrivaled ecological and cultural sanctuary: from unique karst marine landscapes and coral beds full of pelagics to prehistoric vestiges and virgin jungles.
A UNESCO Joint World Heritage Site, the Rock Islands are home to more than 50 secluded marine lakes, tropical forest-covered limestone formations, and wonders like the stalactite cave of Chandelier Cave, where divers can emerge in four underground air chambers.
Palau is a pioneering underwater paradise. Enclaves such as Blue Holes (four vertical shafts descending into a colossal cavern), Siaes Tunnel, Ulong Channel (famous for its lettuce coral gardens and gray sharks) and Shark City offer unforgettable encounters with marine fauna in crystal clear currents.
The large island of Babeldaob surprises with the Ngardmau Waterfall (accessible after a hike through the jungle or by zip line), the Palau Capitol Monument in Ngerulmud (a monumental neoclassical structure built in the middle of green hills facing the sea) and the prehistoric agricultural terraces of Melekeok.
Peleliu Island preserves an impressive open-air historical museum with defensive caves, concrete bunkers and memorials paying tribute to fallen troops. Further south, the small island of Angaur offers wild open sea surf beaches and colonies of macaque monkeys introduced in the 19th century.
Located at the northern tip of Palau and accessible only by boat on calm sea days, Kayangel is a nearly pristine four-island coral atoll with a ring of dazzling white sand, palm trees leaning over the sea, and a shallow-water turquoise lagoon populated by turtles and seabirds.
Koror is the commercial and tourist heart of the country. It is home to the Belau National Museum (the oldest in Micronesia), the Etpison Museum (with exhibitions of traditional canoes and shell clothing) and the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), with an aquarium dedicated to coral research.
Upon entering the country, all visitors must sign a stamp stamped in their passport solemnly pledging to the children of Palau not to harm the environment, not to touch coral or marine life, not to collect shells, and not to litter. Additionally, Palau strictly prohibits by law the import and use of sunscreens that contain chemicals toxic to reefs (such as oxybenzone or octinoxate); Only the use of 100% biodegradable and safe protectors ('Reef-Safe') is allowed.
To boat, swim or dive in the protected areas of Koror State, it is mandatory to purchase government tourist passes in advance (the standard 'Rock Islands Permit' for USD 50 or the pass that includes Jellyfish Lake for USD 100, both valid for 10 days). These permits are usually arranged through authorized dive centers and tour operators.
The official legal tender currency in Palau is the United States Dollar (USD). Major credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) are accepted in hotels, large restaurants and dive centers in Koror, but it is essential to carry enough cash to pay for eco-permits, purchases at small local shops, taxis and excursions to remote islands such as Peleliu or Kayangel.
Driving is done on the right side of the road, although most vehicles imported from Japan are right-hand drive. There is no formal urban public transport network in Koror, so travel is done by taxi with fixed rates per area or by renting a car to travel around the large island of Babeldaob via the 'Compact Road' perimeter road.
This guide is your passport to one of the most dazzling and protected ecological sanctuaries on the face of the Earth. Palau will move you with the serenity of its turquoise waters, the overwhelming beauty of its golden jellyfish and the wisdom of an ancient people who have shown the entire world how to live in perfect harmony with the ocean. Plan your dives in advance, honor your signature on the 'Palau Pledge' with your heart and prepare for an unforgettable expedition in the pristine heart of Micronesia. Alii me ko meral ma sulang (Welcome and thank you very much)!
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