The Republic of Palau

Micronesia's western most island chain, in the tightly clustered Palau archipelago, consisting of over 200 islands covering a distance of around 125 miles.

Palau is the home to one of the world's unique phenomena, the Rock Islands. The Rock Islands are Palau's crowning glory. More than 200 of these jungle-topped knobs of limestone dot the waters for a 20 mile (35km) stretch south of Koror. Their bases, having been worn away by tidal action and grazing sea creatures, are narrower than their tops, causing them to look like emerald-hued mushrooms rising from the turquoise sea.

Palau has three ocean currents converging in its waters to bring in some of the most varied and dazzling marine life in the world. Palau is also blessed with a rich diversity of plants & birdlife. Tropical forest covers much of the islands, species of trees include ironwood, banyan, coconut palm and pandanus.

With over 350 islands to explore a well-balanced tour with a variety of activities would include: light paddling combined with snorkelling, bird- watching and hiking.

Kayaking or canoeing is the perfect way to explore the hidden network of saltwater lakes, mangrove forests, marine tunnels, tropical beaches and caverns.

A speedboat shuttle service to and from the kayak sites eliminates a long distance paddle, enabling you to concentrate on the wonders of Palau. The expert biologist guides can lead you to juvenile reef fish remaining in nursery habitats or expose you to the mysteries of Palau's endemic fruit dove. Visit the remains of ancient Palauan villages where stone paths and ceremonial stone podiums tell us the story of the past.

You can explore caves, adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, within the rock islands or take in the history of Palau's WWII past, such as the Japanese forts, lighthouses and other installations.

Scuba Diving in Palau

Palau's warm tropical waters are legendary amongst divers for their dramatic sheer walls rising from the depths to within inches of the surface and capped with thriving coral reefs. Palau is home to over 1,300 species of fish and more than 700 species of coral.

World renowned for its' marine bio-diversity and abundance of large pelagic animals, Palau also offers avid wreck divers one of Micronesia's largest collections of WWII shipwrecks.

From current swept plateaus to sheltered coral gardens, Palau offers a wonderful range of diving for every level of interest and skill.

The majority of diving in Palau is drift diving along the walls, plateaus and coral gardens of the outer reef, with the dive boat following along from the surface to meet you upon ascent.

Experience the sites that make Palau one of the top dive destinations in the world: the sharks of Blue Comer, the manta rays of Devilfish City and German Channel, and the coral reefs and stunning drop offs teeming with marine life.

Jellyfish Lake