Recommendations for Palau?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

One thing to mention about paying the cost to just share a room on the liveaboard: if they have room, you get the room to yourself while still not paying the single supplement. That is a gamble but possible.
 
BTW, liveaboards for a single traveler are good (I never pay a single supplement and get what I get). Traveling as a couple on a liveaboard is where you start paying more because the cost is per person. It's still worth it for the experience I get, essentially luxury service the whole time, you are completely disconnected from the world while onboard, you are on the ocean 24/7 so you see things you wouldn't, etc.

BTW, prices like $1744 are why I haven't been to Palau in a while. I find that liveaboard prices are relatively similar around the world so the difference is in the cost to get there. It's difficult to spend $1750 when I can fly to Indonesia for example for less.
 
BTW, prices like $1744 are why I haven't been to Palau in a while. I find that liveaboard prices are relatively similar around the world so the difference is in the cost to get there. It's difficult to spend $1750 when I can fly to Indonesia for example for less.
I go there because Indonesia is still closed.
 
I'm planning on doing the SB Cozumel trip for now. After that I'll look at one of these other options for later in the year when it's cold and rainy here every day.
 
I spent 3 weeks on Palau a couple years ago, staying in 3 different places, including Peleliu. Except for Peleliu, my diving was handled by Palau Dive Adventures, and they were just fine. We stayed land-based because we did not want to be on a boat for 3 weeks, we wanted to explore the islands themselves, and one member of our group is a snorkeler. It was a great experience that we would be happy to repeat, but I found some things to be interesting.
  • We were warned that our dive operator was in transition as far as its headquarters and could not do much in the way of repairing gear--so bring a good save-a-dive kit. I did, and I ended up using it many times to save other people's dives. Of course, on one of our first days, I bubbled a 40" hose, with no replacement. Finding a replacement on the island was an adventure. The first place I tried, based on the dive operator's recommendation, was a gift shop that sold some basic scuba gear, with no one on the premises who knew a thing about scuba and no possibility for individual replacement parts. I was shocked by how little supporting infrastructure there was for diving on a famous island diving paradise.
  • We picked up an official government brochure--small book length--advertising all the things there were for tourists to do on the islands. It had one page on snorkeling. It did not mention diving at all.
  • Peleliu was the site of one of the most horrific battles of WWII, and we did a tour of the sites there. Since the end of the war, the islands have been under American control. The WWII museum on the island was made by the Japanese and tells the story of the battle from the Japanese point of view, highlighting the courage of the defenders. There is a ridge with memorial sites. It includes a huge Shinto site dedicated to the Japanese soldiers. It includes a huge Buddhist site dedicated to the Japanese soldiers. There is a small marker dedicated to the American marines.
 
I’m planning ahead but I’m thinking about doing a trip to Palau about this time next year. Hopefully, the COVID travel craziness is over by then. I would like to do a longer trip like 3-4 weeks without going totally broke. I may do a little sightseeing but my intention is for the trip to be 90% about diving. Any thoughts on best bang for my buck?

I will be traveling alone and lodging will mainly be for relaxing and sleeping so my standards aren’t super high. I’ve even done a trip where I stayed in a $15 a day dive shop “hostel” before. As long as I can get sleep and my gear is safe. I don’t want to blow all my money on a 5 star hotel when I can spend it on tanks, boat time and good food.

I’ve never done a live aboard before. Would that leverage my budget better? Do any of them do longer durations like 3-4 weeks? Any specific recommendations for Palau?

Thanks in advance,
Rob :)
I used to live there several years ago and I thought highly of Blue Marlin dive center near the Palau Royal Resort (not to be confused with the Palau Pacific Resort). Most westerners go to Sams, and nothing wrong with them but Blue Marlin has nicer boats (bathrooms on board), all local guides-- I just liked diving with them better. Sams is probably better for tech diving, tho... They are probably the only rebreather-friendly outfit in Palau. Whatever you do, stay away from Maml---shoddy outfit. And don't rent gear from Daydream (although their liveaboard seemed nice when I ate lunch their a few times). It's definitely worth bringing your own o-rings.... I couldn't count how many times I had to replace o-rings on tanks there when I opted to go on a commercial dive boat instead of a private dive.
Palau ain't cheap, and Koror State requires special permits just for foreigners to get in the water... even more to go to jelly fish lake... there was also an exorbitant airport exit fee (can't remember how much but seems like $100) last time I was there (2018) but I dodged it b/c some of the airport staff remembered me. Accommodations: the one time I had to rent a hotel in Palau was in 2018 during a layover and I stayed at the DW.... 63 a night plus a $20 hotel fee that Palau charges for the privilege of staying in a hotel. I think $20 is per night, so add that on. If youre getting in late at night, you'll want to arrange transport as only the big resorts have shuttles. I've bummed rides with the shuttles before tho, no prob. DW had very good rooms (but disinterested staff) for that price. Very centrally located. Again, Palau ain't cheap. When I was there, some hotels were Chinese only, not sure now. Hit up the Taj indian restaurant for the best nightlife, and their food is excellent. You can get local food (e.g. sea turtle and giant clam) at Yano's convenience store near the two grocery / department stores---definitely worth it. Most of all, have fun! Alii.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom