Need Info Please...Palau

[KaylinQ]

We are planning a trip to Palau next month...has anybody been there? Would like any information you can give me. Where to dive, what's it like, good experiences, bad ones...lol, what to do and what not to do...any suggestions or information would be helpful as this will be our first time there. Thanks! c,")

 

[donacheson]

Originally posted by KaylinQ
We are planning a trip to Palau next month...has anybody been there? Would like any information you can give me. Where to dive, what's it like, good experiences, bad ones...lol, what to do and what not to do...any suggestions or information would be helpful as this will be our first time there. Thanks! c,")

Liveaboard or land-based?

 

[KaylinQ]

Land Based Please......ut:

 

[donacheson]

Originally posted by KaylinQ
Land Based Please......ut:

Sorry, I can't help you much - both times I've been there have been on liveaboards without spending any time before or after on the islands.

As far as dive sites are concerned, I think you'll be diving many of the same sites visited by the liveaboards. Of course, the famous one is Blue Corner, but there are lots of other sites offering fine diving. Likely, you'll be drift diving; if you've never done it before, relax, it's easy - just go with the flow. IMHO, the big attraction in Palau are the big fish - sharks, tuna, and jacks - feeding on smaller fish. You may see mantas as well.

On my last trip there, I noticed that the land-based skiffs now had two outboards and a radio, needed safety measures. Formerly, many of them ran with only one engine and no radio.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[KaylinQ]

Thanks!

 

[Zugzug]

Back in March I spent a week diving with Sams Tours in Palau with a trip arranged with B&B Scuba in Maui. The diving was awesome. I highly recommend Sams for Land based diving tours.

There is a hotel called the West Plaza Malikia (or something like that) which is walking distance to the dive shop and docs. It also near several local resturants which are pretty good.

You can setup the hotel and the dive package with Sams. They have a web site. I think its www.samstours.com, but can't remember.

I took some pictures and have a a sample of some of the things we spotted on our dives from that trip. Checkout http://photos.dchess.com

Good Luck.

p.s. They have a nice little bar for those after dive wind-downs too

 

[KaylinQ]

Thanks ZugZug...

We ended up going with Palau Pacific Hotel.
Hope it all goes well...

Nice pictures!
Yes most definitly taking the U/W camera and video...hahaha!
What lens were you using? What would you suggest I bring? 105mm or 60mm? Maybe both...


Anybody have favorite dive spots they would like to suggest and why?

Oh...before i forget.....what's the food like?

 

[Rooster]

Sorry I didn't get in on this sooner. I have stayed at the PPR and the West Plaza Malakal. Both are nice but the PPR is much better. It does have it's down side, very expensive, further from town, takes a little longer to get out to the dive sites. It does have a nice beach and great sunsets. Taxis into town weren't too expensive. Who are you diving with? I have dove with Sam's and Fish & fins. Though Sam's get all the rave reviews, I personally think they are over rated. I have dove with them three times, and I'll probably dive with them again, but I'm not all that impressed with their supposed personalized customer service. I'm just not that impressed with the "We are the best", (just ask anyone, they'll tell you), and you are lucky to be diving with us, attitude. Fish & Fins has more of the "local" flavor. They will get my money the next time.
As for food, what are you looking for? Palau has a wide venue. The food at the PPR was good, though a little expensive. There is a restaurant by the West Plaza Malakal that serves Japanese/local/seafood (I think the Carp Island restaurant) most excellent, very large servings. Best way to enjoy is to have everyone order something different, and share. For something very unusual and very good, try Kramer's. It is a German restaurant that is in the new museum. It offers a unique setting and fantastic food. We ate there three times on our last weeklong stay.
For photo recommendations, Palau is Wide Angle territory. Even though there are some great Macro opportunities, since most of the diving is drift diving, W/A works better for most. Nothing is more upsetting than having a huge school of jacks swirl around you or have a huge Napoleon wrasse come within touching distance, and you have a 105 attached. What I would really like is to get my wife to haul around another F-100/Aquatica housing with the 105mm, and I?ll carry one with my 20mm and dome port. Palau, wide angle and macro on the same dive, life would be good. If I had to choose between the 60 and 105, I?d go with the 60mm. You can get decent fish portraits and still do macro. What ever you use, who ever dive with, enjoy. Being close to Palau and the other great Micronesian dive destinations, and living the island life is why I choose to live out here. :tree:

 

[KaylinQ]

Thanks Kramer!

That was alot of help. Will most def bring the 60mm. I'm more of a macro person myself. My partner is bringing her video. So what I don't get she will...lol.
Will definitly seek out Kramers...
Hmm..who are we diving with....not sure on that one. We are dragging an Instructor friend with us from the Dive Shoppe in the Philippines. This way both me and my friend wouldn't have to think much or plan anything...just follow.....and....just worry about getting in the water and eating.... He's been there before and knows some people. So he'd be the one with the contacts. We were thinking about going at it alone but, thought otherwise seeing that it was going to be our first time there. He mentioned that from PPR they would pick us up by boat and take us straight out to the dive sites...sounded much better than taking a drive to whatever dive shop and then getting into a boat which was the other choice had we choosen to stay at the other place he mentioned.
Tis a wet month for us and am looking forward to June...we will be doing Coron (nothern Palawan in the Philippines), Palau, and also Boracay (Philippines). All first time spots for us!

Question....is Palau still U.S. Territories?

 

[Zugzug]

Kramers is no longer in the Museum. They moved back around the first of March to the top of the building between the Carp building and the West Plaza. They replaced the old bar which was on the top floor.