Palau in July...Bad time? Advice Appreciated

[Land Fish]

Googled it, and most articles suggested that July wasn't a great time due to rainy season and poor viz etc.

I'm thinking of liveaboard at the beginning of July, and would really appreciate any advice/experiences that you could share.

Thank you very much! X

 

[Rechno]

I did that in 2014.
The days were sometimes cloudy and we had some heavy rainfall, but visibility was not bad at all.
Some of the operators did not go out to the outer reefs when the waves were to high.

What was really a good thing was the fact that due to it being the rainy season, there were not that many tourists and the spots were not crowded.
When we dove at German channel, we were all by ourselves and could really enjoy it. I have seen pictures and videos of the same spot, with rows of divers, crowding the cleaning stations.... so many flashes from the cameras, that you could think you were in the mioddle of a thunderstorm....

Of course with the weather nowadays you can never be too sure about anything.

 

[drbill]

I'm not sure there is a bad time to dive Palau... even under less-than-ideal weather conditions I would expect it to be well worth it!

 

[Scared Silly]

The issue is the winds more than anything else. Things can get pretty bouncy. We dove there in June and had a layover day because of the winds (we were in a sailboat). On the other hand we dove Peleliu several times cause the currents were slow rather than ripping.

 

[ScottFL78]

Not sure about July but I used to have to go to Okinawa in August and that is Typhoon season. Not sure about July. Luckily Okinawa is built for Typhoons unlike Florida. I am pretty sure the Phillipines and Okinawa get a direct hit every year, if not almost every year. One year a Typhoon came and I hunkered down in my hotel room. When it passed I drove to a pizza shop about an hour later.

 

[Land Fish]

The issue is the winds more than anything else. Things can get pretty bouncy. We dove there in June and had a layover day because of the winds (we were in a sailboat). On the other hand we dove Peleliu several times cause the currents were slow rather than ripping.

Thanks for sharing. Are ripping currents common in Palau?

 

[Land Fish]

Thank you all for sharing your experience!

 

[ScottFL78]

Watch this video. He was in Palau. Shows some diving at the end.

 

[Scared Silly]

Thanks for sharing. Are ripping currents common in Palau?

Palau is known for currents as that is what brings in the pelagics. Some areas have currents (were one uses a reef hook to enjoy the show) and others like Peleliu Express which can have ripping currents.

 

[Land Fish]

Thanks again guys.

I'm aware of Palau being more on the currents side. I didn't know rip currents occurred in the ocean, thought it was more near a beach or shore. Hence my question.

I have a reef hook and have used it a few times in Raja Ampat and Maldives. Will def bring it with me to Palau