Palau (Koror) Diving Potentially Closed for 100 days

[gwklein]

Dan, You might want to consider getting to the Palau airport much earlier than you would expect and take something to eat for your connecting flights. Unless things have changed significantly, United Airlines has very few employees to cover all the positions in Palau (check-in, gate, baggage, whatever) due to only one flight a week. Employees have to cover multiple positions. Also, this is the only flight for locals, as well as tourists, to get off the island for the next 7 days. The week I left, the plane had to be delayed 2 hours because of the backlog in checking people in. The plane had been there for hours but the passengers couldn't get checked in. Many locals had massive amounts of luggage including coolers of fish and crabs they were taking to Guam. For others, they were students trying to get back to school off the island so they had their lives packed. Then there were the tourists who had not complied with the COVID testing requirements and who would tie things up at the counter by arguing with the staff. The United employees were severely over-worked and stressed out. So were the passengers since we didn't know the decision had been made to hold the plane until everybody was cleared. I got on the plane out of Palau but I barely made my connection in Guam. Another weird thing about the flight was that if you were transiting thru Guam, you go thru U.S. immigration in Guam but you go thru U.S. customs in Hawaii. This means that you have to pick up your bags in Hawaii and then recheck them after Customs. Additionally, after you go thru Immigration in Guam you then have to go thru the Hawaiian COVID protocol for your flight. The procedures for this had changed that week and even the pilots and flight attendants didn't know what they had to do. I had planned on getting something to eat in Guam but after the delay in Palau, then waiting in line for Immigration and then the line for COVID protocol procedures, I barely made the flight. Hope everybody has figured out what has to be done by the time you come back. I travel about half the year, but this trip made me question where I want to taking future trips with as many connects until things settle down a bit.

 

[Dan]

Dan, You might want to consider getting to the Palau airport much earlier than you would expect and take something to eat for your connecting flights. Unless things have changed significantly, United Airlines has very few employees to cover all the positions in Palau (check-in, gate, baggage, whatever) due to only one flight a week. Employees have to cover multiple positions. Also, this is the only flight for locals, as well as tourists, to get off the island for the next 7 days. The week I left, the plane had to be delayed 2 hours because of the backlog in checking people in. The plane had been there for hours but the passengers couldn't get checked in. Many locals had massive amounts of luggage including coolers of fish and crabs they were taking to Guam. For others, they were students trying to get back to school off the island so they had their lives packed. Then there were the tourists who had not complied with the COVID testing requirements and who would tie things up at the counter by arguing with the staff. The United employees were severely over-worked and stressed out. So were the passengers since we didn't know the decision had been made to hold the plane until everybody was cleared. I got on the plane out of Palau but I barely made my connection in Guam. Another weird thing about the flight was that if you were transiting thru Guam, you go thru U.S. immigration in Guam but you go thru U.S. customs in Hawaii. This means that you have to pick up your bags in Hawaii and then recheck them after Customs. Additionally, after you go thru Immigration in Guam you then have to go thru the Hawaiian COVID protocol for your flight. The procedures for this had changed that week and even the pilots and flight attendants didn't know what they had to do. I had planned on getting something to eat in Guam but after the delay in Palau, then waiting in line for Immigration and then the line for COVID protocol procedures, I barely made the flight. Hope everybody has figured out what has to be done by the time you come back. I travel about half the year, but this trip made me question where I want to taking future trips with as many connects until things settle down a bit.

Thanks! Another helpful info!

 

[Dan]

@gwklein

More questions if you don’t mind, please,

After disembarking the boat at 8am, we would have all day to spend before flying home on the next day at 1:45 am. What did you do or what would you recommend us to do?

Any tour I would think should be done after we acquire the negative Rapid test done. So, how early can we get the test done and receive the results?

We do book a room in Palau Royal Resort for that day.

Thanks
Dan

 

[gwklein]

When I was there everything was closed because of the chief's death. I tried to book a tour of the north part of the island but no tours were running. There were no taxis available either. An employee of the hotel agreed to drive me around so I did get to see outside of the capitol building (very impressive) but the waterfalls and the petroglyphs were closed. I spoke to others from the boat at the airport, they rented air car and drove themselves around. The roads are in very good shape and since there are only a few of them you can't get lost.

The results of the COVID test come back in about 15 minutes. You are given a number when you take the test and then your number is called when the results are ready. The hospital was very efficient but everybody on the plane has to get the test at the same time so expect a line of 200 people when you go. The Aggressor arranged everything -- the transportation and testing. The cost was billed to my onboard account. For others in the line, they had the test, then paid for the test, and then got their results shortly after paying. Take some water with you since it was hot waiting in the line. There is a store at the hospital but you were not allowed to enter it until your wristband had been removed by the hospital staff.

 

[Dan]

When I was there everything was closed because of the chief's death. I tried to book a tour of the north part of the island but no tours were running. There were no taxis available either. An employee of the hotel agreed to drive me around so I did get to see outside of the capitol building (very impressive) but the waterfalls and the petroglyphs were closed. I spoke to others from the boat at the airport, they rented air car and drove themselves around. The roads are in very good shape and since there are only a few of them you can't get lost.

The results of the COVID test come back in about 15 minutes. You are given a number when you take the test and then your number is called when the results are ready. The hospital was very efficient but everybody on the plane has to get the test at the same time so expect a line of 200 people when you go. The Aggressor arranged everything -- the transportation and testing. The cost was billed to my onboard account. For others in the line, they had the test, then paid for the test, and then got their results shortly after paying. Take some water with you since it was hot waiting in the line. There is a store at the hospital but you were not allowed to enter it until your wristband had been removed by the hospital staff.

Thanks again @gwklein

Sorry to hear your bad timing for spending your last day on the island.

It sounds like we need get in line at the hospital ASAP, so we could get the testing out of the way if we are going to do a land tour as some of the tours start around 9am. What would more likely happen is we would spend the morning for Covid test and do some land tour after lunch.

 

[tridacna]

A question to @gwklein
What kind of Covid test did you use before going home from Palau, PCR or Antigen? I hope it’s an Antigen test. If you got PCR test, do you know if the clinic there would do Antigen test also?

The reason I ask is starting next week, everyone going home would require to get negative Covid test within 24 hours. That would rule out PCR test. I’m hoping that they offer Antigen test there.

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Thanks

Dan, fortunately, you are wrong about the protocol. It is not 24 hours prior but THE DAY before.

Very important distinction. See below.

Why is the order one day and not 24 hours?​

The one-day period offers more flexibility than a 24-hour time limit and allows travelers to take a test any time the day before departure. For example, travelers with a 5 p.m. flight on a Friday can board with a negative test taken at 8 a.m. on Thursday.

 

[Dan]

Dan, fortunately, you are wrong about the protocol. It is not 24 hours prior but THE DAY before.

Very important distinction. See below.

Why is the order one day and not 24 hours?​

The one-day period offers more flexibility than a 24-hour time limit and allows travelers to take a test any time the day before departure. For example, travelers with a 5 p.m. flight on a Friday can board with a negative test taken at 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Yes. Thanks for pointing that out. @scubaNYC16 mentioned the same in another thread. This really helps when the home bound flight departs at 1:45am (from Koror to Guam).

The testing requirement is not 24 hours but 1 day before which is a big difference.

He also mentioned about the protocol in case of flight delay situation.

If the first flight in your trip is delayed past the 1-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is 24 hours or less past the 1-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 24 hours past the 1- day limit, then you will need to be retested.

If a connecting flight in your trip is delayed past the 1-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is less than 48 hours past the 1-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 48 hours past the 1-day limit, then you will need to be retested.

 

[scubaNYC16]

RIP to the Chief!

Oh boy! I’ll be in Palau in December on Palau Aggressor.

Just saw this. Cool you’re going back. I going back to Socorro on Belle Amie 12/23.

 

[Dan]

Just saw this. Cool you’re going back. I going back to Socorro on Belle Amie 12/23.

Yea, got $1000 off, so I took 2 week back-to-back trips. The savings are more than enough to pay off the flight fare.

 

[Dan]

Back to Koror, went to Belau Hospital for the 5th day covid test and received negative result. They cut the wristband. Now I’m free to explore Palau. Yea!