storyboard beach resort in palau

[jeremygreen]

Hi all! I'm new to the scuba board and was hoping to get some info about the Storyboard Beach Resort on Peleliu.

My wife and I are finally going on a honeymoon (3+ years after the wedding!) and we knew Palau was where we wanted to end up as soon as we had the time to fly to the other side of the globe. I did some surfing on the internet, and Peleliu looked very appealing. We plan to eat, sleep and dive dive dive, so we don't require anything really in the way of nightlife or above water activities. Also, we're not very high-maintenance, but we would like a certain level of comfort, since this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

We read RSdiver's report of his trip to Peleliu and stay at Storyboard, and it sounded great. Then my travel agent wrote me saying, "They run
on generator power and may or may not have hot water. All of the food is
brought in via boat and is often very simple (fish, rice, potatoes etc) You
may or may not have veggies and fruit. The rooms typically have 2 twin
beds, no phone or tv." I'm good with no phone or TV, but my wife definitely requires veggies (she's a vegetarian, in fact) and hot water, and we certainly require a double bed.

We're hoping someone can shed some light on the realities of Storyboard, so that we can decide whether or not it is right for us. Any and all insight is appreciated. In case it matters, we're looking to go for basically the first 2 1/2 weeks of February 2004.

Thanks! Happy diving!

 

[Ragnar]

I've been to Peleliu, but didn't stay at the Storyboard. Thought any info may be of help to ya. The description you gave certainly fits the picture of the island. It's pretty out there, and I think that two weeks would be too long especially since you would miss so much of the other sites to see on the main island and surrounding rock islands. I've been three times......place is great. As always, a perfect trip is a totally personal thing, but I like to move around a bit. Next time I go, I will stay at least a night on Peleliu, but will also be dropped off on an island of my own for a few days of camping. There are some awesome places for that, and you can bring Kayaks and dive gear whatever you want. Even if you don't end up using them, Samstours is a great operator and where I hang out every time........
http://www.samstours.com/index2.html

If your into diving only, stay on a livaboard.........you'll want max time on blue corner and Peleliu cut!

 

[jeremygreen]

Thanks for the reply Ragnar!

I would consider a liveaboard, but my wife gets seasick. Do the boats go from Koror and just stay around the islands where it's calm?

If we decide not to risk the liveaboard (I don't really want to spend my belated honeymoon with a sick wife!), would you recommend splitting the time between Peleliu and Koror?

You're right, the perfect trip is a personal thing, but I'm hoping for everyone's 2 cents anyway... for us, the perfect trip is having everything easy, close, and most of all relaxing. So, while we don't need to be waited on hand and foot, camping is definitely out. The goal is to see all the best stuff, be totally relaxed, and get a good night's sleep. If you know how we do that, let us know!

 

[Ragnar]

Yeah, splitting time between Koror and Peleliu would probably be best unless you find a place to stay that's a bit more plush in Peleliu(I don't think there is one, but Sam can hook you up with more info) On the other hand I wouldn't skip Peleliu either. One of the elders out there is an interesting guy to take a land tour with; he was there during the war! People like him just aren't gonna be around too much longer, and the experience they have lived through is amazing. We had a ton of Marines die there.(Unfortunately the man in Truk who ran Blue Lagoon dive center, and witnessed the bombings there, died the week before I arrived.) As far as where to stay.........do either of you want to spend any time on a sandy beach? If ya do, that's gonna narrow down the choices in Korror since the only two beaches I know of are man made. The entire place is limestone. The live aboards are outside the reef for a lot of the diving, and I think they anchor inside during the night. Maybe being land based would be better, although it is a 45min or so boat ride to most of the dive sites the better part of it is in protected waters. Got to say though, Palau has some of the most interesting things to check out during surface intervals, and that would at least get you off the boat a bit.

 

[RSdiver]

I think your agent is not being fair, but lets get down to each of the issues:

1) Generator Power - The same as on Koror, the main Island of Palau.
Ask your travel agent if Koror has Coal-Steam, Hydro-electric or nuclear power plants or if they also run on Generator power (this is a loaded question).

2) Hot water - not a factor in the tropics as ambient temperature is just right for showering and is actually quite refreshing. This is not Minnesota but within a few degrees of the equator

3) Food is shipped in? - Same as on Koror. Godwin at Storyboard gets the best fresh fish and veggies from the locals who prefer to deal with him.

4) Double Bed - email Mayumi [email]pdivers@palaunet.com CLICK HERE[/EMAIL] , tell her your needs and get straight answers.

5) No TV? Look upwards at night and you'll see more stars than in Hollywood.

6) There are great historic hikes, wondeful kayak trips and jellyfish lakes that can keep you excited. After all the excitement, snuggle in a double hammock and have
a
Happy Honeymoon!

 

[RSdiver]

If you want to hang at Koror the best is the Palau Pacific.

Keep in mind that Storyboard resort is 5-15 minutes from the dive sites that all those liveaboards and day trips go to. The day trips from Koror can take one and a half hours of seasickening choppy boat rides.

 

[jeremygreen]

Thanks RSdiver!

Pretty much, that's exactly what I wanted to hear

I think we'll probably try to plan on 6 or 7 nights at Storyboard, and then maybe the last 3 or 4 nights at Palau Pacific (for a little extra pampering before the very long trip home). If we're just too in love with Peleliu to leave, we can always cancel with Palau Pacific and stay longer!

A question about the diving with the folks at Storyboard: Are there dives that they require advanced certifications for? We ran into trouble this past spring in Grenada.... My wife has been diving for 13 years, and she's logged more hours underwater that I have. But she never bothered to spend the $250 (or whatever it was at the time) to get an advanced certification. At the resort in Grenada, they wouldn't let her dive the Bianca C without the advanced cert., despite the fact that she was much more qualified than any diver on their boat (including a divemaster-in-training!) Frankly, she didn't care much about seeing Bianca C, so it was more annoying than anything else. But we want to make sure we'll get to see everything we want to see on this trip (without having to take any tests on our honeymoon!)

Thanks again!

 

[RSdiver]

Have you emailed Mayumi at Storyboard, they give a discount for booking 5days+ in a row? (ask for it)
My experience has been that 7 days in any location starts to wear on (even in paradise).

No formal advanced certification is required BUT dive sites like Blue Corner can have swift currents and they'll ask you about your comfort level. Remember the key to current diving - don't dilly-dally at the surface, do all your gear checks and adjustments PRIOR to entering the water and descend asap. Besides the first divers down usually have the best view.

Although currents can be strong, I know divers that wished they could dive Blue corner all day long every day, so that big current brings food to the walls, fish, and sharks there.

I had never used a reef hook before so you may want to ask Godwin on what that is and how to use it. I'd also take gloves along.

Kinda jealous now thinking about your trip....

Enjoy and congrats!

 

[RSdiver]

Did you see the post further down?

MAML divers now at Peleliu


Last year there was a bit of development on the Peleliu island, new hotels and operators.
Competition means prices may have fallen

 

[kevink]

If your wife gets the least bit seasick there are few options in Palau. A liveaboard would be out, and all of the shops out of Koror have a 45 minute boat ride in front of them to hit the SE dive sites.

There are not many popular sites located around Koror. Most of the wrecks at 10-15 minutes out, and you have the east channel in Malakal, but most operators head for the SE sites if the weather is right.

Godwin and the Storyboard have their boat tied up in the South Harbor of Peleliu. It is only 5 minutes to Blue Corner and 2 minutes at Idle to most of the Peleliu dive sites. Peleliu tends to be more advanced diving (as is most of Palau), but Godwin runs small groups and is a great guide.

Koror does not run on generator, they have an oil-fired power plant on Malakal When I was last in Peleliu in '00 they also had a reasonably large generator (tractor trailer size) from 6pm until 6am. They only had 600 permanent residents on the island, and about 1.1 miles of paved road.

Aside from local produce (Taro, Tapioca, Mangos, Banannas) don't expect to find US quality on the shelves in Palau. Koror has at least two decent grocery stores, but produce is normally shipped in once a week. If vegetarian includes fresh fish, then your wife is set. You will have more than enough fresh fish, crabs, lobster, etc. Contact the storyboard and let them know your wife's menu needs. They head into Koror to pick up staples regularly. Don't count on cripy iceberg lettuce ANYWHERE in Palau.

If there is something in particular you crave for an cannot do without, bring it with you (space-permitting). Peleliu is quiet and relaxing. If they had sidewalks they would roll them up at night. Don't go looking for bars or clubs on the island.

If you are a history buff, read up on the history of Peleliu (Check out 'The Devil's Anvil' Hallas) and take a tour with Tangi.