TRAVEL continued
Palasia Hotel Palau: A 3-star, seven-story deluxe hotel with 165 rooms and suites in the heart of Koror. Enjoy an on-site restaurant open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus sunsets and cocktails with bay views at the Weltz Bar,
class, shark-rich sites of Palau before relaxing in the onboard Jacuzzi and watching the pristine waters drift by. From 462 USD/day. Solitude Gaia: A 40-meter long yacht launched in 2023,
and unwind at the Spa Bali. From 219 USD/day. 4.2 stars out of 396 Google reviews. Palau Pacific Resort: A 3-star lush hotel on 64 acres. 165 pristine cottage- style rooms with balconies or patios and a white sand private beach. On-site spa, gym, Jacuzzi, tennis, and nature excursions. From 373 USD/day with Fish ‘n Fins. 4.6 stars out of 668 Google reviews.
it’s designed for comfort and adventure. It provides nine cabins, a spa suite, ex- pert-guided dives, and exquisite cuisine. From 536 USD/day. SOME OF THE BEST DIVE SITES IN PALAU These are among the sites that I en- joyed with a group of 12 on an April 2025 trip to Palau:
Giant Manta Ray. Photo by Gil Zeimer
Siaes Corner, 20-meter depth. A great wall dive using eight-foot reef hooks to watch grey reef sharks, small jelly- fish, and schools of colorful reef fish. This experience was like an underwater spacewalk. Ulong Channel, 20-meter depth. Hooking into this reef, we watched hundreds of barracudas, sharks, groupers, and yellowfin tuna float by at the confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. On another dive, I saw triggerfish, groupers, reef sharks, and the world’s largest cabbage coral. Blue Corner, 25-meter depth. Many call this one of the best dives anywhere. We drifted by a gorgeous wall, then hooked in to watch a half-dozen thresher and reef sharks eyeing us. German Channel, 16-meter depth. Dredged in 1908 by the Germans to deepen the channel for shipping, this is one
Palau Royal Resort: A 4-star NIKKO Hotel. 157 rooms with balconies, two restaurants, Mandara Spa, swimming pool, private beach, and shallow lagoon. From 297 USD/day with buffet breakfast included. 4.5 stars out of 843 Google reviews. GREAT LIVEABOARDS FOR GROUPS MV Black Pearl: Magazine ads for this 12-cabin, 46- meter-long ship call it “The grandest and fastest superyacht in Palau, custom-built for divers.” Exceeding industry stan- dards, it combines sleek design and comfort with cutting- edge safety and dive technology, including free Nitrox. From 371 USD/day. Palau Aggressor II: With nine cabins and a length of 32
meters, this luxury liveaboard trans- ports divers and non-divers in roomy comfort to the Best of Palau’s incred- ibly diverse sites. From 304 USD/day. Palau Siren: Explore the Pacific’s finest dive sites aboard this eight-cabin, 40-meter yacht with elegance and com- fort, spacious cabins, a dedicated dive deck, and exceptional amenities. From 292 USD/day. Ocean Hunter Palau: Hosting only
of the world’s most famous dive sites because of the frequency––and size–– of the Giant Black Manta Rays. We saw wave after wave float by, just a few feet away, flapping their majestic pectoral fins, dining on plankton as wrasses did their things at this cleaning station.
Teshio Maru Wreck, 30-meter depth. This Japanese merchant marine ship sank in 1944 just five miles from the Palau Royal Resort. It’s now a fully encrusted artificial reef over a football field long. Jake Seaplane Wreck, 20-meter depth. Our two boats’ divers convened for an impromptu group photo on this wrecked Japanese plane with pontoons sitting upright in the sand.
Palau Aggressor II
six divers, this sailing yacht provides a unique, customizable experience. Passengers have private bathrooms and can enjoy superior cuisine from around the world. From 481 USD/day. Solitude One: This well-equipped, spacious boat of 10 cabins and a 52-meter length lets divers explore the world-
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