Palau Liveaboard Diving: Explore the Pacific’s Ultimate Underwater Paradise

Blue Corner

Palau’s most famous dive site offers an adrenaline-pumping experience with strong currents and spectacular marine life. Attach your reef hook and watch as grey reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and massive schools of jacks and barracuda patrol the blue. Blue Corner consistently ranks among the world’s top dive sites for its incredible biodiversity and thrilling conditions.

German Channel

This man-made channel created during German occupation is now one of Palau’s premier manta ray encounters. The channel hosts cleaning stations where these majestic creatures with wingspans up to 3 meters come to be serviced by smaller fish. Patient divers are often rewarded with close-up views of multiple mantas in a single dive.

Jellyfish Lake

While not a scuba diving site (bubbles can harm the jellyfish), this unique snorkeling experience allows you to swim among millions of harmless, stingless jellyfish. It’s a surreal, once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s included in most Palau liveaboard itineraries. The jellyfish have evolved in isolation, losing their sting due to lack of predators.

Ulong Channel

This exhilarating drift dive takes you through a channel lined with vibrant hard corals, including massive table corals. The current carries you effortlessly as you observe grey reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and schools of snapper. At the mouth of the channel, lettuce coral formations create a spectacular underwater landscape.

Peleliu Wall & WWII Wrecks

The waters around Peleliu Island feature dramatic wall dives and historically significant WWII wrecks. The Iro Maru wreck is a large fleet oiler lying at 23-35m depth, with coral-encrusted cannon guns and a fascinating ecosystem that has developed over decades. The area combines natural beauty with poignant historical significance.

Chandelier Caves

This unique cave system consists of five separate chambers with breathtaking stalactite and stalagmite formations that resemble sparkling chandeliers when illuminated by dive lights. The caves feature air pockets where divers can surface to admire the formations above water. This dive requires proper buoyancy control and comfort in overhead environments.

Sharks

Palau is renowned for its healthy shark population. Grey reef sharks are commonly seen at Blue Corner and other sites, while whitetip reef sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and occasionally leopard sharks can be spotted throughout the archipelago. The nation’s shark sanctuary status ensures these magnificent predators continue to thrive.

Manta Rays

German Channel is famous for its manta ray cleaning stations, where these graceful creatures with wingspans up to 3 meters come to have parasites removed by smaller fish. Patient divers are often rewarded with close encounters as mantas glide overhead in an elegant underwater ballet.

Schooling Fish

One of Palau’s most impressive spectacles is the massive schools of fish found at many dive sites. Enormous schools of jacks, barracuda, and snappers create swirling silver tornados against the blue water. These dense aggregations demonstrate the health of Palau’s marine ecosystem and provide breathtaking photographic opportunities.

WWII Wrecks

Palau’s waters contain numerous WWII wrecks that have transformed into thriving artificial reefs. The Iro Maru and other vessels now host vibrant marine ecosystems, with coral-encrusted structures providing habitat for a variety of species. These sites combine historical significance with spectacular marine life encounters.

Bumphead Parrotfish

Palau is one of the few places where you can regularly encounter schools of bumphead parrotfish. These massive fish with distinctive forehead bumps can reach over 1.3 meters in length. Special spawning trips are available to witness their reproductive aggregations, which occur around the new moon.

Mandarin Fish

The elusive and stunningly colorful mandarin fish can be observed during special dusk dives in Palau. These small but spectacularly patterned fish emerge from coral rubble at sunset to perform their mating rituals. Witnessing this behavior requires patience and good buoyancy control but rewards divers with one of the ocean’s most beautiful displays.

Certification Requirements

• Open Water certification minimum for most sites
• Advanced Open Water recommended for Blue Corner and drift dives
• Wreck Diver specialty beneficial for wreck exploration
• Nitrox certification recommended (available on most liveaboards)
• 10-20 logged dives suggested minimum experience
• Comfort with currents and reef hook usage essential

Essential Packing List

• 3mm wetsuit (water temperature 28-30°C/82-86°F)
• Reef hook for current dives (or rent onboard)
• Surface marker buoy and whistle for safety
• Dive computer and backup depth gauge
• Underwater camera for memorable encounters
• Reef-safe sunscreen and hat for surface intervals
• Light rain jacket for occasional showers
• DAN or equivalent dive insurance (mandatory)

Travel Information

• Fly into Roman Tmetuchl International Airport (ROR)
• Connecting flights available from Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Guam
• Most liveaboards depart from Malakal Harbor in Koror
• US dollar is the official currency
• English widely spoken throughout Palau
• Arrive 1-2 days before departure for buffer against flight delays
• Consider purchasing trip insurance for cancellations