Top Things to Do in Palau

Palau is a nation of 340 islands in the western Pacific, scattered across 466 kilometres of ocean between the Philippines and Guam, yet containing some of the most biologically rich marine environments on Earth. The country's Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, includes over 400 mushroom-shaped limestone islets rising from turquoise water, concealing marine lakes, pristine coral reefs, and ecosystems found nowhere else. With a population of fewer than 18,000, Palau punches absurdly above its weight in conservation: in 2015, it designated 80 percent of its exclusive economic zone as a marine sanctuary, creating one of the largest protected ocean areas in the world. For divers and snorkellers, Palau is a pilgrimage. The country consistently ranks among the world's top five dive destinations, with sites like Blue Corner, Ulong Channel, and Jellyfish Lake offering encounters ranging from schooling sharks and manta rays to millions of stingless jellyfish. But the underwater realm is only part of the story: Palau's World War II history (it was the site of the Battle of Peleliu), its Modekngei indigenous religion, and its matrilineal clan system give the country a cultural depth that rewards engagement beyond the reef. Visitors should know that Palau requires a signed conservation pledge upon entry (the Palau Pledge, stamped into your passport), and environmental rules are strict and enforced. Coral-toxic sunscreen is banned. Reef fees fund conservation. These are not inconveniences; they are the reason Palau's reefs remain in better condition than nearly any other in the tropics.