Things to Do in Palau in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Palau
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Exceptional underwater visibility - March sits right in Palau's dry season sweet spot, meaning vis regularly hits 30-40 m (100-130 ft) at sites like Blue Corner and German Channel. The plankton bloom hasn't started yet, so you're getting the clearest water of the year.
- Manta ray season peaks - March is when mantas congregate at cleaning stations in massive numbers. German Channel typically sees 15-25 mantas on a single dive during March, compared to 5-10 in other months. The water temperature (28-29°C/82-84°F) is ideal for extended manta encounters.
- Lowest annual rainfall - With essentially zero recorded rainfall for the month (though those 10 rainy days are usually brief afternoon squalls), you're looking at consistent dive conditions and calm seas. Boat operators cancel maybe 2-3% of trips in March versus 15-20% during summer months.
- Fewer tourists than December-February - The post-winter holiday crowd has thinned out, but weather remains excellent. Accommodations run about 15-20% cheaper than peak season, and you'll actually get space at Jellyfish Lake without bumping into 50 other snorkelers.
Considerations
- Heat and humidity combination - That 70% humidity paired with 30°C (87°F) temps creates the kind of sticky warmth where you'll shower three times a day. The UV index of 8 means you'll burn in about 15 minutes without protection, and there's precious little shade on boat decks during surface intervals.
- Limited cultural events - March is honestly a quiet month culturally in Palau. You're between the major festivals, so if you're hoping for traditional celebrations or community gatherings, you'll likely be disappointed. This is primarily a nature-focused trip, not a cultural immersion one.
- Occasional rough seas on western exposures - While generally calm, March can bring unpredictable wind patterns that make western dive sites like Peleliu inaccessible for 3-4 days at a stretch. Worth noting if you're specifically targeting those sites.
Best Activities in March
Blue Corner and Ulong Channel drift diving
March offers the absolute best conditions for Palau's signature drift dives. The currents are strong but predictable - typically running 1-2 knots - and that exceptional visibility means you'll spot sharks, turtles, and massive schools of barracuda from 20 m (65 ft) away. Water temp hovers around 28°C (82°F), so you can comfortably do 4-5 dives daily in a 3mm wetsuit. The lack of plankton bloom means you're getting that electric blue water that makes Palau famous.
Jellyfish Lake snorkeling
The lake reopened in 2019 after the jellyfish population crashed, and March 2026 should see healthy numbers - currently the population sits around 600,000 and climbing. The lack of rain in March means the lake's stratification is stable, so jellies stay concentrated in the upper 5 m (16 ft) where you're snorkeling. You'll avoid the summer crowds, and the morning light (best between 9-11am) creates incredible photo conditions. The hike to the lake is about 15 minutes through humid jungle - that 70% humidity makes it sweaty, but March's lack of rain means the trail isn't muddy.
Kayaking through the Rock Islands
March's calm seas and minimal rainfall create perfect conditions for multi-hour kayaking trips. The 70 Islands area offers protected channels where wind isn't a factor, and you can paddle into hidden lagoons and beaches that are inaccessible by motorboat. The water is bathwater warm at 28°C (82°F), so capsizing isn't a concern. Start early (7-8am) before the heat peaks - by noon that UV index of 8 and direct sun make paddling genuinely exhausting. You'll cover 8-12 km (5-7.5 miles) on a typical half-day trip.
Peleliu Island historical tours
March's lower rainfall means the dirt roads on Peleliu are actually passable - during wet season, some WWII sites become inaccessible mud pits. The island sees maybe 20-30 tourists on a busy day in March, so you'll have places like Bloody Nose Ridge and the Japanese bunkers essentially to yourself. The heat is intense (bring 3 liters/100 oz of water minimum), but the historical significance is profound. You're looking at 6-8 hours for a comprehensive tour covering American and Japanese positions, the Peace Memorial, and the museum.
Milky Way lagoon and beach hopping
The Milky Way's famous white limestone mud is at its best in March when calm conditions keep the sediment properly suspended. The mud treatment is touristy but actually quite nice in that heat and humidity - the minerals do leave your skin feeling smooth. More importantly, March's calm seas mean you can access outer beaches like Long Beach and Honeymoon Beach that get rough during other months. The sandbars are fully exposed at low tide, creating those postcard-perfect scenes. Plan this as a half-day activity, ideally afternoon (1-5pm) when you're too hot for anything else.
Night diving at Chandelier Cave
March's calm conditions and clear water make night diving significantly safer and more enjoyable. Chandelier Cave is Palau's most accessible cave dive - you surface inside air-filled chambers with stalactites, which is genuinely spectacular. Night diving here adds the element of bioluminescence in the water and the chance to see nocturnal species like Spanish dancers and hunting octopus. Water temp stays at 28°C (82°F) even at night, so you're comfortable in a 3mm suit. This is an advanced dive requiring good buoyancy control, but March's visibility (often 25-30 m/80-100 ft) makes navigation easier.
March Events & Festivals
Palau Billfish Tournament
This catch-and-release tournament typically runs in early March and attracts sport fishing crews from across the Pacific. Even if you're not participating, it's interesting to watch the weigh-ins at the marina in Koror around 4-5pm. You'll see marlin, sailfish, and massive tuna being measured and released. The tournament creates a festive atmosphere in Koror with evening barbecues and fish stories at the bars.