Palau is one of my dream destinations to visit and I feel very lucky to even get to write this blog post about it! Most people who come to Palau are either US military or they come for diving. Another great option to see the beauty of Palau is to do a boat trip with Sam’s Tours. They are also known for diving trips but their adventure tours, too. In this blog post, I will show what I got up to when I did boat trip with them during my trip to Palau.
Starting Off the Day
I was picked up at 8am by Lloyd very nice local from my accommodation at Shell Villa Apartel Resort which was a short 15 minute drive away. The sun was out and it is prohibited to wear reef toxic suncream. As a result, I bought a rash vest for $77USD.
As mentioned before, Palau is pricey. Bring one in advance if you’re looking to save money. On my tour, there were 5 others from the USA, China and New Zealand who varied in ages. You need a rock island permit which you give at the pier and they return later.
Rock Island Permit and Equipment Rental
If you are visiting the Rock Islands and Jellyfish Lake, this costs $100USD. It is not included in your tour price but it is valid for 10 days. Furthermore, I rented a snorkel, mask and flippers for the day. If you need any of this equipment, it is a good idea to tell them in advance. This will save you time in the morning. Once all of this was finalised, we set off for the day.
First stop: Jellyfish Lake
As we got off land, this is when I got my a real taste of Palau’s beautiful coastline and turquoise waters. Living in a big city, I was happy to take it all in. Upon arrival, we told there are no jellyfish due to climate change but that they’re coming back. Jellyfish Bay has different types of jellyfish that don’t sting. There are a few that will come up close to you. But, you still have to keep an eye out.
In total, were there for about an hour. I swam down to the end of the lake because I was told there were more there. In addition, I was told most stay close to the shore. I feel like there were a few more but you wouldn’t miss out too much either. The jellyfish don’t sting but I couldn’t help but want to swim away from them just in case! Later on, I found out that I wasn’t alone in my thinking.
As we turned around to go back to our boat, a large tour group arrived of about 100 tourists. I thought that it felt like a lot. However, I was told that pre-Covid there was a point that it was well into the hundreds.
Celebrity Spotting
Our guide told a story of Leonardo Di Caprio and Toby Maguire came diving with them before as part of an environmental trip. However as word got out, a lot of media agencies were on the hunt for them to try and get photographs. It is crazy to think that even in the middle of the Pacific that this can happen!
We then had boat ride for 35 minutes. The boat moves fast so make sure you hold onto your valuables. I spent half the journey thinking I can’t believe that I’m here and the other half in awe at the cliffs and turquoise water (again!).
Another Sunscreen Reminder
We were reminded regularly that sunscreen must be wiped off before entering Rock Islands. Click here for a fact sheet on protected areas from the Koror State Government. They are insistent on this. If you visit Palau, you will understand why. In addition, if you are interested in purchasing reef safe sunscreen, make sure to check out Pure Vida Palau. It was created by Miel Sequeria-Holm. She also has a wide range of eco-friendly products on offer.
Lunch Stop at Shark Island
At lunchtime, we arrived at Shark Island for lunch with some other tour groups. It’s a nice place for snorkeling (amazing visibility) and to walk around. I didn’t snorkel at this point, but others did. The shallow water was really warm as well. We stayed here for about an hour before we moved on to our next location.
Milky Way
The moment you enter through the small entrance was a massive wow moment as you’re surrounded by limestone and milky coloured water. There is clay-like sand on the surface which is what the area is known for. It is said to have healing properties that are so good someone from Japan tried to steal loads of it in the middle of the night to sell for $500!
You can’t stay covered on the boat because it hardens to be like concrete. If you put it on for long enough, you’ll feel it harden on your body. Miles one of our wonderful guide at Sam’s Tours Palau suggested drawing in abs on my stomach but I don’t think that it would have made much of a difference! You can dip underwater to take some to put on you. It feels slimy on the surface but great once you get used to it along with the smell which was like rotten eggs.
Cemetery Reef
Cemetery Reef had so many fish and coral! There is an area cordoned off as many boats pass through. Also, there are many different schools of fish swimming about at times. I didn’t know where to look! It felt like rush hour traffic with all the different types of fish whizzing around the water. We had a nice chunk of time here. I will admit that you need to be very careful not to step on the coral here. Take your time and make sure to look around you.
More Points of Interest
While they weren’t the main attractions, there were some interesting points which were pointed out by our guides on the way back. These were the Natural Arch of Palau, a fuel depot for the US army for boats to refuel and a bunker for Japanese Army during World War 2. I never realised that Palau was part of World War 2. There is more information about that here. We made it back to Sam’s Place for 4pm.
Costs
The Rock Island permit cost $100. The tour was $220 including lunch and equipment rental. Yes it was expensive! However, this is something you need to be aware of before you even consider a visit to Palau! It was definitely an experience which I will cherish for a long, long time.
Final Thoughts
This day tour was an amazing introduction to Palau. I do think it’s a trip everyone should consider doing in order to get a feel for the beautiful scenery which Palau is known for. Thanks for reading and if you liked this post I hope you will consider reading more or share with a friend.
