Palau
Oceania · Ngerulmud · PW
Palau is the island republic of the western Pacific, the Micronesian nation of the hundreds of lush green islands that spreads across the southern end of the great reef rise of the region, a country of the extraordinary submerged worlds and the rich, protected lagoon of the Rock Islands. The country, which holds some of the finest diving in the world, protects the famous lake of the jellyfish, the coral gardens, the wrecks of the war and the remarkable marine sanctuary of its waters, while the main islands rise in the forested mountains of the Babeldaob with the monoliths and the ancient villages of the old culture. The capital of the Koror and the beaches and the terraces of the islands hold the modern life, and the conservation pledge that every visitor signs, and the strong protection of the reef by the government and the communities, make the nation a model of the ocean stewardship. Remote, beautiful and proudly protected, Palau is the jewel of the Pacific.
Overview
Palau is a country in Oceania. Its capital is Ngerulmud and the international dialling code is +680. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Palauan and English. Local currency is the US Dollar (USD). We also list 1 city in Palau: Ngerulmud.
The Islands of the Rock and the Lagoon of the Reef
The lagoon of the Rock Islands, the extraordinary seascape of the southern part of the country that the world heritage of the coral reef protects, spreads the hundreds of the mushroom-shaped green islands, the turquoise channels and the hidden coves of the sheltered water. The Rock Islands, the raised fossil reefs with their forested crowns and their partially collapsed undersides, are best seen by kayak or by the small boats of the tour, and the lagoons between them hold the beaches, the caves and the blue holes of the clear water. The snorkelling and the diving of the lagoon, the coral gardens, the sea fans and the fish of the reef, give the visitor the sense of the untouched, abundant ocean of the old Pacific.
The Lake of the Jellyfish and the Wonders of the Water
The famous lake of the jellyfish, the marine jewel of the island of the Eil Malk, holds millions of the golden jellyfish that have evolved in the isolation of the landlocked lagoon in a remarkable symbiosis with the sun and the algae of their bodies. The layering of the lake at the times of its daily migrations, when the jellyfish swim across the water following the light and the nutrients, makes the extraordinary experience of the swimming among the pulsing golden clouds of the harmless creatures, and the guides of the park manage the access to protect the fragile population. The jellyfish and the other marine layers of the lake, together with the clear water of the surrounding cays, make the site one of the natural wonders of the diving world.
The Wrecks of the War and the Diving of the Pacific
The waters of the country are famous among the divers of the world for the wrecks of the second world war, the ships and the aircraft that litter the lagoon and the outer reefs as the dramatic relics of the fleet that operated from the area. The great wrecks of the war, the supply ships and the tankers of the harbour and the reef, lie at the dive-friendly depths with the intact cargos, the guns and the marine life that has claimed them, and the dives of the wrecks combine the history and the spectacular underwater scenery. The coral reefs of the country, the drop-offs and the walls of the marine sanctuary with the sharks, the mantas and the enormous schools of the fish, complete the diving picture of the nation.
The Monoliths of the Ancient Sites and the Bais of the Meeting
The main island of the Babeldaob holds the traces of the old Palauan world, the sprawling ancient villages of the terraces and the stone paths, the burial mounds and the enormous stone monoliths that were already standing when the Europeans first described the islands. The famous stone money of the country, the great discs of the quarried and transported stone that the islanders of the past traded across the seas, still stand before the meeting houses and in the squares of the villages of the modern age. The traditional bai, the painted meeting house of the community with the carved and coloured panels of its gable, is the masterpiece of the local architecture, and the reconstructed bai of the capital preserves the form of the great houses of the old republic.
The Reef and the Conservation of the Ocean
The conservation of the ocean is the great story of the modern country, and the national marine sanctuary, the vast protected zone that closed most of the national waters to the commercial fishing, gives the Palau one of the largest protected oceans in the world. The pledge of the sanctuary, the promise that every visitor signs in their arrival to the country, commits the traveller to the respectful treatment of the reef and the marine life, and to the care of the environment of the islands. The patrols of the waters, the protected shark populations and the revived fish stocks of the sanctuary show the results of the bold policy, and the diving and the snorkelling of the country give the visitor the rare sense of the ocean as it once was everywhere.
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- Capital
- Ngerulmud
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Languages
- Palauan, English
- Calling code
- +680
- Internet TLD
- pw
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Palau.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Palau?
Ngerulmud is the capital of Palau, and the country sits in Oceania.
What currency is used in Palau?
You pay with US Dollar (USD) in Palau. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Palau?
The languages we list for Palau are Palauan and English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Palau?
The dialling code for Palau is +680 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Palau do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Palau: Ngerulmud (capital).