Metuker ra Bisech
A quarry in the Rock Islands where Yapese stone money discs were cut.
Updated 3 September 2026
At Metuker ra Bisech in the limestone of Palau's Rock Islands are the workings where Yapese men quarried the great stone discs that Yap used as money, cutting them out of the rock with shell and stone tools and shipping them home by canoe and raft across five hundred kilometres of open ocean. Unfinished discs are still in place where the work stopped. The scale of the undertaking is the point.
What to look for
- The unfinished discs - stone money left in the rock where cutting stopped.
- The quarry face - the limestone the discs were cut from.
- The Yapese connection - money quarried in Palau and shipped to Yap.
- The distance involved - five hundred kilometres of open ocean by canoe.
When to go
November to April is the drier season. Access must be arranged with a guide. The walk in is muddy after rain.
Things to know
Access needs a boat and a guide arranged in advance; it is not on standard itineraries. The site is overgrown and the discs take pointing out. There is no interpretation.
Nearby
Airai is nearby, and Koror is southwest.
What to pack for Metuker ra Bisech
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Quick-dry clothing - Board shorts or synthetics that shrug off spray and dry fast. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Secure water shoes or reef boots - Grip on slippery launches and protection on rocky shores. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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