Ngerukewid Islands

The Ngerukewid Islands, known in English as the Seventy Islands, are a cluster of limestone islets in the Rock Islands that Palau set aside as a strict wildlife preserve in 1956, one of the earliest protected areas in the Pacific. Entry is prohibited without a research permit, which is why the reef and the nesting birds and turtles there are in better condition than almost anywhere else in Palau. The reserve covers around twelve hundred hectares of islands and surrounding water.

What you'll find

• The islet cluster - the group of mushroom-shaped limestone islands.
• The strict protection - a preserve closed since 1956.
• The intact reef - coral in better condition for having been left alone.
• The nesting - turtles and seabirds using the undisturbed islands.

When to go

November to April is the drier season. Access is restricted year round. Boats pass at a distance on some Rock Islands routes.

What to expect

Landing is prohibited without a research permit and the reserve is genuinely closed; expectations should be set accordingly. It is seen only from a distance. Nothing is arranged for visitors.

Nearby

Ulong is north, and Peleliu is south.

Key facts