Diving in Palau

Palau is regularly ranked among the very best scuba diving destinations in the world, a legendary underwater realm of astonishing richness protected within a pioneering national marine sanctuary that shields most of its waters. Its famous dive sites are the stuff of legend: Blue Corner, where divers hook onto a reef ledge amid swirling currents to watch sharks, barracuda and jacks stream past; the German Channel, a cleaning station where manta rays glide; sheer coral walls plunging into the blue; and the eerie, coral-encrusted wrecks and lagoons of a major Second World War battleground, all in warm, clear, life-filled water.

What you actually see

• Blue Corner - the current-swept reef of sharks and pelagic fish.
• The German Channel - the manta-ray cleaning station.
• The coral walls - the sheer drop-offs teeming with life.
• The wartime wrecks - the sunken Second World War relics.

When to go

Palau can be dived year-round in its warm waters, with November to April often offering the calmest conditions and best visibility; manta activity, shark action and pelagic life are highlights at different sites throughout the year. Diving is done from boats out of Koror, and the strong currents at sites like Blue Corner suit experienced divers.

Honest expectations

Palau's premier diving, with its strong currents at sites like Blue Corner, is best suited to experienced divers, and reaching this remote, conservation-focused nation and diving here is a significant expense; snorkellers and beginners can still enjoy the reefs and Rock Islands. For serious divers, though, Palau's walls, sharks, mantas and wrecks, in warm, protected, crystal water, make it a genuine bucket-list destination among the finest on earth.

Nearby

The Rock Islands, Jellyfish Lake and Koror are the bases for diving.