Palau
Just a 4 hour flight out of Cairns and we were in Guam, gateway to Micronesia. Palau was our ultimate destination and we were looking forward to checking the place out since we had heard so much about it. Travelling with our 9 month old daughter at the time, we weren’t sure how we would go doing everything we wanted, but we needn’t have worried.
The Palau Pacific Resort where we stayed was beautiful. Our room was spacious and had everything you would want (and the meals at the restaurant were wonderful and used the best of the local produce). Set on a private beach with white sand and crystal blue waters teeming with local fish, you could easily snorkel off the beach or around the small jetty, and lots of tours to the many reefs left right from the resort. Every morning when we went down for breakfast, our mu-mu dressed server would whisk our daughter away with her so we could eat in peace, and Maddy became a fixture around the place, being paraded around on the waitress’s hip!
Although we didn’t dive, we were keen to snorkel and there were boundless opportunities to do so. One of the most memorable trips we did was a tour to the famed “jellyfish lake”, a fresh water marine lake where you can swim with thousands of sting-less jellyfish. This is the only place in the world where you can experience the delight of swimming with these amazing creatures. It took a while to let go of the idea that these jellies brushing up against me weren’t going to harm me, but once I did it was absolutely amazing. It was definitely worth the hike to get to the lake to tick this one off my bucket list and every time I see a travel show that shows this natural wonder, I can be proud to know that I’ve been there.
Next on our list of things to do was snorkel the famed “drop off”, and I must say the array of sea life we encountered was amazing. Sharks, rays, barracuda, all manner of marine life. A rival to the Great Barrier Reef and another totally enjoyable day. On the way home we stopped at a little lagoon which had the most amazing soft sponges in every colour of the rainbow. Wow!
Kayaking around the beautiful Rock Islands was another wonderful day. We stopped off at the beach where one of the “Survivor” series were filmed, and being a total Survivor fan I had to get my photos on the beach in some of the pivotal spots where the series was filmed (sad I know).
On this day we also did some diving on one of the many WW2 plane wrecks that are scattered around the shallow waters. On March 30-31, 1944 the US Navy air raided Palau during operation Desecrate 1. This air strike sent more than 60 Japanese ships to the bottom of the tranquil lagoon. After the war some salvage work been done in Palau. Today more than 30 WWII wrecks are available for divers to explore and enjoy, with many being easily accessible to snorkel.
A visit to one of the abandoned Japanese outposts was in order, and we had a short hike up to the old bunkers where Japanese poetry adorned the walls. Hundreds of empty sake and beer bottles were strewn throughout the jungle, suggesting that there was little activity on the war front. These bunkers overlooked the lagoons and main “highways” that the allies would have used, however few of them were actually pushed into action. Along the main roads are rusting, abandoned tanks and landing sites, as well as small shops selling war artefacts and old bottles.
Day trips to the local cultural sites and waterfalls were on the agenda and didn’t disappoint. Palau has a rich history with the original settlers believed to have arrived from Indonesia as early as 2500 BC. The Palau islands' position and proximity to Southeast Asia have combined to form a mixed population of Malay, Melanesian, Filipino, and Polynesian ancestry. Many sites of cultural or historical importance remain intact, reminding modern Palauans of a past long ago, while reinforcing the culture and tradition for future generations. The Cultural centre is a great stop which showcases the Islands’ history, cultures and traditional with great displays and dance performances.
Whether on land or Sea, Palau is absolutely beautiful. There is so much to do and more than we had time for. Sailing, visiting Dolphin Encounters and swimming with these amazing mammals, 4wding, and visiting the waterfalls and ancient monoliths. It certainly didn’t disappoint and I would happily visit again.