Babeldaob is the largest island in Palau and home to tiny Ngerulmud, Palau’s capital city. Beautiful rolling hills blanket this dense, forested island. Despite being Palau’s largest island and only a stone’s throw away from Koror (the country’s largest city), Babeldaob is underdeveloped, sparsely populated and often relegated to an afterthought in visits to the country.

After consecutive excursions to Jellyfish Lake and the South Rock Islands, Melissa and I spent our final day in Palau exploring Babeldaob, the archipelago’s largest island. Since joining a day tour to the island would have cost us upwards of $100 per person, we teamed up with another guest at our AirBnb and rented a car to tour the island.

Our Self-Guided Day Tour of Babeldaob Island

Renting a car to drive around Babeldaob proved to be a good idea. It allowed us the freedom to choose our own itinerary, as well as the ability to discover the quirky and eccentric attractions of Palau’s largest island on our own terms.

Our self-guided day trip around Babeldaob consisted of quirky attractions that rarely make it onto Palau travel itineraries. These destinations–some that we’d researched and some that we discovered by chance–made for an informative, scenic and unexpected afternoon.

• Japanese Historical Relics on Babeldaob

The first roadside stop on our drive around Babeldaob, was a Japanese Administration Center from WWII. A deserted and ruined building with rusting military equipment, the building lies crumbling amidst trees and tall grasses.

During WWI, Japan annexed Palau from Germany and occupied the islands until the Battle of Peleliu in WWII. The Battle of Peleliu occurred in 1944, when US troops fought Japan over influence in the Pacific Theater. After two months of fighting, US and Allied Forces won the battle. To this day, the Battle of Peleliu remains one of the deadliest turf wars in US history and remnants of the war between Japan and the US still lie scattered about many of Palau’s islands.

From the small informational placard adjacent to the ruins, we learned that the structure served the Japanese during the war. Yet, aside from the placard. we found very little other information about the structure.

A second sign next to the building informed visitors that taking pictures would incur a $25 fee. But the sign was only written in Chinese, so I took out my camera and snapped a few photos.

In mere seconds, a throng of men appeared from the bushes, chasing our car and demanding we pay money to visit the monument.

We quickly put down our cameras, backed away from the building and continued down the road.

• Capitol Building in Ngerulmud, Melekoek State

After being chased down by security guards for attempting to take photos of the ruined army base, we headed toward Palau’s capitol building–an imposing and impressive structure that rises above the verdant jungle and towers over everything in its vicinity.

Never mind that the capital city of Ngerulmud has a population of less than 400, making it the smallest capital of any independent country in the world. (Yes, it is even smaller than the Vatican City). Or that the city of Ngerlumud is so small we never actually were able to find it. Never mind that there are only 20,000 residents in the entire country of Palau–making it one of the smallest countries in the world by population. Or that the small island nation is among the most remote on Earth.

Palau’s capitol building is so impressive and stately that one would think it belonged to a wealthy and powerful nation.

We spent about an hour touring the inside of Palau’s capitol building and taking in the ocean views from its courtyard.  Then, we continued our self-guided tour of the island with a visit to the prehistoric stone monoliths of northern Babeldaob.

• Badrulchau Archeological Site on Babeladaob

The Badrulchau Archeological Site dates back to 161AD and comprises about 40 carved monoliths that have, over time, lost most of their distinguishing features. Today, a few of the stones vaguely resemble heads, though we had to stretch our imaginations a bit to see their features.

What makes the monoliths all the more intriguing, is the fact that the stones do not originate in Palau. This means that, as with the moai of Easter Island, the material used to build the Badrulchau statues was imported from elsewhere.

Little is known about Palau’s early history and, as a result, the country’s largest archeological site is shrouded in mystery.

It is worthwhile to visit Badrulchau for the beautiful ocean views as much as for the megalithic stones. Colorful fruits and flowers dot the lush vegetation and a patchwork of turquoise and sapphire water forms a jaw-dropping backdrop to the archeological site.

• Eco-Theme Park and Waterfall on Babeldaob Island

Though we enjoyed our visit to Ngerulmud and Badrulchau, the highlight of our day trip around Babeldaob was undoubtedly our visit to the quirky Eco-Theme Park.

The Eco-Theme Park is a popular stop along the Babeldaob circuit and is situated in a dense jungle that surrounds the Ngardmau Waterfall. At the entrance to the park is a small visitor center of sorts, with a few caged birds, a giant teddy bear in a harness and a rickety-looking monorail that is seemingly powered by a lawnmower motor.

Imagine the exact opposite of a Disney roller-coaster, and that is what the theme park’s monorail looks like.

With package tourists from China and Japan flooding the small conglomeration of islands, the Palauans have become increasingly creative about finding ways to get their hands on tourist dollars. Every point of interest–from beaches to historic monuments and from museums to natural attractions–seemed to require pricy fees. And the theme park was no exception.

We immediately agreed that zip-lining was out of our price range, so we paid the $10 entrance fee and decided, instead, to spend our time enjoying the waterfall. There are two different ways that one can reach the Ngardmau Waterfall–by foot or by the aforementioned jungle monorail.

We chose to walk, since taking the monorail would cost us upwards of $30 each.

A treacherous hiking path parallels the monorail tracks and led us down a slick rock face, past rushing streams. We followed the monorail tracks through the jungle and laughed every time we heard the train’s little engine sneak up behind us.

Our fascination with the impromptu roller-coaster must have been apparent for, after having walked half the way to the waterfall, one of the park attendants picked us up for a free ride.

Atop our little roller-coaster, we climbed hills, crossed rivers and cut through thickets of trees. The monorail seemed to be held together by threads, making our overland excursion one of adventure and laughter. The train’s rickety seats wobbled below my weight and felt as though they would collapse at any moment.

All the while, the lawnmower-like locomotive propelled us forward–at what felt like 5 miles an hour–until we reached Ngardmau Waterfall.

By the time we reached the waterfall, most other tourists had already left, so we we were able to have the site mostly to ourselves.

We cooled off in the water and climbed behind the waterfall, enjoying the solitude and natural beauty of this freshwater swimming-hole.

***

Traveling to Babeldaob was full of surprises. Home a quirky theme park, monolithic statues, WWII relics and an imposing capitol building in the world’s smallest capital, there are plenty of things to do in Babeldaob on a self-guided day trip.

Most would surmise that a visit to Palau is not complete without discovering the country’s underwater world and snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake. And I agree. But so too, do I think that no visit to the Palau would be complete without a visit to the bizarre and often quirky above-water attractions of the country’s lush and tropical interior.

The post Driving around Babeldaob: Palau’s Largest Island appeared first on Erika's Travels .

Housing everything from untouched coral gardens to docile reef sharks and from manta rays to WWII shipwrecks, the small Micronesian nation of Palau consistently tops the list of best dive sites in the world. I’d had my heart set on visiting Palau since I first saw video footage of the country’s underwater sanctuaries and pristine seas a few years ago.

The only problem was, I’ve always been too afraid to go scuba diving.

Throughout my travels, there have been many times in which I’ve had the opportunity to strap an oxygen tank to my back and plunge into the underwater world. But each time, I’ve stopped short of taking a diving class and turned to snorkeling instead.

Palau was no exception.

Without a scuba certification or the courage to equalize my ears, I began to research things to do in Palau for non-divers.

Yet, tourism in Palau is so centered around scuba diving, that I found very little information on snorkeling or alternative activities. I remember worrying that, as a non-diver, I would be missing out on all that the country has to offer. But then I remembered thinking, if the diving is so fantastic, the snorkeling in Palau should at least be decent, right?  

PALAU SNORKELING TOUR

The Scuba diving in Palau is some of the best in the world. It is the reason that travelers from around the world choose to visit this tiny fleck of emerald in the vast Pacific Ocean. So after our successful day trip to Jellyfish Lake, my friend Melissa decided to take a dive trip to the German Channel in search of turtles and manta rays.

I, on the other hand (still too scared to take the plunge) joined Impac Tours on a snorkeling and beach-filled day trip to the South Rock Islands.

As I’d imagined, the snorkeling in Palau was wonderful.

In fact, not only was it wonderful, but it was also some of the best I’ve seen anywhere—as good, if not better, than And Atoll in Micronesia, Moorea in French Polynesia, and Komodo Island in Indonesia.

• SNORKELING AT CLAM CITY

My day tour to the South Rock Islands started with a visit to Clam City, home to some of the world’s largest mollusks. Though the reef around Clam City is relatively dead and the water clarity pales in comparison to that of the archipelago’s other snorkeling locations, the sheer size of the clams is impressive.

We swam around Clam City for about twenty minutes, before continuing toward the Big Drop Off via the German Channel.

• THE GERMAN CHANNEL

From 1899 until the Japanese takeover of Palau in 1914, Germany occupied the Palauan islands. During this time period, the Germans blasted a channel through the barrier reef between Ngemelis and Carp Island to facilitate their exploitation of Palau’s rich bauxite and phosphate reserves.

Today, the deep ocean trench is teeming with some of the world’s most plentiful communities of manta rays and sharks. With knowledge of the marine life below me, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret as our catamaran passed through the channel without stopping.

• SNORKELING AT THE BIG DROP OFF

Yet, my regret quickly washed away as soon as I set my eyes on the underwater world of the Big Drop Off. Much like the reef at Tetiaroa Atoll, the Big Drop Off’s sheer wall runs the length of the island and plunges into a dark abyss. The reef at the Big Drop Off is teeming with life. I swam around schools of brightly colored fish and even spotted a few white-tipped reef sharks darting amongst the pristine coral gardens.

I may have missed the Manta Rays at the German Channel, but snorkeling at the Big Drop Off in Palau was more incredible than I’d even imagined.

• LUNCH AT CARP ISLAND

After a successful snorkel, our tour of the South Rock Islands continued to the star-shaped Carp Island. Though Palau is not known for its beaches, Carp Island’s white sands and swaying palms are as idyllic as any I have ever seen. I swung in a hammock of the Carp Island Resort and watched the translucent waters lap gently against the white sand, enjoying my own little slice of paradise.

Before I knew it, I had drifted to sleep.

But it wasn’t long before a storm began to brew overhead and torrential rains jolted me out of my reverie.

Our tour had allotted two hours for Carp Island. Yet, unfortunately, the inclement weather caused me to spend most of that time under a covered shelter.

• LONG ISLAND, PALAU

On the way back to Koror, the rains temporarily subsided and our boat made a quick stop at Long Beach–a thin squiggle of white sand in the middle of the ocean. I walked the length of the sandbar and looked 360 degrees in every direction. It was an incredible feeling to stand on a strip of sand in the middle of the ocean, with nothing but turquoise water and emerald limestone formations on my horizon.

Though the stormy weather lasted most of the afternoon and put a literal damper on my designated ‘beach day,’ my quick trip to Palau proved that visiting the island nation as a non-diver is absolutely worthwhile.

***

One day, I hope to get over the the fear of popping my ears. And maybe, when that day arrives, I’ll return to Palau’s crystal waters with an oxygen tank in tow and a new bout of courage.

For this trip, however, I was perfectly content snorkeling the coral gardens and exploring the above-water attractions that Palau has to offer.

The post Snorkeling Tour of Palau’s Rock Islands appeared first on Erika's Travels .

Imagine floating in a real life lava lamp, surrounded by millions of gelatinous golden orbs that drift gently through the water.

These orbs swirl effortlessly around you, in search of sunlight. They  swarm around your fingertips, brush up against your body, and coast right in front of your incredulous eyes.

It might sound like a dream, but such a place exists on the tiny uninhabited island of Eil Malk in Palau.

It’s called Jellyfish Lake.

And it’s extraordinary.

JELLYFISH LAKE IN PALAU: AN OVERVIEW

Jellyfish Lake lies amidst Palau’s Rock Islands, southeast of both Babeldaob Island and the country’s largest city, Koror. The marine lake connects to the ocean through fissures and tunnels in the limestone.

The lake’s relative isolation and lack of predators has fostered the ideal habitat for millions of golden orb jellyfish to flourish.

Scientists believe that the jellyfish came to inhabit the lake after a rise in sea levels trapped them in the lagoon some 12,000 years ago.

With an abundance of algae for food and no predators to keep them in check, the jellyfish numbers began multiplying quickly. A lack of predators has not only caused the numbers of jellyfish to multiply, but it has also allowed them to evolve without stinging capabilities.

Over the centuries, their numbers have waxed and waned. In 2005, there were around 30 million jellyfish in the lake. Yet, over the next decade, the numbers began to plummet. By 2016, there were almost none.

Luckily, the population of jellyfish began rebounding in the last few years. And though the jellyfish haven’t yet reached their pre-2016 population, they now number in the millions once again.

JELLYFISH LAKE DAY TOUR ITINERARY

Snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake is, without a doubt, the #1 thing to do in Palau. The underwater experience is so unique and mesmerizing that it must be seen to be believed.

During our four day trip to Palau, my friend and I joined a Jellyfish Lake day trip with Impac Tours. The tour included kayaking in the South Rock Islands, swimming in the Milky Way, and a bento-box lunch on Ngermeus Island.

• KAYAKING THE SOUTH ROCK ISLANDS

We began our day trip to Jellyfish Lake with a kayaking excursion around the South Rock Islands—a collection of more than 200 weathered limestone knobs that dot Palau’s transparent waters.

Much like the limestone formations near Koh Phi Phi in Thailand, the Rock Islands jut out of the sea and support lush vegetation and mangrove forests that are teeming with life.

Kayaking amid the jungle-like vegetation of the Rock Islands was peaceful and serene. Overhead, we could hear a cacophony of birdsong and the light rustle of leaves.

• THE MILKY WAY LAGOON IN PALAU

Palau’s Milky Way is a scenic lagoon with brilliant turquoise waters. A popular stop on tours of the Rock Islands, it is both touristy and worth the stop.

The natural spa is known for the baby blue color and therapeutic properties. The color is a result of the white limestone mud that coats the lagoon floor.

• SNORKELING AT NGERMEAUS ISLAND

After a pit-stop at Palau’s premier natural spa, our tour stopped for lunch on Ngermeaus Island.

There, we ate our lunch quickly in order to squeeze in a bit of snorkeling before our highly anticipated visit to Jellyfish Lake.

The reef around Ngermeaus island did not disappoint. We saw brilliantly colored fish, delicate coral and giant clams. Shortly before leaving the island, we had the opportunity to swim amongst docile black-tipped reef sharks.

SNORKELING AT JELLYFISH LAKE

The promise of swimming amidst millions of non-stinging jellyfish is what first enticed me to visit Palau.

So it is safe to say that I had high expectations for my tour.

But it is also safe to say that the Jellyfish Lake completely blew my expectations out of the water.

The isolated marine lake is the crown jewel of any visit to Palau. There is just no other place in the world quite like it.

Jellyfish Lake was much bigger than I had imagined and its water was a deep emerald green. To reach its shores, we had to climb a steep path and then descend back down to the water’s edge.

Following the suggestion of our tour guide, I jumped in the water and swam toward the center of the lake. Away from the shade, I eventually began to see a few jellyfish floating in my direction.

Then, I started to see them in clusters; first in groups of two or three, and then in the hundreds.

The farther I swam, the denser and denser the the crowd became.

As we arrived at the point with the most direct sunlight, the water suddenly pulsated with golden orbs.

It was magical. Surreal. And 100% worth the hype (and price tag).

JELLYFISH LAKE TOURS AND FEES

Visiting Palau’s Jellyfish Lake is expensive. To swim in the lake, we had to join a tour that cost us upward of $100 per person. In addition to the price of the tour, we were required to purchase a $120 conservation permit for the lake and surrounding islands. Thus, our day trip to Jellyfish Lake resulted in a tab of over $200.

Since my visit, the price of visiting Jellyfish Lake has only gotten more expensive. Day tours now cost about $200, excluding the mandatory Koror State Permit. Day tours of Jellyfish Lake are bookable online and include lunch.

Worth it? Absolutely.

I can’t think of many places I’ve been that can compare.

WHERE TO STAY IN PALAU

Palau has a decent variety of hotel offerings compared to some of the Pacific’s other far-flung islands. Though it doesn’t have the dreamy brochure-worthy resorts of more well-trodden island chains like Hawaii and French Polynesia, you’ll still find a smattering of hotels at different price points.

Most accommodations in Palau center around the island chain’s largest city, Koror.

Yogi Dives B&B is among the cheapest places to stay in Koror.

The 4 star Cove Resort is another popular option that boasts an outdoor swimming pool, garden, and restaurant.

The Palau Pacific Resort is generally considered to be the nicest accommodation option on the island.

GETTING TO PALAU

United Airlines flies to Palau from Guam and Manila. Connecting in Manila, you can continue onward on the Island Hopper to various Micronesian islands—including Chuuk, Kosrae and Pohnpei in the FSM, and Majuro in the Marshall Islands.

Alternatively, you can fly to Palau on China Airlines from Taipei or Jeju Air from Seoul.

There are no scheduled boats or ferries between the Palauan islands and its neighboring countries.

****

Palau is a small island nation with beautiful scenery and extraordinary snorkeling.

Between swimming with sharks, bathing in the Milky Way and kayaking among the mangroves, our day trip to Jellyfish Lake was perfect from start to finish.

And our tour’s cherry on top—snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake—turned out to be one of the most visually stunning experiences in my travels to date.

The post Day Trip to Jellyfish Lake in Palau appeared first on Erika's Travels .