Palau: diving in a tropical Pacific paradise
The Micronesian island country is a 'dream destination' for divers

Set in a marine reserve almost as big as France, and with coral reefs in "glorious form", the Pacific island nation of Palau is a dream destination for divers. Those wishing to explore the reefs, and the islands, might book a berth on the Explorer, says Stanley Stewart in the FT, a three-deck catamaran launched by the Four Seasons hotel group in December. With ten cabins and one "palatial" suite, it provides "levels of comfort unheard of in most dive boats". The crew leads a fivestar Padi programme, as well as snorkelling, paddleboarding and kayaking trips.
Palau's seas are its greatest "enchantment", but guests can also venture on shore on guided expeditions. Just stepping out of the tiny airport in Palau, into warm air "freighted with tropical aromas", is a remarkable experience. Various colonial powers have "come and gone" – the Spanish, the Germans, the Japanese, and finally the Americans, who left in 1994 but still fund a generous aid programme, "intended to keep the Palauans out of the hands of the Chinese". The Americans' arrival, in September 1944, was among the more dramatic. Indeed, the battle of Peleliu (the island that US troops stormed first) has been called the bloodiest of the Second World War in the Pacific theatre.
Guests on the Explorer can visit the deserted beach and wander through the serene forest – still littered with rusting Japanese materiel – where it unfolded, costing the lives of more than 12,000 men over two months. Much of the diving takes place in the south of the archipelago, around forested karst islands that look "like children's drawings". There are some 1,300 species of fish in these seas, and 700 hard and soft corals. Vast schools of bigeye trevally tremble silver in "latticed light", huge manta rays sail through the "blue void", and octopuses can be found hiding beneath the propeller of a Japanese plane, which lies on the sea floor "like a fallen angel", with bright coral blossoming along its wings.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Original Diving has a five-night trip from £7,905, excluding flights.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Art review: The Frick Collection
Feature After a $330 million renovation and expansion, New York City's Frick Collection has reopened to the public
-
Amor Towles' 6 favorite books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Vladimir Nabokov, Jack Kerouac, and more
-
The Supreme Court case that could forge a new path to sue the FBI
The Explainer The case arose after the FBI admitted to raiding the wrong house in 2017
-
Art review: The Frick Collection
Feature After a $330 million renovation and expansion, New York City's Frick Collection has reopened to the public
-
Amor Towles' 6 favorite books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Vladimir Nabokov, Jack Kerouac, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age' and 'Crumb: A Cartoonist's Life'
Feature How AI is a parasite of humanity and a biography on the godfather of underground comix
-
Escape to the Scottish countryside at Dunkeld House Hotel
The Week Recommends Roam, revive and relax at this luxury hotel in a wooded riverside Perthshire estate
-
7 essentials to pack for your perfect sun-kissed beach day
The Week Recommends Leakproof coolers and comfy chairs are a must
-
The thermal springs and ancient tombs of Bulgaria
The Week Recommends A gorgeous Rose Valley, hilltop tomb and relaxing spa all in a town untainted by tourist crowds
-
Creamy kale slaw with hazelnuts recipe
The Week Recommends This slaw with a 'cracking texture' makes the perfect side that will elevate any meal
-
5 films as rip-roaringly good as the books they are based on
The Week Recommends These movies stack up well against the source material