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Located
between Guam, The Philippines and Papua New Guinea, Palau is
an archipelago which is more than 640km (400 miles) long. The
jewels of Palau are its 200 Rock Islands, densely forested limestone
islets of varying sizes and shapes.
Palau's
unique geography makes it a divers' mecca. Three major ocean
currents converge there, funneling a wide variety of marine
life: 700 corals and anemones, 1,500 kinds of reef and pelagic
fish, rare chambered nautilus and giant tridacna clams that
are commonly over four feet long and weigh a quarter-ton.
Moreover, Palau Lagoon encloses dozens of World War II shipwrecks,
coral reefs, blue holes, giant undersea tunnels, stalactite-filled
caves and over 60 vertical dropoffs.
Because of the diversity and density of the marine life and
the topography of the islands, Palau is regarded as one of the
best dive sites in the world.
Average Visibility: 100+ ft.
Average
Water Temperature: 82F
Dive
Services & Accommodations
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Current Services Listed
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Travel
Tips
Flying
Times and Distances to Palau
The following list contains times and distances to Palau from
Main Points of Departure:
From: Distance (statute miles) Flying Time
Honolulu 4609 8:45
Guam 813 1:45
Manila 1041 2:35
Tokyo 2394 4:25
Taipei 2533 4:55
Seoul 2804 5:35
Los Angeles 7161 13:55
New York 9612 18:55
From the western seaboard of the United States, you can hop
to Hawaii, skip to Guam, then jump to Palau. For a scenic island
route, you can do an island hop across Micronesia to Palau.
Through Asia, there are twice weekly charter services between
Taipei, Taiwan and Palau and additional flights are also available
during peak seasons. From Europe, there are now conveniently
connecting flights from Frankfurt through Taipei to Palau, or
from most European cities via Manila, Philippines.
Flights to Palau
Continental Airlines:
1. Houston, Texas direct flights to Guam daily via Honolulu,
Hawaii and connect to Palau daily flights to Palau.
2. Houston, Texas direct flights to Tokyo, Japan to connect
to Guam to Palau.
3. Honolulu, Hawaii to Guam daily and connect daily flights
to Palau.
4. Manila, Philippines to flies twice a week on Wednesday and
Saturday to Palau.
For
more information and reservation, visit Continental
Airlines. Flights schedule are subject to seasonal changes.
Far
Eastern Air Transport (FAT):
1. Taipei, Taiwan airline flies four times per week to Palau
on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Additional charter
flights are offered based on seasonality. Can connect with major
carriers that fly to Taipei, Taiwan from other major cities.
For
more information and reservations, visit Far
Eastern Air Transport
Customs / Immigrations
Proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate) by US citizens
is required. Visas are not required. NonU.S. citizens must have
a valid passport and return travel arrangements. Cholera and
yellow fever immunizations are required for those arriving from
infected areas. Importation of controlled substances and weapons
is strictly prohibited.
Getting Around
A few hotels provide airport transportation for their guests.
Otherwise there's a shuttle bus service taxis and car rental
available at the airport. Because Koror is the nation's commercial
center Palauans commonly commute by private speedboat between
Koror and their home villages on other Palauan islands. You
can sometimes hitch a ride with them by offering to chip in
for gas. Ask around at the gas docks. Otherwise there are occasional
flights aboard small Cessnas and weekly trips by government
boats from Koror to Peleliu and Angaur.
Visitors are allowed to drive in Palau for 30 days with their
home country's driver's license. Driving is on the right and
the speed limit is a doddering 25mph (40k/h).
Visitor Tips
MEDICAL SERVICES
Palau has three private medical clinics and a public hospital.
A modern recompression chamber is available and staffed by certified
operators. The hospital emergency number is 488-2558 and the
ambulance number is 488-1411. Police emergency number is 911.
WATER
Palau's water is generally safe to drink, and bottled water
is available in most markets.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Worldwide telephone, facsimile, International Direct Dialing,
Cellular Phone, Internet services (Dialup and DSL), and operator
assisted dialing services are available. Phone cards are available
at PNCC Offices and calls can be made from most hotels in Koror.
ALCOHOL
Beer, wine and spirits are readily available and sold to anyone
over 21 years of age.
CREDIT CARDS
Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted at
major visitor facilities.
TIPPING
Tipping is optional, but appreciated.
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