/countries/show/palau/1.rss en-us Typically, when you plan a dive holiday you spend hours researching and narrowing down your choice to one place where you're guaranteed to find a single breathtaking marine attraction. But when planning a Palau dive trip, you won't have to choose just one attraction, because it has it all! This isolated set of 200 or so limestone islands showcase a selection of dive sites that nearly all other dive locations can only dream of. Every year, to celebrate this natural endowment, pioneering dive shop Fish 'n Fins holds Diversity Fiesta—a week long food and diving event. The dive schedule during Diversity Fiesta brings patrons face to face with some of the most unique marine phenomenon, including WWII plane and ship wrecks, ancient marine lakes, shark encounters, blue holes, chandelier-like caves, and coral gardens. The number of quality dive sites here continually spurs people dive here everyday, and be guaranteed that each day it would be different. Diving Palau makes you feel like you’re among a lucky few. During WWII, on March 30 and 31, 1944, over 60 Japanese ships and planes were sunk here by the U.S. From the startlingly intact Jake's Seaplane to the coral overrun Iro Maru wreck, the thirty plus wreck dives here provide a startling testimony of Palau during the war. After gliding over a WWII plane wreck, we moved to staring down a group of ten white tip reef sharks. For many thrill seekers, their thirst is more then satisfied after diving the famous Blue Corner. Here at the tip of the southwestern lagoon, three major ocean currents meet; the result of which is one of nature's best shows. About 25 meters down, you can hook into the reef as packs of black and white tip reef sharks patrol the edge of the wall. Although some divers are still fearful of reef sharks, seeing them surf the current here seems to abate that misconception. After a long day of diving, the festivities keep going with a nightly Palaun dinner, hosted dockside at Fish 'n Fins. Each night you have the pleasure of enjoying different dishes from the exotic Pacific Rim, while reminiscing with your dive group about the amazing dives you did that day. With all the events going on during Diversity Fiesta, you'll be glad to stay at the Landmark Marina, which is conveniently located adjacent to the Fish n' Fins dive shop. Location is everything, and being on waterfront as well as having the ability to roll out of bed and be at Fish n' Fins in a second, is a huge pro. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:36:41 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/diversity-fiesta http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/diversity-fiesta There are a dwindling number of locations left in the world where you can still dive with sharks in consistent abundance. Palau is one of them. Behind a 70-mile-long barrier reef, Palau's sheltered lagoons hold a shark mating hot spot. Each year during the peak of grey reef shark mating season, leading dive shop Fish 'n Fins holds Shark Week, an educational diving event. Though the thought of sharks may conjure up false images of a blood thirsty man eater, for those familiar with Palau diving, sharks are a reminder of how important and fragile our oceans are. Although you wouldn't guess it from looking at Palau's waters, it's estimated that over 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins, and it's projects like Shark Week, put on by Fish 'n Fins and the Micronesian Shark Foundation, that aim to change this. As sharks cruise by you on dive sites like Blue Corner, Peleliu Corner, and Shark City, you are reminded of how lucky you are to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Sure you've had thrills before, but when's the last time it was covered in denticles? These tiny tooth-like projections cover shark's bodies, reducing water drag and allowing them to launch like torpedoes in the current. Sharks are so unique in their biological design that organizations such as Speedo and the U.S. Navy have copied from them. Aside from the first-hand experiences in shark appreciation that you get diving each day, the learning continues at night during Shark Week. Each night, Fish 'n Fins hosts lectures and presentations by shark experts to inform you about the state of shark conservation. Being able to get in the water with literally hundreds of mating grey reef shark is a thrill of a lifetime, but how long will it last in the face of a multi-billion dollar shark fining industry? In a largely unregulated market, products like shark fin soup and so called health remedies are causing shark populations to crash worldwide. So think of it this way: When you dive during shark week, not only are you becoming an informed and proactive shark advocate, you're doing something good for the oceans by promoting sustainable ecotourism. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:42:56 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/shark-week http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/shark-week Expecting the unexpected is half the fun of being a diver, but when you snorkel Palau's Jellyfish Lake—all assumptions are off limits. This natural marine lake is a magnet for divers and snorkellers alike thanks to its curious populous of harmless jellyfish. Getting to your destination is part of the fun when diving in Palau, and carving your way through remote uninhabited islands on one of Fish n' Fins 225 HP speed boats is definitely not a hardship. The trail to Jellyfish Lake, however, may be just that. The rope-lined trail is a steep 15 minute climb for most. Be sure to take the opportunity to catch your breath by reading the informational signs about Jellyfish Lake on your way up. Everyday, a pulsating mob of over one million jellyfish follow the sun from the west end of Jellyfish Lake to the east. This daily sun migration is done to sustain life-giving algae in the jellyfish's body. Their need for sunlight is so strong that when the waters hit a shadow from overhanging trees, the jellyfish stop as if there were an invisible line. The sun also plays a pivotal role in highlighting its subject matter, and sun rays reflect up through the water, casting accentuating beams of light around and even through the jellyfish. It's a rather psychedelic sight to see. In addition to the abnormal amount of jellyfish, here they are even more unique because they don't sting. Over 12,000 years ago, sea levels rose to a point where water began to form marine lakes through basins and tunnels in Palau's Rock Islands. Over the years, Jellyfish Lake became isolated, and in turn the jellyfish evolved without a need for self defence. Snorkeling Jellyfish Lake is like joining a bizarre dream world. Jellyfish bob into you, ranging in size from the tip of your pinky finger to bigger than your head. Their constant pulsing is mesmerizing, as if they are in sync and random all at once. Snorkelling Jellyfish Lake will give you a whole new sense of surrealism. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:24:44 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/jellyfish-lake http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/jellyfish-lake Palau is a divers dream, with its fringing coral reefs and burgeoning marine life it's hard to beat. In a time where our oceans are being devastated beyond belief, Palau has managed to maintain some sanctity, and in 2009 with the help of pioneering dive shop Fish'n Fins, declared its waters a Shark Sanctuary. Thanks to this, people who make the trek to Palau can enjoy an increasingly rare treat - sharks and other large fish that have been overfished in other areas of the world. Although you can see sharks on almost any dive here, perhaps the best place to spot these and other large pelagics is diving Blue Corner. Blue Corner is Palau's most famous dive site, and is continually in the running for the single best dive site in the world. Here at this current charged corner divers flock by the boat load to take in the high concentration of large marine life. Below the surface, a wild spectacle awaits. Drawn by the sharp change in current and depth, a Blue Corner dive parades a seemingly endless scene of sharks, tuna, barracuda and wrasse. Searching for a dive spot that flaunts these increasingly rare species on a more impressive stage may take a lifetime. Blue Corner was first discovered by Francis Toribiong, Fish 'n Fins founder, just east of the Blue Holes dive site. Although it can be a difficult dive depending on the currents, it's one that you'll remember for the rest of your life. Diving Blue Corner essentially allows divers to pull up a seat and watch the show, by floating at the edge of the drop off suspended by a reef hook in the current. Your dive guide will help position each diver in a straight line so as to not disrupt the path of the sharks patrolling in front. After you've had your fill of the 10 - 20 large sharks that zoom by you, unhook and glide across the reef plateau through huge schools of bumphead parrotfish, jacks, barracuda, and the occasional wandering napoleon wrasse. And this is just your typical day diving Blue Corner. As if that weren't lucky enough, every now and then you may also see a hammerhead, whale shark, manta, marlin, sailfish or whale. Diving a place as extraordinary as Blue Corner will make you grow in awe and appreciation for its amazing sea life. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:30:15 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/blue-corner http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/blue-corner Predicting an exceptional day of diving in Palau is not hard to do. Early risers are met with soaring sunrise views over turquoise waters, none better than those of the Rose Garden Resort. When the staff say, "enjoy the million dollar view", they aren't exaggerating. The resort's convenient mountainside perch makes every morning picture perfect. Ulong Channel and Reef may not be known to the outside world as Palau's best dive site, but if you ask the staff of veteran dive shop Fish 'n Fins, it's the crowd favourite. Diving Ulong Reef makes you feel like an underwater explorer on assignment from National Geographic, caught in the middle of feeding frenzy. Here you can find some amazing bait ball action. Sharks and napoleon wrasse patrol the waters seemingly unaware of your presence. The pack of fusilier fish shift and swirl as if they were one, right above your head. Your dive guide will help you find a spot to hunker down inside the reef so that you can watch the action directly overhead. Watch your air, as you'll most likely be so enthralled with the hunt that you'll lose track of time. On those perfect days, you may even be lucky enough to encounter large octopus mating around the reef below. Upon surfacing, it isn't uncommon to hear participants exclaim "I didn't even see that shark until it was coming right over my head!" After the surface break you can get back in and dive the Ulong Channel, which is a different type of adrenaline rush. After swimming to the channel's opening and hooking into the reef with your reef hook you can observe the swarms of sharks torpedoing by. A few minutes later you get to unhook and ride down one of the world's best drift dives. Extending approximately one-half mile, Ulong Channel is lined on each side with beautiful coral gardens. One of the most interesting things about diving Ulong Channel is the stacks of plate coral which house such fish as the glasseye, squirrelfish, and soldierfish in it's large lettuce-like pockets. Locally it's referred to as the fish condominiums. On your first dive at the fast moving Ulong Channel you'll be busy trying to keep your regulator from falling out of your mouth, but if you get the chance to do it again try body surfing along it's sandy bottom for a unique twist. In Palau, the trip to the dive site can be as much of a highlight as the dive itself. Your speedboat will whisk you between rock formations, through scenic channels and around perfect beaches nestled into uninhabited islands. Your lunches will often be on these isolated beaches, allowing you to explore the islands or bask in the sun. Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:19:53 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/ulong-channel http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/ulong-channel