What is it like Island Hopping in Palau, how does it compare with other places and is it worth a visit? Lets get delving.
So, as previously mentioned I was back here as part of Least Visited Countries Tour with YPT, my first time back in 4 years due to the “virus”. I have changed a lot since then, so I was interested to see if Palau had done the same.
What the Palau?
I wont delve too deep as this is not a history lesson, but long story short a former US colony that is still very much under the joke of Uncle Sam, but is also famous for tourism rather than being a “Least Visited”.
It is though a fun place to be, with us checking out the Koror nightlife, as well as the 680 Market.
Why go to Palau?
When you fly into Palau you are immediately hit with the truly stunning beauty of the place, with it being a dream even from the air.
Palau thus offers a series of atolls, beaches, snorkeling, diving and thus island hopping…
Oh and right now, the place is empty….
Island Hopping in Palau
Scenery and even island hopping wise it is very similar to Palawan, although with some very key differences, principally in how busy it is as well as price.
Palawan is mass tourism and cheap, Palau less so. The country actually has a policy of charging more so less people come and they make more money. In 2019 this worked when the Chinese were coming, less so now they are not.
The country is also pretty much big nature reserve which means much less recourse for flexibility, or just stopping at islands, something Palawan is also following now.
Trips wise there are a flexors of expensive options, which include the underwhelming Jellyfish lake, but also some great snorkeling and diving spots, as well as islands to stop for lunch. And again right now you will largely be alone. The sad thing is there are permits and charges for almost everything, which does not make it a cheap trip.
How does Island Hopping in Palau compare with other places?
A similar landscape to Palawan, but more civilized and expensive……That is is not to say that you should not come, but also to temper expectations.
For me though you currently cannot beat Island Hopping in Bougainville, or to an extent Port Barton, both of which are still much more off of the grid…..