Dive in Koror

Lying in 17m of water and on her starboard side, this seaplane is in almost perfect condition. Only the starboard wing has become disconnected from the main fuselage and even that lies close by. The engine, with propellor, is still intact and it is possible to see inside the cockpit with all its…

Having left Malakal Harbour before the US air strikes of March 30th and 31st 1944, this vessel was nevertheless bombed and strafed by a passing US fighter and managed to drift onto a reef. After the war she was salvaged and later slipped off the reef to finally lie on her starboard side in 24m of…

This supply ship was hit by a US torpedo on her way from the Philippines to Palau on March 22nd 1944 and finally sunk off Koror on March 30th of that year. Interestingly, Japanese merchant vessels always had the word "Maru" suffixed to their name, so the lack of it in this case describes it as a…

Situated in Malakal Harbour, this recently discovered wreck has yet to be identified and so is named after the large numbers of helmets that can be seen inside it. She lies almost vertically at a depth of between 15 - 35m.This small supply ship will reveal a wealth of treasures - some EXTREMELY…

This oil tanker was sunk just off Koror in Malakal Harbour. Her life was short, having come into service only 4 months before being sunk. At a length of 520 ft, this is the largest wreck around Palau and she lies upright in 40m of water.The dive is excellent both for those who have the experience to…

It should be said at the outset that there is still debate today as to whether this wreck is actually of the Bichu Maru. We have decided to go with the name anyway and also point out that the site is alternatively referred to as The Whiteface Wreck due to its proximity to an exposed area of pale…

Other than the fact that this ship was a submarine chaser, not a lot is known, least of all her name - hence the title above. It was actually an old fishing boat that was converted to perform the above task, as were many others during WW2.It is 100 ft long and rests upright in Malakal Channel, east…

One day before the US invasion of Peleliuand Angaur, this destroyer was sunk after hitting a mine. Despite numerous efforts over the years to discover its whereabouts, they only became known with certainty in 2000 when one of the survivors directed a team of divers to the spot. She is situated off…

This is without doubt the most famous site around Palau and the one that everyone wants to visit. Depths and currents, however, will not make it suitable for everyone.The reef extends far out into the Pacific at an average depth of only 10m. There are vertical walls on either side that drop to a…

Slightly further west from Blue Corner, is this fascinating site. From the shallow reef, you can enter from any of four openings and descend into an enormous underwater cavern. When the light is right, the feeling inside is of being in a submerged cathedral.The bottom drops to 35m and you'll…

This man-made channel was blasted out by German miners, in the early 1900s, to allow their boats easy access from the inner lagoon to the open sea. Over the years, it has become much narrower as coral formations have developed and now live-aboard vessels often have difficulty navigating it unless…

Pincher's Reef is situated at the opening to Malakal Harbour.It's shallow with a sandy bottom and is a great location for photography that's best dived at night. Expect to come across plenty of crustaceans, feather stars, flatworms and nudibranches. Whilst there's no big fish life to talk about…

Chandelier Cave is certainly worth a visit. As there is oxygen in the cave, it is suitable for those without a great deal of cave diving experience. It is made up of five seperate chambers that are all connected. The first four are under water - but with air pockets - whilst the fifth is above the…

Not only is this the most famous and exciting wall dive around Palau, but it is also regarded by many as simply the best in the world. Situated just south of German Channel in the south of Palau, this dive starts in shallow water - so shallow that the coral can be exposed at low tide - then levels…

This site is situated on the west coast of Palau, close to Siaes Tunnel and is regarded by many as being one of the best drift dives in the world. The best time to make the dive is on the incoming tide. The entrance is covered with coral gardens and the channel itself stretches some 500m - at an…

If ever you wanted a really unusual site for snorkelling, this is it - NOTE, it is not for diving for reasons explained later. Situated on Eil Malk Island, this saltwater lake was created millions of years ago after a submerged reef rose from the sea. It is now totally landlocked and isolated from…

Yet another extraordinary dive on Palau, this site is situated close to Ulong Channel on the west coast. Due to its depth, it is considered an advanced dive and time inside is therefore limited - maybe 12 minutes. The opening to the tunnel starts on a sheer wall at 23m and stretches inside for 50m,…

Situated inbetween Koror and Peleliu on the east coast, this island has some interesting diving. Because depths and currents are not an issue here, the area is ideal for beginners and photography. Ngerchong Outside is a gently sloping wall featuring a good variety of soft and hard coral as well as…