Palau Travel Guide

Overview

Palau is one of the smallest countries in the world, with a population of only 18,000 and a total area of only 465 square kilometers (180 square miles).

Even so, it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and the Rock Islands are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for this reason.

Two of the most popular bucket list things to do in Palau are an island hopping tour of the Rock Islands by boat, or a scenic flight over the Rock Islands of Palau. Another popular activity is scuba diving because of the area's world class coral reefs.

Read through this complete Palau travel guide for more info on what to expect!

Quick Facts

Language

Palauan & English

Religion

Christianity

Currency

US Dollar

Capital

Ngerulmud

Visa

VOA or visa free access forΒ most countries

Climate

Tropical; hot & humid year round

Power Plugs

Apps

N/A

Where Is Palau?

Palau is a remote little island country located in the Micronesia region of the western Pacific Ocean. It's neighbored by Guam to the northeast, Papua to the south, and the Philippines to the west, and these are your main connections for getting there.

How To Get To Palau

The only international airport in Palau is in Koror (code: ROR), which is also known as the Roman Tmetuchl International Airport.

There are direct flights to Palau from a bunch of places in Asia and Oceania, like Brisbane, Port Moresby, Taipei, Seoul, Guam, and Manila. You can shop for flights to Palau on Skyscanner.

Safety

Palau is a very safe country and generally the only concern is some petty crime. Attitudes toward foreigners seem welcoming, and it would be very unusual to hear of a tourist being victimized in Palau. Just take normal precautions and you shouldn't have any issues.

Climate

The climate of Palau is tropical, so there's no bad time to visit. It's hot and humid year round, and there's plenty of rain in every month. The rainiest months in Koror and the Rock Islands are June and July. The driest months are January to April, but even those months have plenty of rain, and it tends to come in the evenings or at night.

Sunscreen

There's a strict ban on sunscreen chemicals in Palau in order to protect the coral reefs. The government has a document here with the ingredients they don't allow. If your sunscreen has one of these and you bring it to the airport, you may lose it.

I didn't wear sunscreen in Palau, but here is one my wife likes. It's a bit pricey since it's mineral only and has no chemical ingredients. Any mineral sunscreen should be okay for bringing into Palau though. Just look for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as the ingredients. Those are minerals and they're allowed in Palau.

Budget

Palau is a midrange travel destination. It's not cheap to visit, but it's not super expensive either, especially if you're already in Asia or Oceania. The main challenge is just getting there. Hotels in Koror are available from $60 USD per night for a private room.

Meals at restaurants are not too expensive, costing about $10, although you can save money by doing your own cooking.

Transportation

If you're staying in Koror, most things you'll need (like restaurants and shops) are within walking distance, and the tour companies usually provide free pickup for activities if you go on a boat or plane tour, etc.

Hotels can also arrange taxis and airport transfers if needed. For any other transportation needs in Palau, you can rent a car and the daily rates are pretty reasonable.

Posts

My latest blog posts about Palau

Get In Touch

Feel free to contact me if you have travel questions, comments, or suggestions!

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