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Voted by CEDAM International as the No. 1 Underwater Wonder of the World in 1989, Palau's fringing coral reefs provide home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 700 species of corals and sea anemones. Plunging walls, coral gardens and World War II wrecks are all part of the adventure of diving here.
Each site offers a unique habitat, serving as home to schools of triggerfish, snappers, butterflyfish, spadefish and barracudas as well as the more individual grouper, Napoleon wrasse and a variety of reef sharks. Manta and eagle rays, the shy cuttlefish, and hawksbill and green turtles are also frequent sightings.
Blue Corner
Off the Ngemelis Islands, is one of those dives that is consistently electric, providing fish action in every imaginable shape and size. Large sharks are common, as are small ones, sea turtles, groupers, schools of barracudas, snappers and small tropicals, Napoleon wrasse and bumphead parrot fish, and even an occasional moray eel or sea snake. Incredibly big stingrays have also been seen here.
The amazing thing about Blue Corner is that about 90 percent of all of these animals are spotted on every dive.
The Corner is an area of the reef flat that starts in about 45 feet of water and runs for a great distance, jutting out into the sea before dropping off abruptly to form a wall. Small hills, sand tunnels, and gorges are cut into the upper side. A strong tidal current runs through, providing food for the bottom of the marine chain, which in turn attracts the middle and upper chain critters.
A typical dive starts by descending along the wall through schooling fish and at least a dozen reef sharks who are curious about the noise of the diver's bubbles. Prior to the tip is a cut in the wall that boasts immense gorgonian fans as well as feathery black coral trees.
Once up on the 50-foot level, the schools of fish that course the corner can be watched for hours. Some schools actually mix together, with as many as four different species swimming in one dense formation. By moving a little further into an area of heavier coral growth, it is not unusual for a diver to see hawksbill sea turtles grazing on hydroids. On one dive, I counted six in a matter of about ten minutes.
Because it is so consistently active, the Blue Corner has become a mecca for world-class underwater photographers and should be considered a must-see for every serious diver. The currents here can be powerful and tricky at times. Be sure to watch for down and up currents that run along the walls and that can bring a diver up or down faster than wanted and really mess with a dive profile. The sharks here are well-fed, but treat them with respect anyway, especially during mating season in May and June.
Ngemelis Wall
Jacques Cousteau considered Ngemelis Wall, commonly known as Big Drop-off, one of the best dive walls in the world. It drops to nearly 1,000 feet, but its upper portion is encrusted with multi-colored sea fans, sponges, coral whips and soft corals.
German Channel
Just a few minutes away, German Channel is known for its regular sightings of manta rays, which come in and hover over rock outcroppings inhabited by tiny cleaner wrasses. Occasionally, divers are awestruck by the sight of a shark pulling in and baring its teeth for these brave little fish to do a cleaning.
Siaes Tunnel
Siaes Tunnel is an enormous underwater cavern bathed in an ethereal blue light and peppered with sea fans and ancient bushes of black coral. On the white sand of this cavern, white-tip reef sharks can almost always be found taking a snooze. Once through the tunnel, explore the soft and hard coral threaded throughout a plunging wall.
Chandelier Cave
For something completely different,Chandelier Cave is a series of underwater chambers filled with ancient stalactites. As this is a shallow water dive, it is ideal for beginner spelunkers but should not be attempted without an experienced guide.
Rock Islands
The seas around the Rock Islands are dotted with sunken remains of more than 75 World War II military ships and Japanese seaplanes and Zeros. Located primarily in the lagoons around the Rock Islands, these relics have developed their own ecosystem where fish, corals and other invertebrates not commonly seen along the outer reef systems thrive.
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