Koror Travel Guide

  Passed out after a long day of dives
by DSwede
 
  • Passed out after a long day of dives
      Passed out after a long day of dives
    by DSwede
  • motoring past an outcrop
      motoring past an outcrop
    by dovalyn
  • speechless
      speechless
    by dovalyn
  • Magnificent
      Magnificent
    by dovalyn
  •   Koror
    by Sergeyu
 

Pro

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 Jellyfish Lake and Mandarin Fish Lake are unique finds. 


Con

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 Tropical rains are unpredictable. 


In a nutshell

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 The perfect place for a WWII history buff and diver/snorkeler. 

 

Explore Koror

Things to Do  

Rock Islands

Rock Islands, Koror

 matlocksson Says:  When in Palau, definately check out the rock islands. You can see them while out diving, kayaking or flying over them. Whatever you do, see them. Sams tours has dive boats and rents kayaks and Belau air lets you fly over them. This view is taken from the hamlet of Koror... 

Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins !

Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins !, Koror

 matlocksson Says:  Don't miss the chance to learn about these fantastic, intelligent animals. You can snorkel, and dive with them or even learn tricks of dolphin training. 

Dolphins Pacific

Dolphins Pacific, Koror

 matlocksson Says:  Your chance to swim with the dolphins. Its amazing. Before you are allowed to swim with them, you must take an introductory course that allows you to touch them and even put your hand in their mouth if you want to ! Then you are qualified to snorkel with them. New rules as... 

Hotels  

West Plaza Hotels: Comfortable stays for diving and/or business

West Plaza Hotels: Comfortable stays for diving and/or business, Koror

 DSwede Says:  There are five West Plaza Hotels in/near Koror. I stayed in the West Plaza Desekel.The amenities are 3-star, but it is very clean and comfortable. The rooms are fairly plain, but if you are visiting Koror for the diving, then you will likely only be in the room to sleep and... 

Palasia Hotel Palau: Centrally located

Palasia Hotel Palau: Centrally located, Koror

 dovalyn Says:  All the amenities of a 5 star hotel. We had a room with a balcony view overlooking the ocean and lagoon. The facility is immaculately clean and the structure is open allowing the trade winds to soothe the arid daytime temperatures. There is a nice sized restaurant and bar on... 

Restaurants  

Rock Island Cafe: Best restaurant in downtown

Rock Island Cafe: Best restaurant in downtown, Koror

 DSwede Says:  Rock Island Cafe is an economic family style restaurant. The menu is fairly extensive, the portions are large and the costs are very reasonable. We went there several times and never had a bad meal.If I remember correctly, the restaurant is closed Friday sunset to Saturday... 

Anywhere they dine: Ask a Palaun

Anywhere they dine: Ask a Palaun, Koror

 dovalyn Says:  The local street vendor down the street from our hotel was a good place to eat. They offered more of the American fare consisting of a hamburger and soft drinks. Ask a Palaun and they will give you directions to a good eatery or just follow the families. Sometimes, they may... 

Kramers: Go to Kramers Cafe !

Kramers: Go to Kramers Cafe !, Koror

 matlocksson Says:  This is an excellent restaurant overlooking the ocean. Its a great place to hang out, have a beer or eat diner. The sashimi here is excellent as well as the daily specials that include a variety of cuisines such as thai, german and mexican. For less than ten dollars the... 

Indian Cuisine: Eat at the Taj

Indian Cuisine: Eat at the Taj, Koror

 matlocksson Says:  This is an excellent Indian restaurant with a wide selection of dishes to sample. On thursdays, there is an all you can eat lunch buffet for $ 10.00. The owner, Robert, is very personable and a good host. The decor is amazing with an open window to the kitchen so you can... 

Transportation  

Rent a car
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dovalyn 73 reviews
PALAU GOVERNMENT CAPITOL COMPLEX - MELEKEOK
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Koror is a wonderful place to walk and some places you do need a car to get to. If you're in town for a day or two, buses and taxis can get you to where you need to go. Bus times are sporadic and "go slow" motto is adhered to and taxi rates vary. Be sure to get a rate quote before you get into the taxis. If you stay longer or would like to visit the other end of the island to see waterfalls or the "mini White House", by all means rent a car. Luckily, my co-worker had the use of his mother's car and we were able to fit 6 of us in a small type SUV. Gas prices are like the states, expensive. People are courteous drivers and no one is in a hurry to go anywhere. Speed limit is anywhere from 15 mph in the city to 50 mph outside of Koror. Be wary of wild pigs, or other animals zipping out from the brush to cross the highway. Construction on the local roads in certain parts of the island will slow you down.

Written Oct 23, 2007

Related to:
 Arts and Culture
 Historical Travel
 Architecture

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Warnings and Dangers  

No warning or dangers
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dovalyn 73 reviews
The only danger?  When we run out of beers!
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During the time that I travelled to Koror, I did not come upon any type of activity that would put me in danger nor did I sense any type of danger. Of course, I was travelling with a Palaun native whom everyone knows everyone. Practically all of the people we met, my friend was related to in some way. Amazing!

Written Oct 23, 2007

Related to:
 Family Travel
 Singles
 Women's Travel

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What to Pack  

You don't need much
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dovalyn 73 reviews
Palaun Tan

Luggage and bags: Rolling back packs, duffel bags or roller bags

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: T-shirt, tank tops, shorts, a waterproof windbreaker, water shoes, slippers or TEVA's.
Undergarments, only what you really need.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Medications a must. Sunscreen and sunglasses. First aid kit (travel size), finger/toenail clippers, tweezers (you'd be amazed at how your nails and chin hair grow in tropical climates)
contact wearers, extra solution - they may not carry your particular brand,

Photo Equipment: Digital and underwater cameras, chargers, extra batteries, 2-4G Memory Cards, ziploc freezer bags 1-quart to 1 gallon size to store your gadgets and protect them from the elements,

Miscellaneous: mosquito repellent,

Written Oct 23, 2007

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Off The Beaten Path  

Ngatpang Waterfall
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dovalyn 73 reviews
majestic and serene
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This place is a little hard to find even for a Palaun. After driving and then backtracking we happened up this primitive looking bit of jungle interior where the falls is located. Good hiking or water shoes are recommended along with mosquito repellent. A light backpack for water and small snacks should suffice along with your camera. The hike is a about 20 minutes to the bottom on a good day when the trail isn't wet from the rains and could be slippery at times. There is a trail marker at the top depicting the history of the falls. This is one of three waterfalls in this region with the shortest hike. There are no rail guards on this trail and what looks like stairs could be giant roots belonging to massive trees towering above you. Take your time while descending the trail and plan your time accordingly for the hike back up. Once on the bottom of the trail, you will need to maneuver around the slippery rock outcrops and make your way to the falls. Once there, it is a refreshing cool shower under the falls after a long hike. The power of the water falling upon your shoulders is a welcome respite and offers massaging ecstasy to weary bones. Should you end up on the other side of the falls, you can still get back topside from that area. Follow the trail up and across the knee deep watering hole to get you back on track. You don't want to get caught here when the sun goes down.

Updated Oct 23, 2007

Related to:
 Singles
 Women's Travel
 Family Travel

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Sports & Outdoors  

Simply Harmless- Jellyfish Lake

Simply Harmless-  Jellyfish Lake, Koror

 DSwede Says:  Jellyfish Lake: Take a short hike over the ridge to get to the lake that makes the island a doughnut. In a limestone island, the water trapped in this lake is eternally baked in the sun and reaps the nutrients of the island's runoff. There are millions and I mean millions of... 

Mandarin Fish Lake

Mandarin Fish Lake, Koror

 DSwede Says:  While it is not technically a lake, but rather a small sheltered bay, Mandarin Fish Lake is a wonderful stop!It is protected by a very narrow channel. The lake itself is very shallow, mostly less than 20ft (6m) deep. There is a large coral balmy in the middle of the bay. The... 

Snorkeling in Palau

Snorkeling in Palau, Koror

 DSwede Says:  I'm a diver and have visited Palau.I've visited Jelly Fish Lake. That was truly unique. It does not matter if you are a diver or not, scuba is simply not allowed there (for a number of reasons).While most avid divers who want to do wrecks will back up a trip to Palau with... 

How Sea-Leg worthy do my Sea-Legs gotta be?

How Sea-Leg worthy do my Sea-Legs gotta be?, Koror

 DSwede Says:  I did not do a liveaboard from Palau, but I did all my dives as single day trips (one week in total). The waters around Palau were very calm and only had 2~3ft swells at maximum when I was visiting. If you are on a larger boat, 3 ft swells are barely noticeable.However, if... 

Safety of Hiking and snorkeling the islands Palau?

Safety of Hiking and snorkeling the islands Palau?, Koror

 DSwede Says:  [From a post of mine in the forums]The currents while I was in Palau were not that strong. With fins, it was manageable. But for the first few minutes you are in the water, keep an eye on the coast and get a gauge for current movements.The animals in Palau or the ocean in... 

Sharks!!

Sharks!!, Koror

 DSwede Says:  Two words: Blue Corner.type it in any search engine and you'll have thousands of hits.Dive with a reef hook, inflate your BC for a bit of positive buoyancy, park on the edge of the wall... and simply watch the big sharks patrol along the wall. You will be at 20~25m, so you... 

Favorites  

Visa requirements for all nationals
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

DSwede 1654 reviews

Favorite thing: US citizens do not need a Visa for stays up to one year.

Canadian, Australia, UK and EU citizens can pay entry fee of $50 on arrival for a stay up to 30 days.

Maximum two extensions are available for 30 days each at a cost of $100.

Other nationals should confirm with the nearest embassy (Guam, Japan, Netherlands, Saipan, Taiwan, USA, Philippines).

http://www.visit-palau.com/aboutpalau/embassies.cfm

Written May 3, 2009

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Map of Koror