Diving Palau
Introduction
Palau is home to over 700 species of coral (400 hard corals) and over 1300 species of fish, at last count. This is witness to the fact that the warm tropical waters of Palau (typically an agreeable 84°F/29°C) have the most diverse marine life anywhere in Micronesia.
Neco Marine Facility
Diving Center Facility
We have a large air-conditioned shop where you can find everything from a full range of dive gear to gifts for those at home, such as postcards, books, and, of course, souvenir NECO T-shirts. Behind the scenes, our modern compressor and custom Nitrox membrane system provides you with safe, clean air and all the free Nitrox you can use. And with our ample gear storage and drying space, you can simply leave your dive gear on the boat, and we'll take care of it for you between dive days.
In addition, if you don't have your own gear, we offer Aqualung BCDs, Apex regulators, and Mares fins for rent. Finally, we're the proud owners of the best scuba training pool in Palau. It was designed and purpose built with dive training in mind. And just behind the pool you can find changing rooms with hot showers, lockers, and two large rinse tanks, one for your scuba gear and a second for wetsuits.
Right next door to the shop is the popular Drop Off Bar and Grill. Drop Off is the place to go to relax, grab a cold drink and have the freshest fish on island. The Bar's excellent staff are always happy to accommodate you and you are always welcome to enjoy our FREE WI-FI or catch a game on our TV. See our reviews on TripAdvisor for more info, photos and reviews.
Fleet of High-Performance Dive Boats
Our 42' aluminum boat, Tekrar, is capable of holding up to 20 divers, including guides. It has marine head, fresh water shower, canopy and photo table.
Flying Fish is our a brand new 38' boat that can hold up to 18 divers, including guides. We also have 35' and 33' dive boats, which are capable of holding up to 16 divers, including guides.
Demul, a 32' catamaran, is set up for either diving or game fishing and is capable of holding up to 10 people, including guides. It's outfitted with a fresh water shower, marine head, sleeping area, GPS, and outriggers.
All of our boats are powered by Yamaha engines and have sun covers, padded seats, dry storage, Oxygen kits, first aid kits, and communication equipment (just in case). Boat charters are available upon request, please contact us.
Transportation
If it's the airport or hotel transfer or simply taking a land tour, our brand new vehicles will make you forget any worries about comfort.
Map of Diving
= Diving Points
The Dives in Palau
With over 60 dive sites and 60 wrecks there is a huge variety in dive sites. Whether it be the strong currents found at Blue Corner, the beautiful hard coral gardens, the breathtaking soft corals of Big Drop-Off and Yellow Wall, or even the visually stunning Blue Holes, there are dive sites to wow any and everyone. With critters ranging from Manta Rays and sharks all the way down to Mandarinfish and nudibranchs, in Palau there is always something to look at.
You will find here not just some of the world's best diving and most famous dive sites, but a huge variety of dive sites.
Palau has been written about in numerous diving magazines, and is usually, if not always rated in the "Top 3" sites in the world.
Just like the weather, the diving in Palau is great year around. But if you're looking for something special then look no further:
Dive Trips
Dive trips typically run a full day with either two or three dives, depending on your preference. Dive sites are chosen on the day by the dive guide, based on weather and tides, and may change up to the last minute, depending on live conditions, so unfortunately, dive sites can not be guaranteed in advance.
Trying to budget your vacation? contact us for our current price list.
Dive Planning
Dive Profiles
Our dive profiles change depending on the chosen site. In general the maximum depth for a reef dive is 80ft (24m). All dives are planned as no-decompression dives and use a multi-level profile, so bottom times vary, typically from 40 to 60 minutes (and maybe more!), depending on air supply and dive site.
Dive Computers
We highly recommend that all our divers use computers. This enables you to monitor your own dive profile and will help you stay safely within your no-decompression limits.
The Reef Hook
The Reef or Current Hook is an incredible little invention; we use it to remain stationary at the edge of the drop-offs where the currents are strongest and the marine life is the most concentrated. Just hang back, relax and let the dive come to you. Reef hooks can be purchased from Neco Marine.
The Top Dive Sites
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
This dive starts with a gentle drift along a stunning wall covered in sea-fans and soft corals. Siaes Corner is similar to Blue Corner in that it offers the opportunity to hook-in when the current is strong enough and watch the sharks and large schools of snapper hang in the current. The top of the reef is very healthy so after unhooking divers drift over the plateau and admire the pristine coral and abundant reef fish.
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet - Nitrox is highly advised
Although the name suggests it is a tunnel, this site is more like a wide cavern with three openings. The biggest starts around 28m/95ft and descends very quickly to well past recreational limits, so it's very important to stick with your guide and monitor your depth. Watch out below for schools of Jack below, sometimes being hunted by Giant and Blue Fin Trevally. It's worth bringing a flashlight to look at the roof and walls of this beautiful cavern but once inside you will soon notice the second opening on your left, framed with beautiful fan corals taking advantage of current moving in and out of the cavern. Continuing into the cavern and the floor rises up to around 30m/100ft. Look closely to find beautifully marked Shrimp Gobi's and Dart Fish. The third opening is bigger and slightly more shallow than the second but is similarly framed with picturesque Fan Corals. It's not uncommon for Grey Reef Sharks to be found outside any of the entrances. On exiting the tunnel, the dive usually continues much shallower in order to save on No Deco Time, along a gorgeous and expansive reef wall covered in hard and soft corals and many, many kinds of tropical fish.
Typical depth: 15 meters / 50 feet
Ulong Channel is a wonderful drift dive - trim your buoyancy to neutral and soak in the colors as you drift through this stunning natural channel. Hook in at the mouth of the channel with a strong incoming tide to watch the sharks hang in the current, then fly through the channel past beautiful coral and fish.
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet
A stone's throw from Ulong Channel, this expansive coral garden boasts large hard corals of every variety. Panther Grouper, Spotted Sweet-Lips and a large school of big eye soldier fish shelter under broad table corals, while hefty schools of Yellow Fin Barracuda patrol the reef, sometimes accompanied by Grey Reef Sharks. The reef ends at a sandy bottom around 30m / 100ft which slopes off into the blue and gives the site its name. Look closely in the sand for waving forests of Garden Eels and be manicured by bold Cleaner Wrasse.
Typical depth: 25 meters / 80 feet
Lying in the shadow of Ulong Island, this wall offers both a stunning plateau to explore as well as breathtaking walls and drop offs. Sharks, Trevally, Napoleon Wrasse and other predators love to gather at the small corners and cuts in this wall and we frequently find them harassing schools of Scad waiting for the right moment to strike. Large grouper will also be found blending in with the corals nearby. There is also a large resident school of Big Eye Trevally which roaming the edge of reef, swirling in a tight ball, flashing their silver sides.
Typical depth: 12 meters / 40 feet
Chandelier Cave is a only short boat journey from the Neco dock. It is a cavern extending back into a rock island and contains four air chambers, the size of these chambers varying with the tide. The name is derived from the stalactites which hang like chandeliers from the ceiling inside these air chambers. The dive is typically a very shallow dive, allowing divers to surface in several or all of the air chambers to observe the stalactites formations which differ from one chamber to the next up close. A flashlight is mandatory on this dive, although light from the entrance is always visible. This light allows us to exit the cave without the aid of flashlights for an eerie but beautiful experience on our way out. Outside the cave we have opportunity to look for the elusive Mandarin Fish, a beautifully decorated but rather shy Dragonets which hides in the coral at shallow depths.
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
Lighthouse Channel is a drift dive known for its strong currents. The strong currents mean different kinds of coral thrive in this channel so you'll see more Fan and Tube corals on the sloping wall. Look out for lobsters peering out of their grotto's and turtles catching a bite to eat, with big schools of Fusiliers feeding in the current.
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet
This Japanese ship wreck, situated very close to Koror harbor, has not been properly identified and so it has been named after the fused helmet stacks that can be found on the wreck. This wreck is also known as the Depth Charge Wreck with over 100 depth charges still visible in the hold. Operations are underway in late 2013 and early 2014 to safely remove these depth charges as they have been determined to be hazardous to the environment and to divers. The wreck itself is relatively small and starts rather shallow at the stern (around 10m / 40ft) but has plenty of interesting artifacts to see in addition to the helmet stacks. The open deck makes for easy exploration with several "swim-through" areas. Watch your Bottom Time and No Deco Limit though as the bow sits in 30m / 100ft of water. A typical dive follows the starboard side of the wreck down to the bow and returns along the port side, back to the buoy line at the stern.
Typical depth: 28 meters / 90 feet - Nitrox is highly advised
Blue holes are four large holes in the reef plateau just a few feet below the surface. The holes are all connected to a single large cavern which is well lit by the holes above and from the large cavern entrance leading to the ocean. Make sure you catch the view looking back up holes as the rays of light shine down. At the back of the cavern the bottom sits around 28m/90ft inside, but this drops off very steeply as you move towards the main ocean opening making it very important to monitor your depth as you descend into and move around inside. There are several Flame File or Disco Clams, interesting Gobi's and their Shrimp partners and a cleaner shrimp grotto too. On leaving the Blue Holes, most dives finish by turning left along a beautiful reef wall which leads towards Blue Corner.
Typical depth: 15 - 20 meters / 50 - 70 feet
Blue Corner is one of Palau's most famous dive sites, allowing divers the chance to get very close to the local marine life. Situated off Ngemelis island, south of Koror, the big attractions here are numerous Grey Reef and White Tip Reef sharks, Tuna, Giant Trevally, large schools of Jacks, Snappers and Barracudas, Turtles, and of course, the friendly Napoleon Wrasses. The reef also teems with almost every kind of tropical fish. Hooking-in here, divers hang effortlessly over the reef while staying close to the action. A word of warning though, the currents are strong, don't always follow the tides and can be unpredictable. You have to dive Blue Corner several times to really get a feel for the place, since on different tides and moon phases it can be a totally different dive experience.
Typical depth: 18 meters / 60 feet
Dexter's Wall offers a gentle current dive along a diverse reef wall covered in soft and hard corals, and teeming with Green and Hawksbill Turtles. Set alongside the famous Blue Corner this is also a great place to see Grey and White Tip Reef Sharks moving to and from the corner. The at first sloping topography changes as the dive continues to more sheer drops in frequently crystal clear waters.
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet - Nitrox is highly advised
Virgin Hole is a vertical drop to 30m / 100ft down a wide chimney in the top of the reef, followed by a 30m / 100ft horizontal swim to the exit hole in the reef wall. Light from either the entrance or exit is usually visible at all times but a flashlight is recommended for this dive. The entrance, exit and tunnel are all wide enough to admit several divers alongside each other. After exiting the hole, the dive continues along the beautiful reef wall known as Virgin Wall - steep at first but further along these are several large coral heads to explore as well as a short "swim through".
Typical depth: 15 meters / 50 feet
Also known as Fairy Land, this magical garden offers stunning coral formations in a wide variety of colors. The pristine corals here provide sanctuary for an wealth of tropical reef fish and also attract large schools of Snapper, Butterfly Fish and Fusiliers. Turtles love the calm clear waters and can be seen from far popping to the surface to breathe and gliding back down again. Look out for White Tip Reef Sharks napping in the sandy patches and keep an eye on the shallows to spot the more skittish Black Tip Reef Sharks.
Typical depth: 15 - 20 meters / 50 - 70 feet
A slightly smaller version of Blue Corner, New Drop Off is a favorite at outgoing tide. Home to many turtles, sharks and large schools of tropical and pelagic fish. You can also see Napoleon Wrasse and many more of Palau's favorites. The wall drops off to hundreds of feet while the top of the plateau is relatively shallow at around 10 - 15m / 30 - 50 feet with a plentitude of the marine life to be found here. Green turtles sleep on the reef, here, and Hawksbill turtles munch on the corals.
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
Big drop off runs along the side of Ngemelis Island and abounds with soft, leather and fan corals and was made famous by Jacques Cousteau who loved this wall dive and studied the corals here. Drift slowly along this wall through schools of Yellow Pyramid Butterfly Fish, Moorish Idols and many types of Angel Fish. Study the wall more closely to find Nudibranchs, Moray Eels and Lion Fish, and perhaps even a well camouflaged Scorpion Fish. White Tip Sharks often snooze on the sandy patches below and keep an eye on the blue for passing Grey Reef Sharks or even an Eagle Ray.
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
German Channel is the only man-made channel in Palau. It is named for the Germans who, during their occupation of Palau prior to WWII, created the channel for a more direct shipping route between Koror and Peleliu. The resulting topography of the dive site means that the currents help accumulate large quantities of plankton in the mouth of the channel and it is this plankton that attracts Manta Rays to the area. German Channel is therefore an excellent location to see Manta Rays feeding in "trains" or being cleaned on one of the many "cleaning stations" dotted along the site.
Typical depth: 15 meters / 50 feet
This wall dive on the outside of Ngemelis Island beings very steep but the slope gets slowly more gradual as the dive continues. This allows for easy exploration of large dazzling corals heads, teeming with life and later on a short labyrinth in amongst the coral heads ending in a short "swim-through". Feeding turtles are a common occurrence amongst other gems to be found in the corals and ensure you watch the blue for a glimpse of larger passing sharks and rays and the rarely seen tawny nurse shark.
Typical depth: 10 to 30 meters 30 / to 90 feet
Peleliu Corner is where the ocean currents, flowing around this island archipelago, converge making up some of the strongest currents you can experience as a diver. Safety Sausages are mandatory equipment for this dive.
Peleliu Cut is part of a vertical wall, which runs along the western side of Peleliu Island, turns and extends to Peleliu Corner at the southern tip of the reef system. This section of the reef, which includes Peleliu Wall, is the deepest reef structure in Palau. The top of the reef is a plateau that gradually drops from 30 feet (10 m) in front of the WWII monument to 90 feet (30 m) where Peleliu Expressway and Peleliu Cut merge to create Peleliu Corner. The currents you may experience while diving the reefs of Peleliu can be the strongest in Palau. Diving at this site, due to the unpredictability and strength of the currents is considered difficult. Depth and direction of the current(s) must be monitored, by the diver, at all times.
Typical depth: 10 to 40 meter /30 to 120 feet
Currents:r The currents at Peleliu Expressway are unpredictable and often change directions without notice. As rule of thumb, incoming tide will flow to the northeast; the outgoing tide flows to southwest creating what is called the 'expressway' effect. During full and new moon the currents are more severe and special care should be taken if this dive is attempted during this period. For more information regarding the tidal patterns of Palau, check Blue Corner tide and current section. This dive is for experienced and advanced divers because of the ripping currents that can seemingly come out of nowhere and change direction without warning. When the current is running, Peleliu Express is considered the ultimate in drift dives, but this dive is not for everyone.
Reef Formation: is part of a vertical wall, which runs along the western side of Peleliu Island, turns and extends to Peleliu Corner at the southern tip of the reef system. This section of the reef, which includes Peleliu Wall, is the deepest reef structure in Palau. The top of the reef is a plateau that gradually drops from 30 feet (10 m) in front of the WWII monument to 90 feet (30 m) where Peleliu Expressway and Peleliu Cut merge to create Peleliu Corner. The currents you may experience while diving the reefs of Peleliu can be the strongest in Palau. Diving at this site, due to the unpredictability and strength of the currents is considered difficult. Depth and direction of the current(s) must be monitored, by the diver, at all times.
The Diving Destinations
Reef Dives
Names like Blue Corner, Big Drop-Off, and Peleliu Express make divers all over the world salivate. People who dive Palau always come back for more.
What draws people here? The ripping currents and fast drift dives? Fantastic shark action? The huge schools of barracuda, trevally, fusiliers, and Pyramid butterflyfish (to name just a few)? The sedate pleasure of the beautiful hard coral gardens? The breath-taking soft corals of the wall dives? Take your pick. When we say there's something for everyone, we're not kidding.
Dive trips typically run a full day with either two or three dives, depending on your preference. If you have an interest in particular dive sites, either email us in advance, or simply let your dive guide know.
Wreck Dives
Many of Palau's wrecks are the legacy of US air raids on the occupying Japanese forces during 1944, such as "Operation Desecrate."
Many of the lagoons are littered with WW II wrecks, with the highest concentrations in the waters surrounding around Koror. You can dive everything from fighter seaplanes and landing crafts to cargo ships and destroyers. We have a few wrecks of fishing boats around Palau, and although not related to WWII, they are still definitely worth diving.
The most commonly explored wrecks are the Iro, which is a 14,050 ton, 470' SHIRETOKO Class Fleet Tanker, sunk upright, and the Chuyo Maru, a 1,941 ton, 272' Army Cargo ship, also sunk upright. And don't forget Depth-Charge (or Helmet) Wreck, which is among the least salvaged of the wrecks, and therefore one that is on most people's list.
Typically we dive wrecks as either the first or last dive on a three dive day, with the other two dives being reef dives. If your group charters the whole dive boat, then we can dedicate as many dive days as you desire to wreck diving.
Be warned that most of the wrecks have not been properly salvaged and as such may well still contain unexploded ordinance - so no touching.
Cavern Dives
Most of these are deep dives and descend far deeper than recreational limits, for this reason it is important to follow your guide and use a dive computer and monitor your depth carefully. Nitrox is also advisable to make these deeper dives safer.
For more serious cave divers, there are undoubtedly larger underwater systems, but they await discovery and exploration - it's one of Palau's great unknowns. Watch this space for further developments...
Night Dives
See basket stars crawl across the reef like something from a fantasy film. Watch lionfish hunt and corals feed. As your focus is on everything close at hand you're more likely to spot the smaller critters, shells, crabs, and nudibranchs. Do not forget to cover your lights at some point during the dive to check out the bio-luminescence.
Neco Marine offers up a wide range of night diving options, from wrecks to reefs, and even wall dives for the adventurous.
Nautilus Dives
Nautili live in very deep water, typically over 300' (100m); therefore, we have to trap them in order for divers to interact with them. Using bait, they are trapped over night and brought up to recreational diving depths in the morning. This gives you a rare chance to see and photograph a live healthy animal.
The nautili are unharmed by the experience since the animals are able to adjust the pressure within their shells, and are subsequently released to swim back to the depths.
Manta Rays
The best chance to see manta rays is at the "cleaning stations" found in the channels on the outer reef line. Cleaning stations are communities of small fish who consume small parasites off of the mantas.
The best chance to see manta rays is at the "cleaning stations" found in the channels on the outer reef line. Cleaning stations are communities of small fish who consume small parasites off of the mantas.
Mandarinfish
Mandarinfish feed on small invertebrates found in the mud and silt at the bottom of shallow areas of Palau's marine lakes and lagoons. For most of the day they crawl around inside corals making them difficult to spot. As the light drops in the late afternoon, they become more active, and at dusk they rise to the surface in pairs for courtship and mating displays.
By request, we can make an additional stop (3rd dive or snorkel) in the late afternoon to the aptly named Mandarinfish Lake. Or, if you like, we can arrange a dusk dive to catch these wonderful fish in the act of courting, mating, and laying eggs!
Mandarinfish can be also found near the entrance of Chandelier cave.
Corners
Here in Palau we use reef-hooks to get the best view of the action without having to fight the current. Hooked in just back from the edge of the reef with a slightly inflated BCD, it's possible to hang in the current above the reef with no effort and chill out while observing the action unfold before you.
Channels
Incoming tides also bring clear ocean water from outside the lagoon, greatly improving visibility in comparison with outgoing tides. These dives usually have sandy bottoms and are relatively shallow dives.
Walls & Gardens
Our beautiful gardens present themselves as more gently sloping coral vistas with pristine coral formations in every direction.
Palau is home to over 700 species of coral (400 hard corals) and over 1300 species of fish, at last count. This is witness to the fact that the warm tropical waters of Palau (typically an agreeable 84°F/29°C) have the most diverse marine life anywhere in Micronesia.
Diving Center Facility
We have a large air-conditioned shop where you can find everything from a full range of dive gear to gifts for those at home, such as postcards, books, and, of course, souvenir NECO T-shirts. Behind the scenes, our modern compressor and custom Nitrox membrane system provides you with safe, clean air and all the free Nitrox you can use. And with our ample gear storage and drying space, you can simply leave your dive gear on the boat, and we'll take care of it for you between dive days.
In addition, if you don't have your own gear, we offer Aqualung BCDs, Apex regulators, and Mares fins for rent. Finally, we're the proud owners of the best scuba training pool in Palau. It was designed and purpose built with dive training in mind. And just behind the pool you can find changing rooms with hot showers, lockers, and two large rinse tanks, one for your scuba gear and a second for wetsuits.
Right next door to the shop is the popular Drop Off Bar and Grill. Drop Off is the place to go to relax, grab a cold drink and have the freshest fish on island. The Bar's excellent staff are always happy to accommodate you and you are always welcome to enjoy our FREE WI-FI or catch a game on our TV. See our reviews on TripAdvisor for more info, photos and reviews.
Fleet of High-Performance Dive Boats
Our 42' aluminum boat, Tekrar, is capable of holding up to 20 divers, including guides. It has marine head, fresh water shower, canopy and photo table.
Flying Fish is our a brand new 38' boat that can hold up to 18 divers, including guides. We also have 35' and 33' dive boats, which are capable of holding up to 16 divers, including guides.
Demul, a 32' catamaran, is set up for either diving or game fishing and is capable of holding up to 10 people, including guides. It's outfitted with a fresh water shower, marine head, sleeping area, GPS, and outriggers.
All of our boats are powered by Yamaha engines and have sun covers, padded seats, dry storage, Oxygen kits, first aid kits, and communication equipment (just in case). Boat charters are available upon request, please contact us.
Transportation
If it's the airport or hotel transfer or simply taking a land tour, our brand new vehicles will make you forget any worries about comfort.
= Diving Points
With over 60 dive sites and 60 wrecks there is a huge variety in dive sites. Whether it be the strong currents found at Blue Corner, the beautiful hard coral gardens, the breathtaking soft corals of Big Drop-Off and Yellow Wall, or even the visually stunning Blue Holes, there are dive sites to wow any and everyone. With critters ranging from Manta Rays and sharks all the way down to Mandarinfish and nudibranchs, in Palau there is always something to look at.
You will find here not just some of the world's best diving and most famous dive sites, but a huge variety of dive sites.
Palau has been written about in numerous diving magazines, and is usually, if not always rated in the "Top 3" sites in the world.
Just like the weather, the diving in Palau is great year around. But if you're looking for something special then look no further:
- Manta mating season extends from the end of December to the beginning of March. For the diver this means more reliable sightings and more Mantas.
- You'll find Grey Reef Sharks mating through December. So expect more sharks, more action, and some interesting activities... if you get lucky!
- Coral spawning is known to happen four times a year. The coral spawning is linked to the lunar cycle, so for more information on spawning species and estimated dates please contact us . The approximate spawning periods are end of May, end of August, mid-September, and mid-February.
- Huge shoals of Moorish Idols and Unicorn Fish get together in spawning aggregations throughout February and March. If you want to have a chance to see this, then synchronise your visit with the half moons.
- Turtles mate and lay eggs from April to July. Though actually seeing turtles mate is rare, the larger individuals are a lot more likely to be spotted this time of year.
- Groupers and Red Snappers spawn in huge numbers around the full moon in the months of June and July.
- Giant Cuttlefish lay eggs inside brain coral in Ngerchong channel from May to August.
Dive Trips
Dive trips typically run a full day with either two or three dives, depending on your preference. Dive sites are chosen on the day by the dive guide, based on weather and tides, and may change up to the last minute, depending on live conditions, so unfortunately, dive sites can not be guaranteed in advance.
Trying to budget your vacation? contact us for our current price list.
Dive Planning
Dive Profiles
Our dive profiles change depending on the chosen site. In general the maximum depth for a reef dive is 80ft (24m). All dives are planned as no-decompression dives and use a multi-level profile, so bottom times vary, typically from 40 to 60 minutes (and maybe more!), depending on air supply and dive site.
Dive Computers
We highly recommend that all our divers use computers. This enables you to monitor your own dive profile and will help you stay safely within your no-decompression limits.
The Reef Hook
The Reef or Current Hook is an incredible little invention; we use it to remain stationary at the edge of the drop-offs where the currents are strongest and the marine life is the most concentrated. Just hang back, relax and let the dive come to you. Reef hooks can be purchased from Neco Marine.
Siaes Corner
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
This dive starts with a gentle drift along a stunning wall covered in sea-fans and soft corals. Siaes Corner is similar to Blue Corner in that it offers the opportunity to hook-in when the current is strong enough and watch the sharks and large schools of snapper hang in the current. The top of the reef is very healthy so after unhooking divers drift over the plateau and admire the pristine coral and abundant reef fish.
Siaes Tunnel
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet - Nitrox is highly advised
Although the name suggests it is a tunnel, this site is more like a wide cavern with three openings. The biggest starts around 28m/95ft and descends very quickly to well past recreational limits, so it's very important to stick with your guide and monitor your depth. Watch out below for schools of Jack below, sometimes being hunted by Giant and Blue Fin Trevally. It's worth bringing a flashlight to look at the roof and walls of this beautiful cavern but once inside you will soon notice the second opening on your left, framed with beautiful fan corals taking advantage of current moving in and out of the cavern. Continuing into the cavern and the floor rises up to around 30m/100ft. Look closely to find beautifully marked Shrimp Gobi's and Dart Fish. The third opening is bigger and slightly more shallow than the second but is similarly framed with picturesque Fan Corals. It's not uncommon for Grey Reef Sharks to be found outside any of the entrances. On exiting the tunnel, the dive usually continues much shallower in order to save on No Deco Time, along a gorgeous and expansive reef wall covered in hard and soft corals and many, many kinds of tropical fish.
Ulong Channel
Typical depth: 15 meters / 50 feet
Ulong Channel is a wonderful drift dive - trim your buoyancy to neutral and soak in the colors as you drift through this stunning natural channel. Hook in at the mouth of the channel with a strong incoming tide to watch the sharks hang in the current, then fly through the channel past beautiful coral and fish.
Sandy Paradise
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet
A stone's throw from Ulong Channel, this expansive coral garden boasts large hard corals of every variety. Panther Grouper, Spotted Sweet-Lips and a large school of big eye soldier fish shelter under broad table corals, while hefty schools of Yellow Fin Barracuda patrol the reef, sometimes accompanied by Grey Reef Sharks. The reef ends at a sandy bottom around 30m / 100ft which slopes off into the blue and gives the site its name. Look closely in the sand for waving forests of Garden Eels and be manicured by bold Cleaner Wrasse.
Ulong Wall
Typical depth: 25 meters / 80 feet
Lying in the shadow of Ulong Island, this wall offers both a stunning plateau to explore as well as breathtaking walls and drop offs. Sharks, Trevally, Napoleon Wrasse and other predators love to gather at the small corners and cuts in this wall and we frequently find them harassing schools of Scad waiting for the right moment to strike. Large grouper will also be found blending in with the corals nearby. There is also a large resident school of Big Eye Trevally which roaming the edge of reef, swirling in a tight ball, flashing their silver sides.
Chandelier Cave
Typical depth: 12 meters / 40 feet
Chandelier Cave is a only short boat journey from the Neco dock. It is a cavern extending back into a rock island and contains four air chambers, the size of these chambers varying with the tide. The name is derived from the stalactites which hang like chandeliers from the ceiling inside these air chambers. The dive is typically a very shallow dive, allowing divers to surface in several or all of the air chambers to observe the stalactites formations which differ from one chamber to the next up close. A flashlight is mandatory on this dive, although light from the entrance is always visible. This light allows us to exit the cave without the aid of flashlights for an eerie but beautiful experience on our way out. Outside the cave we have opportunity to look for the elusive Mandarin Fish, a beautifully decorated but rather shy Dragonets which hides in the coral at shallow depths.
Lighthouse Channnel
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
Lighthouse Channel is a drift dive known for its strong currents. The strong currents mean different kinds of coral thrive in this channel so you'll see more Fan and Tube corals on the sloping wall. Look out for lobsters peering out of their grotto's and turtles catching a bite to eat, with big schools of Fusiliers feeding in the current.
Helmet (Depth Charge) Wreck
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet
This Japanese ship wreck, situated very close to Koror harbor, has not been properly identified and so it has been named after the fused helmet stacks that can be found on the wreck. This wreck is also known as the Depth Charge Wreck with over 100 depth charges still visible in the hold. Operations are underway in late 2013 and early 2014 to safely remove these depth charges as they have been determined to be hazardous to the environment and to divers. The wreck itself is relatively small and starts rather shallow at the stern (around 10m / 40ft) but has plenty of interesting artifacts to see in addition to the helmet stacks. The open deck makes for easy exploration with several "swim-through" areas. Watch your Bottom Time and No Deco Limit though as the bow sits in 30m / 100ft of water. A typical dive follows the starboard side of the wreck down to the bow and returns along the port side, back to the buoy line at the stern.
Blue Holes
Typical depth: 28 meters / 90 feet - Nitrox is highly advised
Blue holes are four large holes in the reef plateau just a few feet below the surface. The holes are all connected to a single large cavern which is well lit by the holes above and from the large cavern entrance leading to the ocean. Make sure you catch the view looking back up holes as the rays of light shine down. At the back of the cavern the bottom sits around 28m/90ft inside, but this drops off very steeply as you move towards the main ocean opening making it very important to monitor your depth as you descend into and move around inside. There are several Flame File or Disco Clams, interesting Gobi's and their Shrimp partners and a cleaner shrimp grotto too. On leaving the Blue Holes, most dives finish by turning left along a beautiful reef wall which leads towards Blue Corner.
Blue Corner
Typical depth: 15 - 20 meters / 50 - 70 feet
Blue Corner is one of Palau's most famous dive sites, allowing divers the chance to get very close to the local marine life. Situated off Ngemelis island, south of Koror, the big attractions here are numerous Grey Reef and White Tip Reef sharks, Tuna, Giant Trevally, large schools of Jacks, Snappers and Barracudas, Turtles, and of course, the friendly Napoleon Wrasses. The reef also teems with almost every kind of tropical fish. Hooking-in here, divers hang effortlessly over the reef while staying close to the action. A word of warning though, the currents are strong, don't always follow the tides and can be unpredictable. You have to dive Blue Corner several times to really get a feel for the place, since on different tides and moon phases it can be a totally different dive experience.
Dexter's Wall
Typical depth: 18 meters / 60 feet
Dexter's Wall offers a gentle current dive along a diverse reef wall covered in soft and hard corals, and teeming with Green and Hawksbill Turtles. Set alongside the famous Blue Corner this is also a great place to see Grey and White Tip Reef Sharks moving to and from the corner. The at first sloping topography changes as the dive continues to more sheer drops in frequently crystal clear waters.
Virgin Blue Hole
Typical depth: 30 meters / 100 feet - Nitrox is highly advised
Virgin Hole is a vertical drop to 30m / 100ft down a wide chimney in the top of the reef, followed by a 30m / 100ft horizontal swim to the exit hole in the reef wall. Light from either the entrance or exit is usually visible at all times but a flashlight is recommended for this dive. The entrance, exit and tunnel are all wide enough to admit several divers alongside each other. After exiting the hole, the dive continues along the beautiful reef wall known as Virgin Wall - steep at first but further along these are several large coral heads to explore as well as a short "swim through".
Ngemelis Coral Garden
Typical depth: 15 meters / 50 feet
Also known as Fairy Land, this magical garden offers stunning coral formations in a wide variety of colors. The pristine corals here provide sanctuary for an wealth of tropical reef fish and also attract large schools of Snapper, Butterfly Fish and Fusiliers. Turtles love the calm clear waters and can be seen from far popping to the surface to breathe and gliding back down again. Look out for White Tip Reef Sharks napping in the sandy patches and keep an eye on the shallows to spot the more skittish Black Tip Reef Sharks.
New Drop Off
Typical depth: 15 - 20 meters / 50 - 70 feet
A slightly smaller version of Blue Corner, New Drop Off is a favorite at outgoing tide. Home to many turtles, sharks and large schools of tropical and pelagic fish. You can also see Napoleon Wrasse and many more of Palau's favorites. The wall drops off to hundreds of feet while the top of the plateau is relatively shallow at around 10 - 15m / 30 - 50 feet with a plentitude of the marine life to be found here. Green turtles sleep on the reef, here, and Hawksbill turtles munch on the corals.
Big Drop Off
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
Big drop off runs along the side of Ngemelis Island and abounds with soft, leather and fan corals and was made famous by Jacques Cousteau who loved this wall dive and studied the corals here. Drift slowly along this wall through schools of Yellow Pyramid Butterfly Fish, Moorish Idols and many types of Angel Fish. Study the wall more closely to find Nudibranchs, Moray Eels and Lion Fish, and perhaps even a well camouflaged Scorpion Fish. White Tip Sharks often snooze on the sandy patches below and keep an eye on the blue for passing Grey Reef Sharks or even an Eagle Ray.
German Channel
Typical depth: 20 meters / 70 feet
German Channel is the only man-made channel in Palau. It is named for the Germans who, during their occupation of Palau prior to WWII, created the channel for a more direct shipping route between Koror and Peleliu. The resulting topography of the dive site means that the currents help accumulate large quantities of plankton in the mouth of the channel and it is this plankton that attracts Manta Rays to the area. German Channel is therefore an excellent location to see Manta Rays feeding in "trains" or being cleaned on one of the many "cleaning stations" dotted along the site.
Virgin Wall
Typical depth: 15 meters / 50 feet
This wall dive on the outside of Ngemelis Island beings very steep but the slope gets slowly more gradual as the dive continues. This allows for easy exploration of large dazzling corals heads, teeming with life and later on a short labyrinth in amongst the coral heads ending in a short "swim-through". Feeding turtles are a common occurrence amongst other gems to be found in the corals and ensure you watch the blue for a glimpse of larger passing sharks and rays and the rarely seen tawny nurse shark.
Peleliu Wall & Cut
Typical depth: 10 to 30 meters 30 / to 90 feet
Peleliu Corner is where the ocean currents, flowing around this island archipelago, converge making up some of the strongest currents you can experience as a diver. Safety Sausages are mandatory equipment for this dive.
Peleliu Cut is part of a vertical wall, which runs along the western side of Peleliu Island, turns and extends to Peleliu Corner at the southern tip of the reef system. This section of the reef, which includes Peleliu Wall, is the deepest reef structure in Palau. The top of the reef is a plateau that gradually drops from 30 feet (10 m) in front of the WWII monument to 90 feet (30 m) where Peleliu Expressway and Peleliu Cut merge to create Peleliu Corner. The currents you may experience while diving the reefs of Peleliu can be the strongest in Palau. Diving at this site, due to the unpredictability and strength of the currents is considered difficult. Depth and direction of the current(s) must be monitored, by the diver, at all times.
Peleliu Express
Typical depth: 10 to 40 meter /30 to 120 feet
Currents:r The currents at Peleliu Expressway are unpredictable and often change directions without notice. As rule of thumb, incoming tide will flow to the northeast; the outgoing tide flows to southwest creating what is called the 'expressway' effect. During full and new moon the currents are more severe and special care should be taken if this dive is attempted during this period. For more information regarding the tidal patterns of Palau, check Blue Corner tide and current section. This dive is for experienced and advanced divers because of the ripping currents that can seemingly come out of nowhere and change direction without warning. When the current is running, Peleliu Express is considered the ultimate in drift dives, but this dive is not for everyone.
Reef Formation: is part of a vertical wall, which runs along the western side of Peleliu Island, turns and extends to Peleliu Corner at the southern tip of the reef system. This section of the reef, which includes Peleliu Wall, is the deepest reef structure in Palau. The top of the reef is a plateau that gradually drops from 30 feet (10 m) in front of the WWII monument to 90 feet (30 m) where Peleliu Expressway and Peleliu Cut merge to create Peleliu Corner. The currents you may experience while diving the reefs of Peleliu can be the strongest in Palau. Diving at this site, due to the unpredictability and strength of the currents is considered difficult. Depth and direction of the current(s) must be monitored, by the diver, at all times.
Reef Dives
Names like Blue Corner, Big Drop-Off, and Peleliu Express make divers all over the world salivate. People who dive Palau always come back for more.
What draws people here? The ripping currents and fast drift dives? Fantastic shark action? The huge schools of barracuda, trevally, fusiliers, and Pyramid butterflyfish (to name just a few)? The sedate pleasure of the beautiful hard coral gardens? The breath-taking soft corals of the wall dives? Take your pick. When we say there's something for everyone, we're not kidding.
Dive trips typically run a full day with either two or three dives, depending on your preference. If you have an interest in particular dive sites, either email us in advance, or simply let your dive guide know.
Wreck Dives
Many of Palau's wrecks are the legacy of US air raids on the occupying Japanese forces during 1944, such as "Operation Desecrate."
Many of the lagoons are littered with WW II wrecks, with the highest concentrations in the waters surrounding around Koror. You can dive everything from fighter seaplanes and landing crafts to cargo ships and destroyers. We have a few wrecks of fishing boats around Palau, and although not related to WWII, they are still definitely worth diving.
The most commonly explored wrecks are the Iro, which is a 14,050 ton, 470' SHIRETOKO Class Fleet Tanker, sunk upright, and the Chuyo Maru, a 1,941 ton, 272' Army Cargo ship, also sunk upright. And don't forget Depth-Charge (or Helmet) Wreck, which is among the least salvaged of the wrecks, and therefore one that is on most people's list.
Typically we dive wrecks as either the first or last dive on a three dive day, with the other two dives being reef dives. If your group charters the whole dive boat, then we can dedicate as many dive days as you desire to wreck diving.
Be warned that most of the wrecks have not been properly salvaged and as such may well still contain unexploded ordinance - so no touching.
Cavern Dives
Most of these are deep dives and descend far deeper than recreational limits, for this reason it is important to follow your guide and use a dive computer and monitor your depth carefully. Nitrox is also advisable to make these deeper dives safer.
For more serious cave divers, there are undoubtedly larger underwater systems, but they await discovery and exploration - it's one of Palau's great unknowns. Watch this space for further developments...
Night Dives
See basket stars crawl across the reef like something from a fantasy film. Watch lionfish hunt and corals feed. As your focus is on everything close at hand you're more likely to spot the smaller critters, shells, crabs, and nudibranchs. Do not forget to cover your lights at some point during the dive to check out the bio-luminescence.
Neco Marine offers up a wide range of night diving options, from wrecks to reefs, and even wall dives for the adventurous.
Nautilus Dives
Nautili live in very deep water, typically over 300' (100m); therefore, we have to trap them in order for divers to interact with them. Using bait, they are trapped over night and brought up to recreational diving depths in the morning. This gives you a rare chance to see and photograph a live healthy animal.
The nautili are unharmed by the experience since the animals are able to adjust the pressure within their shells, and are subsequently released to swim back to the depths.
Manta Rays
The best chance to see manta rays is at the "cleaning stations" found in the channels on the outer reef line. Cleaning stations are communities of small fish who consume small parasites off of the mantas.
The best chance to see manta rays is at the "cleaning stations" found in the channels on the outer reef line. Cleaning stations are communities of small fish who consume small parasites off of the mantas.
Mandarinfish
Mandarinfish feed on small invertebrates found in the mud and silt at the bottom of shallow areas of Palau's marine lakes and lagoons. For most of the day they crawl around inside corals making them difficult to spot. As the light drops in the late afternoon, they become more active, and at dusk they rise to the surface in pairs for courtship and mating displays.
By request, we can make an additional stop (3rd dive or snorkel) in the late afternoon to the aptly named Mandarinfish Lake. Or, if you like, we can arrange a dusk dive to catch these wonderful fish in the act of courting, mating, and laying eggs!
Mandarinfish can be also found near the entrance of Chandelier cave.
Corners
Here in Palau we use reef-hooks to get the best view of the action without having to fight the current. Hooked in just back from the edge of the reef with a slightly inflated BCD, it's possible to hang in the current above the reef with no effort and chill out while observing the action unfold before you.
Channels
Incoming tides also bring clear ocean water from outside the lagoon, greatly improving visibility in comparison with outgoing tides. These dives usually have sandy bottoms and are relatively shallow dives.
Walls & Gardens
Our beautiful gardens present themselves as more gently sloping coral vistas with pristine coral formations in every direction.