Liveaboards in Palau

Who has the best livaboard in Palau and why?

Also, what is the weather like in Palau in December and do the Palauina's celebrate Christmas?

I was in Palau last year in December. Yes, they did have Christmas decorations all over at the hotels and in the town. I went on my first live-aboard during this trip. I've always been scepticle if I would get cabin fever or worse sea sickness on a live-aboard. We went on the Ocean Hunter which is one of the smaller boats out there. We had a great time and definately would do it again. The boat only has room for 6 divers (we had 5) and 3 crew. It was a nice cozy atmosphere where you really got a chance to meat some nice people and do some great diving without the crowds of the day boats or large liveaboards. Besides having the dive sites with so few people another advantage of this liveaboard is you can dive directly from the main boat (you do not have to take a tendor boat). I did 5 dives every day (most people chose to do 4). The cook (Arlee) was great. Your schedule was wake up at 6:45 eat a light breakfast (fresh bread or rolls) and dive at 7:30. Eat a big breakfast and dive. Catch some tuna, eat lunch and dive. Eat a small snack with fresh fruit smoothie and dive. Move towards night time morning line. Take zodiak out to night dive site (usually just me and and dive master + boat driver). Come back for a late dinner.

You also asked what the weather was like ... 87 degrees and sunny.

Thanks for the info.

wow! Sounds like a great trip. Did you book it directly or thru an agent?

Actually, we booked everything on our own. We used our frequent flyer miles for the airline ticket with Continental Airlines (otherwise the tickets can be very expensive). It does not cost any extra to make a stop in Yap (which I would recommend). While in Yap you will get a chance to see Manta Rays and the island just has a nice culture (very true to its heritage). In Palau we stayed at the Palau Pacific resort (cheapest if booked on line $179/night). This is the nicest hotel on the island but a little pricey. The best deal on the island is probably the Palau Hotel ($25-$30/night) but you really don't go to Palau for the island life. You go for the diving. We just booked the liveaboard after we got there. The tourism on the island has been way down with the economy (it is very expensive compared to other locations) and terrorism. Because of this, may of the liveaboards will offer a discount 20-50% off if booked on site or a few days before they take off (they also can drop you off using one of their day boats). But things may change and you may need to book ahead of time. With out question, Palau is the best diving I have ever done. You will never see so many HUGE schools of fish and tons of sharks. Blue Corner is the best dive site - we liked it so much that we dove it 4 times on our last day (it is different every time). You can't leave Palau without diving Blue Corner when there is a STRONG current using your reef hook. You feel like a kite blowing in the wind with sharks all around.

Is there anything to bring back from Palau or Yap as souviners? How did you get to Yap and then Palau? Does Contiental offer this lay over?

jazzy mermaid:

Is there anything to bring back from Palau or Yap as souviners? How did you get to Yap and then Palau? Does Contiental offer this lay over?

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Storyboards are probably the most popular souviners from both locations. Continental Micronesion flys between Yap. Palau and Chuuk.

We did a trip there the last two weeks of January of this year

Here is my trip report for Palau (aboard the Big Blue Explorer)

Here is my trip report for Yap (at Manta Ray Bay Resort / Yap Divers).

BTW, Yap just got pummeled by a typhoon, but hopefully would be back in full swing by this Christmas

Have fun....I loved Palau and would go back in a sec.

Remember the big stone money in the comic B.C.? Well that money really does exist in Yap. It actually was mined in Palau then brought over to Yap. You will see Stone Money bigger than you along trails and outside of houses in Yap. You can't take any real stone money home with you (although it still has value and is traded between villages in Yap - but the stones are not physically moved). They have some small souviner stone money you can take home. Storyboards are the most common souviners - they are wood carved "scenes" from stories.

I flew Continental/Northwest from MN to Japan. Continental Microneasia to Guam (spent 20 hours on the island before our next flight), then Continental Microneasia to Yap (free layover of 5 days), then Continental Microneasia to Palau (2 weeks), directly back to Guam on Continental Microneasia, then back to Japan Continental Microneasia (22 hour layover so we checked out Tokyo), back to MN on Northwest. One piece of advice, get as many legs as possible on Continental because the Northwest planes are very old and uncomfortable.