Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean some 500 miles (800 km) east of the Philippines. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States) in 1994, it is one of the world's youngest and smallest nations. Many well traveled divers place Palau at the top of their list. Surrounded by pristine waters off the western Pacific, the area combines the spirit and culture of the islands with tranquil ambience.

On this Dive Travel show we fly into Koror and take you on a topside tour of the islands many activities. Our hosts are Fish N Fins Dive Center, the Landmark Marina, and the Rose Garden Resort. Being land based, most of our boat rides to dive sites are an hour or more away, but Fish N Fins also have two live aboard boats as well. While many of the dive sites are in calm waters, some of Palau's best dives are known for their strong current and coincident population of large pelagic animals such as sharks and rays.

Palau is truly a diver's paradise, made up of over 200 mostly uninhabited islands, with a total human population of only about 17,000. Here we snorkel the famous Jellyfish Lake, or Ongeim'l Tketau, which is one of approximately 70 marine lakes scattered throughout the limestone Rock Islands of the southern portion of the main Palau Archipelago. Here thousands of stingless Jellyfish surround you like a glove. We also come face to face with nine giant Mantas on one dive, and many sharks and other forms of marine life that inhabit these waters.