Palau Diving: Blue Corner & the Coral Triangle

Your first full day of diving on Palau's legendary reefs. A boat carries you out to the world-famous Blue Corner, where you use a reef hook to anchor yourself at the edge of a dramatic wall and hang in the current, watching an astonishing spectacle unfold, schools of grey reef sharks, barracuda, jacks and snapper, turtles, huge Napoleon wrasse and eagle rays, all streaming past just metres away in the nutrient-rich current, over a wall carpeted in vibrant coral. The action is non-stop and exhilarating. You also dive the nearby Blue Holes, a series of dramatic caverns and chambers filled with shafts of blue light. Regularly voted one of the world's best dives, Blue Corner is a genuine bucket-list experience, and hooking in as sharks and fish swirl around you is unforgettable. As the boat returns across the turquoise lagoon, a relaxed dinner in Koror rounds off a thrilling first day in this marine paradise.

Today you dive two more of Palau's world-class sites. At German Channel, famous for its manta rays, you hover on the sandy bottom or in the current and watch these gentle giants glide, loop and barrel-roll gracefully overhead, sometimes in numbers, as they are cleaned by wrasse and feed in the plankton-rich water, an unforgettable, humbling spectacle, alongside reef sharks, eagle rays and turtles. You also dive the spectacular Ngemelis Wall (the 'Big Drop-Off'), which plunges sheer from the shallows into the deep blue, carpeted in a riot of soft corals, sea fans and sponges, one of the most beautiful wall dives in the world. The abundance and beauty of the marine life are breathtaking, and encounters with big animals are frequent and thrilling. Two tanks give you ample time to explore these legendary sites. As the boat returns across the turquoise water, a relaxed dinner rounds off another world-class day of diving in the Coral Triangle.

Another day diving the spectacular reefs and channels of Palau. You drift the fish-filled Ulong Channel, where the current carries you over vibrant coral gardens teeming with sharks, turtles, giant clams and clouds of fish, one of the great drift dives, and explore other superb sites, perhaps Siaes Corner or Tunnel, alive with reef life over pristine coral. Palau's reefs, among the healthiest and most biodiverse on earth, offer breathtaking diving, and encounters with marine life are frequent and thrilling. Between dives, you might relax on Ulong's beautiful white-sand beach and see its ancient rock art. The abundance and health of the marine life, protected by Palau's world-leading conservation, are profound. Two tanks give you ample time in the warm, clear water. As the boat returns across the turquoise lagoon, you take in the beauty of the Rock Islands, and a relaxed dinner in Koror rounds off another wonderful day of diving in this pristine paradise.

A rest day from diving to explore two of Palau's signature natural wonders by snorkel and boat. A boat carries you into the UNESCO-listed Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a surreal labyrinth of jungle-clad, mushroom-shaped limestone islands scattered across dazzling turquoise water. The highlight is Jellyfish Lake, a marine lake hidden in the heart of a Rock Island, where you snorkel among millions of harmless golden jellyfish pulsing through sunlit water, an utterly surreal, dreamlike and unforgettable experience, as thousands of jellyfish drift all around you, brushing softly and harmlessly against your skin. You also snorkel the lagoon's coral gardens, visit the milky Milky Way lagoon, and relax on deserted white-sand beaches. This day of surface wonders, resting your body from diving while experiencing the magic of the Rock Islands and the jellyfish, is a highlight in itself. As the boat returns across the turquoise water, a relaxed dinner rounds off a magical day.

Today you dive the dramatic reefs and poignant history of Peleliu, at the southern end of Palau, where powerful currents, dramatic walls and rich marine life meet the wrecks and history of a fierce Second World War battle. You dive spectacular sites such as Peleliu Corner and the walls, where strong currents attract sharks, turtles, huge schools of fish and pelagics over pristine coral, thrilling drift diving for the experienced. The waters and shores around Peleliu also hold the wrecks of ships and planes and the moving relics of the wartime battle, and you might combine diving with a visit ashore to the war memorials and museum, a poignant and fascinating experience. The combination of world-class diving and profound history makes Peleliu a memorable day. As the boat returns across the turquoise lagoon, a relaxed dinner in Koror rounds off a day of dramatic diving and reflection. Rest well, for tomorrow brings more of Palau's legendary reefs.

Another day exploring the extraordinary variety of Palau's reefs. You dive the dramatic Blue Holes, a series of caverns and chambers filled with shafts of blue light where you descend through the reef into a cathedral-like space, and other superb sites, perhaps Siaes Tunnel or Turtle Cove, alive with turtles, reef sharks, giant clams and clouds of fish over pristine coral in warm, crystal-clear water. Palau's reefs, among the healthiest and most biodiverse on earth, offer breathtaking, varied diving, and encounters with marine life are frequent and thrilling. The friendly local operator tailors the diving to your experience, with two tanks and ample time in the water. Between dives, you cruise the beautiful Rock Islands lagoon. As the boat returns across the turquoise water, you take in the emerald maze of islands, and a relaxed dinner in Koror rounds off another wonderful day of world-class diving in this pristine marine paradise.

A final day diving the wonders of Palau. You explore the glittering Chandelier Cave, a partly submerged sea cave hung with beautiful stalactites, where you can surface in hidden air chambers amid the glittering formations, a unique and magical dive, and return to a favourite site, perhaps Blue Corner or German Channel, for one last thrilling encounter with the sharks, mantas and abundant marine life of Palau's pristine reefs. Palau's diving is so varied and spectacular that every day brings a new wonder, and the friendly local operators, and the warm, clear water, make every dive a joy. As your Palau diving journey draws to a close, a farewell dinner celebrates the legendary dives you have experienced, from the shark-filled current of Blue Corner and the mantas of German Channel to the dramatic walls, channels, caves and wrecks, in one of the last great marine paradises on earth, and you reflect on the pristine health and extraordinary abundance of Palau's protected reefs.

After a final morning in Koror, perhaps a last look at the turquoise lagoon, you are transferred to the airport for your onward international departure. You leave with a logbook full of legendary dives, the shark-filled current of Blue Corner, the graceful mantas of German Channel, the dramatic walls, channels, caves and wrecks, in some of the healthiest, most biodiverse and most pristine water on earth. The abundance of marine life, the thrill of the drift dives, and the extraordinary beauty of the Rock Islands and Jellyfish Lake stay with you long after you unpack your fins. Palau, a world leader in protecting its precious reefs, offers a rare and inspiring glimpse of the ocean as it should be, and you depart having signed the Palau Pledge and helped, in a small way, to protect it, already dreaming of a return to dive one of the last great marine wildernesses on the planet.