Travel tips

Things to know and reminders before traveling to Palau, a must-read!

🇵🇼About Palau:

Climate:

This description likely refers to a tropical island nation located in the western Pacific Ocean. The average annual temperature is around 28.9°C (84℉), with average water temperatures ranging from 28-30°C (82-86℉).

Palau has only one season throughout the year which is a tropical marine climate, like summer all year round, with sunshine every day, and only dry season and rainy season.

Just dress as you would in the summer, but you must wear thin long sleeves, a hat, sunglasses, etc. to avoid sunburn.

March to June: Dry season, the most suitable month to go to Palau.
October to March: Dry season, but easily affected by the northeast monsoon. The waves are relatively large and may cause seasickness.
July to September: Rainy season, easily affected by southwest airflow, and may encounter typhoons.

You can still go to Palau during the rainy season.

Even if it rains, it will be showers. The sun will shine all of a sudden, and it won’t rain all day long.

Time difference:

GMT+9

International calling:

Roaming with domestic SIM card, replacing with Palau SIM card, or eSIM. If you need a Palau SIM card, please inform the tour guide in advance.

Voltage:

110V，The socket has two-pin holes.

Exchange:
The common currency in Palau is US dollars. There are very few places in Palau where you can exchange money.
It is recommended to exchange the required amount in your country first, otherwise it will be very troublesome when you can't swipe your credit card and don't have enough cash on you.

Tipping culture:
Tips are required for various services in Palau, such as bedside tidying, luggage carrying, sailing activities, etc. Basically, you can tip USD$1, and others such as USD$10 for a one-day tour guide and USD$5 for massage.

What else do you recommend to bring to Palau?
Aloe vera cream, soothing cream, and facial mask for after-sun repair. Exposing to the sun all day in Palau, it is easy to get sunburn and suffer from heat stroke. Taking care of yourself after returning to the hotel is very important.

Please adhere to the following regulations:

1. Customs regulations upon entry:
No more than 19 cigarettes, with an average price of USD$5 per pack; no more than two liters of alcohol per person. If you are caught carrying more than the prescribed amount, you will have to pay tax. If the duty-free shop does not allow you to buy it, please ask the duty-free shop to update the latest information on Palau entry.

Strictly prohibited to carry meat products, medications must have English instructions, U.S. dollars cash must not exceed $10,000, if exceeded, must be declared in advance, otherwise, may face detention and fines.

2. Starting from 2020, sunscreen (oil) that is “harmful to coral reefs” cannot be used in Palau. Protecting the ocean starts with you and me. It is recommended that everyone wears sun protection, such as rash guard, long-sleeved swimsuits, sun protection hats, etc. Any sunscreen lotion that is toxic to coral reefs is prohibited from being brought into the country or sold. Violators will be fined USD$1,000.

chemical sunscreens banned from using 10 ingredients

3. All marine life, corals, and shells in the marine areas are for viewing only. Touching, damaging, or taking them away privately is prohibited.

4. All gathering times are based on Palau time (GMT+9). Please be on time.

5. The Internet in Palau is relatively slow, but we will provide correct information. If you have any questions or emergencies in the middle of the night during your stay, you can ask the hotel counter for a phone and call Lance directly. The local number is 7795489.

6. Palau Online Entry Application https://palautravel.pw

7. Drone online application https://pristineparadisepalau.com/drone-registration/

8. The passports held by all foreign passengers entering Palau must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry, and they must carry proof of their return air tickets/ship tickets with them. Foreign passengers must carry this when checking in at the airport and entering Palau. You will be asked to show proof of relevant return air tickets/ship tickets.

During the trip:

1. After arriving at Palau Airport and gathering together, we will take everyone to the supermarket for quick supplies and shopping. Because most of the goods in Palau are imported plus local taxes, the price will be more expensive, but you can still buy some local beer, instant noodles, snacks, fruits, sunscreen, etc.

2. After arriving at the hotel and completing check-in, sort out the diving equipment in advance and pack it in mesh bags. (If you don’t have a mesh bag, you can borrow it from a dive shop)

3. Dinner on the first day is expected to be at 7 o'clock. If you have any dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians, please inform us in advance.

4. The hotel provides bottled water every day, and you can go to the counter to refill it after drinking. The hotel cleans the room every day. Because Palau implements energy conservation and carbon reduction to help to protect the environment, hotel bed sheets are basically changed once during each stay unless there are special needs to replace. Bedside tip is $1 per bed, hotel waiter tip is $1/item for carrying luggage, and massage tip is $5

5. Breakfast at the hotel is from 7 to 9 o'clock. It is expected to meet at the pier at 8 o'clock. When going out to sea, remember to pick up the hotel's sea towel. You don't need to bring any valuables. You can bring your mobile phone but it is recommended to bring a waterproof bag. Put on your swimsuit in advance and bring your wetsuit. You don't need to wear the wetsuit yet (in fear you might get a heat stroke)

6. Lunch, hot tea, fruits, snacks, ice buckets, cold drinks and drinking water are provided on board. You can bring your own kettle or thermos bottle.

7. During the trip, try not to act alone, keep your money safe, pay attention to the safety of yourself and your traveling companions. If it is necessary to leave the group, please inform your traveling companions or tour guide of your whereabouts first. Although the locals are simple and innocent, don't be too ostentatious. There are no traffic lights in the country, so remember to use zebra crossings when crossing the road. Drivers will almost always give way to pedestrians.

Looking forward to meeting you all, and hope you have a pleasant trip to Palau🙏