Named one of the Underwater Wonders of the World, Palau is a magnificent archipelago surrounded by a splendid fringe reef that is teeming with all sorts of brilliant life. Besides the wonderful scenic dives the area is so well known for, Palau offers incredible cave diving that is truly world-class. To experience the incredible sites we’re about to visit, you should be sure that you are properly certified and very comfortable diving in overhead environments. Grab your light and your camera – it’s time to explore!
The Blue Holes - Palau Dive Sites
Whether you are an expert cave diver with the training and expertise to enter the deadly Temple of Doom, or if you simply wish to explore the larger main cavern, you are certain to be completely enchanted by the blue holes, which allow for easy entrance and exit, and which create a stunning backdrop for some truly amazing photographs.
Inside the cavern, soft corals and tubastraea thrive on the walls, while the currents outside can be swift and unpredictable, but bring in just the right amount of nutrients for these beautiful organisms to feed, and which attract barracuda and large schools of tuna and snapper to the cave entrances, as well as masses of brilliant tropical fish.
Upon exit, you’ll need to be prepared for those currents to hit you, and you will also need to be ready to look and listen for the boats that circle the area to pick up divers. Be sure to carry a safety sausage! This dive is normally undertaken in conjunction with a trip to Blue Corner, which is to the left of the cave exit.
The Siaes Tunnel - Palau Dive Sites
This amazing underwater cavern has three openings that lead to the main chamber from the reef wall. The main cavern entrance begins at 28 meters, with its bottom being at 45 meters; it is fairly centered on the wall, which meets the seabed at 65 meters and extends all the way up to the surface, where butterfly fish and anthias swim in a brilliant display of flashing color.
While there are many spectacular cave inhabitants here, some of the most intriguing are the deep-water angelfish that hide inside the many crevices and cracks which pepper this massive tunnel’s interior. As you swim through the cavern, you may encounter stingrays and white tip reef sharks resting on the bottom. Look up to see beautiful black coral overhead, and pause to peer through the cavern windows, which are framed by brilliant sea fans and soft corals, which offer an amazing contrast with the blue ocean beyond.
Chandelier Cave - Palau Dive Sites
A magnificent cave system with five distinct chambers to explore, Chandelier cave was once an open-air cavern, and features massive stalactites and stalagmites that glitter as they are touched by the beams of your dive light. Four of these chambers are filled with water and have air pockets at the top, while the fifth is still completely above water.
To enter, you will swim through a 3 meter wide opening in the rock island that is just 4 meters from the surface. Soldierfish and cardinal fish swim around the cave’s opening, and if you are lucky, you may encounter mandarinfish here as well. Be very careful not to disturb the silt that covers the floor here, and once inside, the shapes of the cave’s geological features will become evident. You can easily swim through the first four chambers, but to get to the fifth, you’ll need to remove your dive gear and crawl through slippery mud.
No matter where you are in the cave, you can see the ethereal bluish-green glow from the light that comes through the entryway. Turn off all the lights, let your eyes adjust, and prepare to be astonished!
To enjoy these magnificent cave dives, you will need to choose either a tour operator that offers day trips from Koror, or you can enjoy the services of one of Palau’s many wonderful liveaboards. Either way, you are certain to enjoy your holiday, and return with some amazing photos.