23 Unmissable Things to See and Do in Palau, Micronesia

Palau is one of those destinations that doesn’t just live up to the hype... it rewrites what you thought tropical travel could be. Remote, raw, and wildly beautiful, it’s a place where emerald islands rise out of electric-blue water, WWII history sits alongside ancient culture, and nature is protected.

Palau is a small island nation in Micronesia that consistently ranks as one of the world’s top destinations for nature, diving, and conservation-led travel... yet it still flies under the radar for many travellers.

When I first started planning Palau, I realised very quickly that this wasn’t a “turn up and wing it” kind of destination. It rewards curiosity, preparation, and travellers who want more than just pretty beaches.

In this episode, I’m sharing 23 unmissable things to see and do in Palau, based on first-hand experience... from kayaking through hidden lagoons and swimming with sharks, to ancient stone monoliths, waterfalls, cultural sites, and moments that genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why Palau feels so different to other tropical destinations
• The absolute must-see experiences (and what you can skip)
• How to explore the Rock Islands by boat, kayak, and even from the air
• Where Palau’s WWII history comes to life
• What surprised me most about travelling around Palau
• Practical tips for tours, permits, transport, and planning
• Who Palau is best suited for — and who it might not be right for

Destinations & Experiences Covered in This Episode

• Rock Islands 
• Badrulchau Stone Monoliths 
• Airai Bai
• Scenic Flight Over Palau 
• Overnight Kayaking with Paddling Palau 
• Peleliu Island 
• Natural Arch 
• Ngardmau Waterfall 
• Palau National Capitol 
• Kuabes Park 
• Japanese WWII Lighthouse 
• Belau National Museum 
• Palau International Coral Reef Center 
• Milky Way Lagoon 
• Mesekelat Waterfall
• Shark City 
• Clam City 
• Jellyfish Lake 
• Blue Corner 
• German Channel
• Carp Island
• Etpison Museum
• Traditional Sailing Tour

Helpful Resources & Links

• Free Resource: Palau Destination Guide, a practical planning guide with packing lists, activities, tours, accommodation, logistics tips, and adventure ideas beyond diving... perfect if Palau’s on your bucket list.
• Podcast Episode: Kayaking the Rock Islands of Palau 

If Palau is on your radar, grab my free Palau Destination Guide... it’ll help you plan smarter, pack better, and feel confident booking experiences like these.

Connect & Explore

Find destination guides, travel planning resources and more at touristtotraveller.com, and follow along on Instagram @_touristtotraveller for behind-the-scenes planning and future travel inspiration. 

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Welcome to the Tourist to Traveller Podcast, the show that helps you go beyond the guidebook and turn your bucket list dreams into real adventures. I'm Tahnee, a travel blogger, podcaster, and everyday explorer who's been ticking off epic destinations for over 20 years while balancing a 9 to 5. Each week I'll bring you inspiring stories, destination deep dives, and practical tips to help you plan smarter, travel deeper, and capture those unforgettable moments along the way. So, grab your passport, pack your curiosity, and let's get started. If you've ever dreamt about a place that feels truly untouched, turquoise water so clear it doesn't look real. Islands scattered like emeralds across the ocean, and adventures that feel genuinely special. Today's episode is for you. Palau in Micronesia completely blew me away. It's remote, it's wild, and it's not a destination you just stumble across, which is exactly what makes it so magical. In this episode, I'm sharing 23 unmissable things to see and do in Palau. From the iconic Rock Islands and world-class snorkeling to World War II history, hidden waterfalls, kayaking adventures, and a few moments that genuinely stopped me in my tracks. If Palau is on your bucket list or you're craving somewhere that still feels like an adventure, let's dive in. If you've never heard of Palau before, you're not alone. In fact, I first heard about this beautiful country just a couple of years ago. Palau is located in Micronesia and it's in the vicinity of the Philippines, Guam, and Papua New Guinea. For such a small country, Palau is actually made up of over 300 islands. It is one of the most underrated destinations in the world, and one that I think you should be adding onto your bucket list. I first discovered Palau through a reel on Instagram where I thought, oh my god, where is this destination? I had to explore further. And the moment that I realized it was Palau, it was straight on my bucket list. And then more recently, there was a new route that opened up, a direct flight between Brisbane, Australia and Palau. And I was looking for a last-minute destination, somewhere that I hadn't been before, somewhere that felt a little bit more off-the-beaten track. And this popped up and it was absolutely perfect. And after spending some time in Palau, it quickly became one of my favorite destinations. The thing is, tourism is still developing in Palau, which means that what you get feels raw and authentic. Not only do you have absolutely stunning beaches and tropical islands, but Palau is full of World War II history. There are ancient sites there, and you've got some of the best diving in the world. And a destination that still gives you a sense of raw adventure. Today I'm going to cover 23 unmissable things to see and do in Palau. And if you've never heard of this beautiful destination in Micronesia, I'm hoping that after today's episode it will be cemented on your bucket list. Let's start off really strong with number one being the Rock Islands. Palau is made up of hundreds of rock islands. These islands kind of look like they're floating on the water. They're mostly limestone and covered in lush greenery, and they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are many ways to see the Rock Islands, but I think the best two are number one from the water, and number two, from the air. So from the water, you can do uh many boat tours in Palau, but my absolute favorite way to see the Rock Islands is via kayak, and I'll talk more about that a little bit later on. Secondly, you've got from the air, and my favorite scenic flight to see the Rock Islands is with Smile Air. This is where you'll get your picture perfect view of Palau. I would say the most photographed part of Palau is the Rock Islands. Number two are the ancient stone monoliths. Now, I want to give you a bit of a heads up. I am terrible at pronouncing things, and I'm gonna do my absolute best, and I apologize in advance if I butcher any of these pronunciations, and this is going to be one of them. Okay, so the name of the stone monoliths, are you ready for it? Badrulchau. Don't worry, I will spell this for you. B A D R U L C H A U. And I'll make sure the correct spelling is in the show notes. Do you know that these ancient stone monoliths date back to a similar time as Stonehenge? Once upon a time, most of the monoliths had faces on them, and the history of the monoliths is still a little bit in question. However, what we do know is that they're mostly around sacred sites and ceremonious sites. These particular stone monoliths are all in the one location. The walk there isn't too long, and even though you can't really see the faces on the monoliths anymore, just understanding their history and how old they are, it's simply fascinating. If you look closely enough, you can make out the faces on a couple of them. I'll also say the walk down to the stone monoliths have some incredible views, so don't just look down, also look up. Next is to experience the Airai Bai on the Experience Airai Bai Tour. Once again, I'm probably pronouncing this wrong. The spelling is A-I-R-A-I space B A I. This is a traditional men's meeting house. It's a big A-frame, it's open air, and it's really colourful. And I think the best way to experience this is with the Experience Airai tour. The reason being, at the time that we visited, this tour was only $10. It goes for about an hour, but you get to experience the traditional men's meeting house as well as the canoe house, and you get to explore the Japanese World War II Communication Center. Now, if you were to visit the communications center on its own, just that, the entrance fee is more than $10. So not only is it really great value for money, but this tour is always run by locals. So you get to hear the local stories and the history around this structure and the traditional men's meeting houses around Palau. This is one tour option, but there are actually two others as well. However, they both depend on meeting minimum numbers. Now, if you have the opportunity to do so, what I highly recommend doing is to go to the tour that is near sunset where you where you get to visit this structure, but also you have traditional dancing and a local feast, all included. Unfortunately, when we visited, it was just two of us and there were not enough numbers, so we weren't able to do this tour. But if they have other people who are also looking to book, or if there is a tour group at the time or a cruise ship at the time, you may have the opportunity to go to the full tour. If not, you can experience the $10 tour at any time throughout the day as long as you pre-book. Number four is a scenic flight. Yes, I did mention a scenic flight earlier over the Rock Islands, and there's a lot that you can see from the air. It is probably the most expensive experience that you can do in Palau, but I think it is very much worth it. There are a few different companies that you can go with. My favorite was Smile Air, and there are a few different paths that you can take. We chose course B, and I think that course B is the best value for money. Each course takes you around different locations so you can see different things, and they also, of course, have a different length and a different price point. This is an open door plane, and it was quite old, I will tell you that, but it felt reasonably safe. It is an open door plane, which is great for taking amazing photos and videos. Keep in mind you're moving really far, so don't reach your hand or your head for that matter out the door to get closer photos. This is the best possible view of the Rock Islands from the air. And even if you are unfortunately in cloudy weather, the water is so incredibly blue. You'll also have the opportunity to fly over some of the major sites like the Blue Corner, the German Channel, uh, and different key islands in Palau. Number five is for the adventure seekers, and that is an overnight kayaking adventure with Paddling Palau. This is one of my absolute favorite experiences in Palau. It's something that I had read about, and the few people whose experiences I had read had all said it was their favorite experience in Palau. So of course I had to do it. So the overnight kayaking adventure, they do a couple of guided expeditions, which are more group-based tours, but you can also hire the equipment overnight, and the team at Paddling Palau can help you to mark out your route. They'll give you a map, show you where to go, show you the best beaches to stay on, and what to see along the way. This includes things like World War II shipwrecks, sunken planes, where you can see uh sea caves, certain fish, certain wildlife. It is absolutely incredible. It's one of the most unique experiences that I've had, not only because I got to experience two days paddling in a kayak and camping on a secluded beach, but for the most part, we were completely alone because this was self-guided. So we barely saw another boat or another person the entire two days that we were out there. It was completely on us, which was incredible, but also, if I'm honest, a little bit nerve-wracking at the same time. I actually have an entire episode around my experience with Paddling Palau. I'll link that in the show notes. If this is if you are the adventurous type, I highly recommend giving it a listen. You'll be paddling through blue lagoons, snorkeling in hidden spots and on secluded beaches, and you'll have the opportunity to pitch a tent on a secluded beach. It was incredible. My biggest fear here was getting lost, and I think my fear actually got worse when I was in the water because all of the rock islands from the water look the same. So my hot tip here is to download offline Google Maps or even better, get a local sim so that if you do feel that you're you're lost, you can pull out your phone and you can find where you are or reach out for help if you really need it. And if a self-guided overnight kayaking tour absolutely petrifies you, you can choose a guided option where a guide will take you, uh a local guide who knows the local area will take you on your journey. Number six, once again I'm going to pronounce this wrong, Peleliu Island. P-E-L-E L I U Island. For the history buffs out there, this was one of the bloodiest battles in World War II. It was fought on this island. Visiting this island will fill you with so much history, but just being there and and seeing the shipwrecks, the plane wrecks, the tankers, it truly is an experience. However, there is World War II history scattered all the way throughout the islands of Palau. Number seven is the Natural Arch. This is a rock island that has kind of a hole cut out of it, uh, which is, of course, a natural arch. You can see this from the air, but it is best to see this from the water on a boat as opposed to a kayak. However, there are many tours that will take you to the natural arch by boat and then allow you to kayak around. Number eight, another tough one to pronounce, is the Ngardmau Waterfalls. N-G-A-R-D-M-A-U waterfalls. This is the most impressive waterfall in Palau, and it's not the easiest to get to. It's a bit of a hike from the entrance, and once upon a time there was a cable car that could take you down towards the waterfall. Nowadays it's a pretty rough and a pretty muddy track. One fun fact about Palau is it rains a lot, and I mean usually multiple, usually multiple times a day, every day, regardless of the season. So the ground, it's usually wet, it's usually muddy, and it can be quite slippery. There is one part of the path that you are kind of walking on a waterfall, walking through water to get to the main attraction, which is the big waterfall there. You will walk across a suspension bridge before you finally reach the big impressive waterfall. Here you can swim, you can jump under the waterfall, you can even walk behind the waterfall, and no matter where you are, you are going to feel that water spray. This is also a beautiful place to drone, and yes, you can get a free drone permit for Palau. Just make sure you apply in advance. Number nine is the Palau National Capitol Building. You can't always go in to explore the building. However, you do need to drive past it to get to some major sites on the island. It is just a very short detour, so I think it's highly worthwhile popping by and taking a look. This is the political center of Palau. Now, having said that, the location of this building is is not hugely populated. Though it is a beautiful building to capture. Number 10 is Kuabes Park. This is an underrated destination as you're driving around Palau and one that most people miss. I think it is one of the most beautiful beaches there. This is your typical white sand beach that is lined with coconut trees, beautiful, calm, clear water that you can snorkel in. And beside there, there are plenty of benches where you can pull up and have a picnic lunch or just chill out for the afternoon. And if you want a really cliche photo, like I did, laying on a coconut tree, this is where you can do it. Number 11 is the Japanese World War II lighthouse. This old lighthouse has now been reclaimed by nature, and the best time of day to visit is definitely around sunset. Because not only is the light beautiful, but the views from this part of the island are stunning. It's just fascinating to see these old buildings that were once really important and now just being reclaimed by nature. Number 12 is the Belau National Museum. If you're looking to dive even deeper into the history, I will say that the museums in Palau are quite small, but it helps to give you context to what you're seeing around the islands. And of course, they are full of World War II history. Number 13 is the Palau International Coral Reef Center. While this is an aquarium and I have mixed views on that, the purpose of the International Coral Reef Center is to do research on the wildlife, the biodiversity, and of course the coral. It's educational and you get an insight into Palau's conservation. Number 14 is the Milky Way. The Milky Way is a lagoon in Palau, and at the bottom of this lagoon is this white clay or mud. So you can dive down to the bottom of the water, bring up the mud, and then the popular thing to do is to lather your body in the clay. Then you can take a dip and rinse it all off. Number 15 is the Mesekelat Waterfalls, spelt M-E-S-E-K-E-L A-T waterfalls. One thing that you should know to get up to the waterfalls from the road, it is only a short drive. However, our two-wheel drive rental car couldn't take it. We started to go up that road and just started sliding backwards. So we ended up parking just off the road and walking up the really steep driveway. These waterfalls are probably better described as cascades. They're nowhere near as impressive as the waterfall that we've already talked about in this episode, but it's a really beautiful spot, and most people don't actually know about it. Number 16 is another hot favorite of mine, and this is called Shark City. Yes, it is exactly what you think it is. It is a location with hundreds of reef sharks. Reef sharks are mostly harmless to humans, and this is an area where you can swim with them and snorkel with them. Something I love about Palau is that they really care for their environment. So the experience here was very much protecting the sharks, but it's always important to make sure that you were traveling with a tour company that is going to protect the wildlife. This was actually not a stop on our tour. We did a day tour where we stopped at this beautiful island for lunch. And after lunch, when we got back on the boat and we started to head off, they let us know that that area just off where we were having lunch was Shark City. And we were so devastated that they hadn't told us earlier that after we saw everything else throughout that day, we actually asked them to take us back so that we could jump into the water with the sharks. And wow, what an experience. Something I learned there that I didn't know was that sharks can actually be kind of playful. Number 17, this one is called Clam City, and another one that you can experience on a snorkeling or a diving tour. There are giant clams throughout the waters of Palau, and here you'll have a lot of them in one dense location. 18 is one of the highlights of Palau, and one of the main reasons that people go there, and that is Jellyfish Lake. This lake has kind of been cut off from the rough waters around. So inside, the jellyfish have been cut off from their predators. As a result, they have multiplied over years and they've lost their sting. So you can swim in this lake with the jellyfish. Jellyfish Lake is known for having thousands and thousands of jellyfish, and you'll see a lot of famous photos of people snorkel snorkeling and just being surrounded by these jellyfish. However, over the years, certain circumstances have led to a rapid decline in numbers of jellyfish. Often this is impacted by the climate, and it can also be impacted by the number of people visiting the lake. So before you go to jellyfish lake, it's important to check the populations of jellyfish because when we went, we opted not to go to the lake because we heard that the chances of seeing a jellyfish were really slim. And the people that we'd spoken to who went while we were there said that they didn't see any jellyfish at all. You will also need a jellyfish like permit if you're going to visit, regardless of whether you see any jellyfish or not. And at the time we visited, the cost was $100 US dollars. So yes, that your money is going to a good cause. However, it's a shame to pay not only for your tour, but also for your permit and not see any jellyfish. Alright, we are now on the home stretch. We're up to number 19, and that is the blue corner. If you are a diver, chances are you have heard of the Blue Corner. It is one of the most favorite dive sites in the world, and it happens to be in Palau. We didn't dive here on our trip because I was not paddy certified. However, we did fly over it with our scenic flight, and it was stunning. And I've seen photos and videos of people who have dived here, and it looks so incredible. Whilst we're on the topic of diving, number 20 is the German Channel, also one of the top dive sites in the world. It's known for its manta rays and its coral reefs, and it's also something that you can fly over with Smile Air. Number 21 is Carp Island. If you want to get away to a more secluded island and have a bit more of a rustic, authentic island experience whilst also being close to amazing dive sites and snorkeling, Carp Island is one to check out. However, getting to the Outer Islands, including Carp Island in Palau, can be tricky and expensive. And that is the only reason we didn't go to Carp Island on our visit. Number 22 is the Etpison Museum, spelled E T P I S O N Museum. How am I going with these pronunciations? Some travelers have actually rated this one higher than the Belau National Museum. Though we opted for the Belau National Museum because it was more highly recommended by the locals. And finally, number 23 is a traditional sailing tour. You can sail here on a traditional Palau boat that will feel like you were in the movie Moana. It is a very unique way to see the islands. This is typically done by a half-day private tour. You'll experience history, culture, snorkeling, and lunch all included. Okay, hopefully by now you are inspired to explore Palau a little bit further. While this island nation is rapidly increasing in popularity, it's not going to feel underrated and undiscovered for long, so I highly recommend getting in and booking a trip to Palau now before it starts to change. Palau is one of those places that reminds you why you fell in love with travel in the first place. It's raw, it's genuine, and it gives you a real sense of adventure. If Palau is even slightly on your radar, I've put together a Palau destination guide that gives you all of the information that you're looking for in one place, including when to go, where to stay, recommended tours, and of course, 23 things to see and do in Palau. I'll link that in the show notes. Thank you for joining me on this adventure. I'll see you in the next episode. Thanks for tuning in to the Tourist to Traveller Podcast. I hope today's episode has inspired you to travel more authentically and plan your next adventure with confidence. Don't forget to head to touristtotraveller.com for today's show notes, resources, and free guides to help you plan like a pro. And if you love this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review. It helps more travelers like you discover the show. Until our next adventure. Go beyond the tourist track and level up your travel experiences.