Palau Jan 31st to 8th 2025 – Moorish Idol Aggregation trip

Date that won’t be moving is the first quarter moon Feb 5th in Palau.  That that is when closest the first quarter moon at the Jan/Feb interface, and therefore the Moorish Idol aggregation happens on Palau’s Blue Corner (there are secondary spots as well).  We’ll be there for that.  From there we are headed to Truk or Chuuk for a week of liveaboard diving in the wreck capital of the world (optional of course). From there Matt and Sheila headed to Manila to check out some Anilao dive resorts for future group trips.

Palau Jan 31st to 8th 2025 – Moorish Idol Aggregation trip

Sam’s Bottom Time Bar and Grill is supposed to be open again, so we will use Sam’s Tours as our operator.  We are staying in the Palau Central Hotel.  Of course we are going to Jellyfish Lake for a snorkel there.

Pricing?

Prices have gone up a bit since we last went to Palau, but I guess that is the case everywhere.  The hotel we picked we have had our eyes on for a while as it is downtown.  Close to eateries and walking distance to shopping and messages.  It also has a great bar and restaurant.  While we plan to spend quite a bit of time at Sam’s Bottom Time Bar and Grill, this place will be a comfortable hang-out.

Deluxe Room dbl occ Palau Central Hotel	$2,616.00
Deluxe Room single Palau Central Hotel	$3,826.50
Deluxe Room trip occ Palau Central Hotel	$2,167.50
Standard -Rock Island Palau Central Hotel	$2,470.80
Standard – Rock Island single Palau Central Hotel	$3,571.10

Included

• hotel accommodations
• daily breakfast at hotel
• RT transportation from the airport
• 5 days 2 tank diving plus
  • 1 3rd dive group choice
  • 1 chandelier cave dive
  • jellyfish lake tour
  • lunch on tour days
• free rental gear
• nitrox for nitrox certified
• transport back and forth to the hotel

Excluded

• environmental and state permits.  Last time we were there it was $100 cash only, but I swear this changes so often, they are talking about changing how they assess this tax constantly.  Anyway, whatever it is when we arrive we all have to pay it.  It was $25 15 years ago, if that gives you an idea of how it might change for 2025.

Options for the 6th and 7th

So if we get there on the 31st, and start our 5 diving day package on the 1st, then what are we doing on the 6th and 7th?  On the 6th you may want to add a 2 tank boat dive, or the kayak tours are cool.  On the 7th a kayak tour or airplane trip around the island.  That we did in 2022 and it was cool.  See the picture below.  There are also some really cool history tours you can take, and the self-guided kayak is also fun.  A visit to the prison is fun for shopping for storyboards (prisoners have to support themselves).

Link it to Truk liveaboard trip and flights

Flights to Koror (ROR) and then to Chuuk (TKK) for this trip are not super simple.  And connections are not ideal.  Unsurprising really as you might imagine United prioritizing crew schedules over comfort way out in the pacific.

Here are my flights:

UA201 depart HNL 30Jan25 3:05pm arrive GUM 31Jan25 6:50pm.  UA193 GUM to ROR arrive 31Jan25 9:05pm.

Sheila and I are on United flight UA192 to GUM at 325am on 8FEB2025.  This flight connects back to HNL but we are on the UA133 GUM to TKK 0920 to 1110 8Feb25

Need a hotel room in TKK – contact me if you don’t have one.

After the liveaboard you should be able to book TKK to GUM and back to HNL from there.  There IS a flight on the 16th from TKK to GUM and them from GUM to HNL, but because of the date line the booking of that online is tricky.

After Truk liveaboard Sheila and I as well as cousin Al are headed to Manila.  We are going to check out some new dive spots in the PI for future trips.

TKK to GUM 17Feb25 depart 3:20pm, connect in GUM to MNL arrive MNL 17Feb25 9:15pm.

Join us if you want, we are going to be doing 5 days in Anilao in the Philippines.  This is a scouting trip for us, as we want to run a group there in the future.

Payment Schedule

As of this writing we are within 9 months of trip departure so $500 per person is the current deposit.  Final payment is due 3 months prior to departure – Oct 15th 2024.

 

Trip Insurance

So lots of things that probably won’t happen  – might happen.  Insurance is a gamble – usually, you don’t need it but when you do it saves you.  Possibilities – you or someone you have to take care of gets hurt or sick, you miss a connection and miss the boat, the boat sinks or goes out of business or simply breaks down, and your bags don’t show up.  I’m sure there are more but on a liveaboard it is kinda important to get the insurance – we do.  On a liveaboard the final payment is sometimes 6 months prior to departure, a lot can happen, worth it to insure.  Use this link to go through the process, price depends on where you live, quotes are free.