Palau Moorish Idol Aggregation Trip Feb 3rd to 10th, 2022

A Palau dive trip needs to be on every divers bucket list. I (Matt Zimmerman) have been lucky enough to dive all over the world, and I keep going back to Palau. It is consistently rated one of the worlds top diving destinations for a good reason. $1940 for dbl occupancy at Palau Royal Resort with 5 days of three tank diving with Sam’s Tours. Nitrox, Jellyfish Lake trip (counts as a dive one day), 3rd dive at Chandelier Cave one day, and unlimited diving on the house reef (catch the mandarin fish) all included. This trip also includes a full day guided kayaking tour from Blue Planet on Feb 10th, This will be our 15th trip back to Sam’s, truly one of the world’s best diving destinations, every diver should have it on their bucket list. Trip Leaders are Matt and Sheila.

What makes this trip Special?

After years of going to Palau and wondering about the Moorish Idol aggregations, I finally found a scientific report about it. MI spawning info. This trip is planned so that we are going to be diving on the first quarter moon. The aggregations are reported to happen in Jan and Feb, and since this trip is the closest quarter moon (Feb 8th) I’m expecting good chances of success – we crushed it in 2020. The aggregations happen at Blue Corner, and we are going to want to dive there anyway, so this is our “MOORISH IDOL AGGREGATION PALAU TRIP – 2nd annual”.

Flights

Hotel is reserved from Feb 3rd to Feb 10th, 2022. In order to get to Palau (ROR) on the 3rd you will need to leave HNL on the 2nd (date line crossed). United runs HNL-ROR route through Guam. Check out is on the 10th, but I recommend booking the early am flight on the 11th so that you get a whole free day in Palau to do some non water exploration (self guided kayaking, waterfall hike, storyboard shopping, etc). Here are the flights I recommend. HNL to ROR (stop in Guam) departing HNL 3:10pm on UA201 (United) Feb 2nd, 2022. Arrive ROR Feb 4th 12:30am. Departing ROR for HNL Feb 11th at 1:45am (yes this sucks) on UA flight 158 to HNL arrive Friday Feb 10th HNL (you get a day back). This flight was $1583 rt. Note that you CAN leave on the 11th (early am flight) and not miss any pre planed activities, but the extra full day in Palau is nice.

Inclusions

7 nights double occupancy in a Superior Garden room at Palau Royal Resort with daily breakfast.
Airport Transfers.
3 days of 3 tank boat dives
and two days of 2 tank dives followed by one 3rd dive to Chandelier Cave,
and a Jellyfish Lake excursion.
Unlimited diving at Sam’s Macro Wall.
Free Nitrox if you have the certification.
Tanks & weights, water bottle to keep, reef hook.
Free rental gear if you need it.
Full day guided kayaking excursion – $185 value, on day six

Exclusions

Anything not specially mentioned above. Dinners, lunch on non diving days. Government ocean use permits $100, must be paid in cash, subject to change by local government. This includes the Jellyfish Lake permit. Palau law (loosely enforced, requires each diver to dive with a surface marker buoy – its a good idea anyway, I’ll sell you one!)

Snorkeling at Jellyfish Lake

Travel Considerations

USD is the currency in Palau. No Visa required for US Citizens. Passport must be valid for 6 month after conclusion of trip. Outlets US are compatible. Feb air temperature usually 80 degrees F. Water temperature between 81-84 degrees F. If it’s 5pm in Palau, it’s noon yesterday in HNL. Bring sunscreen and a light rain jacket. When it rains you get wet and cold if boat is moving.

About Palau

Where is Palau

Palau is located 900 SW of Guam, 400 miles S of Yap, N of New Guinea and E of the Philippines at the Westernmost edge of Micronesia. Surrounded by warm tropical waters, Palau has spectacular reefs, dramatic walls, caverns, channels and WWII wrecks making it a true diver’s paradise. Topside brings you azure lagoons rimmed with white sandy beaches and rock islands topped with lush rainforests. For such a tiny area of land, Palau has extraordinary array of natural wonders. This archipelago consists of nearly 200 largely pristine limestone and volcanic islands blanketed in emerald forest, surrounded by a shimmering turquoise lagoon. It is no wonder that diving is the #1 activity in Palau with it’s truly world class dive sites, exciting seascape, fascinating wrecks and stunningly diverse marine life.

Marine Life of Palau

The reefs of Palau are at a unique crossroads where 3 of the planet’s major ocean currents meet. This marine ecosystem includes barrier reefs, fringing reefs, inner lagoons, sea-grass beds, marine lakes and mangrove forests. Which is why over 1,500 species of fish and 700 species of coral live here. The rushing currents and nutrient dense water host one of our planet’s most bio-diverse regions and supports more coral, fish,and invertebrates per unit area of marine habitat than any other place on Earth. If you like sharks (gray reef, blacktip, whitetip, occasional bull, leopard, hammerhead & silky), manta rays, pelagics, friendly giant Napoleon wrasse, schools of barracuda, bait balls, giant clams, anemones, sea fans, soft and hard corals and tons of colorful tropical fish, Palau won’t let you down. Wonderful dive sites await us with names like Blue Corner, Ulong Channel, Siaes Corner, Devil Fish City, Shark City, Virgin Blue Hole, Jake’s Seaplane and too many WWII wrecks to mention.

Palau WWII history

Palau saw heavy fighting during WWII, including massive aerial bombardments of Koror Island launched from fast carrier task forces, particularly during the assault and liberation of Peleliu Island by US Marines. Remnants of WWII are visible throughout Palau today including the huge fleet of ship and plane wrecks resting at the bottom of Palau’s inner lagoon. If you are interested going to Peleliu Sam’s can arrange a land tour on air conditioned bus with a good guide. Set it up early in the trip with them and it goes with a 4 minimum. It’s an all day thing so you will need to book the early am flight on the 13th instead of the 12th. (shower at Sam’s before going to airport).

Photo by David Delgado

Sam’s Tours

Spacious and open, Sam’s faces the ocean with magnificent views of the Rock Islands. Cozy and welcoming, comfortable and relaxing, we always find ourselves kicking back and talking story at Sam’s after our dives. Perhaps with the local beer, Red Rooster, in hand. Not only is Sam’s an award winning PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center, it’s an awesome place to hang out, eat and be merry. Sam’s makes every Palau dive trip a little better. Staff will go out of their way to help you or make things easy. Even if you are the last customer in the bar, you will get a cheerful ride back to your hotel.

Some perks of diving with with Sam’s – Complimentary coffee, tea and safe filtered water available all day, secure guest gear locker, rental gear center, three separate freshwater rinse tanks for cameras, gear and wetsuits, restrooms with warm shower facilities and wireless internet access. Sam’s picks up/drops off divers at the hotel.

Accommodation

We have reserved Superior Garden rooms at the Palau Royal Resort, just a few minute drive from Sam’s Tours. Our air conditioned rooms include: TV, fridge, tea & coffee, bath amenities and free internet at Waves Restaurant. The internet in Palau has vastly improved. There are free connections at the hotel and at Sam’s. A private beach and pool await us. The resort also hosts a spa, tennis courts and a gym.

Palau Royal Resort, PO Box 10108, Koror, Republic of Palau 96940 / Tel: +680-488-2000

Travel the world, and dive it!

Payments to Dive Travel Services

$1940 per person dbl occupancy, add $775 for single occupancy

Double Occupancy non dive rate: $1640. Includes the kayak tour day and one full day on the boat with the divers on the day that we stop at Jellyfish Lake to snorkel. Non divers don’t want to miss those!

The Palau dive trip payment schedule: $500 deposit to reserve a spot due by Oct 1st, final payment due by Dec 15th. All payments need to be made by check or cashier’s check to Dive Travel Service (not Island Divers). The best way to get that in our hands is mail to PO Box 30108 Honolulu HI 96820, though dropping off at a shop is an option. If you want to pay by cash you need to make an appointment with Sheila Jordan at divetravel@islanddivershawaii.com Payments are non refundable for any reason. That being said we will work with any resort or operator or airline to secure refund if possible. Don’t count on this though, Dive Travel Services makes commitments based on trip payments, and once resorts have the have the money, getting it back is not very likely. Get travel insurance from DAN!

Information you should send to us

your contact phone & email as well as an emergency contact
any food allergies or dietary restrictions
your flight details

If you have sent this information for a previous trip, we have it. Update as necessary.