Boutique hotels in Palau

Palau is a small island republic in the western Pacific, with a landscape that looks unreal from the air: hundreds of mushroom-shaped limestone islets, called the Rock Islands, rising from turquoise lagoons. Its reefs hold sharks, manta rays and wrecks, its Jellyfish Lake lets visitors swim among harmless golden jellyfish, and its protected waters were among the first marine sanctuaries in the world. Tourism is deliberately low volume, so accommodation is limited and thoughtfully scaled.

Koror and the Rock Islands

Koror is the commercial center and the base for almost everything, with a mix of downtown hotels, boutique properties and bungalow resorts with views over the Rock Islands. The Rock Islands themselves are visited on day boat trips, and a permit is needed. Some tours add overnight camping on the islands.

Babeldaob

The largest island has a handful of newer hotels, the Bai ra Irrai, the traditional meeting houses, the Ngardmau waterfall and a capital, Ngerulmud. It is also a good place for kayaking in the mangroves.

Peleliu

Peleliu, to the south, was the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Pacific War and is rich in wartime relics. It has a few guesthouses and a small resort.

When to go

The driest period runs from November to April, with calmer seas from March to May. Diving is good year-round, and the major manta aggregations are seasonal.