The following is a sample itinerary of dive sites we may visit during your liveaboard cruise with the Palau Siren. We wish to show you the very best diving possible, however, a number of factors determine which route the yacht takes and which dive sites we visit. Weather, tides, currents and the number of other dive vessels at a particular site all play a part in the Cruise Director's decision of where the Palau Siren is heading to. This itinerary involves some long distance travel. Whilst we attempt to ensure the number of dives we have scheduled is fulfilled, bad weather can hinder the yacht's ability to reach a specific dive site in good time. The safety of our guests on board is paramount and we always do our best to offer diving at alternate locations, should we be unable to visit those sites listed below.
Ulong Island
Ulong Channel is often considered the best dive in Palau! This exhilarating drift dive has it all; hard & soft coral encrusted walls, schools of sharks and other pelagic action, a beautiful stand of lettuce coral as you drift through the channel, giant clams and plenty of groupers just to name a few. Keep your eyes open, seeing just about anything is possible on this dive!
Siaes Corner
Schools of grey reef sharks, jacks and barracuda can be seen off the corner's edge while butterfly fish, Moorish idols, anthias and fusiliers are abundant throughout the reef. Hawksbill and green sea turtles are also among the usual suspects.
Shark City
Southwest of Ulong Island, a wall dive where currents attract many large pelagic fish from grey reef sharks to the occasional sighting of a bull shark or hammerhead. The wall drops to 50m (150ft) and is dotted with gorgonian fans. Shallower, huge lettuce corals host colourful anthias and Moorish idols.
Sand Bar
This shallow sloping reef featuring garden eels and sting rays is also the place where hundreds of thousands of bump head parrot fish are known to congregate for spawning; this stunning spectacle may only be witnessed at certain times of the month during the right moon phase.
Malakal Harbour
Chandelier Cave is a gorgeous cave system, containing five separate chambers with stalactites and stalagmites thus creating a 'chandelier' effect. The opening to the cave is wide and provides plenty of natural light; however, the inner section is quite dark and a torch is necessary. Keep an eye on your buddy and stay near your dive guide.
Teshio Maru
On her way to seek refuge from the American attacks, the Tehsio Maru was bombed and strafed by a passing US fighter north of the Malakai harbor, during "Operation Desecrate One" on March 30th, 1944.
lro Maru
This Japanese oil supply ship, sunk during 'Operation Desecrate', lays upright in 20m
(75ft) of clear blue water. Descend via the mooring line to the bow and the 5 ½ gun
mount, which is covered in black coral trees; then explore this coral encrusted wreckage. Schools of batfish and large groupers hover above the wreck.
Chuyo Maru
Located just west of Malakai Island, this is a medium sized Japanese coastal freighter that was also sunk during World War II. She lies upright on the seabed at a depth of 40m (120ft) with her deck at 30m (90ft).
Jake Sea Plane
Jake was a reconnaissance float plane that is believed to have crashed during take off. The plane is still in one piece and makes for amazing photographs. There is little current and visibility is usually very good.
Ngemelis Island & the German Channel
Blue Corner is the most famous dive site in Palau and has been voted #1 dive site of the world! Known for its strong currents, as well as consistent and abundant shark action, World-class diving does not get much better than Blue Corner!
Blue Holes, just along the reef from Blue Corner, is a large cavern with four "blue holes" at the top allowing natural light to enter from above..
New Drop Off is located south of Blue Corner on a shallow plateau. The walls are filled with a medley of colourful reef fish including butterfly fish, angel fish, wrasse and triggers.
Big Drop Off is one of Palau's most famous wall dives. This vertical wall is covered with colourful soft corals, sponges, smaller reef fish and sea fans. Sharks patrol along the reef edge, but this is also a fantastic site to see filefish, longnose hawk fish, fairy basslets and schools of surgeon fish, parrot fish and angel fish.
The German Channel The mouth of the channel is best known for encounters with manta rays which feed on plankton and visit the cleaning stations.
Virgin Blue Holes just south of Blue Corner, offers divers swim throughs and caverns to explore, before exiting onto the reef wall.
Dexter's Wall is a wonderful wall dive filled with soft corals, sea fans, nudibranchs, anemones and sea turtles. The area is well known for leopard shark sightings but also teeming with groupers, snappers, sweetlips and other reef fish.
Peleliu Island
Peleliu Cut is a site where we can experience some of the strongest currents of our trip due to converging ocean currents that flow around the archipelago.
Turtle Cove begins by plunging into a small blue hole on top of the shallow reef. Upon exiting at the bottom divers drift through schools of surgeonfish, butterfly fish and red-tooth triggerfish.
Barnum's Wall is a favourite spot for a night dive. Turtles, groupers, sweetlips and a variety of sharks can all be seen here, as well as a myriad of nudibranchs, flatworms, sea whips and crinoids.
Peleliu Wall, covered with black corals & large sea fans, allows for an easy drift dive whilst observing reef sharks, jacks & barracuda. On occasion bull sharks and tiger sharks have been seen here.
Ngedebus Corner features dense populations of sea fans, soft corals and sea whips. Grey reef sharks patrol the corner while butterfly fish and fusiliers congregate near the wall's cuts.
Orange Beach is a soft drift dive along a colorful coral garden. Among the boulders, divers can encounter nurse sharks, turtles, scorpion fish, crocodile fish and nudibranchs. Divers may also come across WWII remains, such as bullets and shells.
White Beach is a coral garden with soft corals and boulders. Giant clams, turtles, bump head parrotfish and other reef favourites will be seen swimming.
South Dock is a beautiful reef wall where divers can find parrotfish, surgeonfish as well as whitetip reef sharks cruising.
Rock Islands and Jelly Fish Lake Tour
During the cruise guests can take a speedboat tour through the Rock Islands, stopping at the world famous Jellyfish Lake and "The Arch" for the classic photo opportunity. You can also see islands shaped like an elephant or whale or just relax and enjoy the beauty of these Palauan islands.