Author Topic: Palau Master Thread  (Read 5207 times)

Offline mmgfarb

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Palau Master Thread
« on: July 03, 2018, 05:23:49 PM »
While not very many people on DDF have been to Palau/Koror, it's on many member's bucket lists so I thought I would make this thread to both compile information about the Island for anyone else who may be planning on going there in the future, and ask my own trip planning questions to anyone here who's been there. I'll try to make a wiki with as much pertinent information as I can find as long as what I think is important to know once I get back.

Dan's TR can be found here

With that being said, here are a few questions, mainly for @Dan and @AJK, but if anyone else has been there, please chime in as well.

1. Hotel recommendations- I know you guys weren't exactly that happy with the hotel you stayed at, do you think it's worth spending more for a nicer place while there? Does location on the island matter?

2. Does anyone have any information about Sams tours? It seems like you guys were pretty happy with Impac, should I just stick with them?

3. I'm going to basically have 2 full days on the island, (flying in at 8:15 PM on Monday, flying out late Wed night/early Thur night at 1:45 AM) I'm thinking of doing the tour on Tue which leaves a full day on Wed for other activities, any recommendations from your research?

4. Do you remember what kind of kosher products were available at the grocery store? I'm trying to figure out what I'll have to make sure I bring form HNL and what I can rely on getting on the island.

Thanks!

« Last Edit: July 03, 2018, 05:27:59 PM by mmgfarb »
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Offline moish

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2018, 06:34:04 PM »
It might make sense to check on the current status of Jellyfish Lake as it was closed for some time after all the jellyfish vanished

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2018, 06:48:18 PM »
It might make sense to check on the current status of Jellyfish Lake as it was closed for some time after all the jellyfish vanished
Oh my! I just chatted with someone on Sam's Tours website and they told me there are still no jellyfish in the lake  :(
That's really awfull.
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Offline Dan

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2018, 10:23:01 AM »
1. I'd splurge for a nicer hotel unless you don't mind hard beds. I don't think location matters much.
2. We did Impac because I wanted to Kayak and see Jellyfish lake on the same day and at least at the time, Sam's didn't offer that on one trip. We were very happy with them and our guide.
3. Maybe do a full day Kayak?
Dive? Snorkel?
Take a heli flight or airplane over the rock islands?
4. Grocery store had most of the kosher items that you would find int he US.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2018, 10:26:35 AM by Dan »
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Offline Dan

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2018, 10:23:46 AM »
Oh my! I just chatted with someone on Sam's Tours website and they told me there are still no jellyfish in the lake  :(
That's really awfull.
Wow. That's so sad.
We saw jellyfish where we went kayaking as well though, see if there are other spots and ask Impac their opinion.
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Offline Dan

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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2018, 10:40:47 AM »
1. I'd splurge for a nicer hotel unless you don't mind hard beds. I don't think location matters much.
2. We did Impac because I wanted to Kayak and see Jellyfish lake on the same day and at least at the time, Sam's didn't offer that on one trip. We were very happy with them and our guide.
3. Maybe do a full day Kayak?
Dive? Snorkel?
Take a heli flight or airplane over the rock islands?
4. Grocery store had most of the kosher items that you would find int he US.
Thanks. Since Jellyfish lake is out of the picture, I'm thinking to do two tours with Sam's, one full day kayak with some snorkeling and one just snorkeling trip to the Rock Islands. If I were to only do one tour, do you think there's enough that I could find to do the other day or is that just not worth it?
I think heli flight is out of the budget for us, looks like the minimum is $350 a person for a half hour ride.
So I can count on being able to buy bread, milk, snacks, etc?
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2018, 10:41:49 AM »
Wow. That's so sad.
We saw jellyfish where we went kayaking as well though, see if there are other spots and ask Impac their opinion.
Yea it's really sad, I'm quite bummed about not being able to see them, I guess this just means I'll have to go back in a few years after they hopefully replenish.
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Offline Dan

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2018, 10:43:07 AM »
Thanks. Since Jellyfish lake is out of the picture, I'm thinking to do two tours with Sam's, one full day kayak with some snorkeling and one just snorkeling trip to the Rock Islands. If I were to only do one tour, do you think there's enough that I could find to do the other day or is that just not worth it?
I think heli flight is out of the budget for us, looks like the minimum is $350 a person for a half hour ride.
So I can count on being able to buy bread, milk, snacks, etc?

The airplane tour was cheaper than the heli.
Doing separate tours probably makes sense. Why not do one with impac and one with Sams and see which is better?
No idea about bread and milk as I do PY/CY and didn't look. Maybe @AJK did? But you won't go hungry, was plenty of cereal, chips, granola bars, fruit etc.
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2018, 02:16:46 PM »
The airplane tour was cheaper than the heli.
Doing separate tours probably makes sense. Why not do one with impac and one with Sams and see which is better?
No idea about bread and milk as I do PY/CY and didn't look. Maybe @AJK did? But you won't go hungry, was plenty of cereal, chips, granola bars, fruit etc.
That's not a bad idea, I think Impac is cheaper as well. I think I'll bring bread from KOA and just rely on snacks and fruit there, that's good to know that they have so much stuff.
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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2018, 05:40:54 PM »
You can go on a Bioluminescent Kayak Tour one night

Offline ukinny

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #11 on: July 05, 2018, 06:29:26 PM »
I thoroughly recommend the Impac tour to Kayangel - it's a full-day drive/boat/snorkel/fish/grill-the-catch tour. That, and the airplane tour with door-off option. I also did the Relaxed kayak tour with fishnfins (owned by an Israeli, fwiw) which was arduous but a lot of fun

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #12 on: July 05, 2018, 06:54:12 PM »
I thoroughly recommend the Impac tour to Kayangel - it's a full-day drive/boat/snorkel/fish/grill-the-catch tour. That, and the airplane tour with door-off option. I also did the Relaxed kayak tour with fishnfins (owned by an Israeli, fwiw) which was arduous but a lot of fun
Would love to see a TR :)
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2018, 07:03:44 PM »
You can go on a Bioluminescent Kayak Tour one night
That sounds really cool, you have any more info on it? Which tour company offers that?
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2018, 07:04:10 PM »
I thoroughly recommend the Impac tour to Kayangel - it's a full-day drive/boat/snorkel/fish/grill-the-catch tour. That, and the airplane tour with door-off option. I also did the Relaxed kayak tour with fishnfins (owned by an Israeli, fwiw) which was arduous but a lot of fun
I saw that and it looks really cool although I'm not sure how that would work with kosher.
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #15 on: July 05, 2018, 07:04:23 PM »
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline ukinny

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #16 on: July 05, 2018, 07:08:22 PM »
I saw that and it looks really cool although I'm not sure how that would work with kosher.

Good point. I guess even if the fish is kosher the grill etc... will not be? I guess you could always take something double-wrapped to heat up? Fwiw, the grilling part is actually small part of the day. after the drive to the dock and a trip out to the reef you spend a good time snorkeling, followed by another boat ride and then maybe thirty mins fishing. They then go to an island off of kayangel where they prep the food whilst you walk around the deserted beaches, take photos etc... Then they go to kayangel main island and you get to meet locals etc... before returning

Offline Dan

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #17 on: July 05, 2018, 07:09:26 PM »
Good point. I guess even if the fish is kosher the grill etc... will not be? I guess you could always take something double-wrapped to heat up? Fwiw, the grilling part is actually small part of the day. after the drive to the dock and a trip out to the reef you spend a good time snorkeling, followed by another boat ride and then maybe thirty mins fishing. They then go to an island off of kayangel where they prep the food whilst you walk around the deserted beaches, take photos etc... Then they go to kayangel main island and you get to meet locals etc... before returning
Sounds awesome. And double wrapping would work just fine.
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Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #18 on: July 05, 2018, 07:09:52 PM »
Good point. I guess even if the fish is kosher the grill etc... will not be? I guess you could always take something double-wrapped to heat up? Fwiw, the grilling part is actually small part of the day. after the drive to the dock and a trip out to the reef you spend a good time snorkeling, followed by another boat ride and then maybe thirty mins fishing. They then go to an island off of kayangel where they prep the food whilst you walk around the deserted beaches, take photos etc... Then they go to kayangel main island and you get to meet locals etc... before returning
That sounds amazing, might be worth doing even if I couldn't eat the fish. I assume they just grilled it open over a regular grill?
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Re: Palau Master Thread
« Reply #19 on: July 05, 2018, 07:10:37 PM »
Sounds awesome. And double wrapping would work just fine.
Right, we could just bring foil.
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