【Palau】Palau Travel: Freediving & SUP — How to Make the Most of It, Plus Honest Food & Shopping Picks ft. LT DIVE

Palau is celebrated as one of the world's 7 Underwater Wonders, brimming with vibrant marine life and abundant ocean resources that draw a steady stream of visitors year-round. Beyond scuba diving, freediving and SUP are equally fantastic ways to experience the beauty of Palau's ocean. Follow the Editor's lens and dive into Palau's seven-hued sea!

Important Notes for Freediving in Palau

Guests joining LT Dive's freediving trips in Palau will be provided with surface marker buoys and dive instructor supervision arranged by the shop. During underwater activities, instructors will position the SMBs near the divers so that instructors and other team members can monitor and provide support at all times. LT Dive assigns instructors in proportion to the number of divers, ensuring that every freediver receives adequate attention and that the dive progresses safely and smoothly.

Please note! Guests joining LT Dive's freediving trips — as opposed to underwater photography trips — will find that the accompanying safety instructors do not provide photography services, so they can remain fully focused on keeping guests safe in the water. If you would like a dedicated photographer, you can arrange one through LT Dive for an additional fee. This way, a professional photographer will capture every precious moment while the instructors concentrate entirely on your safety.

Milky Way, Discovering Milky-White Waters and Natural Beauty Mud

The white, mud-like substance in Palau's Milky Way is composed of volcanic mud, microorganisms, coral fragments, and minerals that have settled on the lake bed. When these sediments are suspended in the water and interact with reflected sunlight, they give the lake its characteristic milky-white appearance. The surrounding topography and water currents keep the lake's waters mixed and circulating, preserving this unique quality.

It is believed that the white mud found in Palau's Milky Way has cosmetic benefits, which is why many visitors apply it to their skin as a natural beauty treatment. The Milky Way has also become one of the must-do activities on any Palau itinerary, with tourists snapping creative and memorable photos to commemorate the experience.

Photo Tips: Apply the white mud sparingly to your face — smearing it on each other with friends makes it even more fun. Try floating on your back on the surface of the Milky Way and let your body drift naturally. Shoot from directly above looking down to capture the uniquely dreamy effect of a person floating on the white water.

Shark City, Feel the Thrill of Being Surrounded by Sharks

At Palau's Shark City, divers have the opportunity to observe a variety of sharks — predominantly Blacktip Reef Sharks, with the occasional rare sighting of a Leopard Shark and other species. Because the water depth is mostly within 10 m, marine life congregates in easily observable numbers, making this site equally ideal for snorkeling and dive experiences in Palau. And, of course, the little entourage that follows the sharks around is absolutely adorable.

Once the boat stops, Blacktip Reef Sharks can be clearly seen swimming right alongside the hull. Blacktip Reef Sharks get their name from the distinct black tips on their dorsal fins. They are commonly found in shallow-water areas, are mild-tempered, and are well accustomed to the presence of visitors. Although Blacktip Reef Sharks generally do not attack humans, they are still wild animals — so never wander off alone, and avoid putting yourself in potentially dangerous situations.

Photo Tips: Chasing sharks will only drive them further away, so it's best to stay in one spot and use burst-shot mode to capture the moment a shark swims into your frame — patience is key. There are plenty of yellowtail barracuda near Shark City; try to shoot a scene where you're encircled by both yellowtail barracuda and Blacktip Reef Sharks to add variety and richness to your photos.

Giant Clam City, Exploring a Spectacular Colony of Giant Clams

Famous for its rich colonies of giant clams (Tridacna gigas), Giant Clam City is home to the largest bivalve mollusks on Earth. Giant clams can weigh up to 200 kg and reach a shell width of 1.2 m. The vibrant colors and patterns on their mantles come primarily from symbiotic algae and their own pigment cells. In Giant Clam City, you can observe clams in shades of blue, green, brown, and even leopard-print patterns.

Photo Tips: Capture the moment you swim up beside a giant clam to emphasize just how enormous it is. This kind of shot requires a degree of freediving skill, so assess your own ability before attempting it, and always put safety first. Alternatively, place your camera inside an empty giant clam shell and shoot upward from within the shell toward the water's surface. This angle produces a uniquely dramatic perspective that highlights the clam's sheer size and grandeur, giving your photos a powerful visual impact.

In the shallower sections, you can observe reef rocks covered densely with baby giant clams. There are vast numbers of them, and each one's mantle pattern is completely unique — grouped together, they look simply stunning. Look closely and you may even spot a nudibranch hiding among them. Remarkably, a single reef rock can host around 100 baby giant clams, creating a truly one-of-a-kind spectacle on the reef.

Rose Coral Garden, Immersed in an Entire Underwater Rose Embrace

The Rose Coral Garden is a protected area renowned for its sweeping expanse of rose-shaped hard coral. The depth of this protected zone ranges from approximately 2 to 15 m, making it an ideal spot for both snorkeling and diving. Given the fragility of the coral reef ecosystem, measures must be taken to ensure the coral remains undamaged. Boats must anchor outside the buoy line to avoid harming the coral. When diving in the shallower areas, take extra care with your long fins (freediving) to avoid kicking the coral.

Photo Tips: Choose a wide-angle perspective that includes as much coral in the background as possible to showcase its vast expanse and grandeur. Pull back the lens enough to capture the full body of the subject against a sweeping field of coral behind them. You can also try shooting from above looking down to capture the subject swimming over the coral garden from behind — this approach better conveys the depth and breadth of the coral.

Palau is renowned for its pristine marine environment, and the government places great importance on environmental protection. When enjoying water activities in Palau, avoid touching or damaging coral reefs and other marine life, and use sunscreen that is free of chemical compounds (even carrying it into the country is prohibited).

The Editor's Food Pick: F.C Seafood Restaurant

As food-loving Taiwanese travelers, you'll no doubt have high standards when it comes to what's on the plate. If you're spending several days in Palau and need to find a Chinese restaurant to satisfy those cravings, the Editor highly recommends F.C Seafood Restaurant, located not far from LT Dive. It's a Cantonese-style Chinese restaurant, but the flavors are an excellent fit for Taiwanese palates.

At F.C Restaurant you can choose from a wide range of genuinely local seafood ingredients, including giant clams, coconut crabs, mangrove crabs, and mangrove white clams. Several of these seafood options are protected species in Taiwan, so if you're keen to taste something truly different, this is your chance.

Of the dishes the Editor enjoyed on this visit, three come with a heartfelt recommendation: the lobster claypot, the marinated raw mangrove crab, and the steamed mangrove white clam egg custard. The preparation methods differ from what you'd typically find in Taiwan, and the ingredients are wonderfully fresh — a must-try for everyone!

The Editor's Food Pick: Elilai Seaside Dining

If you'd rather skip the trip into town for dinner and instead sit by the sea with a breeze in your hair, watching the sunset while enjoying your meal, then Elilai Seaside Dining — just a 2-minute walk from LT Dive — is the perfect choice for you.

Elilai Seaside Dining is considered one of the more upscale Western restaurants in the area, and both the burgers and pasta are above average. Prices are on the higher side, with most dishes falling in the NT$400–600 range. But since you've made it all the way to the island paradise of Palau, why not splurge a little and savor the rare experience of dining at a waterfront restaurant by the sea!

The Editor's Shopping Pick: Over Drive

Although the cost of living in Palau is very high, there aren't actually that many places to splurge on shopping. Most goods rely on imports, so souvenirs tend to be local handicrafts with relatively limited variety.

That said, Over Drive — a souvenir shop opened by a Japanese owner — is well worth a browse if you have the time. The stickers, keychains, and other small souvenirs in the shop are all of impressive quality, though the price tags are equally eye-watering. Make sure to keep a firm grip on your wallet before you push open that door!

As you head to the airport, bags packed with memories and ready to bid Palau farewell, don't forget to look up — and make sure to snap a group photo with the iconic Manta ray mural at Palau's airport before you go! See you next time, Palau!

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