Snorkel with whales, dolphins, dugongs, sharks & mantas
Palau’s Big Five Extension
Overview
Our post-trip extension provides ample opportunities to see Palau's “Big Five”—pilot whales, spinner dolphins, dugongs, sharks, mantas—that are not normally seen in the areas we explore on our regular itinerary. Join us for what promises to be an exciting “safari” discovering some of Palau's most fascinating creatures!
Arrive: Koror, Palau
Depart: Koror, Palau
Highlights
- Snorkel and kayak to spot Palau's “Big Five”: pilot whales, spinner dolphins, dugongs, sharks, and mantas
Itinerary
We meet in the morning and depart Koror by boat in search of crocodiles within the labyrinth of islands of Nikko Bay (in a different area than the one we explored on the main trip). After lunch in a secluded cove, we'll slip into kayaks with the hopes of paddling with dugongs, the only remaining species of the serenia, or moon creatures, distant aquatic relatives of the elephant. These slow-moving marine mammals graze on sea grass in shallow waters along coastlines in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Their feeding style gives them their more common nickname: sea cow. We finish the day with a snorkel at Lolita's Coral Gardens. We return to the Palau Carolines Resort by speedboat. Dinner on your own and overnight at hotel...BL
We're picked up by boat at 8:30 am and head out to the abyssal trenches on the east side of the archipelago where we hope to find spinner dolphins. We have excellent chances to spot these creatures as we cruise along: they frolic in the bow wake of the boat and often hang around for 30 minutes or more. In-water experiences with the spinners tend to be brief and our attempts will be based exclusively on their behavior. The primary goal of our day is to spot pilot whales, melon headed whales, false killer whales (all of these are known collectively as "Black Fish"), and potentially, sperm whales. All these cetaceans are highly social, ridiculously intelligent, and potentially curious. In-water experiences will be based on surface conditions and each guest's confidence in the open ocean environment. Additionally, we'll have hydrophones that help us pinpoint their locations. Return to Palau Carolines Resort for overnight...BL
Today we head out through Ulong Channel and troll the open waters as we make our way to Ngemelis Island. Dolphin and whale encounters in this area are also quite common. We snorkel even more of the outer reef sites to include Shark City and New Drop Off, which are typically not included in our regular itinerary. As the afternoon incoming tide rolls in, we'll slip in the water at German Channel to witness the barrel rolling feeding behavior of giant mantas. During the mating season (highly variable, but typically covering about 3 months per year), the mantas collect in massive numbers (as many as 18 last year) and form what we call manta trains. All this feeding and courtship occurs just below the surface, so even snorkelers—and not just SCUBA divers—have good chances of witnessing this behavior. We return to the Palau Carolines Resort as the sun sets...BL
Transfer to the airport for homeward-bound flights...B
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.