Dive in Palau with Benefits Aboard the Four Seasons Explorer 

Dive in Palau? This experience can be one of the most wondrous things one can do on this earth. Remote and untouched – this is a wilderness awash with natural and cultural wonders not found elsewhere on the planet. And it is travelers with an eye for beauty, a taste for adventure and a hankering for luxury who will want to experience the yacht life aboard the Four Seasons Explorer that is setting sail for the world’s last remaining frontiers this fall.

Palau remains home to more than 340 emerald islands, an astonishing spectrum of marine life, and a 4,000-year-old culture still sustained by the local knowledge of 20,000 traditionally minded people – the most vital element of the unique Palauan culture.

And a dive in Palau is considered to be an experience of one of the Seven Underwater Wonders of the World, with some 193,000 square miles of protected marine territory. Palau offers glorious opportunities for divers and snorkelers. But that’s just the start of it. With only 9 of the country’s 340 islands inhabited, opportunities for raw natural adventure abound, while deep cultural immersions. These range from insights into the rich Palauan dance tradition that is awash with powerful chanting, storytelling and vibrant color, to intriguing exploration of WWII sites, symbolic bai meeting houses, and centuries of Spanish, German, Japanese and American influences.

Dive in Palau: World’s Last Remaining Natural Frontiers

More than 1,400 species of fish and 500 species of healthy corals thrive in Palau’s crystal waters and elevated lakes. The nation became the world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009, covering more than 230,000 square miles of ocean. The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With a draft of 6.23 feet, Four Seasons Explorer can access locations that larger vessels cannot. It offers a PADI 5-Star Dive Centre with expert multi-lingual instructors, the latest gear and an onboard videographer. A dive in Palau means a custom-designed excursion with direct entry to even the most inaccessible dive sites.

Divers wander the glittering stalactite formations of Chandelier Cave and make their way to the WWII history of Helmet Wreck. Divers can explore the gorgonian fans of Blue Corner and the dazzling canyons of Peleliu Wall. Snorkelers, too, immerse in warm waters of Jellyfish Lake with millions of stingless golden and moon jellyfish. Giant 250 pounds tridacna clams in Clam City; rabbitfish, turtles and goatfish inhabit the crystal clear Ngedebus Coral Gardens—all accessed via guided excursions with Four Seasons marine biologists.

Dive into Palau: Cultural Mysteries 

The scattered islands of Micronesia’s Palau are home to a unique culture and intriguing heritage bound by a deep respect for the environment that has sustained generations of people. Four Seasons Explorer on-shore excursions are handled by insightful guides and include visiting Palau’s oldest bai (meeting house); exploring the Badrulchau Stone Monoliths, estimated to date back to the year 161; marvelling at the cave paintings of Ulong Island; discovering the Belau National Museum, multiple WWII sites, traditional music, lush forests, majestic waterfalls, and more.

Furthermore while the dive in Palau is in the spotlight for most visitors, travelers find a variety of recreational activities on offer: windsurfing, stand-up paddling and kayaking. Find wellness experiences, such as yoga, breathing and restorative treatments, happening on-board or on a secluded beach. Explorer guests can bathe in mineral-rich mud, learn traditional Palauan fishing techniques, hike, bird-watch or even learn a bit of the language.

A Dive in Palau includes Culinary Creativity

Aboard Four Seasons Explorer, each day begins with an array of à-la-carte breakfast choices. Meals served on-board are all-inclusive (with the exception of alcoholic beverages) with lunch and dinner menus changing daily, themed on regional creations from Palau and elsewhere in the Pacific, as well as Asia and the West. Highlights include regular beach barbecues complete with insights into Palauan music and culture – always with fresh (and where possible, local) ingredients – gourmet flourishes and an extensive wine list.

A Dive in Palau on a Floating Resort

Four Seasons Explorer operates like a floating resort, offering daily embarkations and disembarkations, allowing up to 22 guests to explore as deeply—and for as long—as they wish. Moreover with the freedom to focus on personal areas of interest among Palau’s many bucket-list wonders, both underwater and on land, all adventures are entirely bespoke.

Palau: Getting There

Given its remote location, Palau is ideally experienced in conjunction with other nearby destinations. Palau International Airport in Koror is currently accessible via Taipei, Honolulu, Guam, Manila and Brisbane, with the island nation well placed for further exploration of Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan and other islands of Oceania such as Yap, Chuuk and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Dive into Palau with Private Charters

Four Seasons Explorer will also be available for fully customizable private yacht charters in Palau for groups of up to 22 — including dedicated charters for surf enthusiasts. The uncrowded “best-kept secret” breaks on the east and west coast reefs and the adventurous “surfaris” off the country’s fringing islands during the winter months are beacons for dude and dudettes bearing boards.

A Luxury Dive in Palau on the Four Seasons Explorer

Four Seasons Explorer is a 128 foot luxury catamaran with three decks that offer 10 staterooms — all king accommodations bathed in natural light from large windows. The lavish Explorer Suite is available to book and features an indoor dining area, walk-in wardrobe and private sundeck with panoramic views across the vessel’s bow. Complete with its own PADI 5-Star Dive Centre, recreation desk, restaurant, bar, lounge and library, Four Seasons Explorer features a dedicated team primed to create customized experiences, backed by a phalanx of marine biologists, chefs and spa therapists and dive, snorkel, freediving and water sports experts.

How to Book the Four Seasons Explorer in Palau

Finally reservations for the first adventures in late 2023 (October 1, currently) are now being confirmed, with several opening offers and daily embarkation options to choose from. Call (960) 66 00 888, email: reservations.pme@fourseasons.com or book online.