When I talked to people about going to Palau for Christmas, the first reaction of many friends was that Palau was a place, so I flinched for a while and replied: It is a small island country in the South Pacific. Yes, before my head was hot to place an order, even I didn't quite understand what this place was. Just know that Palau is located in the Pacific Ocean, not far from Guam, and the whole country is made up of small islands and barrier reefs of various sizes. The seabed of Palau is known as God's aquarium, and the spectacle formed is also known as the first of the Seven Underwater Wonders, which is a paradise for people who love diving. Netizens even left a comment for Palau - Palau returns without looking at the sea, that is, after going to Palau, come back to see other seas, that is not a thing. So, with half-belief, I stepped onto the "sea" that still haunts my soul.
Dance with jellyfish
As a sensual Pisces, he confessed that he was deeply moved by a group of photos of golden jellyfish taken under a jellyfish lake, and he was determined to come and see the unique non-toxic jellyfish in the world. From the seaplane to see the jellyfish lake and ordinary lake looks no different, through the naked eye can only see the water in the lake and the surrounding water color is slightly different, but did not expect that the underwater will be such a shocking and lingering scene. Before entering Jellyfish Lake, you need to climb a small hill to reach Jellyfish Lake. And it is the mountains surrounding the lake that isolate the lake from the sea outside, forming a seemingly ordinary inland lake. Because of insufficient nutrient supply, higher organisms gradually disappeared, while jellyfish survived and gradually lost their toxicity. So, in the lake, all you can do is feel and touch these little creatures with your hands and dance with them. When I first descended into the lake, the camera lens could not stop and began to record every beautiful moment for these cute little creatures. And when I swam to the middle of the lake, I was already surrounded by small creatures, at this time, I reached out my hand and trembled to touch the jellyfish, afraid of alarming them. The jellyfish's touch is extremely elastic, and it feels like it is guarding a little elf in her hand. The tour guide joked that there are two kinds of jellyfish in jellyfish lake, one is called golden jellyfish, and the other is called disabled golden jellyfish, because it is too fragile, it often hurts jellyfish when playing with them, so everyone crept and paddled slightly, but quietly and peacefully immersed in the time of playing with jellyfish.
Pandora's Box Underwater
In Palau, which has a permanent population of only about 20,000 and is only a few hundred meters before and after the commercial street, there are only three things that can be done: go to sea, go to sea, and go to sea! Whether you choose shallow or shallow, it is enough to appreciate the beauty of Palau's underwater. Of course, on the day of my departure, I silently said to myself that in 2015, I would return to Palau after taking my diving license to see how fascinating the Blue Cave, which is regarded as a must-visit place for diving enthusiasts, is. Here, for the first time, I saw a huge dried scallop about 1 meter in diameter and the size of a small table. Diving deep into its side, touching its flesh, even if it is so large, it will deftly close its shell, so cute. These scallops have a history of hundreds of years and have witnessed the transformation of Palau in the turquoise sea of gods. Corals are another unmissable underwater landscape, blue coral reefs, rose coral undersea gardens, colorful soft coral reefs, each coral is refracted by the seawater, emitting a charming light, of course, the most impressive is the colorful soft coral reef. Looking at the entrance of the colorful soft coral cave, there was just a section of ocean current that day, and it was necessary to get stuck in time, otherwise once it was washed to the side by the sea, it would take a lot of effort to come out again. Colorful corals are known as the seven underwater wonders of the world, the clear water is sparkling, echoing with corals, refracting a dazzling light, at that moment, time seems to stop, quietly like in the fairy tale world under the sea. And a variety of lively and mischievous little fish shuttle between these magnificent coral reefs, which is very pleasant.
Milk Lake is also a must-see stop on the itinerary, underwater is a thick layer of volcanic mud, formed by perennial volcanic eruptions, volcanic ash deposited at the bottom of the lake. Viewed from the seaplane, Milk Lake is distinctly milky white. The traditional project here is to dive into the lake and grab a large amount of mineral mud to paint yourself from head to toe, make a beautiful natural spa, and then jump into the lake to rinse it, and the skin suddenly becomes delicate and white, and it is said to have the effect of soothing sunburns. It's no wonder that Palau has a local cosmetics and body care series developed with this ingredient, which is loved by locals and tourists alike. Before leaving, bring a few bags of bath salts to breathe and feel the smell of Milk Lake at home.
Compared to underwater, Palau on land is relatively inferior. If you're a mobile phone controller and need to keep in touch with the outside world all the time, palau may not be so suitable for you, and the wifi here is all about "grabbing". There is no Internet in the general hotel room, and you can only compete with others in the lobby for 256kb speed Internet, which is completely dependent on character to climb up. It is said that a Taiwanese businessman once set up a 3G launch station in the local area, and because the local residents complained that they were unwell, they were ordered to quickly dismantle it within 1 month. In other words, if you're looking to be isolated, have a good rest and relax vacation, this is a great place to be. Speaking of land-based scenery, like most island countries, sunrise and sunset are definitely breathtaking beauty. It is highly recommended to take a seaplane or helicopter on the first day of arrival or the last day of departure to see the beauty of Palau from a different perspective. These beautiful Rock Islands, the romantic Lover's Bridge and the blue that you can still think of when you close your eyes, and the beautiful underwater world, are really beautiful! Maybe these five words are too ordinary, but they are my real memories of Palau.
Travel tips
(1) Palau, also known as Palau by Taiwan compatriots, has long been a favorite island destination for Taiwan compatriots. There are also many restaurants and hotels operated by Taiwanese residents. Coupled with the promotion of domestic travel agencies, Palau has become the next choice for travel in island countries.
(2) There are currently no direct flights to Palau, and the general choice is to connect in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan or Seoul. For example, the flight time from Macau to Kolor Airport is 4 hours.
(3) You do not need a visa to travel to Palau, you only need to bring your passport, and when you leave Palau, you need to prepare an airport construction tax of 50 US dollars and an environmental tax.
(4) Since Palau is not overdeveloped, there is no special resort in the local area, if there are special requirements for accommodation, it is recommended to choose the Old Hotel and Pan Pacific Resort, both of which have their own beaches, Pan Pacific Is currently the most luxurious hotel in Palau, covering an area of 64 acres, and has also won many international hotel awards.
(5) Seaplanes and helicopters are the best way to get an overview of Palau and are charged according to different flight times. At that time, I chose the $180 40 seaplane, which had no doors on one side for easy photo shoots. If the air flow is unstable, or if it is impossible to fly, the aircraft may be grounded.
This article is excerpted from First Class Guest (Issue 47, March-April 2015)
Original title: Palau returns without looking at the sea
Written by: letice