Palau: Sweat, Sea, and Seriously Strange Stories
okay, so palau. wow. just…wow. i’m still peeling sunburn and trying to remember what a solid night’s sleep feels like, but it was worth it. i’m a botanist, right? So, naturally, I came here for the weird plants. And there are weird plants. But there’s also…everything else.
I just checked and it's…a humid blanket draped over everything right now. Thirty-one point six degrees, feels like thirty-three. The pressure’s low, which apparently means more rain later. Great. I’m not complaining, though. The rain keeps the jungle lush. Speaking of lush, if you get bored, Babeldaob is just a ferry ride away - it’s huge, and supposedly has even more crazy flora.
I spent most of my time on Kayangel Atoll. Tiny. Like, you can walk across it in twenty minutes tiny. The coral reefs are insane. I’ve never seen anything like it. I was snorkeling, trying to identify some obscure sea grass, and nearly bumped into a manta ray. Seriously. A manta ray. It just glided past, totally unbothered by my clumsy botanist self.
I’m staying in Koror, which is where most of the action is. It’s…busy. Not in a bad way, just…lots of boats, lots of people, lots of scooters buzzing around. I found this amazing little cafe, “Elilai’s,” tucked away down a side street. The coffee was strong, the pastries were decent, and the owner, a woman named Maria, gave me the lowdown on the local gossip. Apparently, there’s a debate raging about whether the jellyfish lake is getting too crowded. You know, the one you can swim in? It’s a thing. Check it out on TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g305947-d188487-Reviews-Jellyfish_Lake-Koror_Babeldaob_Palau.html
Someone told me that the dive sites around Blue Corner are not for beginners. Apparently, the currents are brutal, and you can get swept out to sea if you’re not careful. Drunk advice, probably, but I’ll take it into consideration. I’m more of a snorkel-and-wander kind of girl anyway. I did find a really interesting patch of orchids growing on a limestone cliff - Dendrobium palauensis, I think. Need to double-check that identification, though. My field guide is a mess.
I also heard a story about a local fisherman who swore he saw a giant squid near Ant Atoll. A giant squid. I’m skeptical, obviously, but hey, it’s Palau. Anything could happen. I’m checking Yelp for more local legends: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=palau&find_loc=Palau.
My gear list is pathetic, honestly. Mostly just a waterproof notebook, a magnifying glass, and a whole lot of sunscreen. I should probably invest in some better snorkeling gear. And maybe a hazmat suit for the jellyfish lake. I’m also looking into some local plant identification resources - the Palau Islands Community College has a surprisingly good website: https://www.palau.edu/.
Oh! And a local warned me about the crabs. Apparently, they’re surprisingly aggressive, especially at night. Something about protecting their nests. So, watch your feet. Seriously.
I’m already planning my return trip. There’s so much more to explore. So many more plants to identify. So many more strange stories to hear. Palau…it’s got under my skin. In a good way. A sweaty, sunburned, slightly terrified, but definitely good way.
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