Wall On The Left, Sharks On The Right
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I first started to plan my Palau trip in 1987 when my dive buddy visited that area. We were living on Maui and had some pretty terrific diving in our back yard, but after his experience I wanted Palau.
After extensive internet research I chose Sams tours for my dive operation. Russelle Carig worked with me and we put together a dive stay package that fit my budget. She works with all of the hotels and can accomodate budgets from 5 star to two star.
I opted to stay at Lehns Motel, a small hotel apartment affair within easy walking distanace of the town center of Koror. The name Lehns is the first letter of the owner and her children. We had a studio type apartment with cooking facilities though we dined out for our entire stay. Restaurant prices are easy with local meals priced at $6.60 to upwards of $15.00 at the larger restaurants. Lehns is surrounded on three sides by taro, banana, and jungle and they have a pet salt water croc penned up down stairs. Though it is an older establishment, it is very clean and comfortable.
Palau is one of the cleanest and most friendly places I have ever visited. Lehns has a small general type of store attached where the local workers stop in to get their Bettle Nut and Tamas (the local doughnuts). The school kids also stop by and they are so well kempt they gleam.
Our room costs were $64 per day and that includes the tax. Ask for a room on the back side of the hotel because the street noise will disturb you at night if you stay on that side. Sams tours has 12 boats that can accomodate up to 12 divers. Their shop can provide any type of service from kayaking, land tours, snorkling and even a live aboard (they contract with a small sail boat for a 6 day live aboard stay).
The dive operation is the most organized that I have ever seen. Boats that carry more than 8 divers always have an added Dive Master along. Safety sausages are always utilized at the end of the dive not only to signal the boat for pick up but also to signal boat traffic that divers are below when in some of the shallower channels.
The dive operation is very professional. The bulletin board will list the boats, captains and guides so you can check where you will be for the next days dives. All of the boat captains were terriffic and will usually take you through the Rock Islands going or coming from the dive sites. The Dive Guides (all are Dive Master rated) are knowledgable of the sites.
I dove with Daniel and he is the best Dive Master that I have ever dove with (I am DM certified). He has 4 years experienc diving these sites and a lifetime experience of the marine life that abounds the Phillipean sea. He taught me how to watch the smaller fish to detect signs of current changes. Let me tell you, when you dive Palau you will experience some terrific currents. Because of the drift diving nature of this area, keeping the group together was needed so we all wound up at the pick up site together.
However each diver was allowed to dive their own profile. If you wanted to go deeper and dive your computer I noticed no objections from Daniel. If some divers lingered to take photos the trailing DM would stay behind. Our bottom times averaged 45 to 60 minutes depending on the sites. We rarely exceeded 100 feet (Blue Hole and Virgin Blue Hole were the only times). Any divers who became air challenged were taken to the surface for pick up. The 3 minute safety stop was always initiated and at a few sites we completd our safety stop exploring the reef at 17 feet. My personal bottom times averaged 52 minutes for the 26 dives I made.
After traveling half way around the world I appreciated the dive guides and wondered why anyone would want to do drift diving alone. They utilized white boards and slates to describe the sites but basially the plan was, wall on the left, sharks on the right or wall on the right, sharks on the left.
Sams tours has a bar/ cafe type affair attached to the shop and everyday after diving we sat around and logged our dives over a cold one and watched the sun set. After a few days everyone knows your name and you become a local diver. Sams, as with all of the dive shops pick you up at your hotel and drop you off at the end of the day.
I dove with international guests from France, Germany, Holland, Austriala and England. We also had a Japanese couple dive with us but I noticed no large Asian groups (at Sams) while I was there.
Two tank dives ran about $107 and include lunch. I got a reduced rate since I spent two weeks diving with Sams. Remember Nitrox is free at Sams.
I am not a live aboard type of person because I enjoy the comaradery of a dive shop and getting to know the local customs. Sams tours and Daniel provided all of this and made my dive trip to Palau a dream come true. Thanks to all at both Sams, Lehns and Palau.
Steve Fairbanks Alaska diver.
I first started to plan my Palau trip in 1987 when my dive buddy visited that area. We were living on Maui and had some pretty terrific diving in our back yard, but after his experience I wanted Palau.
After extensive internet research I chose Sams tours for my dive operation. Russelle Carig worked with me and we put together a dive stay package that fit my budget. She works with all of the hotels and can accomodate budgets from 5 star to two star.
I opted to stay at Lehns Motel, a small hotel apartment affair within easy walking distanace of the town center of Koror. The name Lehns is the first letter of the owner and her children. We had a studio type apartment with cooking facilities though we dined out for our entire stay. Restaurant prices are easy with local meals priced at $6.60 to upwards of $15.00 at the larger restaurants. Lehns is surrounded on three sides by taro, banana, and jungle and they have a pet salt water croc penned up down stairs. Though it is an older establishment, it is very clean and comfortable.
Palau is one of the cleanest and most friendly places I have ever visited. Lehns has a small general type of store attached where the local workers stop in to get their Bettle Nut and Tamas (the local doughnuts). The school kids also stop by and they are so well kempt they gleam.
Our room costs were $64 per day and that includes the tax. Ask for a room on the back side of the hotel because the street noise will disturb you at night if you stay on that side. Sams tours has 12 boats that can accomodate up to 12 divers. Their shop can provide any type of service from kayaking, land tours, snorkling and even a live aboard (they contract with a small sail boat for a 6 day live aboard stay).
The dive operation is the most organized that I have ever seen. Boats that carry more than 8 divers always have an added Dive Master along. Safety sausages are always utilized at the end of the dive not only to signal the boat for pick up but also to signal boat traffic that divers are below when in some of the shallower channels.
The dive operation is very professional. The bulletin board will list the boats, captains and guides so you can check where you will be for the next days dives. All of the boat captains were terriffic and will usually take you through the Rock Islands going or coming from the dive sites. The Dive Guides (all are Dive Master rated) are knowledgable of the sites.
I dove with Daniel and he is the best Dive Master that I have ever dove with (I am DM certified). He has 4 years experienc diving these sites and a lifetime experience of the marine life that abounds the Phillipean sea. He taught me how to watch the smaller fish to detect signs of current changes. Let me tell you, when you dive Palau you will experience some terrific currents. Because of the drift diving nature of this area, keeping the group together was needed so we all wound up at the pick up site together.
However each diver was allowed to dive their own profile. If you wanted to go deeper and dive your computer I noticed no objections from Daniel. If some divers lingered to take photos the trailing DM would stay behind. Our bottom times averaged 45 to 60 minutes depending on the sites. We rarely exceeded 100 feet (Blue Hole and Virgin Blue Hole were the only times). Any divers who became air challenged were taken to the surface for pick up. The 3 minute safety stop was always initiated and at a few sites we completd our safety stop exploring the reef at 17 feet. My personal bottom times averaged 52 minutes for the 26 dives I made.
After traveling half way around the world I appreciated the dive guides and wondered why anyone would want to do drift diving alone. They utilized white boards and slates to describe the sites but basially the plan was, wall on the left, sharks on the right or wall on the right, sharks on the left.
Sams tours has a bar/ cafe type affair attached to the shop and everyday after diving we sat around and logged our dives over a cold one and watched the sun set. After a few days everyone knows your name and you become a local diver. Sams, as with all of the dive shops pick you up at your hotel and drop you off at the end of the day.
Steve Fairbanks Alaska diver.
I dove with international guests from France, Germany, Holland, Austriala and England. We also had a Japanese couple dive with us but I noticed no large Asian groups (at Sams) while I was there.
Two tank dives ran about $107 and include lunch. I got a reduced rate since I spent two weeks diving with Sams. Remember Nitrox is free at Sams.
I am not a live aboard type of person because I enjoy the comaradery of a dive shop and getting to know the local customs. Sams tours and Daniel provided all of this and made my dive trip to Palau a dream come true. Thanks to all at both Sams, Lehns and Palau.
