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Dive Review of Splash/Palau Pacific Resort in
Micronesia/Palau

Splash/Palau Pacific Resort: "Our Silver Anniversary", Apr, 2016,

by Rose Mueller , TX, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 27 reports with 13 Helpful votes). Report 8892.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 4 stars
Snorkeling 5 stars
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments We celebrated our 25th visit to Palau. Over these many years we've witnessed many changes, and very few. Our travel here perhaps will be of interest. To use the fewest miles we'd accrued with United Airlines we chose to use foreign carriers. It took us to Beijing first. There were 3 security checks; the final checkpoint was all but a full cavity check. It took over an hour for the transit. It was on to Manila with little sleep in 25 hours. The narcotic officer came for us to identify a bag. We were taken to the entrance of the airport and greeted by about 40 agents and assorted policemen. There was also an audience of about 40 people. Two dogs sniffed and sniffed our "duffle" bag. All we had was dive gear. After an hour of humiliation, questions, video they said they didn't understand. I said I did, that I'd never return! Then it was Taipei and finally Koror. We dove the morning of arrival with Splash. Steven has been our guide for over 15 years. The dives are an average of an hour and 10 minutes. Most everyone insists on the Blue Corner. We've examined it all. There are fewer shark with every year. Mr. Fennell of Australia is the chief guardian of the Marine Park and is doing an excellent job, but the area is vast. The Philippino and Taiwanese trawlers are sneaking in for the shark and fish. The Palauans burned boats, but can't now. They set instead in the harbor as eye sores. We dove with his wife and she proudly acknowledged some strides are being made to cease this activity. Our Japanese friends went to Jelly Fish Lake and saw only two. A day later another couple went and there were none. We don't know if it's chopsticks and sushi for the Chinese, El Nino or Pollution for allowing too many into the lake. There is an abundance of small fish making the reefs dance. It's interesting to compare the macro to the large pelagic. There were mantas, eagle rays, a few black tip to delight. There were nudibranchs, juvi wrasse, juvi snapper, long nosed hawkfish. The large schools of barracuda, big eyed trevally and big eyed scat are frequent. The eagle rays are unlike those in Cozumel. They are like fanthom jets in the sky. They are small bodied with extremely long tails. I snapped one's photo and in an instant it mooned me as it disappeared into the deep. Ulong is by far our favorite dive. The grouper decided to mate early this year. I've never seen so many. My husband aptly names it "Grouper Alley!" They are large and plentiful! The tridacnas are still at the end of the dive and the cabbage coral has survived the many divers that enter that perhaps shouldn't. We miss the shark at the mouth of the channel. New Drop Off has the black tips on the surface. At 108' there is my favorite, my Moby Dick, the Helfrick Dartfish. There is always the chance for a more perfect photo. The spinner dolphins were also mating. A trip to Ulong usually has that as a bonus. Grasslands is a new site. There are 5 yellow leaf fish. Two were mating. There are also several crocodile fish that live there. Palau has in fact EVERYTHING and more. PPR is unindated with the Chinese and they have chased away the Japanese. It is quite dreadful. They are loud and disrespectful. Lucy is back and in control of the resort. She was a welcome sight. The food is good, the people so friendly and the grounds impeccably maintained. We also visit our friends at the Japanese restaurant, Dragon Tei. There is a whole white snapper, deep fat fried always waiting for us. We hope to return.
Websites Palau Pacific Resort

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Most places it's warm
Closest Airport Koror Getting There best route is Hawaii Guam Koror

Dive Conditions

Weather rainy Seas calm, currents
Water Temp 78-82°F / 26-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 50-80 Ft/ 15-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions With Splash the good divers are separated from beginners. The groups are small. There is no hovering, but it's in the best interest to stay with the guides. They are Palauan and know the waters and what they hold.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Splash is not set up for photographers, but they would do anything to accommodate. They have a cooler with fresh water for our cameras and are quite helpful with them. We always take them to our room to service each day.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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