Palau
Republic of Palau
Micronesia · PLW
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Palau
Palau is one of the Pacific's top water destinations, with limestone islands, clear lagoons, and world-class diving. It works best as a Koror-based stay with day trips into the Rock Islands rather than a multi-base itinerary.
Popular For
Things To See
- Koror
- Rock Islands
- Jellyfish Lake
- Ulong Channel
- Ngardmau Falls
- Babeldaob
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- Dive sites and permits are regulated, so book operators early in peak season.
- Most visitors stay around Koror; day trips cover the main lagoon highlights.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Palau.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Palau Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Palau.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Ngerulmud
- Population
- 16,733
- Area
- 459 km²
- Region
- Micronesia
Languages
- English
- Palauan
Currency
United States dollar ($)
USD
1 USD = 1.00 USD
Cost of Living (World Bank)
85.6
Price level index (US = 100)
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Ngerulmud (7.50°N, 134.62°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
21/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 0/100
- Lived safety
- 59/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionUnknown
- Adoption recognition❓
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❓
- Legal gender recognition❓
- Conversion therapy ban❓
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.786
High human development
- 5-year change
- -0.019
- 10-year change
- -0.005
- Trend
- declining
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.992
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (1)
- 🌍
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon
Inscribed 2012
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 31.4%
- Forest cover
- 90.5%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 5
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 6
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
32/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
74/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Exercise normal precautionin Palau. Some areas have increased risk. Palau is generally a safe destination for travelers. U.S. citizens should always exercise caution when traveling abroad. Use the travel guidance here to stay safe.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data