FAQ

The water temperature is around 29°C (84°F) throughout the year, although it may occasionally be cooler.

We also post updates on current conditions on our social media channels.

If you are sending equipment from overseas, we generally do not recommend shipping it to our shop.

International mail and parcel services do not guarantee a specific delivery date. Customs clearance may also be required, and international shipping can be expensive.

The same applies when shipping equipment from Palau. The most reliable option is to bring your equipment with you as checked baggage on your flight.

We do not have Barracuda fins available for rental. If you would like to use Barracuda fins, please bring your own.

Most of our rental fins are Warp Mini fins.

A mesh bag is not required. If you use one, it will mainly be useful on the first and last days of your diving trip.

For the Ryoma I Cruise, it may be used when transferring equipment between the dive boat and the mother ship.

For Day Trip Diving, it may be used when transporting your equipment between your hotel and our dive shop.

For the Ryoma I Cruise, we recommend joining a cruise itinerary that includes the Peleliu route.

For Day Trip Diving, our boats are generally shared with other guests, so we cannot guarantee any specific destination in advance, including Peleliu.

Dive sites are selected with safety as the highest priority, taking into consideration sea conditions, wind direction, currents, guests' diving experience, and requests on the day.

For guests requesting Peleliu as part of Day Trip Diving, we generally recommend having at least 200 logged dives. However, the decision is not based on the number of dives alone.

The final decision will be made by our local dive guides based on sea conditions, your diving skills, recent diving experience, and other relevant factors.

Even if you are an experienced diver, we may not be able to take you to Peleliu if our guides determine that the conditions are not suitable for safe diving.

View Ryoma I Cruise Schedule

There is no currency exchange counter at Palau International Airport, and we do not provide currency exchange services at our shop.

Some banks in town may offer currency exchange services, although the exchange rate may not always be favorable. Cash withdrawals may also be available from ATMs.

Please check with your card issuer or bank in advance regarding overseas cash withdrawals and applicable exchange rates.

Whenever possible, we recommend exchanging money before traveling to Palau.

Wearing a wetsuit is not mandatory.

However, many dive sites in Palau have coral, rocky areas, and occasionally strong currents.

To help protect yourself from injuries, we recommend wearing a full-length wetsuit that covers both your arms and legs.

The water temperature is generally around 28–29°C (82–84°F) throughout the year, but we recommend a 5 mm full wetsuit.

This is because you may become cold on rainy days or while traveling by boat in wet conditions.

If you do not get cold easily, a 3 mm wetsuit should generally be sufficient.

In addition to your regular diving equipment, the following items may be useful:

• Motion sickness medication
• Anti-itch medication for jellyfish stings or insect bites
• Cotton socks to help prevent fin chafing
• Spare coin-cell batteries for your dive computer

Many products in Palau are imported, so prices can be high and availability may be limited or inconsistent.

If you have specific products that you regularly use, we recommend bringing them with you from home.

Hotel preferences vary depending on your budget and priorities, such as location, facilities, convenience, or resort atmosphere.

Below are some hotels categorized by location and the availability of Japanese-speaking staff to help you choose accommodation that suits your needs.

Hotels near our dive shop in Malakal

• Antelope Guesthouse
• West Plaza Malakal
• Palau Royal Resort
• Cove Resort Palau
• Sea Passion Hotel

This area is convenient for guests who would like to minimize travel time on diving days.

Hotels in central Koror

• Garden Palace Downtown
• Palau Hotel
• Palasia Hotel Palau
• Palau Central Hotel
• West Plaza Downtown
• West Plaza Lebuu Street

This area is convenient for guests who would like easy access to restaurants, supermarkets, souvenir shops, and other facilities in town.

Hotels with Japanese-speaking staff

• Garden Palace Downtown
• DW Motel
• Palau Royal Resort
• Palau Pacific Resort
• Palau Plantation Resort (depending on the season)

The availability and working hours of Japanese-speaking staff may vary by season and time of day. If Japanese-language assistance is important to you, please contact the hotel directly in advance.

Our hotel transfer service is generally available for hotels located within Koror State. Some accommodations may be outside our transfer area, so please check with us before making your reservation.

Hotel facilities, services, rates, and staffing may change. Please contact each hotel or your booking website directly for the latest information.

There are two main options for internet access:

1. Free Wi-Fi on board Ryoma I
2. A local Palau SIM card or eSIM

Free Wi-Fi is available on board Ryoma I. It can generally be used for email and text messaging through services such as LINE, Messenger, and Teams.

However, internet speeds in the areas where Ryoma I operates are relatively slow. The connection is not suitable for streaming videos or uploading large numbers of photos and videos.

If you expect to send or receive a large amount of photo or video data, you may also wish to consider purchasing a Palau SIM card or eSIM.

Network congestion is common between approximately 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, and connection speeds may become especially slow around the Ngemelis and Peleliu areas. Early morning generally offers better connectivity.

Some eSIMs purchased outside Palau may only work around Koror and may not connect in the Peleliu area.

International roaming plans offered by your home-country mobile carrier also do not guarantee connectivity in all areas of Palau.

We currently do not purchase personal SIM cards or eSIMs on behalf of guests. You will need to bring your smartphone and complete the purchase or registration process yourself at the service provider's sales counter.

Please see the Ryoma I Cruise Onboard Amenities information. Details about electrical outlets and amenities provided in each cabin are included in the PDF.

View Ryoma I Amenities

We provide both bath towels for use in your cabin and towels for diving.

Freshly washed and dried diving towels are available each time you return to Ryoma I after diving.

Most international flights arrive in Palau late at night or around midnight.

For safety reasons, we do not make stops at stores between Palau International Airport and Ryoma I.

Please check the operating schedule for your cruise.

In general, guests may remain on board until approximately 9:00 AM on the disembarkation day.

View Ryoma I Cruise Schedule

Yes. You are welcome to request dive sites such as Blue Corner or Blue Holes.

However, our Day Trip Diving tours are generally shared with other guests, so we cannot guarantee specific dive sites in advance.

Dive sites for the day are selected by our dive guides and boat captains based on factors including:

• Sea conditions
• Requests from all guests
• Diving experience and skill levels within each group

If it is your first time diving with us, or if it has been a long time since your previous visit, your first dive on the first day will generally be used as a check dive so that our guides can assess your diving skills.

If you have any concerns, please speak with our reservation staff in advance or with your dive guide on the day.

Our Day Trip Diving program covers dive areas within Koror State.

We generally visit one main area per day, although different areas may be combined depending on sea conditions and other circumstances.

① Ngemelis Area

Blue Holes, Blue Corner, New Drop Off, Big Drop Off, German Channel, and other sites

② Ulong Area

Siaes Corner, Siaes Channel, Ulong Channel, and other sites

③ Malakal & Inner Lagoon Area

Chandelier Cave, St. Cardinal, Marine Lake, and other sites

④ Ngerchong Area

Secret Stadium, Ngerchong Inside, Ngerchong Outside, and other sites

Possible combinations:
① + ③ / ② + ③ / ① + ④ / ③ + ④

View Dive Sites

Our Day Trip program is designed primarily for certified fun diving.

For this reason, our regular Day Trip Diving tours do not visit sightseeing attractions such as Milky Way or Jellyfish Lake.

Individual guests who would like to visit these attractions should consider booking a separate sightseeing or optional tour.

Guests who have booked a private boat charter may contact our reservation staff to discuss their itinerary.

We can accept an advance request for early-morning diving.

After you arrive in Palau, we will let you know whether the dive can be arranged.

Please note that early-morning diving may not be available depending on sea conditions, reservation status, or other operational circumstances.

Your final dive must be completed at least 18 hours before your scheduled flight departure time from Palau.

Please calculate your latest possible diving time by subtracting 18 hours from your flight departure time.

Please see our Day Trip page for a general daily schedule.

View Day Trip Schedule

Currently, we do not offer programs for guests who do not yet hold a scuba diving certification.

We currently do not offer:

• Introductory / Trial Diving
• Discover Scuba Diving programs
• Open Water certification courses or other entry-level certification courses

Guests who hold an Open Water (OW) certification or higher may participate in our Day Trip Diving program.

However, on certain dates, we may establish minimum experience requirements based on the overall experience level of the group and for operational safety.

Hotel pickup times vary depending on where you are staying. The approximate pickup times are listed below.
The hotels are listed in alphabetical order.