Scuba Diving in Palau - Travel Tips

It's either the trip of a lifetime or the flight from hell, depending on how you look at it. I prefer the former, although my butt doesn't seem to agree. Eighteen hours, five snacks, four meals and three moist towelettes later, I find myself in Palau, the first in my five-stop hop across the planet's largest ocean. Let's face it, you've got no choice but to fly forever to get here - even from the West Coast you're looking at 12 hours in a chiropractically incorrect plane seat. To dive here, you've gotta get here, and to get here, you've gotta ride that bird. Want to survive the trip unscathed?


Follow these rules:

• Factor in plenty of time to make connections in Los Angeles or San Francisco, as these airports can be very busy, even on weekdays.
• Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes. This ain't no fashion show. Consider taking a light jacket or sweater that you can don or ditch in a hurry, depending on cabin temperatures.
• Be sure to pack toiletry items in your carry-on, beacause it's more than likely you'll be overnighting on a plane, in an airport or a hotel. Take a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, medications, etc.
• Pack a book - or two.
• Stay well hydrated to stave off fatigue.
• Reset your internal clock. The jet-lag medication Melatonin works for many travelers to help regulate sleep. Palau is 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, while Guam, Yap and Chuuk are 15, Pohnpei 16 and Kosrae 17 hours ahead of EST.
• If you're in the market for earplugs, go silicone.
• A movie, even a bad one, can make two hours fly by; staring at the tray table in its full upright and locked position for two hours can seem like six.
• Stay awake during the flight between Honolulu and Guam. That way you'll be able to fall asleep when you get to Guam for the standard overnight stay.
• Ask the concierge or front-desk clerk at your hotel to reconfirm your return flight. You never know when one will be booked solid.
• Show a business card. Deluxe hotels and car-rental agencies will give you a corporate or business rate on rooms and vehicles. Tell 'em you're traveling for business.

I'm not going to lie to you - it's not cheap. Airfare will set you back at least a grand, and a decent hotel about $100 a night. But out here, it's the bang you get for the buck that makes it all worth it.

STOW AWAY

What you bring and what you forget will make all the difference when you get halfway around the world. Here are some considerations when packing for Micronesia.

• From the pile of clothes that you plan to take, put half of them back in your closet. Then, take half of what's left and put that back too. Now pack what's left. This is all you'll need.
• Don't forget the preventive medicines: sunblock, lip balm, Imodium and pain reliever for the morning after the late night at the local sakau bar.
• Pack a lot of cotton clothing, and leave the synthetic garments at home except for a windbreaker. Dress at the Palau Pacific Resort and tourist hotels on Guam tends to be slightly more formal than the rest of Micronesia. You won't feel out of place in a T-shirt and shorts in Palau's smaller hotels and at any hotel in Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae.
• Although you may see women in Yap and the outer islands walking around topless, it is frowned upon for women to show their thighs in public. Anything goes, however, poolside, beachside and on the dive boat. Longer shorts are advisable for both men and women.