Travel true. Be you!
Travel true. Be you!
I wanted to experience nature without human distractions and feel like an explorer. I assumed I would learn a lot about myself and get out of my comfort zone on a few different levels. Palau’s reputation as the underwater Serengeti sealed the deal for me.
I love snorkelling and kayaking, although I’m not great at either, but Palau seemed to offer both in a serene, calm setting. The tiny island nation had been very high on my travel list for years—not because of Jellyfish Lake (I didn’t actually even go there; low levels of jellyfish)—but because of the hundreds of Rock Islands, as I have this innate craving for strange rock formations.
The unexpected is what shapes our adventures in life… I planned to go solo kayaking for three nights over New Moon, as I had been keen to take nightscape pictures of the Rock Islands. Had I known that the campsites I was going to were too sheltered to see the sky, I would have chosen a different time to avoid the dramatic tidal currents that occur around New Moon. My conversations with Paddling Palau, a local environmentally focused tour operator/kayak rental company, started months prior to my arrival.
The day before my solo kayak adventure, Paddling Palau picked me up and briefed me on the itinerary they had developed for me. The guide seemed somewhat grumpy when I asked questions about the map, as there was no legend. I was told, “You can’t write on the map, our maps don’t work with compasses, and no, we do not provide pictures of the landmarks.”
Getting lost in a maze of rock islands wasn’t my plan; I just wanted a safe adventure, and I know how to use a compass, etc. I was sure something was off when the guide told me I would see the moon at New Moon…
I tried to find a solution by suggesting an option I had discussed earlier via email: having a guide escort me to the first campsite. The trip to the campsite was the part of my Nikko Bay and Risong Bay itinerary where the chances of getting lost seemed highest to me, so I thought if I had help to get there, I could then continue solo. Luckily, a different guide, Owen, was available to do this for an extra fee.
Owen, who was super nice and laid back, picked me up the next morning to meet the owner, Ron, and launch from a different location than discussed. I was relieved, as a couple of days earlier, I had been lucky enough to be on a group day tour where Ron guided, and it had been one of the undoubtedly best days of my life.
Ron apologised for the briefing and told me his other guide must have had a very bad day, as the itinerary I had been told was too dangerous due to the currents. I recorded the new briefing as I didn’t want to miss anything, and then Owen and I were on our way.
I had an amazing day exploring Nikko Bay with my guide, Owen. He showed me hidden caves, taught me about the species we encountered, and it was just lovely to hear about life in Palau.
I learnt a vital skill from Owen for exploring the Rock Islands by myself: snorkelling with a kayak on a leash. I was glad I ‘practised’ this before I was alone, as that gave me the confidence to pursue it later in solitude.
Kayak snorkelling comes with its own challenges, as you have to watch the kayak to avoid getting hit by it, especially when you follow an interesting fish and momentarily forget about it… Plus, you need a shallow spot to gear up for snorkelling. It is a lot of fun, though!
We had to exit Nikko Bay to paddle along the coast with the open sea to our left to get to the campsite. The incoming tide was relentless. Owen held onto a rock wall and encouraged me to keep paddling, but I was drifting slowly backwards despite paddling with all I had. My attempts to try and hold onto the rock overhang with my paddle just returned a tortured sound from the paddle, and I kept slowly losing the battle against the unforgiving current.
Owen’s ride back just appeared when I was about to give up, and they asked me if I could paddle over to the boat, which I managed, and then we were both towed. I thought I was a terrible kayaker and asked Owen if he would have just continued paddling, but he said the current was much stronger than expected. The guys from the boat then looked at me and said that even with the boat, they could feel how challenging it was.
After a quick pep talk, I was left to my own devices alone at the beautiful campsite. I had mixed feelings about safety after all that had happened so far.
When Owen and the boat left, I was unsure how I felt, but the campsite was too awesome not to be thrilled!!!
I struggle to describe the peace and connectedness I felt with the place I stayed at. It had been all worth it. I had arrived at a new ‘Happy Place’ of mine.
Time flew by, and I found myself trying to sleep, sweating in my tiny tent. At low tide during the night, I walked out as far as I could (which wasn’t very far) and marvelled at the stars I could see, as the camp itself was too sheltered to see the sky. Being so sheltered actually turned out to be a good thing when a rain front ravaged through at night.
In the morning, I watched a small shark swimming in circles at my beach while I was enjoying my breakfast before leaving for my solo kayak adventure.
I had to leave early in the morning because of the tide. To prevent getting pushed into the rocks, it was paramount that I stayed outside the reef. I was told it’s very visible — I agree it is, when the weather is good.
However, when I was out there, another rainfront barreled through my area, and it was harder to see than I expected. Since I had been told it would be inconvenient to have an extra paddle, I used the leash for kayak snorkelling to ensure I wouldn’t randomly lose my paddle.
It was a strange feeling of total self-reliance to make the right choice about when to paddle back closer to the coastline. The prominent landmark, the natural arch, wasn’t so obvious from my angle as the rain front had blurred everything. It wasn’t on the map either, but I trusted my judgement and made it safely into Risong Bay.
Usually, when I get to a new place, I start randomly exploring, guided by what looks interesting to me.
Paddling serendipity – a more joyful experience than I ever imagined! There was so much peace in just paddling at your own pace to where you see something interesting, taking the pictures you like, taking time to stare at an interesting rock overhang, or watching a few birds chase each other.
I had been briefed on the areas I could safely explore. Although I knew many others had snorkelled here before me, the experience felt incredibly personal and special. It pushed me a bit out of my comfort zone, too, as I have a deep respect for the ocean and its creatures.
It took me a little while to find the perfect spot — one where I felt comfortable enough to go in alone and where the water was shallow enough to put on my fins. But once I did, it was completely worth it! The sense of accomplishment was immense. I had seriously debated whether to snorkel solo, but the beauty of the corals and everything around me was simply too perfect to resist.
There is always a risk when you do any water activities alone. For example, I don’t surf or swim unless others are in the water, just as a safety precaution. So, going kayaking and snorkelling with nobody else around was a big leap for me.
Although it looks funny snorkelling with the life vest (and yes, it is a bit annoying, especially since I don’t usually wear one), this was my attempt to make it a little safer. A friend had given me a personal locator beacon, as there’s no phone reception where I was, in case things went seriously wrong.
After a fun-filled day of exploring, I paddled back towards the natural arch to reach the second campsite. I arrived at a site with a landing beach area, but about 50 metres further, there was an off-grid house with a water tank and solar panels.
I had been told the second campsite no longer had shelter, but still a toilet facility — which I didn’t see. Perhaps it was hidden further than I looked.
There was also a washed-out sign near the house, but it was unreadable. Still, it gave off a vibe of “you’re not welcome here.” I had a bad feeling, as this didn’t match the description I had been given, and I hadn’t seen any photos of the site beforehand. Since things hadn’t gone smoothly the day before, I didn’t have full confidence. It was unclear to me whether anyone was actually there, as I saw two kayaks but no person. I felt unsafe not knowing what the situation was.
When I looked for a spot for my tent, I found a coconut grove with trees bearing coconuts — which were invisible until you were on land. I wasn’t going to risk getting struck by one. The only other place I saw that might be suitable for my tent was very exposed, with no canopy shelter, and it was unclear to me whether it was high enough to be safe from a large new moon high tide.
I wondered if I was at the right spot and briefly considered paddling to the only other beach that was supposed to be between where I was and my first campsite. But when I paddled to the arch and looked across, I saw waves breaking on the reef and thought it might be the wrong tide/unsafe to paddle back further.
That’s when I decided I had enough strength and daylight to paddle back to safety in Koror. The paddle back was harder than I thought, and it took me longer than expected. I was worried I wouldn’t make it before dark, but I did. I made it to Ice Box Park (a public coastal park in Koror), and that’s where Paddling Palau picked me up, as the people in the office misunderstood my position. But at least I had made it back to safety in town under my own steam.
I was disappointed my adventure had been much shorter than expected, but at least I had given it my best.
Paddling Palau was very kind, and they allowed me to join a guided group day tour to Risong Bay, as not everything had gone to plan. I very much appreciated that, especially since I hadn’t explored Mandarin Lake — perhaps the most special part of Risong Bay — simply because I wasn’t sure if the ropes and buoys indicated danger. None of the other shallow areas had ropes or markings, and I hadn’t been told about them.
While not everything went as I’d hoped for my solo trip, it was still an amazing experience, and I’m really grateful for it. I miss Palau and hope to return one day for more snorkeling and kayaking.
