Palau has already carved its own niche in the tourism industry for
its spectacular attractions and world-class diving spots. Every day
hundreds of tourists arrive to sample the island’s natural wonders- both
in land and underwater. Not everyone though has the chance, the
financial resources or the guts to go diving and get a feel of the
underwater wonders. At present, most of the visitors in the country are
limited to scuba diving, sea kayaking and land-based tours but with the
recent launching of the Flying Fish Tours, I finally got the chance to
get a real feel of the underwater world and yet staying dry about it.
Everybody on board the Kok 1 (there were less than 10 of us) waited with
bated breath as the computer screen was set up and the camera was
lowered into the water at the Neco Bay last Saturday. In a few minutes,
we were looking into a wonderful array of corrals, colorful fish, and
the whole underwater kingdom, a live video of what lies beneath the sea
surface-while staying dry in our seats. The tour took two hours, with
owner retired Divisional Chief of Police Columbus Sakuma at the helm.
Sakuma said the trip includes a guided tour of the Palau International
Coral Reef Center (PICRC), Palau Aquarium, and Rock Islands
eco-adventure. We also got the chance to see several wrecks of Japanese
vessels which sank and had been there since World War 2. To sum it up,
it’s one of those never-to-be forgotten experiences that everyone in
Palau should grab (if you still haven’t done so)-the chance to get to
know Palau’s history and culture through the trip. For information, call
779-0293.
