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Travel Guide to Pohnpei: Micronesia’s Emerald Isle
Pohnpei is a tropical Micronesian paradise that lies far from the trodden tourist trail. One of the rainiest and most remote places on Earth, the jungle-clad speck of green is a Garden of Eden that tourism forgot. But for avid explorers and lovers of off-beat destinations, Pohnpei offers a diverse array of things to see and do—both above and below sea level. From ancient ruins to pristine mangrove forests and from gushing waterfalls to remote atolls, the Micronesian island is a wonderland of undiscovered gems. I visited Pohnpei with my…
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Exploring Tumon Bay in Guam
This past March, I had the opportunity to visit Guam on a layover. I knew next to nothing about the island’s history and culture before visiting, and even less about what there was to do there. But I was curious about Guam ever since my vacation to neighboring Palau, so I was thrilled when I was able to pick up an eight-day work trip around Asia that included a short pitstop in the tiny US territory. Omitted from our history books and given such little mention that some Americans don’t even know…
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Driving around Babeldaob: Palau’s Largest Island
Babeldaob is the largest island in Palau and home to tiny Ngerulmud, Palau’s capital city. Beautiful rolling hills blanket this dense, forested island. Despite being Palau’s largest island and only a stone’s throw away from Koror (the country’s largest city), Babeldaob is underdeveloped, sparsely populated and often relegated to an afterthought in visits to the country. After consecutive excursions to Jellyfish Lake and the South Rock Islands, Melissa and I spent our final day in Palau exploring Babeldaob, the archipelago’s largest island. Since joining a day tour to the island would…
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Snorkeling Tour of Palau’s Rock Islands
Housing everything from untouched coral gardens to docile reef sharks and from manta rays to WWII shipwrecks, the small Micronesian nation of Palau consistently tops the list of best dive sites in the world. I’d had my heart set on visiting Palau since I first saw video footage of the country’s underwater sanctuaries and pristine seas a few years ago. The only problem was, I’ve always been too afraid to go scuba diving. Throughout my travels, there have been many times in which I’ve had the opportunity to strap an oxygen tank to my back…
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Day Trip to Jellyfish Lake in Palau
Imagine floating in a real life lava lamp, surrounded by millions of gelatinous golden orbs that drift gently through the water. These orbs swirl effortlessly around you, in search of sunlight. They swarm around your fingertips, brush up against your body, and coast right in front of your incredulous eyes. It might sound like a dream, but such a place exists on the tiny uninhabited island of Eil Malk in Palau. It’s called Jellyfish Lake. And it’s extraordinary. JELLYFISH LAKE IN PALAU: AN OVERVIEW Jellyfish Lake lies amidst Palau’s…
