The story of a place
A marine landscape of forested limestone islands and sheltered water.
Palau's Rock Islands are best understood as a relationship between land and sea. Rounded forested forms rise above channels, reefs and marine lakes, creating habitats that differ over surprisingly short distances.
Boat excursions, snorkelling and diving involve different abilities and permissions. Choose operators who explain conservation rules and keep their groups' impact on reefs and wildlife low.
The essential experience
Make time for this.
Take a carefully managed boat and snorkelling excursion that combines landscape with close observation of marine life.
Explore the highlights
Look a little closer.
Palau’s forested Rock Islands scatter across clear lagoons and sheltered marine channels.
Island margins
Notice undercut limestone and dense vegetation.
Water colours
Depth and seabed change the palette.
Reef behaviour
Watch interactions without touching or feeding.
For the curious reader
History, landscape
and context.
The Rock Islands of Palau, also called Chelbacheb, are a collection of several hundred small limestone or coral uprises in the Southern Lagoon of Palau between Koror and Peleliu, now an incorporated part of Koror State. There are between 250 and 300 islands in the group according to different sources, with an aggregate area of 42 square kilometres (16 sq mi) and a maximum height of 207 metres (679 ft). The islands were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.
Background reading: an abridged extract from Rock Islands, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened for this guide. Retrieved 22 September 2026. Source revision ↗.
Turn curiosity into a visit
Plan your visit.
- Physical demands
- Boat access and water confidence matter; diving needs appropriate qualifications.
- The practical detail
- Marine-lake openings and wildlife conditions can change; never book on an old photograph alone.
Before you set off.
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A place in the world
Find your bearings.
Select the pin to open a detailed map. Use Closer look to see the surrounding region. Drag to move a zoomed map.
Map: Natural EarthA closer view.
Load the local map to explore the surrounding area. Map tiles require an internet connection.
- 1Palau’s Rock IslandsOpen directions ↗ · Location reference ↗
A sense of place
In pictures.
Keep looking.
10 photographs, with full-size views and individual credits.
Go a little further
Sources & further reading.
The UNESCO link names the specific inscribed property. A broad entry in this project can extend beyond that property’s boundaries.
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