Will yachts now return to Palau?

Created by webmaster. Last modified on 2002-08-19 00:50:47
Contributors: John McCready, Eclipse
Countries: Palau

Palau, a Western Pacific archipelago renowned for years for its incredible SCUBA diving should be equally famous among sailors and cruising yachts. But the very high fees leveled by island officials have prevented hundreds of yachts enroute to and from Asia over the past ten years from visiting this unique island paradise. Now, in an unprecedented change, at least for most governments, the cost of visiting Palau in yachts has been drastically reduced. Can high official fees reduce the number of visiting yachts? The example provided by Palau proves that it does. In 1989, the first year I was in Palau, over seventy yachts visited these beautiful islands. But the government started raising entry fees and renewal fees, almost yearly, it seemed, and no one outside the boating community appeared to care. By 1995 the word had gotten out and only seven yachts stopped in Palau since just checking in cost over $300. And none stayed over a month since the renewal fees totaled $400 a month for a yacht with just two aboard. A couple with three children was faced with more than $700 dollars a month in official fees! Talk about the urge to move on!

The irony is that Palau is the most incredible destination for yachts I have seen in years of cruising the Pacific. Contained within a lagoon over fifty miles long are more than 300 islands, most uninhabited, ranging in size from the second largest in Micronesia to rocks just big enough to stand on. Among this maze of islands are scores of beautiful anchorages, rimmed with coral in crystal clear water, tropical forest spilling down to the water's edge. Perhaps as important, at least to sailors, is that Palau is outside the typhoon belt that sweeps right through most of the Western Pacific.

Now, with much lower rates in effect, we will see how long it takes for Palau to be recognized as the sailing paradise the handful of sailors here know it to be. The fee for checking through the Immigration Department is now just $50 if the application is made in advance, $100 if you apply on arrival. And to renew is now just $50 per month for the boat, plus $50 for each tourist visa renewed. There is also a $50 fee to the Customs Department, but that is an annual charge. But the most radical change is that Americans can now stay in Palau for a year before needing to even apply for visas.

Of course, fee reductions never just happen by chance. Several organizations and individuals worked very hard to bring this about. Foremost was the Royal Belau Yacht Club and Sam Scott, owner of Sam's Dive Tours and a charter member of the yacht club. But without the help of Palau Visitor's Authority, Belau Tourism Association, Palau Chamber of Commerce, and the American State Department, these proposals would not have had a chance. Also very noteworthy was the support of Benito Thomas, Chief of the Department of Immigration. Benito is himself a licensed sea captain, and has always been understanding and helpful when consulted about occasional problems yacht owners faced.

So now we all hope that Palau will be a waypoint on every sailor's route. The diving here is absolutely stunning, just pick up almost any dive magazine to find another article about the underwater life here. The Royal Belau Yacht Club is planning on resuming its once popular fun races for cruisers, with local residents serving as crew and bringing food and beer to the great raft ups that follow. If your boat is not yet ready to make the trip, there is a terrific sailing charter available here. But most importantly, one country has now shown that it does care that cruising yachts come to visit. Be sure to do so.

John McCready, Eclipse, saildive@palaunet.com