A scenic flight over the Rock Islands is likely one of the hottest issues for vacationers to do in Palau, and it’s straightforward to see why: this is likely one of the most stunning landscapes within the Pacific!
Whereas it’s an excellent thought to go to the Rock Islands on a ship tour, the scenic flight provides you a tremendous perspective that’s simply exhausting to beat.
I joined one in all these flights not too long ago on a bit prop aircraft with Pacific Mission Aviation, and the entire thing was an excellent expertise.
They take the doorways off for footage, and also you get an overhead view of the city of Koror, adopted by a whole bunch of Palau’s nicest islands, lakes, and lagoons. It’s paradise!
This journey weblog will clarify every thing it’s essential know in regards to the Palau scenic flights, together with the reserving course of, costs, security, and what to anticipate while you’re within the air. I’ll additionally share a number of the footage I took alone flight!
The place Are The Rock Islands Positioned?
The Rock Islands are positioned about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of mainland Koror, Palau, in order that they’re straightforward to achieve by aircraft.
With a prop aircraft, you will get to the primary islands in about 10 minutes, though the surroundings begins as quickly as you elevate off from Koror!
Flying over Palau is an unreal expertise!
The Firm: Pacific Mission Aviation
Scenic flights in Palau have been pioneered by an organization referred to as Pacific Mission Aviation (PMA), they usually’re at present the one firm that gives scenic flights over Palau.
PMA is primarily a Christian missionary group, and by doing a scenic flight with them you’re serving to to subsidize the humanitarian and medical work they do within the islands, whereas additionally serving to them offset the prices of the inter-island flights they run for Palauan locals.
They’re doing an excellent work in Palau, and having the ability to contribute to that may be a good little bonus of being on one in all their scenic flights!
One in all my favourite footage of the Rock Islands
The ’70 Islands’ formation
Palau Scenic Flight: What To Anticipate
My scenic flight in Palau began with a ten:20 AM pickup from my lodge in Koror.
I used to be touring solo, however I had contacted PMA upfront they usually had been capable of be a part of me with a gaggle of three different passengers doing the Rock Islands flight that day.
I hopped within the PMA van with the opposite passengers, and collectively we made the fast 20 minute drive over to their hangar on the Palau Worldwide Airport.
For verify in, we spent a couple of minutes filling out a legal responsibility waiver they usually charged our bank cards, after which we went out to the hangar to prepare for our flight within the Cessna 206.
One of many first photographs I took on my flight
The Milky Manner
PMA takes the doorways off of the aircraft for all of their scenic flights, which supplies you nice views and picture alternatives. For security, you’ll have a seat belt and there’s additionally a security bar that covers a part of the open doorway.
The principle factor it’s essential watch out about is sticking your telephone or digicam out the open door. The wind could be robust, so it’s a must to maintain it actually tight with each fingers otherwise you may lose it.
If that is your first time flying in a bit prop aircraft like this, then it’s possible you’ll be a bit nervous lifting off the bottom at first, however you overlook about that fairly fast when you’re within the air.
Our Cessna 206 aircraft on the hangar
It’s straightforward to take footage throughout the flight, however dangle onto your telephone or digicam!
The views are wonderful at the same time as you permit Koror. The city might not look like something particular while you’re on the bottom, however from above you possibly can see that it’s really surrounded by every kind of lagoons and limestone rock formations.
PMA handed every of us a headset to put on, which blocked a number of the noise from the aircraft, they usually gave a commentary explaining the entire sights in Palau as we flew over. The Rock Islands look so good from above. It’s one in all my favourite landscapes wherever!
We noticed tropical islands of all completely different sizes and shapes, with turquoise lagoons, white sand seashores, barren sandbars, and rock arches. Even with a drone, you could possibly by no means hope to get views like this.
Tropical paradise
Sandbar
A number of the well-known landmarks we noticed alongside the way in which embrace the Milky Manner, Jellyfish Lake, German Channel, and the long-lasting ’70 Islands’ formation that you simply normally see on postcards and different souvenirs from Palau.
The full expertise took about 2 hours together with the pick-up and drop-off from my lodge, and the flight time is about 40 minutes, however we bought to see and {photograph} so many issues in that period of time!
As a cool bonus after we arrived again on the hangar, we bought to observe a C130 aircraft from the Australian Air Pressure land on the identical runway.
Coming in for touchdown
When Is The Finest Time To Fly?
The Palau scenic flights usually go within the morning, when there’s the very best likelihood for clear climate. The sky was completely clear once we began our tour, and by the point some clouds started to construct, we had been already again on the hangar.
The time of 12 months doesn’t matter an excessive amount of, since Palau has loads of rain all 12 months lengthy. The driest months in Koror and the Rock Islands are January to April, however even these months have loads of rain.
I wouldn’t fear about it an excessive amount of both manner, as a result of the rain tends to come back within the night or at night time. You may by no means assure you’ll have good climate irrespective of while you go.
I visited Palau in September, which is meant to be one of many extra wet months of the 12 months, however really the climate was good and there was no rain in any respect for a number of days, so it didn’t have an effect on my travels one bit.
Excellent climate for a scenic flight
What Does The Flight Price?
As a solo traveler on this journey, I paid $180 USD plus a 3.5% cost for paying by bank card. They settle for US bank cards, however not American Categorical.
Their flights have a 3 passenger minimal, so that may additionally have an effect on the fee. In the event that they don’t have a minimum of 3 passengers on your flight, then you will have to pay additional or reschedule it.
You may verify the present costs and different phrases on their web site. They supply free lodge pickup and drop-off in Palau, and there’s no cost to take the doorways off the aircraft.
Palau needs to be one of the vital stunning international locations on the planet
Is It Protected?
Pacific Mission Aviation has been doing flights in Palau since 2012. Along with the scenic flights, additionally they do inter-island flights in Palau to locations like Angaur and Peleliu, in order that they have a good quantity of expertise.
A aircraft is barely as protected because the individual flying it, however the Cessna 206 is usually recognized to be a protected and dependable plane. I wouldn’t need to fly one on daily basis for my occupation, however I believe a brief scenic flight like that is very protected.
The Rock Islands are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Website since 2012
Is It Price It?
Sure, I believe the Palau scenic flight is completely price it! This is likely one of the greatest landscapes on the planet, and there’s no higher solution to see it than from above.
It’s a tremendous expertise, and the value may be very cheap for what you get. For comparability, I paid nearly twice as a lot for my Nice Blue Gap flight in Belize, and likewise for the Franz Josef glacier helicopter tour that my spouse and I did in New Zealand.
On the Palau flight, I used to be capable of take a number of nice footage of the Rock Islands, and general it was a lot better and cheaper than comparable excursions I’ve finished world wide.
One of many many lagoons we noticed on our tour
Enjoyable Info About The Rock Islands Of Palau
- Why are they referred to as the Rock Islands?
The Rock Islands might not appear like rocks, however they really are in reality limestone rock formations lined with tropical vegetation.
- What number of islands are there?
In response to UNESCO, there are roughly 445 uninhabited islands within the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, they usually cowl a complete space of 100,200 hectares (about 250,000 acres).
- What sorts of animals reside there?
The Rock Islands are residence to birds, fruit bats, dugongs, sea turtles, saltwater crocodiles, and lots of sorts of coral, fish, and big clams.
See the tiny boat?
Regularly Requested Questions (Palau Scenic Flight)
- Which airport is used for the flights?
The PMA scenic flight departs from the Roman Tmetuchl Worldwide Airport, often known as the Palau Worldwide Airport in Koror. Nonetheless, for the tour, you’ll go to PMA’s workplace and hangar, which is on the north apron aspect of the Palau airport (map right here).
- Can you’re taking footage?
Sure, you possibly can take footage to your coronary heart’s content material! I took greater than 200 photographs with my digicam throughout the flight, plus some movies with my telephone. They had been even cool sufficient to let me mount my GoPro on the aircraft wing for one more perspective.Total, as a photographer, this flight was a a lot better expertise than my scenic flight over the Nice Blue Gap in Belize, though that was enjoyable too.
- Which seat is greatest?
The 2 proper seats are greatest since they usually open the door on the best aspect of the aircraft. In my case, I used to be put in a nook seat on the left aspect of the aircraft, however I used to be nonetheless capable of take footage by craning over to the best aspect. The aircraft is sufficiently small you’ll have good views in any seat.
- What number of passengers will there be?
The PMA flights usually have a minimal of three passengers, and a max of 5. In an effort to go together with lower than 3 passengers, you’d need to pay additional.
- Are you able to fly after scuba diving?
In response to PMA, the flights function at an altitude of round 300 meters (1,000 ft) the place there is no such thing as a decompression required.
- Do I have to carry my passport?
You don’t have to carry your passport for the scenic flight.
- How can I e-book the Palau scenic flight?
You may e-book a Rock Islands scenic flight on the official web site for Pacific Mission Aviation.
The 70 Islands
One final look out the window
Rock Islands Boat Tour In Palau
Whereas many individuals select to see the islands with a scenic flight, one other nice choice is to go to them with a ship tour.
On a velocity boat tour to the Rock Islands of Palau, you possibly can swim in a brilliant turquoise lagoon nicknamed the Milky Manner, stroll on a mushy white sandbar referred to as Lengthy Seaside, and even snorkel in a lake stuffed with stingless jellyfish!
If in case you have the time and funds, you must attempt to do each actions. The scenic flight and boat tour are very completely different experiences, however they’re each wonderful!
Learn Extra: Rock Islands Palau Boat Tour
Boat excursions in Palau are one other wonderful solution to see the Rock Islands!
Extra Palau Journey Guides
Thanks for wanting! I hope you loved this information for find out how to do a Palau scenic flight over the Rock Islands. It was one in all my favourite experiences within the little nation of Palau.
Don’t overlook to take a look at my different journey weblog posts earlier than you go!