Palau has an inland saltwater lake which is unique in the world, called Jellyfish Lake. The limestone allows an exchange of salinity with the open sea, while keeping organisms trapped. Long ago, this lake was somehow connected to the sea and Jellyfish were trapped in the lake. When the connection to the sea was broken, the Jellyfish had no natural food and few predators. They evolved into a symbiotic relationship with algae. The Jellyfish have NO STINGERS, but move around the lake with the sun, keeping the algae producing food for both of them! Snorkeling in this wonderland of (literally) millions of delicate and amazing Jellyfish is an EXPERIENCE! Our visit there in 1998 seems to have been just before a large decline in the poplulaiton of jellyfish.

The lake is just a short ways from the shore - has to be to exchange water! However, it is a strenuous hike up over the intervening ridge through the jungle! One tree next to the trail oozes toxic sap! The one good point of the trail is that there is a rope railing and a steps of widely varying heights. Good shoes are indicated. After the trek through the woods, there is a very nice dock area where you can put on your gear and enter the lake. The lake water is amazingly warm, about 85 when we were there.

There are millions (we heard numbers of about 3 million) of jellyfish cruising just below the surface. They can be touched very gently. They feel like pulsing Jell-O! Better to just watch and fin very quietly to prevent cutting them.

One of the more interesting perspectives is looking straight up. The jellyfish seem to float in the sky!

There are a few Moon Jellyfish mixed in with the millions of others!Just enough to keep life interesting!

Continue the Palau tour