Swim In The Jellyfish Lake
Still to do
Float in a hidden marine lake in Palau as golden jellyfish pulse past your mask, too weak to sting.
The adventure
The speedboat from Koror weaves through the Rock Islands, hundreds of jungle-covered limestone domes sitting in turquoise water. On Eil Malk you tie up at a small jetty, scramble up and over a steep, rocky ridge on a short trail, and come down to the edge of a still, green lake.
Slide in and swim out towards the light. At first you see one or two, then the water ahead turns gold: soft, pulsing jellyfish of every size, from fingernail to dinner plate, bumping gently against your arms and mask. Cut off from the ocean for thousands of years, they have evolved a sting too weak for most people to feel, and they spend each day following the sun across the lake to feed the algae living in their tissue. There is no noise but your own breathing, and no other place on Earth quite like it.
Why it’s epic
- The lake's golden jellyfish are a subspecies found nowhere else on Earth.
- Each day the swarm migrates across the lake, following the sun.
- The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with world-class reefs on the way.
- Below about 15 metres the lake has no oxygen and is laced with hydrogen sulphide, which is why only snorkelling is allowed.
What it is
Jellyfish Lake is home to millions of golden jellyfish that have lost most of their sting.
How to do it
Visit by boat from Koror with a Rock Islands permit. Access is sometimes closed when jellyfish numbers fall.
Top tip
No scuba allowed; snorkel only.
Need to know
- Jellyfish numbers crashed during the 2016 drought and the lake closed for over a year, so check its current status and numbers before you book.
- You need a Jellyfish Lake permit from Koror State, usually arranged by your tour operator.
- Sunscreen isn't allowed in the lake, and Palau has banned reef-toxic sunscreens nationwide, so cover up with a rash vest.
- On arrival you sign the Palau Pledge, a promise to protect the islands stamped into your passport.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Best time to go
- All year
- Fly into
- ROR airport
Palau is a long, expensive journey from the UK, and permits, boat trips and island hotels add up.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Swimming with golden jellyfish swarms in a saltwater lake in Palau has long been on the bucket lists of adventurous travellers – myself included. That singular experience may be in jeopardy though as these famous jellyfish have all but disappeared.
Jellyfish Lake on Eil Malk Island in the western Pacific country of Palau is part of a World Heritage Site thanks to its stunning natural beauty and unique environment, which includes coral reefs and high biodiversity.
The lake has been closed during 2018 to enable the Jellyfish population to recover, so hopefully this sustainable approach will allow people to experience this for many decades to come.
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