When I told friends I was visiting , the most common response I received was: “Sounds lovely – but where is that exactly?” A lack of brand recognition isn’t usually something to strive for, but Palau doesn’t see it that way. As other countries around the world grapple with the impact of mass tourism, remaining under the radar is a key objective of this island nation. Around 500 miles east of the Philippines and with flight connections to Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul and Taipei, the Republic of Palau is home to just 18,000 people, making it the fourth smallest sovereign state on the planet, but comprises about 340 islands.
Only nine are inhabited. Many of the others are entirely untouched and set in spectacular clusters of towering limestone and coated from shoreline to peak in ancient tropical forest. In short, it’s paradise – and its government is determined to keep it that way.
In 2020, the Palau National Marine Sanctuary was established, protecting 80 per cent of the country’s waters, covering an area larger than France. Since 2017, every tourist who enters has been obliged to sign the , a commitment “to act in an ecologically and culturally responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau’s children and future generations of Palauans.” Which isn’t to say tourists are unwelcome.
Palau still needs to consider economic necessities – especially when the country’s means its citizens can easily study and settle there, an arrangement that h.