Koror

Koror is Palau's largest town and the usual base for Rock Islands boat trips, Jellyfish Lake and diving.

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Koror is the largest town in Palau, an island country in Micronesia in the western Pacific. It sits on Koror Island, linked by a bridge to Babeldaob, the largest island, where Palau International Airport is located. Koror was the capital until 2006, when the government moved to Ngerulmud. It remains the country's commercial center.

Most trips here happen on the water. Boat tours leave from Koror for the Rock Islands, a cluster of limestone islands in the southern lagoon that UNESCO lists as a World Heritage site, and for Jellyfish Lake, where you can swim among jellyfish that do not sting. Many dive and snorkel trips also start in town. Plan at least three days so one boat day and one dive day do not crowd each other. The drier months run from about November to April. Koror suits divers, snorkelers and anyone who wants a short trip from town to a remote lagoon.

Koror in five

Submit the Palau Entry Form before you flyThe official form must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival and generates a QR code to show at check-in and on landing. One form covers a family. You also sign the Palau Pledge at immigration.Palau Entry Form
Expect the $100 environmental fee in your ticketEvery international airline must include the $100 Pristine Paradise Environmental Fee in tickets into Palau. Palauan passport holders, spouses of Palauans and transit passengers are exempt and can claim a refund.Immigration, official page
Get Rock Island and Jellyfish Lake permits through a tourKoror State requires a Rock Island Use or Jellyfish Lake permit to enter the lagoon. They are sold at the Rangers' office in Malakal, at the state treasury and at most tour operators.Rock Islands day tour guide
Pack mineral sunscreen onlyPalau bans reef-toxic sunscreen: only zinc oxide or titanium dioxide actives are allowed, without parabens, triclosan, trilocarban or phenoxyethanol. Customs confiscates banned products.Palau environmental rules
Ask about Jellyfish Lake before you bookThe golden jellyfish have collapsed and recovered before, tied to lake temperature. Ask your operator whether the lake is open and which jellyfish are present on your date, and do not buy a tour for the lake alone.Where to stay in Koror

Things to do in Koror

See all attractions in Koror

Sight · KororMount Ngerchelchuus

an old church with a steeple and a clock tower

Church · KororSacred Heart of Jesus Church

Museum · KororBelau National Museum

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to KororPut the places you like in Koror on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Palau International, in Airai State on Babeldaob
Getting there: Cross the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge from Babeldaob to Koror
Getting around: Taxis, rental cars and tour-operator pickups; boats for the lagoon
Best base: Koror: most hotels and tour operators; Malakal for early boats
Time needed: 4 to 7 days with the Rock Islands and a Babeldaob day

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryRain24 rainy daysHigh28°Low27°Drier
FebruaryRain19 rainy daysHigh28°Low27°Drier, calm
MarchRain21 rainy daysHigh28°Low27°Drier
AprilRain23 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Showers start
MayRain27 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wetter
JuneRain29 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wet
JulyRain29 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wettest
AugustRain29 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wettest
SeptemberRain26 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wet
OctoberRain27 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wet
NovemberRain27 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Wet, easing
DecemberRain27 rainy daysHigh29°Low27°Drier

Average daily high and low in Koror, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Koror

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 33°
Humidity: 82%
Wind: 4 km/h
Chance of rain: 45%

Koror

07:38 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+9

Today29°27°45%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 45%.
Wed29°27°63%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 63%.
Thu29°27°55%Thursday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 55%.
Fri29°27°49%Friday: Rain. High 29°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 49%.
Sat29°28°39%Saturday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 28°. Chance of rain 39%.
Sun30°26°60%Sunday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 60%.
Mon29°26°60%Monday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 60%.

Updated 07:02 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD

Amount

Converted to

USD · US Dollar

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Day trips from Koror, the full guide

Rock Islands Southern Lagoona full day by boat from KororThe UNESCO-listed lagoon with snorkeling stops, Jellyfish Lake on request and a permit required for entry.Read the guide
Babeldaoba day by road over the bridgeChiefs' meeting houses, stone monoliths and waterfalls on the big island, which a sealed highway circles.
Peleliu and Angaursouth of the Rock Islands; boat, helicopter or small aircraftWorld War II battle sites, with a scheduled ferry for a small fee; unexploded ordnance means staying on main routes.

Before you go to Koror

Koror hotels and resortsCompare downtown, Malakal and resortsCheck availability

Rock Islands boat toursPermits usually arranged by operatorsCompare tours

eSIM or local SIM for KororPNCC sells a visitor eSIM onlineRead the guide

Dive insurance for PalauEvacuation and chamber treatmentRead the guide

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Rules for Koror, checked

Submit the Palau Entry Form within 72 hours before arrival at palautravel.pw and keep the QR code for check-in and landing.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
Every visitor pays the $100 Pristine Paradise Environmental Fee, included in international airline tickets; exempt groups can claim a refund on arrival.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
Palau Visitors Authority: Rock Island permit $50, with Jellyfish Lake $100. The Palau Visitors Authority travelers-tips page (read 4 October 2026) says the Rock Island permit is valid for 5 days and the Jellyfish Lake permit includes it. Koror State's older fact sheet (revised September 2012) says 10 days, so plan for 5 and ask for the validity dates to be written on the permit.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source

All Koror guides

A large body of water surrounded by mountains

Where to stayWhere to stay in Koror: downtown, Malakal, the resort side or AiraiChecked Oct 4, 2026

ItineraryHow many days in Palau: 3, 5 or 7 days from a Koror baseChecked Oct 4, 2026

How toRock Islands day tour from Koror: permits, Jellyfish Lake and what to expectChecked Oct 4, 2026

Plan around Koror

All of Palau

Entry form, pledge and the dry months

Read the guide Dive and evacuation cover

Insurance for depth limits and the chamber

Read the guide Money in Palau

US dollars, cards and cash for small fees

Read the guide

Koror FAQ

Is Koror a good base for Palau?

Yes. The official tourism site says most hotels, resorts and tour operators are in Koror, while the airport is in Airai on Babeldaob. A bridge links the two, so Koror puts you closest to the Rock Islands boats and the dive operators.

Do you need a permit for the Rock Islands?

Yes. Koror State requires a Rock Island Use permit, or a Jellyfish Lake permit, for visitors to use the lagoon. They are sold at the Rangers' office in Malakal, at the state treasury and by most tour operators, who usually include them.

Is Jellyfish Lake open?

Check on the day. The lake has been open, closed and low on golden jellyfish at different times, depending on water temperature, and the tourism authority noted in 2022 that moon jellyfish stayed through the decline. Operators know the current status.

How do you get around Koror without a car?

By taxi, by tour-operator pickup and by hotel shuttles, plus a bus trip planner on the tourism site. A rental car helps on Babeldaob, but the UK advice warns of unlit roads at night and drivers who overtake despite the ban.

How many days do you need in Koror and Palau?

Four days covers two lagoon days and a land day. The official seven-day plan uses one cultural day, three ocean days, two Babeldaob days and a flexible last day, so plan seven if you also dive.