The Rocky Islands of Palau

If you want to admire the pristine purity of untouched tropical nature - this issue is for you, because Palau is a beautiful tropical paradise and one of the most untouched places on our planet.

Palau is an archipelago of almost 250 islands located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is an independent State — the Republic of Palau, although geographically it is part of a larger island group — Micronesia. For more than 30 years, it was part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under the administration of the United States. In 1994, the state gained full independence.

Most of the more than 100 islands are low-lying coral islands intersected by barrier reefs. In addition, most of them are not inhabited.

The population of the country — approximately 21,000 people - is scattered across 250 islands in the western chain of the Caroline Islands.

The most famous of Palau's attractions are the Rocky Islands — a group of green islands covered with vegetation, with several bright white sandy beaches.

They were formed by ancient coral reefs, and the bases of these limestone forms succumbed to slow erosion over thousands of years. This erosion gave them a "mushroom" shape.

According to various sources, there are from 250 to more than 400 islands in the archipelago with a total area of 47 sq. km and a height of up to 207 m.

Most of the islands are uninhabited and are known for their beaches, blue lagoons and the interesting "umbrella" shape of the islands themselves.

Rocky islands and the reefs surrounding them make up popular tourist spots in Palau, for example, the Blue Corner, the Blue Hole, the German Channel and the famous Jellyfish Lake — one of the many lakes on the islands, which is home to several species of non-stinging jellyfish that live only in Palau.

This is the most popular tourist destination in Palau.

In fact, Palau offers some of the best diving spots on the planet.

From deep-sea diving to the current on the waves, from stingrays to sharks and from shallow and colorful lagoons to beautifully decorated caves and canopies — all this is Palau.

Although most of the islands are now uninhabited, Palauan settlers once lived here, and local residents continue to use these territories and their resources for the development of culture and leisure.

There is a significant collection of cultural remains of local settlers on the islands, which are about five thousand years old.

Archaeological evidence of human life in local caves, including rock paintings and burial sites, suggests that people lived here seasonally and used the marine ecosystem as early as 3100 BC.