Sam's Tours Palau
Sam's Tours is one of Palau's best-known scuba diving and eco-adventure companies. They have a reputation for excellent customer care, personalized attention, and professional service standards.
Features
Complimentary coffee and tea all day
Safe-to-drink water from triple filtration system
Recently renovated training room, fully equipped with all amenities, where the PADI courses are conducted
Secure Guest Gear Locker and a Rental Gear Center
Three separate freshwater rinse tanks for cameras, gear and wetsuits
Restrooms with hot and cold shower facilities
Wireless internet access
Wheelchair accessible
Compressor room with two Bauer air compressors, one Nitrox membrane
Covered parking area for loading and unloading our customer shuttle
How To Get There
Several airlines departing from the western United States make 1 stop and then continue on direct to Palau. Sam's Tours can provide guests with airport transfers.
Dive Overview
This area offers epic diving along a breathtaking archipelago with underwater highlights including Jellyfish Lake, World War II wrecks, and stunning wildlife. Sam's Tours offers specialized service and caters to all levels of diver.
[Read More: Palau Dive Travel Guide]
Accommodation Overview
Palau Pacific Resort
Palau Royal Resort
Aliiibamou Resorts - Carolines
Situated on a cliff facing the incredible sunset view in Myunes, The Carolines Resort offers 8 handcrafted private bungalows, surrounded by beautiful island vegetation. Each bungalow is built from local materials such as bamboo, mahogany and mangrove, inspired by Palau's centuries-old architecture, with all room amenities for the modern traveler. Breakfast is served on the balcony, where you can begin your day with the view of the beautiful Rock Islands and end it with a stunning sunset.
Palasia Hotel
Right in Koror center, Palasia Hotel offers the proximity to numerous shops and restaurants. An excellent choice for our dive and hotel packages, the hotel features a large pool, open-air bar with excellent views and breeze, and great town or Rock Island bay views. On your diving days, our complimentary daily pickups will get you to Sam's Tours within 10 minutes drive!
Rose Garden Resort
Tucked away on a hillside with a spectacular view of Babeldaob Island, the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge, Koror, Malakal Island, and its surrounding lagoons, Rose Garden offers 20 rooms, all wooden cabins, in a lush green garden.
Palau Plantation Resort
Tucked in one of the residential neighborhoods of Koror, Palau Plantation Resort offers traditional styled cabins, cottages and villas surrounded by the natural beauty of a tropical paradise. Palau Plantation Resort is a chic resort brimming with Palauan inspired flavors set against the relaxing natural environment. Each room is equipped with an in room safe, shower and tub, TV and a hairdryer. Ground level rooms have a veranda, while family rooms have an in-room laundry.
West Plaza Hotels
The West Plaza chain offers a great variety of rooms at five different locations in Koror. Whether you are looking to be close to Sam`s Tours, downtown or right by the sea, book a dive and hotel package with us at West Plaza Hotels.
Comfort Suites
Looking for great value? Comfort Suites offers both rooms and long-stay apartments with kitchen. A short walking distance from Sam's Tours, Comfort Suites is a wonderful place to stay for dive enthusiasts... and don't worry, we'll pick you with our complimentary pickup service if you don't like walking.
Lehns Motel
Lehns Motel, located close to Koror center and a short drive from Sam's Tours with our complimentary pickup service, offers short-stay rooms or long-stay apartments and studios at a monthly rate.
Dive Information
Daily Dive Tours
Palau is considered one of the world's premier dive destinations, with dozens of dive sites in a rare variety: walls with fascinating coral formations, reef corners where the currents attract sharks, rays and schooling fish, channels and other sandy bottom sites, tunnels, holes, caves and caverns, and plenty of WWII freighter and plane wrecks! From macro to mantas, Palau has it all!
Although Palau is considered an advanced dive destination due to frequent currents and depths, there are plenty of easy dive sites for beginners, or for those who wish to become a diver!
A typical day of diving with Sam's Tours beings with an 8:30 a.m. (unless otherwise stated) complementary pickup from various hotels in Koror to our dive center in Malakal.
Most dive sites are located about 45 minutes from Sam's Tours, offering our guests picture-perfect scenic boat rides through the mushroom-like Rock Islands. Surface intervals and lunch breaks are normally spent on either a virgin white sand beach with wild green vegetation, equipped with cozy seating benches and toilet facilities, or on top of snorkeling sites with stunning shallow reef plateaus.
Depending on your daily schedule, most boats return to Sam's Tours around 3-4 p.m. You can hop right back into the water, with our offer of unlimited free dives at Sam's Macro Wall right off our dock, where mandarin fish are often spotted mating at twilight.
We dive a maximum of three tanks a day on our day tours, not counting Sam's Macro Wall and night dives.
The tanks are aluminum 80 cft (or 11.1 liter) tanks. We also have several 80 cft compact tanks, available upon request. We do not carry 100 cft (15L) tanks.
Sam's Tours Palau offers complimentary shuttle services back to your hotel, available whenever you choose to return. Many guests stick around to enjoy a deco-beer and snacks with friends and fellow divers at Bottom Time Bar and Grill while enjoying the beautiful sunset views.
Unique Dive Expeditions
Sam's Tours Unique Dive Expeditions are tailor-made, exclusive expeditions specializing in spawning events and animal behavior. This Unique Dive style based on the monthly lunar cycles offers an once-in-a-lifetime diving expedition.
Experience these expeditions and Palau's premier dive sites in Sam's Tours Unique Dive style. Take advantage of diving in a small and flexible group that enables us to show you the full potential of these exceptional sites. The flexible dive itinerary is based around currents and lunar cycles to maximize your diving experience.
During certain lunar cycles (Full Moon and New Moon), different species of fish gather in huge aggregations to spawn. Numbers can vary from hundreds to thousands, depending on the species. These mind-blowing spawning events usually attract bigger predators as well. Through local knowledge, thousands of dives and documenting our experiences, we have been able to discover some of Palau's best kept secrets.
- Full Moon Expedition
- For several days leading up to, and around the full moon, huge numbers of red snappers (Lutjanus bohar) aggregate, ready to spawn. Our expeditions will start on Palau's premier dive sites where conditions can sometimes be challenging due to strong currents and early starts. However, the rewards are high! As the sun rises, we will begin our dive to watch the spectacle about to unfold. A huge aggregation rises from the deep to ensure a continuation of their species. You will witness what only can be described as an underwater display of 'fireworks' that also attracts the biggest predators in Palau.
- New Moon Expedition
- A common favorite is the Bumphead Parrot Fish (Bolbometopon muricatum), often seen patrolling the reefs in smaller schools. These encounters are amongst favorites for divers, but imagine an aggregation of nearly a thousand individuals. This expedition takes us to a remote site where aggregations begin forming early morning. Hundreds of individuals from all around the area join for what is about to be an unforgettable site. Building up to a spectacular show-down, males begin their display of dominance, attempting to attract as many mating partners as possible. As females continue to gather the school spills out in the blue where tension erupts into a climatic mating dance.
- Seabream Expedition
- Sam's Tours Unique Dive Expeditions' latest offering is the spawning aggregation of Bluelined Seabream, also known as the Sailfin Snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus). This phenomenon is arguably more special than the spawning of the Red Snapper and Bumphead Parrotfish as it only occurs in March and April for a select few days in each month. It is estimated that this aggregation could contain more than 50,000 fish and the predation on the aggregation by the Bull Sharks and Oceanic Blacktips is simply awesome. Adding to this the fact that the aggregation only occurs in Peleliu makes this the spawning aggregation that the guys from Sam's Tours Unique Dive Expeditions relish the most!!!
- Blackwater Night Dive
- As divers, we know the adventure of night diving on the reefs ââ¬âthe thrill and anticipation of rolling off the boat into the inky waters below, seeing creatures rarely seen during the day. Now, imagine diving in the pitch black of night, relying solely on GPRS to lead us to the exact spot where meters of water lies below us. A lit hang-bar is lowered to 16 meters, attracting the ocean's most bizarre creatures. Test your photography skills as creatures no bigger than a few centimeters drift pass and countless members of the jellyfish family pulsate in every color imaginableââ¬Â¦
- Note: Blackwater night dives cannot be offered on nights of the Full Moon and New Moon Expeditions.
Technical Diving
Whilst the diving in Palau is world renowned, there is a side to diving in Palau not everyone is aware of, and very few have experienced: technical diving. Drop-offs and walls that plummet to hundreds of meters, caves and caverns, wrecks remaining from the Japanese occupation of Palau, offering opportunities for exploration for qualified and experienced tec divers.
Tec diving at Sam's Tours is conducted by the highly trained and experienced instructors from our Unique Dive Expeditions. With many years' experience as technical divers, the Unique Dive Expeditions guides have more technical diving hours in Palau than probably anyone.
From extended range air dives to 180 ft/55 m with twin sets, through decompression gases to deep rebreather wall dives to 490 ft/150 m and beyond, Unique Dive Expeditions specializes in taking experienced technical divers to the deeper side of Palau. Non-tec-qualified divers may also complete a number of TDI and PADI Tec courses, allowing them to experience a side of Palau very few people have been privileged to visit.
Tec diving is much more than just depth; at Sam's Tours, we also offer technical wreck diving, which allows for greater time on and inside the wrecks, exploring areas recreational divers cannot experience.
Sam's Tours' facilities cater to all levels of tec diving, including diving with twin sets, various sizes of decompression cylinders, and hang bars for your comfort during decompression stops, while oxygen, helium, booster pumps, and Sofnolime are available upon request.
Packages & Rates
Dive & Snorkeling Tours 2024
All rates are in USD and per person. Exclusive of the 10% Palau Goods and Services Tax (PGST).
| Dive & Snorkeling Packages | Minimum Pax Requirement | Rates |
| Full Day Diving (2 tanks) | None | $215 |
| Peleliu Diving* (2 tanks) - Advanced divers only | 6 pax | $275 |
| Peleliu Diving* (3 tanks) - Advanced divers only | 6 pax | $325 |
| Add On: Half Day Peleliu Land Tour (Can only be booked with Peleliu 2 tank dive) | 6 pax | $125 |
| Wreck Diving Day (3 tanks) | Price available on request | |
| Chandelier Cave Dive | None | $50 |
| 3rd Tank Dive | None | $55 |
| Night Dive | 4 pax | $115 |
| Jellyfish Lake Snorkel Stop (after diving 2 tanks) | None | $50 |
| Snorkeler on Dive Boat - Must be 15 yrs old or older & hire a private snorkeling guide | None | $150 |
| Private Dive Guide - Daily | None | $140 |
| Private Dive Guide - Weekly (5 days) | None | $560 |
| Sam's Macro Wall | None | FREE |
|
Rock Island Jellyfish Lake Tours A scenic cruise through the beauful Rock Islands with a wonderful selecon of snorkeling stops, beach me and photo opportunies. Oponal: Visit world-renowned Jellyfish Lake* | 5 pax | $200 |
| 4 pax | $225 | |
*Requires Peleliu Government diving permit
Inclusions
- Hotel transfers within Koror
- Lunch and refreshments
- Professional dive leader
- Tanks and weights
- Free Nitrox up tp 32%
Exclusions
- Mandatory government permits
- Dive gear rental
Dive Courses 2024
All rates are in USD and per person.
| Description | Approx. No of Days/ Hours/ Dive | Rates | |
| Dive Courses | Bubble maker (age range: 8 years old and above)- NELM | 1âÂâ2 day | $250 |
| Seal Team Course (age range: 8 years old and above)- NELM | 1 day | $325 | |
| Discover Scuba Diving (1 tank) Pool/Sam's Dock- NELM | 2-3 hrs | $225 | |
| Discover Scuba Diving (2 tank) Boat Dive with Private Instructor*- NELM | 1 day | $300 | |
| Scuba Diver Course ( age range: 10 years or above ) | 2 days | $500 | |
| Scuba Diver Upgrade to Open Water Diver | 1 day | $250 | |
| Open Water Diver Course / Junior Open Water Course (age range: 10ââ¬â14 years old) | 3 days | $750 | |
| Open Water Course Upgrade from Discover Scuba | 2.5 days | $675 | |
| Open Water Referral | 2 days | $475 | |
| ReAcvate E-Learning (Online session + 1-tank dive) | 2-3 hrs | $155 | |
| Adventure Diver Course ( 3 Adventures Dives ) | 1-2 days | $405 | |
| Adventure Diver Upgrade to Advanced Open Water | 1 day | $275 | |
| Advanced Open Water Diver Course | 2 days | $675 | |
| Rescue Diver Course | 3-4 days | $725 | |
| Emergency First Responder Course (EFR)- NELM | 4-8 hrs | $155 | |
| Dive Master- 30 days ( including DM crew pack) | 30 days | $2,050 | |
| Instructor Development Course | Price available upon request | ||
| Specialty Courses - Must complete DSD 1 tank course to parcipate in the DSD 2 tank course **The prices for SPECIALTY COURSES do not include dives; dives must be booked separately | EANx (Nitrox) Course | 3 hrs | $225 |
| Sam's Tours Blue Corner Specialty- NELO | 1 day | $140 | |
| Digital Underwater Photographer | 1 day | $175 | |
| Underwater Navigator, Peak Performance Buoyancy | 1 day | $225 | |
| Deep Diver | 2 days | $350 | |
| AWARE Shark- NELO, Dive against Debris, Fish ID, SMB Diver | 1 day | $140 | |
| Dri Diver | 1 day | $225 | |
| Wreck Diver | 2 days | $350 | |
| Recreaonal Sidemount Diver | 2 days | $550 | |
Sea Kayak & Snorkeling Tours
All rates are in USD and per person.
| Tour Details | Minimum Pax Requirement | Rates |
| Nikko Bay Tour Excellent relaxed tour for all ages; shield from winds and swells, this tour offers perfect combinaon of paddling and snorkeling | 4 pax | $185 |
| Risong Bay Tour A scenic kayak and snorkeling tour including inner lagoons, ancient villages, cave, and excellent snorkeling spots | 4 pax | $185 |
| Long Lake Tour* Long Lake, SeaPlane, Secret Lake, Milky Way; get carried by the des on this naturalist- focused tour, only offered on specific condions; excellent for bird watching | 5 pax | $235 |
| Tarzan Tour* Lost Lake, Tarzan Lake and the Blue Room; fantasc scenery, including snorkeling and freediving into a limestone cave | 5 pax | $235 |
*Specialty Kayak Tours (only available at certain tides)
Blackout Dates 2024
- January 1 - 8
- February 17 - 18, 22, 24, 26 - 27
- March 6, 7, 9, 10 - 11, 13 - 15, 17 - 18, 21 - 25, 27 - 28
- April 4 - 8, 14 - 18
- May 1 - 11, 15 - 19
- September 1 - 2, 4 - 8
- October 31
- November 7, 10 - 14, 25 - 30
- December 1 - 5
Underwater Gallery
é Sam's Tours/Marc Stickler
é Sam's Tours/Marc Stickler
é Sam's Tours/Wendy Capili Wilkie
é Sam's Tours/Christoph Hoppe
