Palau is really a magical place. Once the setting for a season of Survivor, this tiny Micronesian island chain is home to a gazillion kinds of coral, sea life, and breathtaking rock islands. This was my second visit and working vacation. Read my full travel story.

The first six photos show the view from our hotel balcony. We enjoyed misty mornings sipping coffee and electric dusks watching the bats circle this lush inlet. Most people visit Palau to dive and it has been described as some of the best diving in the world (20 foot manta rays, school of black tipped sharks!). Can you believe I’m not certified yet? It’s a crime not to be and there’s no reason other than procrastination that I haven’t scheduled the classes. Still, snorkeling in the Rock Islands was a visual treat and you’ll see those pictures, as well as my experience ziplining over a waterfall, in my next post (don’t want to overload you!).

Lunch and afternoon swim at Palau Pacific Resort