What better way to enjoy the pristine waters of Palau than from your stateroom onboard the 128-foot Four Seasons Explorer. The luxury catamaran has three decks, 10 staterooms (plus a swanky Explorer suite), a bar and restaurant, lounge, library, PADI 5-star Dive Centre and spa corner. Four Seasons Explorer supports sustainable businesses and invites Paluan musicians and marine biologists onboard to share their cultural and ecological knowledge. The five-star floating resort is accompanied by tenders and dive boats to transport guests to and from shore. fourseasons.com

Palau Carolines Resort sits atop Ketund Hill in Meyungs, which is part of the larger state of Koror, the country’s main commercial hub. And, since its establishment more than three decades ago, the boutique hideaway has been considered a great base for travellers who want to discover Palau’s extraordinary diving sites. All up, there are eight private bungalows and one luxury canvas bungalow. A complimentary English breakfast is served daily. carolines-palau.com

This beachside sanctuary is dotted with pristine villas and overwater bungalows that stand, like the resident intermediate egrets, on skinny stilt legs near the shore. Palau Pacific Resort has its own private stretch of white, sandy beach, just 30 minutes from Palau International Airport. The pace of Palau seems to shift with the ebb and flow of the tides. Wake early, when the sky is indigo and the ocean is smattered silver to enjoy snorkelling, SUPing or kayaking off the beach. The surrounding forest is home to more than 35 species of birds, which scud and jitter between the trees. palauppr.com

Palau Sunrise is pinned like a sparkly brooch to a hilltop on Palau’s largest island, Babeldaob, also known as Babelthuap. From here, you can scuba dive or snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of Rock Islands South Lagoon. Or hike to Ngardmau Falls, which tumbles over a lip of limestone within the green of the jungle. The five-star retreat will also appeal to those who want a flop-and-drop style holiday in Palau. Amenities at the resort, which has 58 rooms and 16 private villas, include an infinity pool and spa, restaurants and bars. sunrisepalau.com

Watch the soft pink light seep over the sea at sunrise from your perch at the Palau Royal Resort on the peaceful green anchorage of Malakal Island. The 157-room resort is one of the best-placed hotels in Palau for accessing the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon and is surrounded by the pristine blue-green environment. The views of sea and sky from the rooms at the waterfront resort are like framed masterpieces. Head out on a deep blue evening for a canoe tour under the stars with Ocean Academy Palau, which can be arranged at the resort’s tour desk. palau-royal-resort.com

Elilai Seaside Dining offers an enhanced surround-sound of the elements. Perched over the water in its new location at Medalaii, Koror, the restaurant is so close to the water it catches both the rumble of the ocean and scent of fresh salt spray. The waterfront diner specialises in Palauan and Pacific Rim cuisine prepared with local ingredients such as Paluan steamed fish with ribboned vegetables and rice, papaya salad and Koror mangrove clams. elilaipalau.com

Vibes are high at The Canoe House, which is the sort of dive pub slash speakeasy where you go to check the pulse of Palau. Expect live music and karaoke – a mix of singing, screaming and serenading – cracking cocktails, and ice-cold beers. Build your own pizza using local ingredients such as kangkum (water spinach), eggplant, chilli and pineapple or smash down a burger or plate of stir-fried noodles with taro. canoehousepalau.com

Palua’s cuisine reflects the small Pacific’s nation rich, cultural tapestry which is a mix of influences from Polynesia, Taiwan, the Phillipines, Latin America, Europe, the US and Japan. This Japanese izakaya is known for its signature giant clam (tridacna), which is served as sashimi with stir-fried vegetables. The chefs also present delicate morsels of sashimi prepared using the freshest local seafood and natural brine of the ocean. @zigu_palau

The name of this buzzy bar and grill is a nod to a renowned Palau dive site dubbed Big Drop Off, where a dramatic reef wall suddenly plunges to a depth of almost 300 metres. Spend the day snorkelling with hawksbill turtles and reef sharks and exploring the underwater caverns of the Chandelier Cave before convening back at the Drop Off Bar to compare notes with fellow aquanauts. There’s been a strong American presence in Palau since World War 2 and that influence is evident on the menu at the Drop Off Bar & Grill: think burgers, pizzas and fried chicken. facebook.com/DropOffPalau

Snorkelling and scuba diving are two of the most popular activities in Palau, which is one of the Seven Underwater Wonders of the World. Judder through the crystal-clear seas with Neco Marine on a full day’s snorkelling or scuba diving tour that loops in sites such as Clam City, Big Drop Off and Shark City. There’s every chance you will see manta rays at the German Channel, too. You can jump straight off the Four Seasons Explorer and explore the underwater paradise. fourseasons.com

The further the shore fades from view, the more fun you’ll have on a kayak tour with Paddling Palau. The eco-conscious company has been guiding luxury kayak, snorkelling and camping safaris for more than a decade in Palau. Discover caves, tunnels and archways that are only accessible via kayak on a day tour of Nikko Bay. The UNESCO World-Heritage listed site is known for its World War 2 bunkers, shipwrecks, encampments and sunken Japanese seaplane. paddlingpalau.net

The first thing visitors to Palau are asked to do is sign the Palau Pledge to act responsibly, and protect the island nation’s culture of omenguli (respecting all and everything). Eco adventuring is a cinch onboard a traditional Micronesian wa’a boat, which is crafted with pandanus leaf sails and ropes woven from coconut fibre. Paddling Palau offers traditional cultural tours on wooden wa’a boats with experienced local sailors and naturalists. The single-hulled outrigger sailing canoes hold deep cultural significance in Palau. paddlingpalau.net

Up your daily dose of serotonin with a Palau fruit dove’s perspective of the Rock Islands of Palau. Smile Air provides an aerial view of some of Palau’s most dramatic rock formations and emerald islets. Get the heart racing in a doorless plane as you fly over the floating islands, which are covered in green foliage and surrounded by blue-green seas. The UNESCO World Heritage site features hundreds of these unique forested geological formations which present like a scene from a fantasy film. smile-air.com

The sea is often calm around the many islands of Palau, which makes it one of the best places for paddleboarding in the western Pacific Ocean. Work on your core while paddling around the limestone Rock Islands on a SUP Tour with the Rock Island Tour Company. RITC offers a wide range of sightseeing tours around Palau’s myriad lagoons and seas that wrap around the Rock Islands. palauritc.com

Traditional Indigenous culture remains very much alive in Palau, which has 16 different states. Palau Visitors Authority Website promotes a range of cultural tours, including the Kayangel Island Tour, where you can visit a local village on the northernmost state in Palau with IMPAC Tours. The Four Seasons Explorer also offers a Palau Cultural Heritage Tour. Gain insight into Palau’s cultural heritage through comprehensive excursions to Babeldaob and Peleliu Islands. You can also book a Rock Island Tour Company adventure to Babeldaob Island to see the time-worn Badrulchau Stone Monoliths, believed to be the oldest archaeological site in Palau. Or take a tour to see the ancient rock paintings of Ulong Island.