National Geographic Jellyfish Lake overview
Jellyfish Lake truly is one of the wonders of Palau. This small isolated, slightly saline lake is filled with millions of Golden Jellyfish. These jellies have developed a symbiotic relationship with algae. By migrating daily to nitrogen rich zones of the lake and to sunny areas, rotating regularly so all of the algae living in their system have exposure to the sun and nutrients they need. From the algae, the Golden Jellyfish get sugars that they use as food.
In recent history, the Palauan government increased permit fees to the lake to $100 per person. The hope was to decrease the overwhelming number of tourists flocking to the lake. It didn't work. With the increase in Chinese tourism, the numbers have stayed steady.
To access the lake you need to book a spot with one of the tour companies in Koror. They will outfit you with the permit, snorkeling gear and transportation to get to the island. Most are part of a larger package that will include a lunch stop and visits to other island and water-area destinations (e.g. the Milky Way, a bay area where the limestone bottom makes a white mud that tourists love to smear all over their bodies before jumping in the aqua waters to clean off).
Expect to be in the lake with a hundred other people, but it is still worth the visit.
After hiking the narrow, rocky path from the boat dock to the lake dock we were the first to arrive in the lake. Outfitted in our snorkeling gear, we gently started our swim across the surface. Our view at the onset was a deep abyss of dark greenish aqua waters, streaming with sunlight. But not long into the swim, small orange blobs ranging from the size of a quarter to that of a small melon started to come into view.
Soon, there were millions of them. In every direction you looked in the water the Golden Jellyfish were softly making their way through the water. Occasionally one will swim into you. While I don't advocate touching them, to preserve the jellies, when you do feel one touch you it is almost like a soft silicone ball. - With no sting.
If you're lucky, you'll glimpse a Moon Jellyfish, too.
