December 8–15, 2027 | Aboard the Palau Siren

Some dive destinations belong on a bucket list. Palau belongs at the very top.

Dive Outdoors is taking just 16 lucky divers on an extraordinary seven-night liveaboard adventure aboard Master Liveaboards’ beautiful Palau Siren. Timed to coincide with the December full moon, this special voyage offers the opportunity to witness one of the ocean’s most dramatic natural events: the mass spawning of Palau’s red snapper.

In the early morning hours, thousands of red snapper gather in enormous schools before surging upward from the reef to spawn. The commotion attracts sharks and other large predators, transforming the water into a fast-moving spectacle that relatively few divers will ever experience. It is wild, unpredictable and unforgettable—the kind of dive that reminds you why you became a diver. And the spawning event is only part of the adventure.

Palau combines nearly every type of diving imaginable in one remarkable destination. Hook into the current at legendary Blue Corner as gray reef sharks patrol the drop-off and schools of jacks, barracuda and snapper sweep past. Drift through the coral gardens of Ulong Channel, search for mantas at German Channel, explore the caverns and shafts of light at Blue Holes, and experience the walls and powerful pelagic action surrounding Peleliu. Palau’s nutrient-rich currents, dramatic underwater topography and extraordinary concentration of marine life have earned it a reputation as one of the world’s premier scuba-diving destinations.

Palau is also an underwater museum of World War II history. Beneath the protected waters surrounding Koror and Malakal Harbour lie Japanese ships and aircraft lost during the war, including the coral-encrusted Iro Maru. These historic wrecks have been transformed into thriving artificial reefs where steel structures, cargo holds and gun emplacements are now covered with corals, sponges and marine life.

Our home for the week will be the elegant, 40-meter Palau Siren, a liveaboard designed by divers for divers. Accommodating a maximum of only 16 guests, the vessel features comfortable air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms, a spacious dive deck, dedicated camera facilities, shaded dining areas and two dive skiffs that carry us directly to Palau’s celebrated dive sites.

This is more than a dive vacation. It is a rare opportunity to experience Palau during one of its most spectacular natural events—while sharing the adventure with a small group of fellow divers from Dive Outdoors.

Sixteen divers. Seven nights. One of the greatest underwater destinations on Earth.

Join Dive Outdoors in Palau, December 8–15, 2027.

Getting to Palau (Roman Tmetuchl International Airport - ROR) from the United States is an adventure in itself! From San Francisco (SFO), the most streamlined and popular route is flying with United Airlines, which typically connects through Honolulu (HNL) and Guam (GUM) before the final short island-hop into Koror. Alternatively, you can route through Asia by flying China Airlines with a layover in Taipei (TPE). Because Palau sits across the International Date Line, you will "lose" a calendar day while flying west. To ensure you arrive in Koror safely in time for our November 29, 2027 embarkation—and to give yourself a highly recommended buffer day to rest and adjust to the time zone—you should plan to depart SFO no later than December 5, 2027 or December 6, 2027. If you depart on December 5, you will touch down in Palau on December 7, 2027, leaving you refreshed and ready to board the Palau Siren the following day! If you depart on December 6, you will touch down in Palau on December 8, 2027, just before we embark on this incredible trip!

Master Liveaboards (via the Palau Siren) generally provides embarkation day pick-up from any major hotel located in the Koror or Malakal area, as well as direct pick-ups from the airport if your flight arrives on the day of embarkation. Because the Palau Siren usually operates out of the Malakal harbor area (often near Sam's Tours), staying on Malakal Island is incredibly convenient.

Here are three excellent, diver-friendly hotel recommendations across different price points if you wish to arrive early:

1. The Cove Resort Palau (Top Pick / Most Convenient)

• Why it's great: Located in Malakal, this resort is practically right next door to where the liveaboards and dive shops dock. It is modern, incredibly diver-friendly, and features the largest lagoon-style pool in Palau.

• Vibe: Modern, nautical, and very comfortable for a buffer day.

2. Palau Royal Resort (Luxury)

• Why it's great: Also located on Malakal Island near the liveaboard docks, this Nikko Hotels property offers a private beach, a beautiful pool, and great dining. It's one of the highest-rated properties in Koror and is perfect for guests wanting a luxury reset before boarding the yacht.

• Vibe: Upscale resort, excellent amenities, great for overcoming jet lag.

3. Palasia Hotel Palau (Centrally Located / Great Value)

• Why it's great: If guests want to be within walking distance to the shops, restaurants, and cafes of downtown Koror rather than the marina area, this is the place to be. It offers great value, duty-free shopping inside the hotel, and sweeping views of the rock islands from the upper floors.

• Vibe: Central, convenient, and budget-friendly.

(Note for guests: If you decide to book an Airbnb or a very small local guesthouse not on the main Koror/Malakal strip, you may need to take a taxi to a major hotel or the dive shop dock to meet the Master Liveaboards transfer.)

To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all our guests, Master Liveaboards has established specific requirements for diving the challenging, current-swept waters of Palau. All divers booking this trip must hold an Advanced Open Water (AOW) certification (or equivalent) and have a minimum of 50 logged dives prior to embarkation. Additionally, because of the remote nature of this expedition, both comprehensive travel insurance and specialized dive medical insurance (covering emergency medical evacuation and hyperbaric treatments, such as DAN or DiveAssure) are strictly mandatory. Proof of certification, logged dives, and active insurance policies will be required by Master Liveaboard before you can board the Palau Siren.

Master Liveaboard's Cancellation Policy

• 360 – 61 days before departure:

  • Charge: 30% of the total invoice amount (or the deposit amount paid, whichever is greater).

• 60 days or less before departure:

  • Charge: Up to 100% of the total invoice amount

Travel Insurance will cover most cancellations. Travel insurance is not optional.

Dive Outdoors is registered with the State of California as a Seller of Travel. CST #2157586. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. California law requires certain sellers of travel to either have a trust account or a surety bond; Dive Outdoors maintains a: trust account.

Guests will be transferred from a Koror hotel or the airport to Sam’s Tours in Malakal Harbour for embarkation aboard the Palau Siren at approximately 5:30 p.m.

After boarding:

• Meet the Palau Siren crew and dive team

• Settle into your air-conditioned ensuite cabin

• Assemble and organize dive equipment

• Attend vessel, safety, and diving briefings

• Enjoy the first dinner of the expedition

There is no diving scheduled on embarkation day.

Up to 4 dives a day, scheduled as follows:

- Light Breakfast followed by a briefing & dive 1*

- Full Breakfast and relaxation period

- Briefing & dive 2

- Lunch and relaxation period

- Briefing & dive 3

- Snacks and relaxation

- Briefing for Sunset or Night dive**

- Dinner

*Spawning dives are scheduled to coincide with sunrise to ensure guests have the best chance of witnessing the event.

**If weather conditions and currents allow, we may offer a Blackwater dive, although it is not guaranteed.

Day 7

For your last full day on board, we schedule up to 3 dives* before Palau Siren cruises back to Malakal Harbour, where she will remain at anchor overnight.

- Light Breakfast followed by a briefing and dive 1

- Full Breakfast and relaxation period

- Briefing and dive 2

- Lunch and relaxation period

- Briefing and dive 3

- Snacks and relaxation

- Dinner

*We kindly request that guests check their flight departure times to ensure they leave a minimum of 24 hours between their final dive and their flight home.

Breakfast on board followed by disembarkation at 10:00 and transfer to the airport, or your hotel at that time only.