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Jellyfish Lake, Palau

© Linda Gettmann

The tiny island nation of Palau in Western Micronesia has one of the worlds most incredible snorkel spots. Lying 400 miles east of the Philippines, Palau is one of several island nations that comprise the area known as Micronesia in the Western Pacific Ocean. An area renowned for its world-class diving, Micronesia offers many unique cultural and natural wonders.

Palau’s rock islands were discovered in 1783 by a British ship blown off course in a storm. Near the equator, it rains almost daily and the climate is hot and humid. Volcanic upheavals occurred in these limestone islands formed from dead corals. Inland lakes formed when higher sea levels retreated and left water trapped in limestone pools. Small cracks in the limestone let seawater seep in, so the lake is somewhat salty, but contains much less salt than the surrounding ocean. Mangroves and dense jungle surround Jellyfish Lake creating a mysterious, eerie feel as you hike over a rocky, damp trail leading into the lake.

There are only three species of fish and two species of jellyfish in the lake. Cardinalfish, gobies, and silversides reside with the massive schools of floating, pulsing mastigias and moon jellyfish. Trapped in this plankton-rich inland lake eons ago, the jellyfish have lost their ability to sting through evolution and their protected environment.

The jellyfish survive with the algae in their system that makes food for the jellyfish by photosynthesis, so they follow the sun around the lake each day. A few anemones in the lake eat wayward jellyfish and gobies and the sea snails come in and pick up the small pieces.

The lake water is layered with the warm surface water containing lots of oxygen. Deeper there is decomposing matter which generates nitrogen needed by the algae in the jellyfish to survive. At night the jellyfish dive into the shallow depths to swim through these bacteria-rich waters and absorb the necessary nitrogen for life of the algae which they survive on as symbiotic hosts.

Since it is such a hike to get there and to keep from disturbing this special environment, Jellyfish Lake is now a snorkel spot rather than a shallow dive. Palau resorts include this special trip as a stop on one of their return trips from the outer reef dive sites. Wear your diveskin and some sturdy shoes over the trail to see these fascinating creatures.

At the water’s edge, don your mask, snorkel and fins and slowly float out into the main lake. A huge school numbering over 2 million jellyfish will be spread out in the sun. All sizes from a dime to larger than your outstretched hand drift by your mask. Their bodies are translucent, so you can see their insides and watch as they continuously pulsate along bumping into you and each other in the thick, massive swarm. It’s a place like no other; it’s a stop off that no diver should miss when touring Micronesia and discovering the exotic and remote island of Palau.

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