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    Blue Corner Dive Site

    40m Max
    20-40m Vis
    boat

    Site Overview

    Blue Corner, within the Ngemelis & Western Barrier Reef of Palau, is one of the region's most rewarding dive sites and a highlight of any Micronesian diving trip. It is the dive most divers travel to Palau to experience, a hooked-in spectacle where the current delivers a non-stop parade of predators. Geographically the site features wall and plateau and drop-off formations built from coral and rock substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 5 metres to a maximum depth of about 40 metres, with an average working depth near 18 metres. Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 20 to 40 metres, while water temperatures hold between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius year-round. The marine life is the headline attraction. Divers routinely encounter Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus), Napoleon Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Bigeye Trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus), alongside dense reef fish, invertebrates, and the soft and hard corals that blanket the reef. The mix of nutrient-rich currents and Palau's protected status makes Blue Corner one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. Blue Corner is best enjoyed as part of a boat programme out of Koror, and it rewards wide-angle photographers, naturalists, and adrenaline-seeking drift divers alike. The Palau Protected Areas Network helps keep the reef pristine, so divers are asked to maintain perfect buoyancy and respect the fragile coral at all times.

    Dive Briefing

    "Your dive at Blue Corner begins with a negative descent along the mooring line or wall, depending on the current on the day. On arrival your guide reads the current and chooses a hook-in point on the plateau at roughly 15 to 18 metres, where you deploy a reef hook on rock and watch the blue water. Plan to spend the deepest portion of the dive along the wall between 5 and 18 metres, where the coral is most colourful and the larger fish congregate. Because Blue Corner's current can reverse without warning, keep your reef hook ready, never attach it to coral, and stay with your guide so the group ascends together. Mid-water, watch the blue beyond the wall for passing Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) and other pelagics, and keep an eye on your no-decompression limits given the depths involved. Ascend slowly with a safety stop at five metres to off-gas safely. Because Blue Corner can experience strong currents and occasionally reduced visibility after heavy rain, dive with a surface marker buoy and always follow your operator's site-specific briefing and emergency plan."

    Signature Marine Life

    Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

    high

    Best: November, December, January

    Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)

    high

    Best: Year-round

    Napoleon Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

    medium

    Best: Year-round

    Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

    high

    Best: Year-round

    Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

    medium

    Best: Year-round

    Bigeye Trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)

    high

    Best: November, December, January

    Safety & Hazards

    • Strong and reversing currents that can sweep divers off the wall
    • Depth approaching 40 metres reducing no-stop time
    • Boat traffic at the surface during peak season
    • Occasional aggressive behaviour from large jacks and sharks in the baitball
    • Sun exposure and dehydration on the long boat ride
    • Entanglement risk around the mooring line in current
    Nearest Chamber
    Belau National Hospital Hyperbaric Chamber, Koror
    12km away

    Traveler Notes

    Who is this for?

    Blue Corner is aimed at advanced divers holding at least a Advanced Open Water certification, and it suits those comfortable managing strong currents and maintaining neutral buoyancy along vertical terrain. Photographers, marine-life enthusiasts, and experienced drift divers will find it especially rewarding, while divers new to current diving should build experience on gentler walls first. Divers who prefer calm, shallow, zero-current conditions should choose one of Palau's sheltered lagoons or house reefs instead, and anyone without the recommended certification should complete a check-out dive with a local operator first.

    wall
    drift
    sharks
    current
    pelagic
    signature

    For Non-Divers

    Non-divers can enjoy the Rock Islands by kayak and snorkel the sheltered lagoons while divers are on the wall.

    Quick Stats

    Difficultyadvanced
    CertificationAdvanced Open Water
    Currentstrong
    Water Temp27-30°C
    Best TimeNovember - April

    Dive Logistics

    Operators
    • Sam's Tours
    • Fish 'n Fins
    Pricing Guide
    $130 - $190
    Per 2-tank boat dive

    Photography Info

    Recommended Gear
    16-35mm
    60mm macro

    Best for: wide_angle, macro

    Nearby Stay

    Palau Pacific Resort

    Arakabesan, Koror8km away

    Check Availability

    West Plaza by the Sea

    Koror9km away

    Check Availability