New Drop-Off Dive Site

Site Overview

New Drop-Off, 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. A sheer wall blanketed in gorgonians and sea fans that attracts pelagics cruising the blue. Geographically the site features wall and drop-off formations built from coral and rock substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 6 metres to a maximum depth of about 40 metres, with an average working depth near 22 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 Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis), Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus), Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), 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 New Drop-Off one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. New Drop-Off 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.