Sam's Tours

Located in Malakal, Sam's Tours has been a cornerstone of the Palauan diving community since 1990. As a locally owned and operated centre, they provide direct access to some of the most iconic dive sites in the Pacific, from deep reef walls to historic wartime wrecks.

The centre is built around a commitment to environmental stewardship, operating as a zero-trace provider that avoids single-use plastics. This dedication to conservation is matched by their professional standards, maintaining a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center status.

The team is composed of professional PADI instructors who bring extensive local knowledge to every trip. To ensure high-quality guidance and safety, the centre maintains a guide-to-diver ratio of 1:8.

Every guide is required to have completed at least 150 dives within Palau before leading groups. This ensures that you are accompanied by someone intimately familiar with the local currents, surge, and site-specific nuances.

As a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center, the training programme is comprehensive, ranging from initial qualifications to professional instructor training. They offer the PADI Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver courses, as well as the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox course.

For those looking to specialise, the PADI Blue Corner Specialty is available. Professional divers can undertake the Divemaster Internship, Instructor Development Course, or the Emergency First Responder Instructor programme.

The centre operates custom-built boats powered by twin two-stroke engines, designed specifically for the conditions in Palau. These vessels are equipped with VHF radios and a sunshade to provide protection during long trips out to the reefs.

Onboard, you will find essential amenities including freshwater, reusable water bottles, and meals served in reusable containers. For those looking to extend their time underwater, the boats are fully equipped for night dives.

The Malakal facilities are spacious and designed for ease of use, featuring an open-air layout with a view of the Rock Islands. Divers can utilise secure lockers for their personal kit, along with dedicated freshwater rinsing tanks for cameras, equipment, and wetsuits.

Shore-side amenities include a customer service centre, a 'Bottom Time' bar and grill, and shower facilities with both hot and cold water. The centre also provides full equipment hire for those travelling without their own rig.

The marine life in this region is defined by massive schools of fish and large pelagics. You can expect to see hammerhead sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks, and whale sharks, alongside manta rays and various reef sharks. Large groupers, jacks, and barracudas are common residents of the reef walls and drop-offs.

Macro life and smaller inhabitants are abundant throughout the reefs and wrecks. Look for cleaner shrimp, Charlotte shrimp, and various species of scorpionfish among the corals, as well as cuttlefish, octopus, and various species of rays including stingrays and spotted eagle rays.

The reef structure itself is a vibrant landscape of hard corals, sponges, and anemones, providing a home for colourful residents such as lionfish, batfish, and various species of fusiliers. You may also encounter sea turtles and Napoleon wrasse navigating the canyons and crevices.

The diving in Palau is characterised by diverse environments, including high-energy drift dives in channels and more sheltered cave explorations. Sites like Peleliu Cut are designed for advanced divers due to the nature of the currents and depth.

Many of the most famous sites, such as Blue Corner and Ulong Channel, involve drift diving where the current is a primary factor in the dive profile. The centre is well-equipped to handle these conditions with experienced guides and purpose-built boats.