Among the stunning islands of Palau, a landlocked lake filled with swarms of jellyfish is once again ready to welcome eager travellers.
Snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake is a popular activity for tourists to Palau. Image by ©BlueOrange Studio/Shutterstock
Ongeim’l Tketau Jellyfish Lake is a popular tourist site filled with harmless jellyfish, where divers swim through the swarms of floating creatures without being harmed. While it was once home to millions of jellyfish, the population drastically declined back in 2016 as the result of a drought.
Freediver swimming amongst the non-poisonous jellyfish of Jelly Fish Lake in Palau. Image by wildestanima/Getty Images
Now, the government of Palau has announced that ongoing monitoring by the Coral Reef Research Foundation (CRRF) found that the population is now rebounding. A similar issue happened after a drought in 1998 and the population of jellyfish recovered. Now, based on the current conditions and the continued recovery, Ongeim’l Tketau Jellyfish Lake has “sufficient numbers of jellyfish to provide visitors with a quality experience,” according to a government statement. The jellyfish lake is open, but management will still be implementing safeguards for the protection and sustainability of the site. Travellers should also note that a permit is required to visit the site.
Millions of golden jellyfish (Mastigias papua etpisonii) live in an isolated marine like in Palau. These jellies are endemic subspecies and there are five lakes in Palau with different subspecies. Image by ©Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock
Palau has been working in recent years to protect its incredible environment. With its stunning waters and marine life as one of the top tourist draws, Palau made headlines last year when it announced it would ban sunscreens that are harmful to coral reefs. The government passed a law that says no reef-toxic sunscreen will be manufactured, imported or sold in Palau on or after 1 January 2020, and another law that bans tourists from bringing it from outside the country. The island nation also introduced the Palau Pledge, which requires visitors to sign a pledge when they arrive stating that would behave in a way that protects the country’s natural and cultural heritage.
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