Press Release - Palau Visitors Authority

Location and Geographic Description

7° 30′ North Latitude, 133° 30′ East Longitude

Population

21,271

Official Languages

English is spoken widely and Palauan is a fun language to learn. Many service providers speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese or Japanese.

Time Zone

When it’s Noon Monday in Palau, it is:

  • Manila 11:00 A.M. Monday
  • Tokyo 12:00 P.M. Monday
  • Sydney 1:00 P.M. Monday
  • Honolulu 5:00 P.M. Sunday
  • Los Angeles 7:00 P.M. Sunday

Climate

Palau enjoys a pleasantly warm climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82° degrees F. (27° C.). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, and the annual average is 150 inches. The average relative humidity is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare as Palau is located outside the typhoon zone.

What to Wear

Palau is ideal for island casual, but please no swimming suits or short shorts/skirts in towns or villages. Rain or shine, it is helpful to carry a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen protection or waterproof raincoat.

Currency & Credit Cards

The official currency of the Republic is the U.S. Dollar. Visa, JCB, and MasterCard are widely accepted at stores and visitor facilities. There are FDIC insured banks and major hotels with limited foreign currency exchange. In addition, Palau has money transfers through bank institutions.

Tipping

Tipping is optional, but appreciated.

Driving

Please obey posted speed limits and avoid passing other cars in towns or villages. Seatbelts should be worn for your safety.

Phone, Mobile and Internet Services

The Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC) offers nationwide mobile service, with 4G/3G coverage in Koror and Airai, and 3G/2G in other states:

4G – LTE 700 MHz (Band 28)

3G – WCDMA 900 MHz (Band 8)

2G – GSM 900 MHz

For international roaming select 55201 or PLW01, or use prepaid PalauCel SIM with Airtime Cards. Prepaid PalauCel SIM cards are sold at PNCC in Koror and Airai, and selected local vendors. Airtime cards are sold at more than 100 locations, and can be used for voice, text and mobile data.

Use PNCC Prepaid Internet Cards to access more than 200 Wi-Fi Hotspots throughout Koror and nationwide. Visit the PNCC website for current WiFi Hotspot locations: www.pnccpalau.com

PALAU COUNTRY CODE & HOW TO CALL LONG DISTANCE

Palau’s country code is 680. All calls within Palau are local calls.

Call international long distance from landlines with PNCC Debusch prepaid phone cards (sold at more than 100 locations), or via prepaid PalauCel mobile service.

The international access code is 011. To place an international call:

Dial: 011 + country code + city routing or area code + local number

PNCC International Operator (7am-12midnight daily): dial “0” (from a local landline)

For more information, call PNCC at 680 488 9000 or e-mail pnccservice@palaunet.com.

PNCC website: www.pnccpalau.com

Other Internet providers in Palau are PalauTelecoms and Palau Wifi, which also have hotspots and internet cards throughout Koror.

 

Media

Eco-Paradise FM, a government-owned radio station on 87.9FM (89.1FM in Babeldaob), and three privately-owned stations on island, WWFM, KRFM and PWFM, offer variety of local Palauan and international music. PNCC Digital TV, operated by Palau National Communications Corporation offers a wide variety of channels including CNN, Fox News, BBC News, ESPN, NHK, shown satellite direct 24 hours a day as well as popular children’s programming like DISNEY, NICKELODEON and CARTOON NETWORK. Other local cable channels include Oceania Television, MBTV, and the Palau Visitors Channel, which features tourism-related news and events.

There are two local newspapers, Island Times, and Tia Belau. Pacific Daily News is delivered daily from Guam.

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