Like motes of spinach green in the midst of the Pacific, the islands of Palau sit sandwiched between the waters of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines, just poking their rocky heads and uninhabited limestone backbones above the aquamarine swells. Arriving here opens up vistas of a picture-perfect paradise with all the facets of a far-flung exotic land: timber-cut tribal huts and fascinating Micronesian tribal locals to match; plentiful beaches of powder-white sand at Long Island, Angaur and Peleliu; palm forests and mangroves that beckon walkers and wildlife seekers with their cacophonies of chirps and feral calls; scuba diving in shipwrecks (Palau tour guides based in the capital at Koror are a sure bet if you want to get underwater); sea kayaking and luxury resorts on the edge of the sea. Meanwhile, Babeldaob hides vine-dressed WWII bunkers on its jungled coast, there is Polynesian history to be learnt at the Etpison Museum, and foodies will never be disappointed by the fusion of Asian, Pacific, Japanese and Australian flavors that bubbles up in the eateries!