Yes, Palau is home to a spectacular dive scene and the majestic Rock Islands.

But truth be told, there is a single reason why I’ve come to Palau and it has nothing to do with those things. And everything to do with jellyfish.

About 12,000 years ago, sea levels rose high enough to fill up a basin on Palau (the future Jellyfish Lake). When the sea levels went back down, jellyfish remained trapped in the lake. Over thousands of years of isolation, those jellyfish lost their ability to sting. It’s one of only a few places on earth where you can swim alongside non-stinging jellyfish (UPDATE: a geographically savvy reader pointed out that Lake Kakaban in Indonesian Borneo is another location where you can swim with these jellyfish). Today, there are several million (!) in this lake.

We pull up to a dock and then hike 10 minutes to the lake. We’ll have about 40 minutes to swim here.

There is no diving in the lake, only snorkeling. This is because there is an anoxic layer that begins at about 45 feet down; the water at that level contains dangerous concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia that can be absorbed through the skin. Scuba diving above a 45 foot depth is still not allowed because the bubbles emitted on each exhale can get caught in the jellyfish bells and cause harm. Only snorkeling is permitted.

Visitors do not need to wear a wet suit. Leave your shoes at the dock and jump in!

The creatures in this lake are Golden jellyfish. As the sun moves overhead, they follow its path from one side of the lake to the other. At this particular time of day they happen to be near the center of the lake. I encounter a few stray jellyfish while swimming towards the mass of them.

It’s so odd to be in close proximity to creatures we are conditioned to avoid. For the first 15 minutes or so, my instincts are screaming, “DON’T TOUCH THEM!!” Gradually as I swim closer to the center of this gathering, I can’t help but brush against the jellyfish. While it’s an odd sensation, there is nothing painful about it. In fact, they are so fragile that I get nervous I’ll accidentally kick my fins too hard and harm THEM, not the other way around.

Into the abyss…

Some of my fellow snorkelers take a big breath and dive deep into the mass of jellyfish. The jellyfish are so concentrated at this point that I’m worried a downward plunge might damage them, so I stay at the surface.

I am fascinated by the graceful movements of the jellyfish. They stretch and contract, over and over again in a never-ending loop. This inhale /exhale action shows off their translucent structure beautifully.

Here’s some video footage of these fragile creatures in action:

If you don’t count tourists wearing snorkel fins, these jellyfish have only one predator: anemones in the shaded edge of the lake. Since the jellyfish follow the path of the sun, they don’t often get caught up in the anemones’ tentacles.

And before I know it, 40 minutes have passed and it’s time to swim back to the dock. I could have spent much more time here and I’m bummed our diving schedule won’t allow it.

I am on a high for the rest of the day. This was just an incredible experience.

NOTE: If you are planning to visit this magical place, there is a $100 USD permit to dive in the Rock Islands and visit Jellyfish Lake, good for up to 10 days. If you are ONLY visiting Jellyfish Lake, then the permit is $50 USD. These rates are valid as of 2013.

I’ll leave you with a photo of my friend Mermaid Linden swimming in Jellyfish Lake a few years ago. She has the most inventive job of anyone I know — as a professional mermaid, Linden has traveled the world, worked Hollywood parties, and granted wishes for ill children. Plus she’s a free diver and can hold her breath underwater for five minutes! You can read more about her here.

Local Palau photographer Wendy Capili-Wilkie of Island Bliss Photography took this shot of Linden. Just gorgeous.

And then just yesterday on Facebook, Linden shared this new ad for Hertz featuring one of Wendy’s photos taken in Palau:

So cool! Congrats Linden and Wendy!

Special thanks to the dive company Fish ‘N Fins for providing me with a 20% discount on my activities. As always, opinions are my own.