The staff is dressed in casual floral shirts and in unison, along with our host, Ms. Keiko Kon, they warmly greeted us: “Alii, welcome to the Palau, Pacific!” The Palau pacific sits on the Western shore of the Arakabesang Island in Koror and is reputed to have one of the best sunsets on the island. Its 16 guest rooms offer both Ocean and Garden views and include all the amenities you can expect from a five-star hotel. Its collection o suites allow families, couples and individuals to enjoy a vast expanse of space in tropical-inspired décor with a full kitchenette for long-staying guests.
We spoke of the Coconut Terrace facing the sea. We snacked on Penne Arrabiata, which was sharp, tart, and spicy enough to tingle the taste buds. This was washed down with the local micro-brewed beer, Red Rooster. It had a particularly earthy flavor to it combined with the taste of roasted grain. The Spaghetti Bolognese was a rich and savory dish redolent with the flavor of meat of the finest quality. As a small island, all of its food and most of its consumer goods are imported from the United States.
Our schedule for the next day was set as we down the last drops of our beer and finish off the last slice of the pepperoni pizza which was crisp and tasty, reminiscent of oven-baked-over-wood-fire variety. We walked along the well-lit concrete paths, which led to the Ocean View rooms given to us. It was every quiet night. The sound of the crickets and gentle lapping of the waves against the shore bade us goodnight.
Bali Hai will whisper, In the wind of the sea…
The next morning, we proceeded to the Coconut Terrace where the ubiquitous hotel buffet is served as early as 6:30 in the morning. It offers your classic spread with fresh juices chilling on a large ice table, a section on cold cuts which include smoked salmon, slami and Parma ham set right beside the fresh fruit, tropical melons, watermelons, pineapple and papaya. The egg station offers the usual variety – sunny side up, omelet, scrambled using brown-shelled farm eggs. Other breakfast options –fish dish, noodles, miso soup and fermented natto beans – are also available at the congee station.
We took our sweet time at breakfast, and considered what the day held for us. The hotel guests were starting to flock to the 1000-foot-wide beachfront. The infinity pool rested just outside the open terrace and the towel section was just across the Jacuzzi – a recent addition, which according to Keiko, is gaining popularity.
We decided that it was time for us to take the plunge. The house reef at the Palau Pacific exhibited dominant hues of red and green interspersed with yellow and violets. The fish in all their shimmering glory, showed no fear of the people snorkeling around them. We have made acquaintances with quite a few – a trigger fish which tirelessly swam around us, the butterfly fish gracefully swimming in pains, the raccoons, penguin and copper band, with their sharp snouts reaching into the crevices of the coral polyps, and a great number of Hawaiian and Queen trigger fish. We quickly lose track of time, and with great reluctance, we returned our snorkeling equipment and headed to our destination.
Your own special hopes, Your own special dreams,
The Elilai Spa by Mandara is one the Northern side of the resort by the natural trail. The members of their staff are all from Bali, Indonesia, which pretty much guarantees the authenticity of the treatments and services, offered in the Spa. We entered through a wooden door and the aroma of lemon grass hit us, which is almost immediately brought warmth and relaxation. Zen music was being played from concealed speakers, filling the Spa with an ambiance of relaxation and serenity. We explored the shelves and found out that the treatments were being provided by Elemis, a well-known aromatherapy specialist. The sea, the air and the humidity pushed us to stay a while longer in the spa and give one of the relaxing treatments a try.
If you try, you’ll fine me where the sky meets the sea.
Chef Kamoshida has been in number of places, however, he considers the Palau pacific Resort as one of the most satisfying places he has worked at. This doesn’t come as a surprise at all, given the spectacular location and the relaxed pace of life which can only be found on this part of the world.
The mangrove crab, which is also called the mud crab, and is treated as a pest especially in prawn ponds since it attacks the prawns, which grow in the pond bed. It is served in a variety of ways- stir fried with chili sauce, coated in flour and deep-fried in ginger and spring onion. In spite of the various ways of cooking the crab, what remains constant is the need to preserve its natural sweetness. The dish is simply steamed with toasted and grilled coconut silvers and boiled taro. We dug in and were immediately arrested by the sweetness of the crab. On the side was avocado and bean salad with mild vinaigrette, which was perfect foil to the salty-sweet flavor of the crab.
When the day ended, we retired to our rooms and reflected on how the Palau pacific can restore any tired soul and inspire it to rediscover the beauty of nature within the comforts of a resort.
