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Peleliu

If you'd like to temporarily escape the relative hustle and bustle of the capital, the small coral island of Peleliu, in the south of the archipelago, offers a tranquil option. There's only one village – Klouklubed – and often it will seem like you've got the entire island all to yourself. Everything remains small and personable; there are no big resorts, just a handful of family-run establishments. It's hard to imagine that Peleliu was the site of one the bloodiest WWII battles in the Pacific theatre. Today, the US and Japanese war relics scattered across the island are Peleliu's major attractions, along with a few good beaches. Some of Palau's most famous dive sites also lie just offshore.

Explore Peleliu

  • WWII Memorial Museum

    Housed in a concrete building that was a dispensary during WWII, this well-organised museum is an excellent starting point to understand the historical…

  • American Tanks

    Northwest of the airstrip, two sturdy-looking US tanks rust in union on a grassy patch of land near a dirt track. Both are LVTs – Landing Vehicle Tractors…

  • Peleliu Peace Memorial Park

    On the southwestern tip of the island, the Japanese government built this memorial in 1985 for those who perished on Palau during WWII. The monument…

  • Thousand Man Cave

    On the northern outskirts of the Klouklubed village, Thousand Man Cave refers to a maze of tunnels and chambers built by the Japanese during WWII. The…

  • Tank and Japanese Cannon

    Right in the middle of the island, there's a wrecked LVT A1 tank that was lost in action when US Marines overran a nearby Japanese stronghold in 1944…

  • Japanese Power Plant Building

    One of Peleliu's most spectacular WWII sites, this large concrete structure suffered severe damage from aerial bombing – look for the massive hole in the…

  • Orange Beach

    The first US invasion forces to land on Peleliu came ashore at Orange Beach on 15 September 1944. From concrete pillboxes, the Japanese machine-gunned the…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Peleliu.

  • See

    WWII Memorial Museum

    Housed in a concrete building that was a dispensary during WWII, this well-organised museum is an excellent starting point to understand the historical…

  • See

    Japanese Military Headquarters Building

    This two-storey building was the Japanese forward command post during WWII. It was important in their efforts to control Peleliu and was very fiercely…

  • See

    American Tanks

    Northwest of the airstrip, two sturdy-looking US tanks rust in union on a grassy patch of land near a dirt track. Both are LVTs – Landing Vehicle Tractors…

  • See

    Peleliu Peace Memorial Park

    On the southwestern tip of the island, the Japanese government built this memorial in 1985 for those who perished on Palau during WWII. The monument…

  • See

    Thousand Man Cave

    On the northern outskirts of the Klouklubed village, Thousand Man Cave refers to a maze of tunnels and chambers built by the Japanese during WWII. The…

  • See

    Tank and Japanese Cannon

    Right in the middle of the island, there's a wrecked LVT A1 tank that was lost in action when US Marines overran a nearby Japanese stronghold in 1944…

  • See

    Japanese Power Plant Building

    One of Peleliu's most spectacular WWII sites, this large concrete structure suffered severe damage from aerial bombing – look for the massive hole in the…

  • See

    Orange Beach

    The first US invasion forces to land on Peleliu came ashore at Orange Beach on 15 September 1944. From concrete pillboxes, the Japanese machine-gunned the…

Guidebooks

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