Best Time to Visit Ngerulmud

A warm, wet year with a drier patch

Ngerulmud is Palau's capital, a small government complex on Babeldaob island, in Melekeok state. The weather here barely changes. It's about 28°C by day and 27°C at night all year, and it's humid and often cloudy. The real difference between months is how much rain falls and how often.

Our data shows no truly dry month. Even the best one, March, gets rain on about 21 days. But the showers are often short, and you get more sun than at any other time of year.

February to April: your best bet

March is the pick, with February and April close behind. February is the driest of those, though its rain is still heavy. Skies are brighter, and the sea is usually calmer for boat trips from Koror to the Rock Islands and the Jellyfish Lake area. Diving and snorkelling are at their best. Dive operators in Koror run trips to Blue Corner, a famous reef drop-off, and it's much more pleasant in calmer water.

Note that the capital itself is quiet. You can see the Capitol building in a few minutes. Most people stay in Koror, about 20 minutes' drive away over the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge, and visit Babeldaob by car.

May to October: wet and cloudy

July is the wettest month, with 380 mm of rain on 30 days. Sun averages under two hours a day. June has rain every day too, and August and September aren't much better. Expect heavy downpours, grey skies and muddy trails. The waterfall hike to Ngardmau Falls, on the north of Babeldaob, can be slippery and tough at this time.

There's an upside. This is low season, so you'll often find quieter dive sites and better room deals. If you don't mind getting wet anyway, it can suit you. Just don't plan a trip around beach photos.

November to January: mixed

Rain is still frequent, with January the heaviest of these months at 234 mm on 25 days. Skies are a little brighter than in midsummer. Visitors pick up around the year-end holidays, so Koror hotels and dive boats fill earlier.

Palau's Independence Day is on 1 October, and it brings parades and community events across the islands. October is rainy, but it's a good time to see local life if that's your focus.