Mocha at Okeanos
Welcome to our new holiday tradition: The Ungil Sils annual top three best of Palau list! We are not just service providers here, we are consumers. Yup, that is the spirit of the holidays, spend thy money. We are fast approaching the busy season here and we wanted to let you know what we have loved this year.
Top 3 places to get a massage (minus being offered a little extra....):
1. Melusch a Dil: locally owned and affordable (just like us!) massage in a clean and professional environment. If you are local the going rate for a massage is $20 for an hour, haircuts are $5 and they have a fun car chair for nervous kids.
2. TSP: This is the only place to go if you have truly twisted your spine. Torsten is a German physical therapist who does not so much provide a relaxing massage but he can put your body back into alignment, plus he is a witty guy. This does not come cheap, however, be prepared for the sixty dollar an hour charge!
3. Mandara: this chain spa operates out of two large luxury hotels, Palau Pacific Resort and Palau Royal resort, prices are sky high but the service is clean, friendly and respectable.....plus you get to drink tasty ginger tea before your treatment.
Top 3 Places to hang out your kids:
1. The new park under the KB bridge: this is a pretty great new addition to Palau, it is really the only outdoor park where every moment does not present a dire risk of tetanus. There is a sink outside for messes, small swimming hole and a brand new park courtesy of the Republic of Taiwan! They also have wireless for the parents of kids older than mine who are allowed to sit down....bring sunscreen and skip it if the weather is bad because the area is open to the elements.
2. The aquarium: the fish will momentarily distract from all worldly troubles, a good rainy day activity for all ages.
3. The kids room at Palau Royal Resort: It is hot out, you are desperate for air conditioning you would cry if your fairy godmother said "for ten dollars a kid you can play in an air conditioned padded room filled with colorful balls. Oh, and kids under six are free!" Go there. It is not a mirage. The front desk may try and confuse you, explain that you know the pool fee covers the game room and you will not be bamboozled. Also, we advise that you do not eat the buffet there, we think that this can be summarized in one appetizer: hot dogs and melon in a shot glass......
Top 3 places for a sunset picnic:
1. Palau Pacific Resort nature trail summer house: Try not to make eye contact with the security guard as you drive in to make use of the PPR nature trail (they occasionally will have you check in at the front desk before proceeding) and park near the managers apartments and head up the steep road to the summer house. The trail takes about thirty minutes total, bring a flashlight if you are a slow walker! On the way down you will end up at the poor man's beach after making your way through a very eerie tunnel of bamboo. We always enjoy trying to guess what the resort keeps in the air conditioned containers that are trailside on the way out....
2. Ulong island: A relatively short 14 mile trip from dock to destination this rock island with its expansive view reminds us that sunset is the perfect time to be in awe. You can see the 70 islands that so many tourists mistakenly believe they will be touring and the cluster of rocks concealing the jellyfish lake, the full tilt boat ride back at dusk is a fine time to take in all these treasures.
3. Angaur Island: Seeking adventure? Get yourself a tent and brave the 4 hour state boat ride to my home island. The only place you can surf a good sized wave while listening to the crazed shrieks of invasive macaque monkeys in the background. I would recommend camping along the shore, just wear some salt water crocodile repellent.....oh, that doesn't exist yet....hmmm.
Top 3 places to go have a beer: (if we had a babysitter we would join you!)
1. Red Rooster Brewery at Palm Bay: Clean taps, frosted mugs and $8 dollar pitchers every friday night, try the only local brewery! Delicious beer, especially the Wheat beer.
2. Kramers: This place has character, run by eccentric German expat Rene (do not ask about his recent boat trip to the Phillipines....) and lovely wife Jane you will surely be entertained should you find yourself drinking there in this seedy corner of Malakal.
3. Mingles: Although we do not go there much this place has established itself as the glittery intoxicated go go dancer of the downtown area. There is an open balcony where you can smoke or angrily throw your sworn enemy to the pavement below. We do not advise this, but it has happened.....
Top 3 places to drink a decent coffee:
1. Okeanos: We are pretty serious about our coffee (that is pretty much all we get serious about, the wife is a former Starbucks employee and the best coffee around is actually made in my kitchen) so when we went in and noticed the espresso machine of a value that exceeded all of our family cars combined, we were hopeful. This is the best place to get a quality hot espresso beverage, owned by Fish n' Fins and serving LaVazza brand beans this is a winning cup of joe.....and for over five bucks a cup it damn well better be! We are sad to report that this fine establishment does not open its doors until after ten in the morning, this is a thing here, coffee shops that open past proper coffee consumption hours.
2. Lius: On the days where the sun is of such an intensity that you are marinating in your own sweat just typing your blog (Today! Please, if you are reading this send iced coffee!) you may want to ice your energy drink. Lius is a newly established shop in the Rur/Rock Island tour conglomerate whose in house roasted beans are quite drinkable. We advise that you do not buy your drinking coconuts (mengur, in Palauan) there due to the hefty four dollar price tag....if you like coconut go to one of the small stores and get yourself one for just over a dollar.
3. Coffee Berry: This is owned by Hana Tours (we swear they own most of Koror at this point) and also boasts LaVazza beans, if you need your fix in the morning this is the only place open that makes the fancy stuff. (beware the times when they are dropping off a whole bus load of people there.....this place boasts free wi-fi but the connection speed is snail pace.
Top 2 places to surf the bandwidth:
1. The park under KB bridge: It is strangely amusing to be surfing the information superhighway while perfecting your tan....you will need a PNCC internet card.
2. Okeanos: This place is almost never crowded and when it is it tends to be love birds gazing into each others eyes. More bandwidth for you. Be the loner with a drink and a gadget. Buy yourself a PNCC wireless card before you get there in case they are out. If you get your card there make sure you bring cash, they do not accept credit for internet card purchases.
3. We would love to hear your suggestions on this, we are really can't think of a third location!
Top place to eat some fish:
Drop Off Bar and Grill: Owned by Palau's most beloved millionaire fisherman, Shallum Etpison, this is fish done by Palauans for everyone. We love the variety of fish available on the menu including Snapper, Blue Fin and Mahi Mahi. Also, a mighty tasty burger is served here.
Top 3 places to buy actual locally made gifts:
1. Belau National Museum: The museum truly supports local artists and keeps the importing of outside made souvenirs to a minimum. Locally made jewelry and Pandanus crafts are available at reasonable prices. We also love the pottery, story boards and tools for local food preparation.
2. Island Navigator Gifts: We like to support this place because it boasts local ownership, which is a rarity, and a prime location on the downtown strip.
3. The Prison Gift Shop: If you can get past the smell of urine(no seriously) I doubt that any organization needs your money to make improvements more than the prison. Recently uncovered as a violator of pretty much every basic human right, they are finally beginning the process of making their solitary confinement less like a form of slow death. Besides, nothing says I love you like a pair of turtle shell earrings carved by a heinous criminal. Stay local folks.
Best NEW restaurant:
over the past six months we have seen what qualifies as our downtown turn in to a strange glow of Chinese characters that are the new gift and dining locations introduced from overseas. We would like to point you in the direction of something that is NOT shiny but is delicious (not BurgerSea....) if you love Thai food try Jasmine Thai, located above the sparkling 'Seafood Ramen House' across from the local monolith of Surangel you will find, up a set of steep metal stairs that are reminiscent of boarding a ship, a local Thai woman who has established her own eatery. You will not even notice the lack of decor as you try to people watch through the heavily tinted windows to see what the people who eat at the shiny places are doing. P.S. We drank an iced coffee after five pm and did not sleep until the next day, if you need to go turbo try the iced coffee!
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