Rock Islands (Palau)

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The Rock Islands of Palau, also called Chelbacheb, are a small collection of limestone or coral uprises, ancient relics of coral reefs that violently surfaced to form Islands in Palau's Southern Lagoon, between Koror and Peleliu, and are now an incorporated part of Koror State. The islands, between 250 to 300 in number according to different sources, with an aggregate area of 47 km² and a height up to 207 m, and are for the most part uninhabited, and are famous for their beaches, blue lagoons and the peculiar umbrella-like shapes of many of the islands themselves. The Rock Islands and the surrounding reefs make up Palau's popular tourist sites such as Blue Corner, Blue hole, German Chanel, Ngermeaus Island and the famed Jellyfish Lake, one of the many Marine lakes in the Rock Islands that provides home and safety for several kinds of stingless jellyfish found only in Palau.

The largest islands are

Ngeruktabel
Ulong
Mecherchar
Eil Malk

Further important islands are

Ngeteklou (Gologugeul)
Bukrrairong (Kamori)
Tlutkaraguis (Adorius)
Ongael
Ngebedangel (Ngobasangel)
Bablomekang (Abappaomogan)
Ngerukeuid (Orukuizu)

[edit] Gallery

Divers descending into the main cavern of Blue Hole.	A Tridactna giant clam.	Divers descending next to the mast of the Japanese tanker Iro.	An Anenomefish on the wreck of the Japanese tanker Iro.
Diver and large Moon jellyfish, Jellyfish Lake.	Diver and jellyfish, Jellyfish Lake.	Jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake.	Diver and Nautilus, German Channel.
Nudibranch on sea fan.	Soft corals growing on vertical wall.	Closeup of soft coral.	Starfish on soft coral.
Diver and large table coral.	Divers on a vertical wall, Peleliu Island.	One of the many Rock Islands.	Channel between the Rock Islands.