Palau · Pacific Islands
Palau takes ocean conservation seriously. In 2015, the country designated 80 percent of its maritime territory as a marine sanctuary, making it one of the largest protected ocean areas on Earth. The result for visitors is some of the most spectacular diving and snorkeling anywhere: Blue Corner is consistently ranked among the world's top dive sites, where reef sharks, manta rays, and massive schools of barracuda patrol a wall drop-off with staggering visibility. The Rock Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage cluster of over 400 mushroom-shaped limestone islets covered in jungle, create a labyrinth of hidden lagoons and marine lakes. Jellyfish Lake, where you snorkel among millions of non-stinging golden jellyfish, is unlike anything else on the planet. Palau isn't cheap, with dive packages starting around $200 USD per day, but the underwater world here justifies every dollar.
Palau's beaches are textile under Catholic-majority cultural norms and active visitor-management. Pair the diving with a Philippines, Bali, or Australia leg for naturism.
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Tonga's beaches are strictly textile under a deeply Christian culture where the Sabbath is constitutionally sacred. French Polynesia's private motus and Australia's designated beaches are the alternatives.
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