There is a lot of interest in Four Seasons Yachts, scheduled to launch in the Mediterranean in 2026.
But the catamaran sailing under the Four Seasons flag has been carrying guests for 22 years, the first 21 in the Maldives and since last October in Palau.
The Four Seasons Explorer is essentially a five-star “liveaboard,” the name given to a boat that divers use for multi-day trips, traveling to areas rich in coral and marine life, and offering multiple dives each day before returning to land.
Liveaboards can be pretty basic. For most divers, the appeal lies in the water, not the vessel itself.
The Explorer Suite is nearly twice as large as any other room at the Four Seasons Explorer. Photo courtesy of Arnie Weissmann
But aside from private superyachts, Explorer is probably the world’s most luxurious liveaboard. It doesn’t have all the amenities you’d expect from a full-scale Four Seasons resort or a luxury cruise ship. There’s no fitness center, and the “spa” is just a curtained-off massage table on the upper deck (the masseuse also offers sunrise yoga sessions). The food is excellent, served on the back deck or in the open-plan restaurant/lounge/shop/bar/library.
There are 10 identical cabins and one Explorer Suite, which is about twice the size of the other accommodations at 485 square feet. The cabins are comfortable and understated. The suites have unobstructed views of the front of the yacht, a balcony, a bathtub, and a private entrance to the restaurant (private dining in the suite is also an option).
The ship follows a 7-day schedule, but guests can board at any time and stay as long as they want. The yacht has two small boats (one for snorkelers and one for divers) that take guests to the appropriate reef or wall each morning. The small boats also shuttle guests between Koror (where the airport is) and the yacht. Palau is so small that the yacht is never more than 45 minutes from Koror.
Sunrise at Rock Island. The explorer was granted special permission to stay in the Rock Island South Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo courtesy of Arni Weisman.
Unprecedented underwater sights
The yacht has special permission to stay in the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is made up of hundreds of small, mostly uninhabited islands, many of which have inland lagoons or small lakes. The Rock Islands themselves are picturesque, and the coral reefs are special, with 385 species of hard coral and 150 rare species of soft coral.
At a time when many tropical coral reefs are dying or bleaching, Palau’s underwater landscape is contrastingly bright and diverse, as is its marine life. On one outing, in addition to the vast, diverse, and healthy corals, we saw dozens of species of beautiful small and medium-sized fish, sharks, rays, and hawksbill and green sea turtles.
A traditional Bai house in Koror. Photo courtesy of Arni Weisman.
The Four Seasons touch is evident in the professional guidance and equipment care provided before and after you leave the water. When you return to the boat, you are always greeted with a cold, wet towel and a glass of juice or cocoa.
Another highlight is snorkeling at Ongeim’l Tketau, also known as Jellyfish Lake on Mecherchar Island. This lake is home to tens of thousands of stingless jellyfish. I’ve swum with stingless jellyfish in Fiji, but these were truly special. They were golden in color and their structure was layered like a skirt wearing a petticoat. (The lake also has the familiar dome-shaped, translucent jellyfish that don’t have stingers.)
A marine biologist will give a talk about what to see before dinner, and after dinner there is “Afterglow,” where a videographer alternates between following divers and snorkelers and edits the footage of each day’s adventures for guests to view. At the end of the stay, a thumb drive containing all guests’ dives is provided.
An overturned US tank in the jungle of Peliu Island. Photo courtesy of Arni Weisman.
Land Exploration
Several land excursions are also included in the week-long experience. The southernmost island, Peliu, played a key role in the Pacific theater of World War II. About 1,250 U.S. Marines were killed in the Battle of Peliu, about half the number of U.S. soldiers killed in the D-Day offensive. 11,000 Japanese soldiers were also killed before the Allied forces captured the island. A bike tour of the island visits beaches, a network of caves dug by the Japanese, and the remains of buildings and vehicles from both armies.
The National Museum in Koror explores Palau’s complex history. It has not been a happy one, having been a puppet in international wars and colonial history. But Koror Island has evidence of traditional culture, including 52 prehistoric megaliths and a Bai House where tribal chiefs settled their differences. On Ulong Island, you can see ancient cave paintings.
One reason Explorer moved from the Maldives to Palau is because Four Seasons is building a resort in Koror that is scheduled to open in 2026. According to Ali Siddhad, Explorer’s front office manager, the move was intended to raise awareness of Palau ahead of the opening and provide guests with an additional option once the resort opens.
But for some, an Explorer is all they need. American Bob Underwood dived around the world and returned to his yacht suite with his wife Leilani after two months.
“This doesn’t happen often,” Underwood said. “This is a rare opportunity.”
