- Abortion legal status
- Illegal
- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
- Emergency number
- 911
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: thingstodoinpalau.com, smartraveller.gov.au
Good to know
Good to Know
- Palau's official currency is the U.S. dollar, so there's no currency conversion to worry about for any medical or support-service costs here.
- There is no widely advertised, dedicated 24/7 sexual-assault or domestic-violence hotline number specific to Palau — in an emergency, call 911 or the Koror police line directly, or go to Belau National Hospital.
- The Family Protection Act (2012) created a 'no-drop' policy for domestic violence cases, but many incidents still go unreported due to social pressure — so official statistics likely understate the real scale.
- Belau National Hospital in Koror is effectively the country's single main point of access for both sexual-assault medical care and reproductive health/contraception services — there isn't a separate network of dedicated women's health clinics.
- Given Palau's remote island location and limited pharmaceutical supply chain, it's worth carrying a personal supply of any prescription contraception you rely on rather than assuming local stock will be readily available.
- The government has stated it provides emergency contraception and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to survivors of sexual violence, but access is through the hospital/clinical system rather than off-the-shelf pharmacy purchase.
- Abortion is completely illegal in Palau with no legal exceptions, including for risk to the mother's life or health — this is one of a small number of countries worldwide with a total ban.
- Anyone needing abortion care while in Palau would need to travel abroad; there is no legal domestic pathway, so plan well ahead if this is a concern.
- For routine OB/GYN needs, most nomads and residents in Koror use either Belau National Hospital's public OB/GYN department or the private Belau Medical Clinic, which offers evening hours convenient for working schedules.
- Serious or complex maternal/gynecological cases are often referred off-island by Belau National Hospital to Taiwan or Hawaii, so very complex care may not be available locally.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
Multiple safety guides describe harassment of tourists in Koror as rare, with locals generally described as friendly and respectful toward women. One source notes that women may occasionally encounter unwanted male attention or comments from strangers, particularly around establishments serving alcohol in the evening, so normal caution around bars at night is still sensible.
Walking Alone at Night
Koror is generally considered safe to walk around, including after dark, but guides consistently advise sticking to lit, populated streets and avoiding poorly lit or isolated areas and non-tourist zones at night. A traditional curfew (a 'bul' decree) is also in effect in Koror and Airai between midnight and 5am in residential hamlets, aimed at reducing petty crime linked to drug use, which travelers should be aware of if out late.
Taxis and Getting Around
There are no licensed taxi services in Palau, and taxis that are available are not metered, with pricing often fixed in advance; there are also no taxi or ride-hailing apps. There is no taxi or public transport service directly at the airport, so airport transfers should be arranged through a hotel rather than found on the spot.
Precautions for Late-night Rides
For any late-night taxi ride, practical advice is to note down or photograph the driver's name and license plate and share your location with someone you trust before heading off, since services are informal and unregulated.
General Precautions
Guides recommend telling someone your plans when heading out, especially for activities like diving, hiking, or kayaking alone, since isolation and limited rescue options in remote areas are considered a bigger practical risk for women than crime. Keeping valuables secure and avoiding flashing cash or jewelry in public are also commonly recommended.
Abortion Law And OB-GYN
- Referral Note
- For complex obstetric/gynecological cases beyond local capacity, Belau National Hospital operates a referral system to send patients off-island, notably to Taiwan and Hawaii.
Abortion Law
- Summary
- Abortion is prohibited altogether in Palau under national law, with no exception even to preserve the woman's life or health.
- Legal Status
- illegal
- Source Basis
- Palau is classified in Category I ('Prohibited Altogether') by the Center for Reproductive Rights' World's Abortion Laws map, and is explicitly listed among countries with a complete abortion ban by the Center for Reproductive Rights' 2021 Categories of Abortion Laws report and by World Population Review's compiled country list.
- Access Routes
- There is no legal in-country access route. Individuals seeking abortion services must travel abroad; commonly cited destinations from Palau include the United States (e.g. Guam or Hawaii, where abortion is legal) since these are the closest jurisdictions with established legal abortion access and existing medical referral relationships with Palau's health system.
- Abortion Time Limits
- Not applicable — abortion is banned in all circumstances, so no abortion time limit exists under which the procedure is permitted.
OB-GYN Options Koror
Belau National Hospital (BNH) — OB/GYN Department
- Type
- Public/government hospital
- Contact
- +680-488-2552 / 488-2553 (Emergency Room: +680-488-2558)
- Location
- Koror, Palau (P.O. Box 6027, Koror, Palau 96940)
- Notes
- The country's main referral hospital and the primary public facility for maternal health. It runs a dedicated OB/GYN department covering prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care as well as gynecological consultations and procedures, with a dedicated maternity ward and staff of obstetricians and gynecologists.
Belau Medical Clinic (BMC)
- Type
- Private clinic
- Contact
- 488-2687 / 488-2688
- Location
- Koror, Palau (downtown area, PO Box 822)
- Notes
- A private outpatient clinic staffed with physicians including two gynecologists/obstetricians alongside general physicians, offering an alternative to the public hospital with evening hours for working patients.
Contraception Access
- Overview
- Palau's Ministry of Health and Human Services (via Belau National Hospital and its Community Health Centers) and one private clinic provide reproductive health and family-planning services, including access to hormonal contraception and emergency contraception. There is no dedicated stand-alone family-planning clinic chain; care is delivered through general hospital OB-GYN and outpatient services.
Methods Available
IUD
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Access Point
- Belau National Hospital OB-GYN department (insertion requires a clinician)
- Pricing Note
- No public pricing data found; the Ministry of Health has stated it is working to increase access to family planning services, but specific IUD availability/cost for visitors was not independently confirmable.
Implant
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Access Point
- Likely available only through Belau National Hospital's OB-GYN service given the country's small, hospital-centralized health system; availability was not independently confirmed for this specific method.
- Pricing Note
- No pricing data found.
Emergency Contraception
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Access Point
- Belau National Hospital / Ministry of Health; explicitly provided to survivors of sexual violence as part of the government's response, alongside post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
- Over The Counter
- Not confirmed — no evidence found that emergency contraception is sold over-the-counter at pharmacies in Palau; treat it as clinic/hospital-access only until confirmed otherwise.
- Pricing Note
- No public pricing found.
Oral Contraceptive Pill
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Access Point
- Belau National Hospital outpatient/OB-GYN clinic; Belau Medical Clinic (private)
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Pricing Note
- No reliable, current public pricing could be found for routine oral contraceptives in Palau; likely covered in part through the National Health Insurance/Medical Savings Account system for residents, but out-of-pocket cost for a short-term visitor was not confirmable.
Assault Support Services
Belau Women's Resource Center
- Phone
- (680) 767-2452
- Location
- Koror
- Operator
- Ministry of Community & Cultural Affairs, Bureau of Community Services
- Services
- Government-run women's programs and community support; point of contact for women's services in Koror.
Semesemel Klengeakel ("Strengthening Family")
- Type
- Local NGO
- Services
- Provides counseling and support to families at high risk of domestic violence, working closely with the Ministries of Justice and Health.
Palau Red Cross
- Services
- Along with the Division of Human Services and local religious institutions, has provided temporary shelter to domestic/gender-based violence victims.
Belau National Hospital – OB-GYN / Emergency Department
- Location
- Koror
- Services
- First-line medical response for sexual assault, including forensic evidence collection support tied to the Family Protection Act framework; also handles emergency contraception and post-exposure prophylaxis for survivors.
Emergency Numbers
- Police Koror
- 488-1622
- All Emergencies
- 911
- Fire Rescue Ambulance
- 488-1411
- Source Note
- Numbers as listed by the U.S. Embassy in Palau's medical/emergency contact page.
Reporting Context
Many people are reportedly reluctant to call police about domestic violence or assault due to societal pressure, even though the government generally enforces rape and domestic violence laws effectively once a case is reported.
Legal Framework Note
- Law
- Family Protection Act (enacted 2012)
- Status
- fully legal and regulated (criminal justice response)
- Details
- Domestic violence is a criminal offense and rape, including spousal rape, is punishable by up to 25 years' imprisonment. The Act introduced a 'no-drop' policy so reported domestic violence cases cannot be withdrawn due to informal community reconciliation.
No Dedicated Hotline Found
No standalone, publicly listed 24/7 national domestic-violence or sexual-assault crisis hotline number specific to Palau could be confirmed; the practical route is calling 911/police directly or contacting the Belau Women's Resource Center or Belau National Hospital.
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Palau
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.