Palawan, a world-class destination

With so many outstanding beaches worth exploring, Philippine has become a tropical paradise of its own. One of the islands that offer crystal clear waters, extraordinarily beautiful beaches and one of the newest natural wonders is Palawan. Located in the western region of the Philippines and surrounded by 1,800 small islands, this beautiful island has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The topography of the island is unique, with cliffs, limestone rocks, and an underground river of 8.2 kilometers making the island, particularly in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. For several years now, Palawan continues to take pride of place in the annual “best” lists of such upscale travel magazines as Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and National Geographic Traveler. And for the best of reasons: this archipelago offers one-of-a-kind tropical adventures and astonishing vistas, including limestone bluffs rising from the sea, secluded sugar-fine white beaches, awesome scuba diving sites, and swathes of coral reefs and virgin forests, among other superlative treats. The natural beauty of its thrilling seascapes and mountainscapes makes Palawan a striking tropical spot as the island is used as the setting for some Hollywood films, namely The Bourne Legacy, The Beach, and the James Bond; The World Is Not Enough.

Described as the “last frontier”, it is believed that man has lived within this island area for over 50,000 years. Within some of the caves there are bone fragments and other artifacts that scientists believe date back this long ago. Scientists have named these bone fragments Tabon Man, after Tabon caves, the most famous in the area. Within the cave, scientists also found a number of tools and other artifacts that show that the people lived here at this time were quite sophisticated and visitors to the islands can still see this today.

The Palawan Islands is no exception when it comes to the most beautiful wildlife that can be found on Earth. Part of what makes it so spectacular is that bio-geographically the area is part of a few different ecosystems. The incredible sea life that exists around these islands and its coastlines covers over 11,000 km² of coral reefs which represent a total of 35% of the Philippines total amount of coral reefs. In and amongst these coral reefs are exotic fishes and plants, as well as crustaceans and other sea life that will truly astound the eyes and the imagination.

A large group of endangered species of sea turtles have found Palawan islands to be a refuge from near extinction. Many, nestled within the white sand beaches of the Palawan Islands, have seen their numbers rise over the years because of the Philippines governmental protections. While the forest area of the islands covers about 56% of the total land, meaning that there is an unbelievable array of plants and animals that are living within it. The soil is rich with nutrients allowing the plants to prosper including the Nepenthes attenboroughii, commonly known as the “shrew-eating pitcher plant.”

Palawan which is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer has only two seasons: the wet and the dry season. Each season lasts for about 6 months. The Dry Season starts in late November and ends in May when some hotels charge their highest prices during this peak period. The Rainy Seasons, which is the low-season for tourists, starts in June and lasts till October. But there is never really a bad time to travel to Palawan for a holiday as The National Geographic magazine called the Palawan Islands as the most beautiful island in the world in 2007 and declared that the region of islands and its coastland a “can’t miss vacation destination”. Because not only is the region steep with history, but there is a wide range of natural attractions to visit.

El Nido

Characterized by spectacular limestone cliffs, El Nido attracts rock divers from all over the world. El Nido consists of 45 small islands and islets, many of which have known mostly for the incredible water sports it offers. Many people come here for diving, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. There are even some competitions that occur annually within this region. Besides the water sports, mountain biking on one of the great forest trails or dirt tracks, is also offering an extraordinary experiences. The accommodations run all the way from five-star to simple campsites for people that are looking to enjoy the great outdoors. Some offer bungalows on the beach with a few being in the heart of the town center of El Nido.

Puerto Princesa

This administrative center of the Palawan Islands has frequently been named as the greenest and cleanest city in the Philippines where the Subterranean River National Park located. The Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center is also located here. This used to be a crocodile farm, and still holds a large number of crocodiles, but there are many other species of animals here as well.

Coron

The CORON sign is reminiscent of the famous Hollywood sign and overlooks the town from the largest hill in the area. But Coron is mostly known as the location where 12 Japanese ships were sunk during World War II. Not only these naval vessels made for a perfect perch to perform rock diving, the wrecks also are a great refuge for the spectacular wildlife that has chosen to make them home.

San Vincente Located in the northwest portion of the Palawan province, San Vicente is rapidly becoming one of the hot and trendy tourist spots for people to go to. One of its most alluring features is the fact that it has one of the longest beaches in the world, featuring a fantastic cream-colored beach area that runs nearly 10 miles long. Scuba diving and swimming are two of the most common reasons that people come to San Vicente. To accommodate its attraction, a brand-new airport is being built in the city which is fairly close to being completed.