South East Asian Trips

Palawan is an elongated island-province southwest of Mindoro, offering a national park, white sand beaches, world class snorkeling and scuba diving. Calauit Island in Northern Palawan is the national park and is home to some rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The Tabon Caves in Southern Palawan are a complex of archaeological artifacts and the fossilized bones of the Tabon man. The capital, Puerto Princesa, is the gateway to the province. The St. Paul's Subterranean National Park is an underground river. Calauit Island in northern Palawan is a game preserve and the habitat of a mix of exotic African game and endemic Philippines animals. Dive spots in Palawan are plentiful, and the Tubbataha Reefs are among the world's best.

For the best diving spots in the Philippines, one should head for El Nido on Palawan Island. Apart from good diving sites, a visit to the St. Paul Subterranean National Park is an amazing experience with its underground river, which is actually a long meandering network of caves Palawan island is the largest province of Philippines in terms of land mass and Puerto Princesa City is its capital. The Palawan island group is situated between the South China Sea in the northwest and Sulu Sea in the southeast. There are more than eighty different ethnic groups and races in the islands of Palawan, however, most of its people are of Austronesian origin.

Palawan's almost 2,000 Km ( about 800miles) coastline are peppered with about 1,800 islands, rocky coves and lovely white sandy beaches. It also has vast stretches of lush tropical rainforests that carpet its majestic mountain ranges. As such, Palawan is very well known in the world for its beautiful natural beauty and eco-tourism, rainforest trekking, scuba diving and big game fishing are amongst the favorite activities of tourist visiting the Palawan islands.

Palawan, the paradise of nature lovers, is the foremost tourist destination in the Philippines. The beautiful Palawan Island is a long and narrow island, located in the southwestern part of the country. Popularly known as the 'Last Frontier', Palawan is one of the major eco-tourism destinations in the world. Palawan is famous for its exotic wildlife and amazing marine sanctuaries, white sand beaches and world-class diving spots and the place is a haven for adventure seekers and nature lovers. Palawan is also home to the seacow, the amazing marine animal, which is the only herbivorous mammal in existence today.

Location

Palawan is located between Mindoro and North Borneo Islands in the southwestern Philippines. Puerto Princesa, the capital Palawan, is at a distance of about 580 Km from Manila and is well connected by regular flights from Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo.

Prime Tourist Attractions

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

A fascinating natural attraction in the scenic Palawan region, it's an 8.2 Km long navigable underground river, regarded as the world's longest underwater cave. Its amazing limestone caves with stalactite and stalagmite formations and the rich, diverse and colorful marine life, never fail to mesmerize you.

Tabon Caves

Popularly referred as the 'Cradle of Philippine Civilization', Tabon Caves is a 29-cave complex of archaeological artifacts. The discovery of the fossilized bones of the 22,000 years old Tabon Man, along with other artifacts, makes it an interesting destination for anthropologists, archeologists and for all those who want to discover the rich historical heritage of the region. The caves are located at about 155 Km south of Puerto Princesa City and can be reached by a bus or jeepney ride from the provincial capital to Quezon.

Calauit Game Preserve & Wildlife Sanctuary

Calauit is a unique game reserve and wildlife sanctuary, located on the scenic Calauit Island in northern Palawan. Home to exotic African game and endangered endemic animals of Palawan, the sanctuary is a must visit for nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and tourists alike. It was declared a protected game preserve in 1976.

Coron Reefs

One of the most enchanting tourist destinations in Palawan, Coron Reefs has 7 enchanting lakes, beautifully surrounded by craggy limestone cliffs. It's amongst the most popular diving spots in the country, attracting thousands of nature lovers and adventure seekers from all around the world. One of the major diving spot includes the place where12 WWII Japanese shipwrecks sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Navy action.

El Nido Marine Reserve

One of the most popular eco-tourism destinations in the Philippines, the El Nido is known for its unique ecosystems consisting of tropical rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. Apart from its exceptional scenic beauty, El Nido Marine Reserve is also known for its rich and diverse wildlife. The amazing sea cow, the rarest marine mammals on the earth, is the main attraction of the Reserve.

Other not to be missed tourist attractions in Palawan include Tubbattaha Reefs (a marine sanctuary), Turtle Island, Honda Bay and Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.

Tourist Activities

Palawan offers an exciting range of tourist activities to visitors. The region has some of the finest diving spots, beaches and marine wildlife sanctuaries of the world. While in Palawan, you can enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, marine life and bird watching and a selection of beach and water sports activities. A visit to Tabon Caves can be a rewarding experience for the visitors.