It’s hard to believe that despite being hailed as the world’s most beautiful island two years in a row, Palawan is still relatively an underrated and underappreciated travel destination. Its low profile may not remain for very long, but Palawan had always deserved this recognition even before travel magazines have directed the spotlight to these islands. For Filipinos like me, it’s a paradise of sheer perfection – the only difference is that now the entire world knows the secret.
Palawan is amongst the 7,107 islands of the Philippines – the count itself curiously depending on the tides. It’s one of those places where words are particularly useless because of its outstanding natural wonders. Aside from the pellucid waters and immaculate seascapes, travelers can expect to see mantels of forests and mangroves, abundant flora and fauna, stunning coral reefs and limestone cliffs. Animal lovers will rave with the presence of indigenous species like the mouse deer and the surprisingly cute Pangolin. Palawan is nothing short of breathtaking, more so now that it has been declared home to one of the modern World’s Seven Wonders.
As with the rest of the world, my heart has long been captivated by Palawan. Still by far the best travel escapade of my life, my last vacation was hard to forget and I am but left with memory snippets to last me until my much anticipated return. From one wanderer to another, here is a short to- do list for you in case you are traveling to this beautiful island destination. Whether you are just planning your next trip or already in the middle of that spontaneously booked flight, be sure to add some of these to your itinerary and the only regret you will have is needing to leave at the end of it all.
Frolic on White Sand Beaches
With Palawan’s pristine beaches, how can one resist just lying on the sand to get that perfect tan while enjoying a spectacular beachfront view? The white sand beaches and the crystal clear waters that define this place has truly led it to stand out from the rest of the world. So go ahead and make sure you have enough downtime at the beach.
Island hopping
There are neighboring islands with virgin beaches to see and beach bars that need to be explored so do not miss out on this one. From Puerto Princesa City, island hopping tours are everywhere and there are several packages to choose from. Every island is unique and having a local travel guide helps you appreciate certain details and tailor the trip to your liking. Riding the boats in between destinations is a great way to see the vast ocean and scout the towering limestone cliffs scattered all over the region.
Accomplish a Gastronomical Feat
Seafood could not be any fresher in this part of the world. Needless to say, I particularly binged on seafood and fruits for the entire duration of my stay that I always had a food baby going on – and I’d gladly do it all over again. Palawan is home to seriously fresh and delicious food so make it a mission to try the best dishes of the island. From the exciting array of grilled seafood to the simple joys of cucumber salad – the only real question would be what to best pair that cold bottle of beer with.
See One of the World’s Seven Wonders
On top of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has also recently been celebrated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The Underground River is mesmerizing and gives you a chance to see parts of the world you have never seen before. The rock formations inside are astonishing and every shape and form I saw attested to the amazing power of nature.
Viajera Travel Tip: There is not much light inside the cave, so if you want pictures of the rock formations you need to bring a decent camera. My camera phone was rendered useless but luckily, my bridge camera was there to the rescue!
Get Busy Snorkeling and Explore the Ocean Floor
Palawan is a diver’s paradise for obvious reasons and the ocean floor here is truly one of a kind. I am not trained in proper deep sea diving but luckily the oceans here are so blessed with marine life that you can see colorful fish even from only a couple of feet off the shore. All you need are a snorkel and diving shoes to protect yourself from sharp stones or corals and you’re all set. I also bought small pieces of bread to lure the fish and get to fed them by hand. You can easily spend hours enjoying the ocean so be sure to top up on that sunblock!
Viajera Travel Tip: Ask the locals where the best spots are for snorkeling and viewing coral reefs. You can hire a motorised banca to bring you there and you can explore the ocean floor as much as you want. There are overwhelmingly gigantic coral reef formations that you can only see if you go out a little bit into the ocean.
Kayak
There are lagoons in Palawan best explored while kayaking so be ready for some paddle action. The kayak boats are available as rentals and from there you can roam around the lagoons and explore hidden corners. As it was my first time to kayak, controlling it was a challenge and eventually lead to arguments with the person I was paddling with. But when you get the hang of it, it is quite a serene water activity. The quiet motion of slicing across teal waters, the exceptional blue sky and the sounds of nature humming in the background all lead to a sense of tranquil. There was even a man floating around in a small boat selling ice cream so I could not have been any happier.
Jump Off a Cliff
Adrenaline junkies rejoice because aside from all the water adventures, you can actually jump off a cliff here – while attached to a zipline of course. There are a number of places to do this, but one point of interest would be Ugong Rock Adventures, named after their rock boulders that reverberate upon percussion. Aside from their zipline, you also get to challenge upper body strength with spelunking.
Make New Friends
Traveling brings about the imminence of meeting people from all walks of life. Incredibly, they also come with stories that would enrich these moments even more. Knowing someone new is one of travel’s best rewards whether or not you get to see them again. Chances are, you will keep something with you from those simple conversations. One of my treasured moments in Palawan was hiring a car with six Europeans on the way to El Nido. They did not speak much English but when they hooked their iPod to the car’s stereo, there was just an unspoken sense of understanding and we ended up singing to their playlist. To this day, I am following David Gray on Spotify because of them.
So about that trip you were planning to the world’s best island, I can tell you that there is really nothing to wait for. This life is wasted on those who keep waiting for the “right” time – so book that flight already. And to those like me, who cannot wait to be in the middle of their next getaway, may your waiting time be short and your travel days as long as ever. In the truest and sincerest sense of the word, bon voyage. And someday if the universe permits, I hope to see you in Palawan.
Continue reading A To Do List in The World’s Most Beautiful Island
The most awaited season of the year has arrived – British Summer Time! Although not totally safe from the clutches of harsh English weather, at the very least we can now wear happy summer outfits on levels in which the weather allows and bare legs without worry. Admittedly it is a fantastic time to travel across Europe to get a year’s dose of that much needed sunlight.
After a day’s worth of back-breaking hard work, what could Londoners want more than a tasty hassle – free meal? We all want to be met by a properly cooked meal at the end of the day but for those moments when cooking is simply incomprehensible, there is an easy, obvious solution: Takeaways.
Budapest is parted by the River Danube into Buda and Pest. The capital is connected by bridges, the most famous of which is the Szechenyi Chain Bridge. One of the city’s infamous landmarks, this was the first permanent bridge to cross the Danube and was an engineering wonder during the time of its construction. Call me a hopeless romantic, but it stirred emotions up in me and Budapest is just not the same without it. Tourists flock the area to capture the perfect moment and you might need to wait a while to get your own without a hoard of tourists behind you. But I assure you the waiting is all worth it. Made of cast iron and created with intricate detail, this is an important part of Budapest you should never miss.
The world’s third largest parliament building is stunning at day, however it truly is a magnificent display of architecture at night. Unfortunately, it was a cold winter evening when we decided to visit and I could not feel my toes and fingers. The freezing cold did not stop me from appreciating the view though. The guards were staring at us with puzzled faces as we shivered our way into selfies and GoPro moments. They must have thought we were losing our minds marveling at the Parliament as patches of icy snow fell upon us but hey – what’s life without a little adventure?! Go for it.
During our winter stay, a cup of coffee with cherry liqueur was not only welcome – it was necessary. Take a quick break from your tour and don’t forget to find a cozy coffee place to rewarm your toes.
Brace yourself for a time travel inducing experience by paying tribute to the fallen at Shoes on the Danube Bank. A stunning and truly unique memorial, the display showcases pairs of shoes left behind by victims of the Holocaust who were stripped naked and shot point blank while facing the river. Their shoes were the only reminder of what they were – a sad and painfully dark era in human history.
In every European city I visit, I always make it a point to see the nearest Basilica or Cathedral. St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika) is the largest church in Hungary and dedicated to their first king. The place was a massive and stunning place of worship. Having missed the summit of Gellert Hill, we couldn’t pass on climbing the Cupola for yet another outstanding view. And indeed that view from the Cupola is something you have to see for yourself.
Rome, Italy – I could hear the clacking of my heels against the cobbled streets as we walked along the via supposedly headed towards the Colosseum. At least I think this is where the Canadian stranger with the white tank top pointed to. We were running out of daylight and as we hurled ourselves down the avenue, all of a sudden there it was to my right – the Colosseum in all its grandeur! It came within sight without a warning and it left me with a gaping mouth and a face embezzled with admiration. It was… Marvelous. On one side, the sun was setting on the horizon and its rays dramatically loomed over the famous landmark. Fantastic.
VIAJERA 