A Journey through the Archipelago

World Tours

PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES – Philippines  is a Southeast Asian country situated south of Taiwan and north of Indonesia. The country is very rich in diversity, culture, and nature because of it’s astonishing number of 7,641 islands.

Biogeographically, Palawan is part of Sundaland, a landmass that shares a lot of biodiversity with the now Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. Palawan is the largest province of the Philippines by land, consisting of the long and narrow main island and 10 island towns. Palawan belongs to the region of Mimaropa, and is about a 90-minute flight or a day-long ferry ride from Manila, Philippine’s capital city. There are numerous tourist destinations across the province, most famous of which are El Nido town and Coron town, although small villages such as Sibaltan and Linapacan are also surging in popularity. As a result, you can easily find accommodations ranging all the way from backpackers to private island resorts.

Together with its breathtaking beaches, landscapes and heritage sites, Palawan earned the title of Asia’s top 10 islands by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers Choice Awards in 2022.

El Nido

El Nido is a popular touristic town towards the north of Palawan and is about 6-hour van ride from Puerto Princesa, the province’s capital city. Alternatively, you can take a domestic flight directly to El Nido. El Nido got its name from the famous swiftlet nests (nido means nest in Spanish), which are the ingredient for the gourmet soup. Nowadays, the 50 white sand beaches mixing with limestone cliffs and hilly forests frequently make their name known as some of the best beaches in the world.

Unlike El Nido, Sibaltan is more tranquil, especially during the sunrise.

While island hopping is a must-do for travelers, you can also take a local tricycle by land to visit the Nacpan beach and Duli beach, which are just as beautiful for sunsets. Northern Palawan is home to many spectacular limestone formations such as sea caves and cliffs thanks to millions of years of tectonic movements and erosion.

Sibaltan

While El Nido is always in the limelight for international beach lovers, more adventurers are steering to the restful neighborhoods such as Sibaltan. Sibaltan is a small local village at the northern tip of the Palawan main land, and is about an hour’s drive from El Nido. With only a handful of restaurants and guest houses sprinkling over this 2000-resident township, visitors really do get the best of both worlds.

If you want to explore the islands, you can also hop on the Sibaltan Day Tour that Lakbay Palawan offers.

It’s tranquility is perfect for simply doing nothing under the shade of coconut trees on the long beach. If you want to explore the area, Lakbay Palawan also offers day tours exclusively around the islands and islets surrounding Sibaltan.

Coron Island

Coron is another popular touristic town separate from the main island and is accessible by both ferries and domestic direct flights. Coron is a dream-come-true for divers. Besides the dive sites, you can also head towards inland and enjoy getting lost in the jungle. The Coron Island is a ‘standalone’ island that is accessible by a few domestic flights, but mostly by ferries or expedition boats. With its unique rock formations, there are many wrecks, lagoons and brackish water lakes under the crystal-clear water.

Take a swim in the Kayangan Lake, one of the cleanest lakes in Asia, or dive in to see the seaplane Akitsushima, a World War II Vintage. The underwater scenery is truly unmatched.

Linapacan

If you are in search for hidden gems, look no further than Linapacan! It is a group of small towns and deserted islands roughly half-way between El Nido and Coron. There are limited ways to visit Linapacan, where inhabitants go to the mainland mostly by hitchhiking on local fishing boats or the expedition boats that travelers hire. Neighbouring Maosonon Island is famous for its pristine sand bar, and is a famous stopover on the way to Linapacan.

The possibilities are limitless in Linapacan. You can freely snorkel in the pristine coral reefs, and enjoy the sun on empty beaches. As long as you keep in mind that most zones are protected areas, the playground is yours.

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