23/04/2014
Palawan
The Last Frontier
Palawan Province is comprised of more than 1,760 islands. The largest island is Palawan Island. Its remoteness and rugged terrain have kept it from becoming overdeveloped. The province can be divided north and south by adventurers coming to explore its wonders at the capital city of Puerto Princesa. Most travelers head north from the capital for a number of reasons, the two most important being travel conditions and facilities for travelers.
To the South:
The main draws for adventurers in the south are mountain climbing and caving. Palawan’s highest peak, MT Matalinghwan, can be reached from Rizal or Brooke’s Point. Brooke’s Point and areas to the south of that seem to be less friendly than the rest of the Philippines. There have been repeated reports of modern day pirates operating out of the area. For this reason we do not take groups south of Brooke’s Point and prefer to use Rizal as a base for climbing. The Tabon Caves are a group of more than 200 caves, although less than 10 may be visited. While most famous because it was within these caves the remains of the oldest Southeast Asian man were found, the area itself is incredibly beautiful. There are resorts and pension house close by where tours can be arranged.
To the North:
Just north of the capital, Honda Bay offers swimming and island hopping for people staying in the area. With sand bottoms and mostly very calm waters it is an enjoyable place to relax outside the city. A little further north and on the west coast is Sagada. Sagada is home to Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park, or in layman’s term a long underground river. It is said to be the longest navigable underground river in the country at over 8 km. Local tours take travelers about 1.5 km into the cave. Also in the area is a nice, but in places steep 5km trek through the jungle. If hikers are quiet and keep their eyes open, they may see monkeys, monitor lizards and a variety of birds.
Further north Port Barton also sits on the west coast. It has become something of a backpacker stopover for people heading north, but is also a nice place for groups of friends to explore from. With trips to local waterfalls, island hopping, and just relaxing on the beach being the main activities of the area, friends enjoy the area and their time together. Continuing north Taytay is located in a narrow section of the island. During Spanish rule the area was the capital and the fort is worth a look.
The northern end of the province is the destination for most visitors. El Nido, the Bacuit Archipelago, and Coron provide: beaches, lagoons, seascapes, diving, hiking, and resorts. With numerous small islands it is a water wonder world. Coron is also a wreck diver’s paradise with many drivable WWII wrecks. (This area will have a post of its own in the future.)
