Not even a thousand words can compare to this, a paradise for lovers of the beach, of forests, of nature

The knowledge I have of Palawan is confined to only a few things – that my father used to work for an oil-drilling company based in El Nido as a marine engineer, and that he would often bring home semi-dried fish or “lamayo”, or fresh catch from the sea packed and sealed in small styrofoam boxes.

Whether you’re a beach bum, a food connoisseur, a culture seeker or an adventure freak, the Philippines has everything that you’re looking for in a tourist destination. And each spot has something unique to offer.

Palawan, made up of 1,768 islands, is the second largest province of the Philippines. Its total land area is spread between the main island where the capital city Puerto Princesa is located and among the peripheral islands of Busuanga, Culion, Linacapan, Dumaran, Cagayanes, Balabac, and group of about 40 islets and islands collectively known as Cuyo.

Like most fresh graduates, I was aching for a grand holiday after earning my accounting degree from the Ateneo de Davao University.

The late Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis had Skorpios, an island on which he wooed and won the widow of an American president, Jackie Kennedy. Sir Richard Branson, the maverick owner of Virgin Atlantic, has Necker, a 74-acre hideaway among the British Virgin Islands.

Palawan

How often have you been asked the question: If you were stuck on an island and can only bring five things, what would those be? “Havaianas Flipping for the Beach” winner Mar Angelo Corazo found out the answers on his recent trip to Busuanga, Palawan.

The island of Busuanga, located in the heart of the island of Coron in Palawan, is famous for its wildlife sanctuary and as a recreational diving location because of the twelve historic wrecks that surround it. The twelve wrecks were sunk during the Japanese war in 1944 and have become the island’s premiere tourist spot.

With its fame as one of the country’s most gifted provinces in terms of environmental wonders, Palawan — specifically Puerto Princesa — is geared towards preserving the innate beauty of their environment while sharing it with the world.

Beautiful white sand beaches, colorful corals, scrumptious delicacies, and marvelous marine life, as well as sumptuous spreads and wonderful water sports.