Best place to go in Palawan

One of the most popular destinations in the Philippines is Palawan, and for good reason. It has been declared as one of the world’s nature reserves and heritage site. The whole island boasts of rainforests, majestic mountains, karst cliffs, primitive caves and virgin beaches.

The waters of Palawan are best for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. Palawan is a diver’s paradise. Coral reefs, surrounding the island, stretch for miles and miles. The whole island is surrounded by beautiful coral gardens and reefs that abound with colorful marine life.

(1) Diving at Coron Bay - Coron Bay is situated in North Palawan, the most westerly part of the Philippines. It lies in beween Busuanga and Culion Islands. There is fabulous diving all around the area, but the bay is particularly well known as having some of the best wreck diving in the world. The wrecks and pleasant rock formations provide for excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities, with underwater visibility extending up to 20 meters. Forbes magazine named Coron as one of the ten best dive sites in the world.

(2) Exploring the Underground River; Puerto Princesa's Subterranean River - The St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park can be found 50 kms away of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. The park boasts the world's longest Underground River and has recently been nominated as one of the new seven wonder's of the world.

Paddle boats take tourists for a one hour exploration inside the subterranean river to enjoy one of the most beautiful natural treasures of the world. Visitors can enjoy the different limestone formations and the bats flying above the cave.

(3) Island hopping at Honda Bay - The islets and reefs found in Honday Bay teem with fishes and sea creatures of various colors and shapes. Here the shallow waterscover an endless stretch of beautiful white sand. These islets are perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The water at Palawan Honda Bay is so clear that visibility stretches far and wide into the ocean floor. .

(4) Discovering El Nido - El Nido Marine Reserve is 238 kilometres north of Puerto Princesa. A hidden gem in the center of Bacuit Bay and the country's largest wildlife preservation area. This popular nature spot boasts of diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs.The beaches of Bacuit Bay is blessed with extraordinary natural scenery, El Nido is, the sanctuary of various forms of wildlife. Countless varieties of fish are found here. Manta rays are a common sight;and when in season, divers may see one of the world's rarest marine mammal, the sea cow, known locally as "dugong". The water in and around the bay are a perfect spot for the hawksbill turtles and serves as their nesting site.

(5) DIving the Tubbataha Reefs- The Tubbataha Reef National Park is considered the mecca of diving. The reefs are home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life. The park is an underwater sanctuary where nature thrives. Tubbataha is the Philippines' first national marine park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Picture yourself slowly entering its crystal-clear waters, and as you breathe slowly through your air source, slowly sinking into the depths of the ocean, colors begin to whirl around you, taking the shape of an angelfish, a green sea turtle, a white tip reef shark, a mass of pristine coral. You find yourself in a world, one that is surreal, a magnificent underwater garden. This is Tubbataha.