Top 10 Islands of the World: Palawan

Top 10 Islands World Palawan Kayangan Lake
Top 10 Islands World Palawan Kayangan Lake

Top 10 Islands of the World: Palawan, Philippines | It is the Philippine’s answer to paradise – simply stunning and not yet overwhelmed by tourists. Only downturn: the province of Palawan is also known for kidnappings and even terror threats. Topping all that scary stuff, Nickelodeon plans to build a theme park in Coron. Such mass tourist attraction may destroy the health and beauty of a unique marine ecosystem.

Top 10 Islands World Palawan
Top 10 Islands of the World: Palawan. Tubbataha

The Palawan province is composed of a long and narrow Palawan Island, plus a number of smaller islands surrounding it, totaling roughly 1,780 islands. They stretch southwest towards Borneo (Malaysia) with limestone peaks rising from a jewel-like sea so clear, that you can almost see the expressions on the fish from above the surface. Slivers of gleaming white sand fringed with rustling palms rim many of these jungle-clad islands. Under the water, coral reefs flourish with an impressive diversity of tropical fish, offering some of the best diving in the world.

Other attractions include unique wildlife, emerald lakes, and quaint fishing villages. Coron is home to plush resorts. El Nido drips with natural beauty and is one of the most alluring islands in the chain. From here, you can island hop around the spectacular Bacuit archipelago.

Top 10 Islands World Palawan Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Source: wikipedia CC

One of Palawan’s top attractions is the UNESCO-World Heritage-listed Puerto Princesa Subterranean River NP, an impressive limestone cave system with a long underground river.

In 2010, a group of environmentalists and geologists discovered that the underground river has a second floor, which means that there are small waterfalls inside the cave. They also found a cave dome measuring 300 m (980 ft) above the underground river. What to expect: rock formations, large bats, a deep water hole in the river, more river channels, another deep cave, plenty of marine creatures. But deeper areas of the underground river are almost impossible to explore due to oxygen deprivation.

Top 10 Islands World Palawan Coron Island
Top 10 Islands World Palawan: Coron Island
Top 10 Islands World Palawan
Book a Hotel on of the Palawan Islands

Top 10 Islands of the World Palawan. By Chili & Chirp | © International Destinations | Check out all other Top 10 Islands one by one -> Cook Islands | Seychelles | Tahiti | St. Lucia | Fiji | Cebu | Bora Bora | Mykonos | Whitsunday Island.