THEISLAND
...th at ’ssu rro unded
by a tho us andmore
ThePhilippinesis a mapmaker’snightmare:a countryentirely
madeupof squigglylines.Evenin thisintricatearchipelago,
Palawanstandsout.Withits supportingcastof smallerislands,
it seemsto dissolveintothesea,especiallyat its northernend,
knownas El Nido.Justoffshore,theBacuitArchipelagoforms
a landscapeof forestedlimestonepinnacles.Youcanstayin
a handfulof placesto snorkelandkayakamongits covesand
white-sandbeaches(www.elnidoresorts.com). To seethearea
in traditionalfashion,spenda fewdaysisland-hoppingoncraft
suchas abangka(double-hulledoutrigger)or a sail-fitted
paraw(www.taophilippines.com).
Air Swift flies to El Nido from the Filipino capital Manila.TRAVEL FOR THE
ISLAND
L fe
Cast ashore on tropical sands, count the
bunnies in Japan or follow Jedi knights,
jerk practitioners or Moomins to find your
own wonderfully different island paradiseWORDS: RORY GOULDING, LITTLE ANDAMAN (AISHWARYA MENON) & ASTALA YALNAZ (MAJULI)
PHOTOGRAPH: SEAN HSU/SHUTTERSTOCK1