O

f the 7,000-plus isles in the
Philippines, it is said Palawan
has 1,768 of them. Many are idyllic
sandy beaches with coco palms and
lush jungle. Others are stunning
limestone cliffs shielding untouched
coves and native plant and animal
life. It’s a very pretty and diverse
place. And, on land, visitors might
even find a giraffe or a zebra!! Yes,
there is an island with both African
and Philippine wild animals.
Divers have a bonus here as the

many islands and bays created a

sheltered and hidden anchorage

near Coron that the Japanese used

to hide ships during WWII. The

ships were discovered and sunk by

the U.S. on its quest to retake the

Philippines. Now they are coral

laden mini-reefs full of marine

beauty as well as war history.

Divers can fly into El Nido,

Puerto Princesa and Busuanga.

Busuanga is for those going to both

the Calamian Islands and Coron.

While most of the Philippines is

heavily populated and sectioned

out for farming, Palawan has wide

open spaces. It holds untouched

sandy beaches, high limestone cliffs

and large tracts of land set aside for

cattle grazing. There is still wild

jungle here and some rare animals

on land and in the sea. The

freshwater crocodile, an extremely

endangered species, is found here.

Palawan

Passing over dugong and turtle

sea grass beds in the Calamians

Coron limestone cliffs