Palawan

Cuyo Island, Palawan: Cuyo Fort and St. Augustine Parish Church

Posted on December 9, 2014

The most impressive structure on Cuyo Island is the 17th century Cuyo Fort lording over Cuyo town, the oldest colonial settlement and second capital of Palawan province – after Taytay – from 1873 to 1903. Spanish missionaries arrived in Cuyo Island in 1622 and, surprisingly, faced no resistance from the natives. They were able to convert them to Roman Catholicism, baptizing over 500 Cuyonons on their first mission. In 1636, a Moro fleet from Mindanao raided the villages on Cuyo Island,Read More→

Cuyo Island, Palawan: A Travel Guide

Posted on December 8, 2014

The Cuyo Archipelago (also known as the Cuyo Islands) are a group of small islands located in the middle of the Sulu Sea between Palawan and Panay. The administrative and commercial center of the islands is Cuyo town on the western half of Cuyo Island. Pamalican Island, where the exclusive luxury resort of Amanpulo is located, is the northernmost island belonging to the municipality of Cuyo. The eastern half of Cuyo Island belongs to the municipality of Magsaysay, where Cuyo AirportRead More→

Brooke’s Point, Palawan: Mt. Maruyog Farm & Garden Resort, Bakbakan Falls & Pala’wan Villages

Posted on October 8, 2013

The majestic peaks of Mantalingajan mountain range, en route to Mainit and Bakbakan Falls Mt. Maruyog Farm and Garden Resort in Brgy. Tubtub – located eight kilometers inland from the town center of Brooke’s Point, Palawan – was an oasis of countryside calm, after the dusty bus ride from Quezon where I visited the Tabon Caves Complex. My bamboo bungalow was tucked beneath some cashew trees – that occasionally sent apple-sized cashew fruits crashing down onto the grassy lawn. TheRead More→

Quezon, Palawan: Ramble Across Philippine Prehistory at Tabon Caves Complex

Posted on August 27, 2013

More than 200 caves are honeycombed within the limestone karts of Lipuun Point, Quezon, Palawan It’s always awe-inspiring to see your history books come to life! After spotting the rare Philippine cockatoos of Rasa Island in Narra, I arrived in Quezon to explore at the Tabon Caves Complex. Over 200 caves are honeycombed into Lipuun Point, a towering limestone promontory in southern Palawan. Upon reaching the western face of the promontory, one is great by towering limestone cliffs draped in greeneryRead More→

Narra, Palawan: Spotting the Rare Philippine Cockatoos of Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on July 4, 2013

Only 1,000 Philippine Cockatoos are left in the wild, with 300 of them living on Rasa Island From San Vicente, I headed back down to Puerto Princesa City and continued further down south to the municipality of Narra, where I visited Rasa Island, home of the last remaining large population of Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygi), locally known as katala. There are only around 1,000 individuals left across the Philippine archipelago, and this species is found no where else on the planet.Read More→

San Vicente, Palawan: Motorbiking from “Long Beach” to Irawan Beach

Posted on June 11, 2013

The immaculate beaches of Irawan and Nagtulay in Brgy. Santo Niño, San Vicente, Palawan From the beach paradise of Port Barton, I was able to hitch on a bangka to San Vicente town with government social workers. The northern coast of San Vicente is lined with six long stretches of undeveloped white beaches dotted with sleepy fishing villages. What’s being marketed by tourism pundits as Long Beach – allegedly “the longest beach in the Philippines” at 14 kilometers in length –Read More→