With the summer season coming up, many people want to travel for vacation, but with the ongoing pandemic and quarantine restrictions, getting to our dream destinations may seem impossible. Luckily, you don’t need to look so far off in searching for paradise. In this article, we’ll take you on a fun adventure to the exquisite sites and culture of the beautiful island, Palawan!

Palawan is known as the largest province in the country. Antonio Pigafetta, one of Magellan’s companions during the spice expedition, called Palawan the “land of promise” as the ancestors helped the remaining members of Magellan’s fleet against starvation when they landed on the island. It is also home to indigenous groups such as the Kagayanen, Tagbanwa, Palawano, Taaw't Bato, Molbog, and Batak tribes. 

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Palawan has a lot of attractive sites and tremendously beautiful forests. It is also known as the last ecological frontier in the country because the province still holds about 50 percent of its native forests. Palawan has impressive biodiversity and a kind of natural beauty that makes it unique, keeping tourists and even locals visiting non-stop. 

People in Palawan believe in the value called ingasiq (compassion). It emphasizes the importance of behaving with generosity and sympathy towards others. Living in Palawan doesn't just mean having cheap or fresh foods and basic necessities. Despite the reduced cost, people can still get high-quality products and services.

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Palawan is also famous for its delicious cuisine and dishes such as the Tamilok. It is made from woodworm and has an oyster-like taste. Crocodile sisig is the local appetizer and one of the island's exotic dishes that tourists love to try. Palawan is also home to creativity as they are among the best in arts and crafts. Pieces of art like Manunggul Jar are treasured by the locals because for them, it represents the journey of the soul to the afterlife. Palawan is also rich in jungles, tousled mangroves, swamps, and vibrant coral reefs. 

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Palawan is the best when it comes to outdoor activities such as snorkeling and diving because of its clear and crystal waters. They also have heritage sites such as The National Park and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Upon exploring new things, island hopping in Honda Bay is the best, next to scuba diving in El Nido, Ugong Rocks Adventures, and many more. The people in Palawan are generally more conservative, generous, and peaceful as they are known to live with nature. They believe in spirits and commune with a babaylan. 

Overall, of the many tourist spots here in the Philippines, Palawan is regularly visited because of its exquisite sense of place and great hospitability of locals. Once all this mayhem is over, definitely go and visit Palawan!