Friday, January 14, 2011
















Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island, measuring 450 kilometers (280 mi) long, and 50 kilometers (31 mi) wide. Palawan is composed of the long and narrow Palawan Island, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding the main island. The Calamianes Group of Islands, to the northwest consists of Busuanga Island, Culion Island, and Coron Island. Durangan Island almost touches the westernmost part of Palawan Island, while Balabac Island is located off the southern tip, separated from Borneo by the Balabac Strait. In addition, Palawan covers the Cuyo Islands in the Sulu Sea. The disputed Spratly Islands, located a few...




Palawan River tops latest New 7 Wonders Poll





The Puerto Princesa Underground River has topped the latest poll of the New 7 Wonders of the World Campaign.
In its latest rankings, the Palawan subterranean river was chosen by 58.38 percent of females who joined the online poll, with 41.62 percent of the voters comprised of males.
The underground river is battling 27 other natural wonders worldwide, many of them in Europe and Latin America.
Apprised of the latest results, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn said the support of the people of Palawan and many Filipinos worldwide was essential in copping the top place in the latest online poll, which has already reached millions of people globally.
Among the other contestants are the Dead Sea, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Maldives, Grand Canyon, Jeju Island, Bay of Fundy, Black Forest, Iguazu Falls, Angel Falls, Yushan, Uluru, Galapagos, Milford Sound, Bu Tinah Island, Great Barrier Reef, Halong Bay, Komodo, Amazon, Vesuvius, Table Mountain, Masurian Lake District and Mud Volcano.
Hagedorn urged all Filipinos here and abroad to continue supporting the campaign of the Puerto Princesa Underground River to win the top slot in the contest for the New 7 Wonders of the World.

                                



                              PHOTOS OF   PALAWAN FESTIVAL




MASKARA FESTIVAL
MassKara Festival is a colorful and one of the most celebrated week-long festival held yearly in Bacolod City. The festival features a street dance competition which is participated by Schools and Barangay’s.




Sangyaw Festival 


The Sangyaw Festival was created by former first Lady Imelda Marcos and will be revived this year 2008 by her nephew, Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
Sangyaw means to herald the news. Held every 29th of June or a day before the ciy fiesta of Tacloban.
The Sangyaw was replaced by the Pintados festival when the Marcoses were booted out of Malacanang. Now that the Sangyaw will be revived Tacloban will celebrate not one but two festivals, the Pintados on June 27 and the Sangyaw Festival on June 29.

Kaogma Festival 



        The Kaogma Festival is a grand celebration festival of Camarines Sur, commemorating its foundation of the province, with events all over and a weeklong celebration of fun, happiness, cheers showcasing all its beauty. Finally Mommy Cortez mentioned that beautiful places produces beautiful people. I certainly believe that, the Philippines as a whole, produced the very best and beautiful people especially their smiles and wonderful, cheerful and energetic hospitality is the best in the world.











sinulog festival,philippines festivals,colorful dancers,cebu








Visiting Palawan, Philippines

 TOP RATED HOTELS


   AMANPULO  








  Amanpulo lives up to its expectation. From the point of arrival to the Manila, the service starts. Staff are waiting to greet you upon exiting customs and they take you to the private airport and Amanpulo lounge which is nice after a long flight. The small plane you take to the island is not at all scary and in fact was quite enjoyable (only about 1 hr max). The GM and staff are there to greet you and immediately you get a tour of the island on your private club car (golf cart). The beaches are pristine and I have to say the weather during Christmas was perfect. Enough sun for the kids, enough shade/overcast for the my wife and I with temperatures that didnt make you sweat. The water in the pool and the ocean was cool but not cold. Beaches were clean, soft like corn starch with an abundance of seashells. 
The food is first rate for an island (4 out of 5 stars) with the pizzas at picnic grove winning the day. The starlight cruise followed by beach BBQ is a must do. I took my kids trolling for fish on a boat which was awesome. The kids caught fish and I then had them prepared at Lagoon Lounge for dinner (steamed, sashimi, asian style). Visiting the Manomoc is also a treat and a must do - admittedly juxtaposition that will leave you feeling a bit guilty as they've been without power apparently for months. However, all seem happy and hardworking (50-75% of the Amanpulo staff come from Manamoc).
The service at Amanpulo was excellent. Everyone knows your name and the staff remember details that make the stay easy. For example, they remembered the size of fins my daughter used so that each time we went snorkeling the fins were ready to use without my asking. The only area of improvement is in "communication coordination". we were set to do a boat ride and my guest assistant said they would call when ready. They never called and instead were waiting for us. I felt guilty about being late as I know they all work so hard. My guess is that the staff didn't want to rush us, let us relax without the pressure of time. That's awesome but again, communication coordination is important given the clientele. Otherwise, perfection.
Staying at Amanpulo for Christmas is also a delight. The decoration are tasteful and appropriate. A Filippino Santa Claus came by boat which was a nice touch and I'm sure a difficult to organise. But Christmas on the beach where the white sand acts like snow is something we'll never forget.
Amanpulo is a must-return destination. We will definitely be back in coming years. Cheers.








   HIBISCUS GARDEN HOTEL







Directly in the middle of beautiful tropical surroundings, far away from the tourist masses, the Hibiscus Garden Hotel offers a perfect starting point for exciting excursions in the nearby nature reserves, for safaris in the Yala National Park and the tropical rain forests, bird watching in the protected bird lands, or perhaps a chance to relax on the hotel´s own beach for regenerating the body and soul.
The 16 comfortable and tastefully decorated rooms are offered with air-conditioning and minibar. The main house offers a spacious lobby with reception on the ground floor. The open-air restaurant is located on the first floor, where you can experience the exquisite kitchen with its delicious local, eastern and western dishes while enjoying a wonderful view of the emerald green fields on the nearby mountains.

EL RIO Y MAR RESORT







El Rio y Mar Resort is an hour journey from the Busuanga Airport. Airport transfer is available. The resort features an infinity pool, spa and a dive centre.
Club Paradise is a 30-minute boat ride from the resort. A day trip can be arranged and guests of El Rio y Mar Resort may use all the facilities of Club Paradise.
All rooms are located on the beach front. Each room comes with a refrigerator, mini-bar and a veranda with bay front. Rooms also come with a private bathroom with hot shower.
Guests can arrange for dive trips at the dive centre, or enjoy the sunset at the infinity pool. There is also a sports house, gift shop and a meeting room. El Rio y Mar Resort also has a clinic with an in-house doctor.
Port Caltom’s Reef Bar serves cocktails and drinks at night. There is also an Al Fresco Restaurant on site.




  EL NIDO RESORT MINILOC PALAWAN









  El Nido is a municipality located at the northwestern tip of the province of Palawan, Philippines. It is 430 kilometers southwest of Manila, and 238 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan's capital. El Nido is bordered by the Linapacan Strait in the North, the Sulu Sea in the east, and the South China Sea in the west.

The Municipality of El Nido is composed of 18 barangays (villages) covering a total land area of 50,000 hectares. Its population of 27,000 people, is a mix of native Palaweños, with a heavy presence of migrants from other parts of the Philippines. 

Edible-nest Swiftlets (Collocalia fuciphaga) abound in El Nido. The nests of these birds are found in the crevices of the limestone cliffs and are the main ingredient of the health enhancing bird's nest or nido soup. It is these nests that gave the place its Spanish name, El Nido.

El Nido is considered a showcase of Palawan's geology and diverse wildlife It is one of the most important sites for biological diversity in the country and has been declared by the Philippine government as a protected area.

Security Update

Inquiries concerning the peace and order situation at El Nido are received with the recent events around the globe. It is with the following information that we reassure you of your safety as you travel to El Nido and the rest of Palawan.

In charge of the overall security of Palawan is the multi-sectoral security network composed of: the Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Army under the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, the Philippine National Police Maritime, the Philippine Coastguard, the Provincial Government, the local government units, members of the local community, and the Palawan Tourism Council. The network spans the entire Palawan, from the northern islands in Coron/Busuanga to the southern parts of Bataraza.

In El Nido, the local security system under the Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard detachments in El Nido Town and the local government is supplemented by a security force deployed by the Philippine Government to protect the multi-billion dollar Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project located 50 kilometers west of El Nido. This special security force has under its command personnel, navy vessels, speed boats and aircraft.

On the El Nido Resorts side, the strict security system continues to be enforced at our properties in Lagen Island, Miniloc Island and the surrounding areas. We are maintaining the strong and effective unit of security personnel duly licensed by the Philippine National Police Maritime.These security personnel are professionally trained, formerly belonging to the Philippine military. They are in charge of monitoring the activities within the resort area, as well as conducting day and night patrols and surveillance activities within the resorts and nearby islands. Security personnel work in shifts, watching over resort guests and staff on a 24-hour basis. They maintain direct contact with the Philippine National Police Maritime and Philippine Coast Guard detachments in El Nido Town, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command, and other resort establishments in Palawan.

We have also fortified security measures at our airport facility in El Nido. All land and water vehicles, passengers, baggage, and packages are inspected by our security personnel before being allowed entry into the airport premises. Strict pre-check-in procedures are also being followed at the A Soriano Aviation Terminal in Pasay City.

With all these security measures in place, we are confident that El Nido and the rest of Palawan remain safe for travel.
                                    

Wednesday, January 12, 2011



                                            

                                                 BESTS OF PALAWAN                                             





                                                EL NIDO FOREST IN PALAWAN

El Nido is located in the northernmost tip of mainland Palawan, Philippines. El Nido’s majestic limestone cliffs are estimated to be 250 million years old. With 200 species of tropical fishes, more than 100 
Established as a marine reserve. El Nido’s majestic limestone cliffs are estimated to be 250 million years old. With 200 species of tropical fishes, more than 100 species of corals, and three species of endangered sea turtles. El Nido’s forests are host to 100 species of birds. You can snorkel with tropical reef fishes. A short kayak ride away are the spectacular big and small lagoons. And 0ver 50 pristine islands to explore. 



                                                     PALAWAN BEACH



           The beaches of Palawan topped the list of the best beaches of Asia identified by the prestigious international magazine Condé Nast Traveler in its October 2007 issue.

The New York-based magazine, published by Condé Nast Publications, the same company that owns the New Yorker, Vogue, Glamour, and Bon Appetit, listed Palawan beaches ahead of other spectacular Asian destinations such as Beach No. 7 at Havelock Island in India; Nihiwatu Beach on Sumba Island in Indonesia; Baa on North Ari and North Malé Atolls in the Maldives; and Laem Tong Bay on Koh Phi Phi in Thailand.


                                                


TUBATAHA REEF


Tubbataha Reef is an atoll coral reef located in the Sulu Sea of the Philippines, under the political jurisdiction of Cagayancillo, around 150km southeast of Puerto Princesa City. It is a marine sanctuary protected as Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. It is nominated at the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Tubbataha is the Philippines' only marine natural Park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of global importance, being preserved for generations to come.

The word "tubbataha" is a combination of two Samal words which means "a long reef exposed at low tide". Tubbataha is located in the Sulu Sea, 98 nautical miles (181 km) southeast of Puerto Princesa City in the Palawan Province. The reef is made up of two coral atolls divided by an eight-kilometer (5 miles) wide channel. The South Atoll, the smaller of the two is five kilometers in length and three kilometers in width; while the North Atoll, the larger of the two is 16 kilometers (10 miles) long and five kilometers (3 miles) wide. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 km (5 miles) wide.





Palawan Wildlife Rescue & Conservation Center



                                            Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center is located at National Road, Brgy. Irawan, south of Puerto Princesa, about 30-40 minutes from the city proper, formerly known as Crocodile Farming Institute.

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center was established in 1987 with the help of the Japan International Cooperative Agency with the major objectives to conserve the two endangered species of crocodiles, C. porosus and C. mindorensis, and to introduce and develop suitable farming technology to uplift the socio-economic well being of the Philippines. Also research studies and preservation activities involved other endangered species.

                              


                                        
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
photo of fishes at tubbataha reefs
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life.
The park is an underwater sanctuary where nature thrives. Tubbataha is the Philippines' first national marine park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of global importance being preserved for future generations of humankind.
Tubbataha supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colorful reef fish crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and pelagics haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea.
A team of rangers are stationed on the reef year-round and, from March until June, divers visit Tubbataha to experience the wonders of this unique underwater world.
Palawan Tourist Attraction
Malapascua CebuCalauit Island Wildlife Sanctuary: This sanctuary is devoted to wildlife preservation of animals coming from Africa such as zebras and gazelles, giraffes and elands and our own animals which can only be found in Palawan like bearcat, mousedeer and peacock pheasant. This santuary is has an area of 3,700 hectare

Coron Reefs: One of the enchanting scenery in Palawan in which tourist want to go. It has Seven enchanting lakes, perfectly surrounded by craffy limestone cliffs. It attracts tourist and nature lovers to this island in northern Palawan. This is one of the world-famous diving sites in the world.

El Nido Marine Reserve: is one of the most popular ecosystems tourist destination in the Philippines. Palawan is proud to have this popular diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. Here divers can see the rarest marine mammal, the sea cows locally called "dugong".

St. Paul Subterranean River National Park: A very attractive natural scenery in Palawan and One of the world's wonders. The river stretches eight kilometers deep into an underground lagoon with crystalline waters. The captivating limestone cave reveals the stalactite pillars, rock formations and domed amphitheaters.

Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park: Is reputed as the country's best diving site and one of the world's best diving spot. The reef is abundant in marine life and because of this it was named a World Heritage Site. The island consists of two islets with lots of soft corals and small cave. Divers can see Tubbataha shark, turtles and manta rays.




        The Legend Palawan Now Offers 
     Affordable Palawan Experience Package

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Jun 26, 2009 – Palawan, Philippines --- The Legend Palawan is now offering an affordable chance for everyone to experience the best of Palawan through its Palawan Experience Premium Package. Available from 1 June to 31 December 2009, customers can choose between a three days-two nights package or a four days-three nights package inclusive of an accommodation in The Legend Palawan, full board meals, and round-trip airport transfer.

Also included in the package is a Honda Bay tour, Underground River tour, plus a city tour. Visitors now have a chance to see Palawan’s famous tourist spots with their family and friends and experience the world-class adventure that the hotel proudly offers.

The Legend Palawan is known as a versatile accommodation provider for it provides a business venue for corporate guests, a sanctuary for guests wanting peace and quiet, a love nest for couples, or anything that a guest might possibly need from a place to stay.

Palawan is one of the Philippines’ tropical paradise perfect for outdoor activities. From snorkeling, swimming or cruising the world-famous Underground River, Palawan is a tourist's one-stop destination for the perfect vacation.

For more information on The Legend Palawan and its Palawan Experience Package, visithttp://www.legendpalawan.com.ph.