Palawan Island-Towering Limestone mountain and Lagoon

Palawan is the largest island of the Palawan province in the Philippines. It is located off the northern coast of the Philippines along the South China Sea. The southeast coast forms part of the northern limit of the Sulu Sea.  The archipelago Palawan consists of 1,780 islands with 1200 miles of coastline. Palawan Is the main biodiversity hotspot that is famous for turquoise waters, underground rivers, and lagoons. Puerto-Princesa is capital of Palawan. The archipelago of Palawan has been crowned the best island in the world. Its towering mountains, limestone caves, and crystal-clear turquoise water Make it different from other islands in the world.

Geology of the area

The area of northeast Palawan was derived from the southeast edge of the continental crust of China, part of the Eurasian Plate. It is the exposed portion of a microcontinent that drifted southward with the spreading of the South China Sea. This microcontinent also forms the shallow water north of Palawan in the Reed Bank of the southern South China Sea.

Some of the oldest rocks exposed in the Palawan island Philippines are Permian-Carboniferous age. Southwest Palawan exposes primarily Ophiolitic rocks derived from the upliftment of oceanic crust and mantle.  The Palawan Trough is an area of deeper water adjacent to the north coast of Palawan in the South China Sea. The El Nido area is exposed with Triassic-Jurassic deep marine chert and limestone.

The limestone forms spectacular karst terrain. In the Taytay area of northern Palawan Philippines, a young basaltic cinder cone is present. Basaltic and Granite magmatism of the area is an expression of what has been identified as a widespread post-South China Sea spreading magmatism that has affected many areas around the South China Sea.

Palawan tourist spot

Busuanga island

Busuanga Island is the second-largest island in the province after Palawan. The island is located halfway between the islands of Mindoro and Palawan island.  Busuanga Island is mainly known as a recreational diving location due to the twelve World War II Japanese wrecks that were sunk by American navy bombings.

Brookes point

Brooke’s Point is situated in the southeastern section of Palawan Island, approximately 215 kilometers from Puerto Princesa City. Explore the Mountains’ foothills and their waterfalls deep in the forests. The most famous one is the series of seven falls in Barangay Mainit and the must-see is the last one, named Bakbakan Falls. Port Barton, the island is famous for remote islands, snorkeling spots, sand bars, and majestic waterfalls. Here tourists can find shallow lagoons of turquoise water, tropical fish, giant sea turtles, and other sea life that roams freely.

Honda bay Palawan

Puerto Princesa is Palawan’s capital and main arrival hub. Located near the midpoint of Palawan Island, the city is the launchpad for Banca boat island tours in nearby Honda Bay. It is a globally important habitat for the endangered whale shark. Banca boat trip in Honda Bay best place for snorkeling, swimming, and spotting marine life.

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Puerto princesa subterranean river national park

Puerto Princesa city is famous for its free-standing limestone karst terrain with caves. Hiking up the limestone tower is big-thrill activity. Ugong Rock, Buenavista Viewdeck and Ulugan Bay is the best point to take a Photgraph. Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a World Heritage site. Boat tour permit to glide through cathedral-like caverns on one of the world’s longest navigable Puerto Princesa underground rivers.

El Nido Palawan is located at the tip of the Palawan mainland in a mesmerizing dreamscape- the Bacuit Bay archipelago. El Nido-Taytay is a Part of the nearly 350-square-mile, Managed Resource Protected Area, the largest marine sanctuary in the Philippines. The Bacuit islands and towering karst islets dot with-clear blue waters are worth seeing. Here people can walk and take a rest on El Nido beach.

Coron island

Coron is a part of the Calamian Archipelago north of Palawan Island. Coron Town, located on the main island, Busanga, is the starting point for boat tours to limestone cliffs, shallow-water coral reefs, and shipwreck sites. Coron tourism is not completed without seeing these shipwreck sites, including remnants of seven Japanese World War II vessels sunk in September 1944.

Coron Philippines consist mind-boggling beauty of Kayangan Lake. The blue lagoon and the world-famous lake are tucked among limestone rock formations visible above and below the surface of the water. A volcanic hot spring feeds the lake. Linapacan islands is a group of 52 untouched islands that lie in the waters between Coron and El Nido. The Palawan island featured the clearest waters in the world. Tourists can enjoy activities such as snorkeling, diving, and underwater photography.

San Vicente Palawan beach

San Vicente is a famous beach town on the way between El Nido and Puerto Princesa. This Palawan island beach has the longest and most uninterrupted white sand beach. it is one of the few beaches in the Philippines that is quiet and a great place to soak up some sun in solitude.

Best time to reach Palawan Island

The Palawan island has a long rainy season on the island, While the dry season bit humid. So, early March is the best time to plan a vacation to Palawan. Travelers can reach Manila to Palawan, one of the four gateways- Manila to Puerto Princesa Airport, El Nido Airport, Francisco Reyes Airport in Busuanga, and Cesar Rodriguez Airport in Taytay. Travelers may also reach Manila to Palawan island via ships from Manila that anchor in Peurto Princesa and Coron.