Palawan
has been rated the most beautiful island in the world and it is easy to see
why. With so many white sandy beaches,
crystal clear water, coral reefs, and tourist attractions it’s hard to decide
just what to do. So, I have put together
a short list of my personal ‘top 5 things you must do in Palawan.’
Puerto Princesa
Puerto
Princesa, located in the center of Palawan Island, is known as the greenest (due
to the fact that they have four annual tree planting festivals) and cleanest city
in the Philippines. Whether you are in
the mood for floating down an underground river, having a chill night walking
the Bay Walk, or visiting a local craft brewery, Puerto Princesa should be your
port of call.
El Nido
Island hopping in El Nido |
El
Nido is one of the most visited towns in Palawan and possibly the Philippinesas a whole. It’s located on the northern
end of Palawan Island in western Philippines. Palawan Island has been rated the
most beautiful island in the world and El Nido is its defining city.
First Week: Philippines
Jade and I in the Twin Lagoon, Coron, Philippines |
I
started my new travels in the Philippines and have been at it for a little over
a week and this is my story. It’s a
simple story of the confusion of arrival in a new country, excursions on
tropical islands and beaches, and that one time we slept outside in the bottle
storage area on the porch of a ticket office (yea that happened).
Coron Island Hopping
Banul Beach from the drone |
The
town of Coron may be a sleepy little town for tourist’s standards, but the
islands that surround the area are far from it.
The most prominent of these islands is the island of Coron (not to be
confused with the city) just across the bay.
The island of Coron was the original site of the town till it was moved
to its current location for more space.
The Tagbanua tribe still inhabit the island and have a
title of Ancestral Domain over it, so all tourist that enter must pay a fee.
Coron
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Panoramic of the bay from my hotel |
Coron is located in the northern most island of the
Palawan island chain and is amongst the most visited areas by tourist in the
Philippines. The town itself is a sleepy
little town with not a whole lot to offer in the food/nightlife/tourist scenes,
but the tours outside of town are first-rate and are why Coron should be on
everyone’s to-do list.
Taal Volcano: Travel Guide
Tagaytay
and Taal Volcano are great options for a traveler looking for something to do
on their first day of arrival in the Philippines. They are a great introduction to this great
country and it is not every day that you can say you saw the smallest active
volcano in the world! Tagaytay’s most prominent point of interest
is the Taal Volcano. Sitting in the
middle of Lake Taal, Taal Volcano is the worlds smallest active volcano and the
Philippines second most active.
My Next Adventure: Southeast Asia
Planned trip through Southeast Asia |
Having
finished my Peace Corps services in Madagascar and having some down time with
family and friends during the holidays, I am now leaving for my next big
adventure. This trip will take me to the
other side of the world and through most of Southeast Asia. Equipped with what I could fit in a backpack
I have set out to chronicle the best of what Southeast Asia has to offer. Travel along with me to read about my
adventures to find out the top things to see and do and get travel tips for all of the places
I see.
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Charging our stuff and using wifi at the Manila airport |
I start this trip with a
three-leg flight to the Philippines, where I will spend one month (the extent a
regular travel visa will allow). Once I
leave the Philippines, and continuing through the rest of this trip, I do not
have any concrete plans on how long I will spend in each country but will stay
either till my visa expires or till I am ready to move on. Leaving the Philippines my plans are as
follows: Taiwan-Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia-Thailand-Myanmar-Bangladesh-Bhutan-Nepal-India-Sri
Lanka.
The New Blog
This blog has always been about
showcasing Madagascar’s culture and way of life, as well as chronicling my own
experiences, both in my Peace Corps service and travels. My goal as I move forward is to continue to journal
my experiences around the world, but to also give travel advice from my own
experience. I want to share with you all
of the amazing things there are to see in this world and some tips on how to
travel more cheaply.
I have always had a love for
travel but never thought that I could ever afford it, but after having spent
three years living abroad with the Peace Corps in Madagascar my mindset of how
to travel has been totally changed. My
service in Madagascar thought me how to live and travel cheaply. So equipped with
this new-found knowledge, and what I could fit in a backpack, I have set off on
my next new adventure to apply and share what I learn as I travel the
world.
Be
sure to subscribe to my blog so that you don’t miss any of my cool adventures
and share it with your friends so they don’t either.
Have some things you would like to read about or any questions you have? Share them in the comment section below.
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