feels somewhatpost-apocalyptic themorningafter –like theproverbial flood. aroundamaze ofuninhabited alonginabangka islands intheCalamian Group or skimming the sunsetstandingonElNido’sramshacklebeachfrontwithaglorious viewofCadlao Island, of endurance. Thewithoutquestionthehighlight.Watching majorityoftravellers gonorth, and Muslimcommunities,it’sroughbutpotentially rewarding travel forthosewithreserves the south,where there’s littlegovernment footprint,populated byindigenoustribalgroups located hub.To Puerto Princesa,theadministrative andculinarycapital,isalsothetransport liberatinglogicStrait tothetipofBorneo–there’s totravel acertain inPalawan. Centrally inroads.yet tomake environment. Gaisano,Robinson’sandSM–thesignifiersofurbanisationelsewhere –have These daysthestruggleisoverdevelopment versus maintenance ofthelargely untouched Palawan wascontested bythecolonisersandMorosfromBorneoforover ahundred years. arrival oftheSpanishwholater referred toitas KnownasPaalways anoutlier,islandapart. LaoYu (islandofbeautifulharbour)before the the ’ mostsparselypopulated region isalsoitsmostbeguiling. itwas Historically, with seascapestheequalofanyinSoutheastAsia, wildlife, bothterrestrial andaquatic,this, nothing definesPalawan more thanthewater surroundingit.The proverbial islandparadise east ortheSouthChinaSeatowest,asmuchahighwaysourceofsustenance, You cannever escapeit.Everywhere youlookthere itis. Whetherit’stheSuluSeato Palawan 398 © LonelyPlanetPublications Because ofitssilhouette –alongsliver stretching 650kmallthewayfromMindoro

„ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

Breezing aroundonamotorcyclethrough Moving totheslowvillagepace,from ofWWII- Wrigglingthrough theportholes themostofa dayin Making inandoutoflagoons–nature’s Snorkelling sunset ground river tochillingonthe beachat from thecavernous darknessoftheunder- the countrysideoutside Barton hammock tobeachandbackagain,in Island era wrecks whiledivingaround ( p420) aquariums –inthe ( p401) (p423) (p412) Bacuit Archipelago Puerto Princesa Sabang Busuanga ( p409 ), Port

paragua (umbrella) foritsshape,controlof Sabang Archipelago Puerto Princesa Bacuit Port Barton Busuanga Island PALAWAN

in in 399 sail sail % and oper- in Manila 02-815 % ( Cesar Rodriguez Lim

in Manila 02-243 8845, in Taytay 0916 452 8197) in Taytay ITI % (

% in Manila 02-528 7000, in Puerto (www.negrosnavigation.ph;

% (

(formerly Sandoval; (formerly SuperFerry SuperFerry SEAIR flies to Taytay’s SEAIR Taytay’s flies to AtienzaShipping Lines Be advised that the timetables (as well as the At the time of research research of At the time Airport arriving in Coron Wednesday afternoon, arriving in Coron Wednesday afternoon, and arriv- later hours Coron five leaving Wednesday evening. Becauseing in Manila ship that accepts passengers, this is a cargo hardy option for the extremely it’s only an or masochistic. Negros Navigation Manila 02-244 0408, in Puerto Princesa 048-434 4735) via Coron and back again (P800 to P1800, boat de- The Negros Navigation 28 hours). in evening, arrives on Thursday parts Manila shortly thereaf-Coron Friday morning, leave in Puerto Princesa later and then arrives ter trip departs Saturday that evening. The return in Coron Saturday night morning, arrives around noon on Sunday. and then in Manila follows the same only a pattern SuperFerry for Manila leave meaning ferries day behind, so on. Coron on Friday evening and in Coron 0920 381 7566, in El Nido 0918 566 6786) El Nido–Coron–Manila an unreliable ates El Nido Wednesday morning, trip, leaving routes and fares) of the different airlines are airlines are the different of and fares) routes and it’s not unusual change subject to frequent for flights weather to be cancelled because of try- If you are reasons. or other less explicable flight connecting international an ing to make buffer day. a yourself leave always in Manila, BOAT has boat connections to and from Palawan and Caticlanand Iloilo (both Manila, on ). Manila Both Princesa 048-434 5734-38; www.superferry.com.ph) 5674, in El Nido 0920 908 1025; www.islandtransvoyater.com) 5674, in El Nido 0920 airline flying betweenwas the only Manila the offshore howeverand El Nido, guests of these priority; are given are luxury resorts weight luggage planes (12kg limit not large daily flightsper passenger) are and the three The fare far in advance. sometimes booked SEAIR way. Until recently P7400 one is over it is worth checking also flew to El Nido, and resumed. have to see if flights once a week from Manila to Puerto Princesa once a week from Manila several days a week; P7100 the cost is around one way. (www.palexpressair

from November to from November from June to October is to October from June PAL Express PAL •• Climate PALAWAN (amihan) in Manila 02-551 6250, in Puerto % in Busuanga 0928 284 3716; www.zestair in Busuanga 0928 284 3716; ( (habagat) in Manila 02-884 1521, in Puerto Princesa

% in Puerto Princesa 048-433 4565, in Busuanga ( %

( % fly between and Puerto Princesa ( The following airlines offer flights betweenThe following airlines offer

Climate Climate Getting There & Away & Away Getting There 048-434 5272, in Busuanga 0920 654 9484; www.fly SEAIR.com) Now connects Puerto Princesa to Boracay and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in Malaysia (one hour). Schedule in flux. is .com) Princesa 048-433 5541, in Busuanga 0920 654 9484; www Princesa 048-433 5541, in Busuanga 0920 654 9484; .cebupacificair.com) Cebu Pacific and Cebu Pacific .com) Zest Air SEAIR PAL www.palexpressair.com) 0918 558 6478; Cebu Pacific Manila and Puerto Princesa (1¼ hours) and and Puerto Princesa (1¼ hours) Manila (one hour): and Busuanga Manila Busuanga Island, there’s the YKR Airport, YKR Airport, the Busuanga Island, there’s serveswhich of the resorts Coron town and Calamian Archipelago. the about 30km north of Taytay, serves as an Taytay, about 30km north of entry point for northern Palawan alternative On Club Noah Isabelle. and places like Lim Rodriguez Airport (formerly Sandoval), Lim Rodriguez Airport (formerly Sandoval), but there are three smaller airports further airports further smaller three are but there north. El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago servedare by small El Nido Airport. Cesar AIR AIR is in Puerto Princesa, main airport Palawan’s and hard to predict. and hard schedules to destinations other than Puerto schedules fluid in nature Princesa are and Busuanga Puerto Princesa is the transport hub for all of Puerto Princesa transport hub for all of is the However, domestic airline and ferry Palawan. Periods of heavy rainfall aren’t uncommon; rainfall aren’t heavy of Periods the af- commonly these last for days or more is from The best time for seaternoon. travel to May. March considered the wet season and therefore the wet season the therefore and considered can be especially low season as well – there and November. strong winds in October becauseperiods in with holiday it coincides also These North America. Europe and are southwest The drier months. the cooler and monsoon east monsoon east monsoon the high season is considered in part February Palawan is generally typhoon-free. The north- The typhoon-free. is generally Palawan lonelyplanet.com (1½ hours).