What To See in Palawan Island

Historical Sights

Santa Isabel Fort

Built in 1667 at the northern coastal tip of Taytay, Palawan under the Augustinian Recollect Fathers and used a military station. The fort's small chapel and cannon are still intact.

Cuyo Fort

From the sea, Cuyo Island's first visible landmark is a lighthouse by the pier. Many of the streets leading to the town have already been cemented but the town has preserved the hispanic plaza-iglesia structures. Dominating the town center is Cuyo's 1860 church, convent, and fort. Nearby stands a schoolhouse, and a monument of national hero Jose Rizal. The original complex of stone and mortar was a square with four bastions. The present complex, which occupies 1 ha, is a solid rectangular edifice with walls 10 m high and 2 m thick. It has a tall belfry and watchtowers; its canons which face the sea are now fired only during town celebrations.

Tabon Caves Complex

The Tabon Cave Complex in Lipuun Point, Quezon, tagged as the Cradle of Philippine Civilization, stands as an important archaeological evidence of prehistoric society in the Philippines. Artifacts found there, like the Manununggul jar, give a glimpse of the early inhabitants' beliefs and way of life.

Cagayancillo Islands

There is a fort built during the Spanish period just in front of the town proper, a lighthouse in Manukan Island, and the Catholic church, another Spanish contribution are just among the few spots to behold.

Port Miller & Light House

Tower Port Miller is actually a huge water tank made of cement which serves as a source of potable water for the communities in Brooke's Point and the original Light House Tower was constructed by Sir James Brooke.

Melville Light House

Located in the island municipality of Balabac, this century-old light house is still in use today.

Culion Fort

Constructed in 1740 by the Recollect Augustinian. It is managed by the Jesuits Order of Culion.

Culion Museum

Located at the building adjacent to the Culion Sanitarium General Hospital, the museum houses records, photos and hospital equipment used at the former Culion Sanitarium. Among the interesting items on exhibit are a big logbook containing the roster of patients of the Sanitarium and the currency that was in circulation when the place was still known as Culion Leper Colony Reservation.

Palawan Eco-tourism Stops

Calauit Island

The Calauit Island in Busuanga Palawan, a declared game preserve and wildlife sanctuary, was set up in the late 1970s as the Philippine government's response to the international community's call to help save the diminishing African animal population, particularly in Kenya. Animals such as giraffes, zebras and impalas co-exist with endemic Philippine animals like the Palawan bearcat, mousedeer and peacock pheasant. Thru Executive Order No. 722 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on December 12, 2008, the management of Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in Busuanga was transferred from Palawan Council for Sustainable Development to the Provincial Government of Palawan on March 23, 2009 and its name was changed to Calauit Safari Park.

El Nido, Palawan From its ageless towering marble cliffs to its white sandy beaches with crystal clear water, many refer to it as paradise. There are over 50 beaches to discover, so many in fact that sometimes you feel as if you are on your own secluded private beach. You will also find enchanting lagoons with tranquil turquoise-green water, caves that can take you to hidden beaches, and a very diverse variety of wildlife.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Underground River) and World Heritage Site

Formerly St. Paul Subterranean River National Park, it is a deep cavern beneath the rugged limestone and marble cliffs of Mt. Saint Paul where an 8-kilometer underground river flows, the special feature of the park. It is known as one of the world's wonders. Outside the river's mouth is a beautiful lagoon that teems with fish. The park is inhabited by a variety of exotic animals like the macaque monkeys, monitor lizards (bayawak) and snakes.

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center

(formerly Crocodile Farming Institute and Nature Park) A farming institute aimed at conserving endangered species of crocodile and developing a suitable crocodile farming technology. It also maintains a wildlife rescue center, an ecological park and a training center.

Mount Victoria

Also known as Victoria Peak, this mountain in central Narra stands at 1726 m with twin peaks and form the largest contiguous land area and second highest portion of the Mount Beaufort Ultramafics geological region, a series of ultramafic outcrops of Eocene origin, that includes Palawan's highest peak, Mount Mantalingahan, which is 2085 m high.

Arena Island

Arena Island is about 1.5 to 2 hours of boat ride from the port of Narra. This island is a sanctuary for pawikan or sea turtles. It serves as a nesting site for Hawksbill and Green turtles.

Estrella Falls

Fresh cool waters cascading rapidly from Victoria Peak to twin falls at the mountain's edge, Estrella Falls is a favorite destination of locals and visitors. The clear waters flow to three natural pools of varying depths. One has a depth that is just right for good swimmers; another has a medium depth that is safe for those who do not swim well and there is a shallow pool that is ideal for children. It won the Cleanest Inland Body of Water - River Category in the national search. Through the initiative of the Municipal Government of Narra, resort facilities have been provided such as cottages, huts, shades, rest rooms and provisions for grilling. From the South National Highway, it is 6 kilometers from Barangay Malatgao. For commuters, Estrella Falls can be reached by hiring a tricycle or a jeepney at Poblacion, Narra.

Rasa Island

Just 3 kms off Antipuluan beach in Narra, it is the only place in the Philippines where the endangered Philippine Cockatoo can be found. The best time to see them is early morning or late afternoon.

Kayangan Lake

A mountain Lake located at Coron Island. Hall of Fame Awardee for Cleanest and Greenest Inland Body of Water (National). Ideal for mountain climbing and trail trekking.

Barracuda Lake

Located near the Kayangan Lake, it is also a Hall of Fame Awardee for the Cleanest and Greenest Lake in the country. Its name is derived from a story passed on from generation to generation that two giant barracudas live in the lake. But its allure lies in its shimmering emerald waters.

Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park and World Heritage Site

The Tubbataha Reefs and the surrounding waters with a total area of 33,200 hectares were declared a National Marine Park by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 306 issued on Aug. 1, 1998. On Dec. 11, 1993, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared the Tubbataha as a World Heritage Site. The Tubbataha Reefs are located in the middle of Central Sulu Sea, approximately 98 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Princesa City.

It is composed of two large shallow platforms enclosing a sandy lagoon. The reefs are a rookery of birds and turtles. A divers' assemblage with about 46 coral genera and a very high diversity of fish fauna have been recorded in the area. Tubbataha is the top diving destination in the country. Local and foreign divers visit the reefs between March and June. Diving activities continue until the end of the southwest monsoon but is limited after June