Industry in focus
HUMIDITY strikes with a vengeance in the Filipino summer, encasing one’s body in an ever-present film of sweat. Even on the breezy steps of the Spanish-built La Immaculada Concepcion Church which overlooks Coron Bay on the island of Culion, locals fan themselves against the circling heat. Despite the temperature, this island – located on Palawan’s northern tip – is a paradise of looming, rocky islands rimmed by waters swirling in dip-dyed shades of turquoise, aqua and peacock blue. It’s hard to reconcile the beauty of this place with its history; at the turn of the 19th century, Culion was the world’s largest leper colony. This utopia became a place of exile for people suffering from leprosy, and so feared was the disease that sufferers even had their own currency to avoid potential contamination. A cure for leprosy came in the 1980s, and today the stories of those who suffered are poignantly told in the island’s museum. The dichotomy between past and present, paired with its exceptional natural beauty, are the very things that make Palawan such a compelling destination for Australian visitors. But for many travellers, the Philippines remains synonymous with Boracay, a tiny smudge of an island located to the north east of Palawan. Boracay is routinely filled with tourists whose numbers are disproportionate to its size, drawn in by a trifecta of beautiful beaches, an established nightlife and an array of resorts that naturally enhance one’s stay. Palawan, by contrast, is far larger in size and lesser known to Australians looking to holiday in the Philippines. Stretched lengthways between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea, Palawan is, in fact, a collection of almost 1800 islands, most of them uninhabited. With its big toe pointed southwards, reaching out to touch Malaysian Borneo, the archipelago is also known as the country’s final frontier. This is a place that appeals to the thoughtful traveller – those who like to spend their holidays decompressing, exploring the natural environment and spending time in gentle contemplation. Its calm and unstructured sensibility make it the perfect alternative for those not attracted to busier destinations. Put simply, it’s a relaxing ‘bookend’ for travellers hoping to relax after hitting the shops in Manila or the lively party scene in places like Boracay. While a stunning beach is never far from any location in the Philippines, the region is also an up-and-comer for nature lovers. Hundreds of volcanoes are dotted around the archipelago offering bird’s eye views of the islands. Hikers can delight in endless stretches of deserted coastlines and nature lovers can scale the World Heritage Site of the Banawe Rice Terraces carved into the mountains of Ifugao. With numerous island resorts spread around the archipelago, travellers also have a seemingly infinite choice of accommodation and are almost certainly guaranteed to wake up to a beautiful view each day. Turning inland, visitors will find Palawan’s islands rising majestically from the ocean and filled with an abundance of lakes, rivers and mountains. But the archipelago’s pride is the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a subterranean waterway that flows for eight kilometres. It lies in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a protected area located around 80 kilometres north of the gateway city of Puerto Princesa. Access is no problem, with Cebu Pacific and Philippines Airlines offering daily services between Manila and Puerto Princesa. Visitors can enter the limestone cave system with tour guides, spend time
trekking through the park’s jungles and mangroves, and visit an ethnographic museum which tells of the history and culture of the indigenous Batak and Tagbanua people who inhabit the region. When the time comes to fuel travellers’ energy, there is no end to the surfeit of Filipino dishes to choose. The local mango is a clear favourite, far sweeter than the Australian version. But the range of traditional Filipino delicacies are something to behold including halohalo (a summer favourite which contains shaved ice, evaporated milk, sweet beans and purple yam), gulaman (a drink filled with tapioca pearls), Filipino BBQ, and balut for those game enough to try. The Philippines is gaining traction as a popular option for Australian travellers thanks to increased promotional activities and growing awareness of Palawan as a destination, and the Philippine Department of Tourism is expecting the trend to continue well into 2015/16. Its turquoise waters, pristine sandy beaches and breathtaking scenery makes the Philippines a safe bet for nature lovers looking to relax. But just a word of caution, the humidity sticks.