Palawan, Philippines — The Overlooked Part of Southeast Asia

Thailand is surely to be one of the first places mentioned when you ask someone where to find an amazing island getaway in Southeast Asia. If, not Thailand, then maybe Vietnam, Malaysia or Bali, Indonesia. It baffles me why a country with over 7,000 islands is rarely mentioned. This country is the Philippines.

With the thousands of islands in the Philippines, where’s a good place to start? A perfect introduction to island life in the Philippines is the Bacuit Archipelago in Palawan. This is a series of islands that are truly jaw-dropping in beauty. Here you will find a labyrinth of rugged limestone cliffs and outcroppings shooting out of crystal-clear turquoise water.

This portion of Palawan is a protected reserve. This means that there are very strict policies on development and require visitors to purchase park permits. These regulations have resulted in a paradise free of pollution and trash creating an absolute haven for marine life.

There are several great attractions and activities in this archipelago. Diving and snorkeling here will spoil you for a lifetime. We saw thousands of fish, beautiful coral, stingrays, glowing jellyfish, and to top it off, we swam alongside sea turtles. When not on the water, there is no shortage of white sand beaches, one of which is accessed by swimming through a keyhole in a cliff to find a secret beach surrounded by towering limestone cliffs.

Sometimes words are just unable to do justice to such a place of beauty. The next logical step would be to look at some photos, which will surely make you want leave the office.

Written by: Beau W