Your Guide to Paradise Philippines

PALAWAN PHILIPPINES
The Last Frontier

Palawan, Philippines An elongated island-province southwest of Mindoro, it is a 55 minute flight from Manila. It is rich in natural resources and boasts of exotic wildlife, white sand beaches, world class snorkeling and scuba diving. Also known as "the last frontier", it is a haven for adventure seekers and nature lovers. Calauit Island in Northern Palawan is a national park and teeming with Palawan's rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The Tabon Caves in Southern Palawan is a 29-cave complex of archaeological artifacts and fossilized bones of the Tabon man. The skull is carbon dated to be 22,000 years old. Dive spots in Palawan are plentiful, with each site offering a unique array of marine life. The Tubbataha Reefs are the best dive spots in the area.

Palawan has a land area of l,489,655 hectares. It reclines between Mindoro and North Borneo Islands. Palawan is appoximately 586 kilorneters southwest of Manila. The island province extends toward the southwest forming a partial land bridge between Mindoro and North Borneo. The western side of the island faces South China Sea. Palawan's important islands are Busuanga, Culion, Linapacan, Cuyo, Dumaran, Cagayanes and Balabac.

The world-famous island of Boracay is located in Aklan province 345 kms. South of Manila. The island is accessible by air from Manila or Cebu through two principal gateways: Caticlan airport or Kalibo airport.

It has also been voted in 1990 as one of the best beaches in the world by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook. The British Publication TV Quick in its issue of December 21, 1996 gave the latest accolade for Boracay as the number one tropical beach in the world.

The island roughly shaped like a dumb-bell, is 7 kilometers long and the narrowest spot is nearly 1 kilometer wide. Boracay Island, one hour flight time south of Manila, has more than 30 beaches and coves, among them the famous White Beach: Four kilometers of pure white sand beach, and rated among the world's best beaches by international publications. The water is shallow here, and its sand brighter and finer than most beaches in the archipelago. There are about 350 beach resorts with more than 2000 rooms to suit virtually everyone's taste. There is accommodation of all types and price categories.

Bacolod, chartered city in the central Philippines, on Negros Island, capital of Negros Occidental Province. Sugar milling and fishing are the chief industries in the city, which is also a trade center in an area producing sugarcane and rice.

Bacolod City is known as the the "City of Smiles". The Bacolod, as they are called, are proud of their culture as being strong willed with a warm heart. Bacolod also boasts of antique houses, old churches that dates back during the Spanish time, and other cultural sites.

Bacolod's biggest annual event, the Maskara Festival, is a Mardi Gras-like celebration that features masked and costumed street dancers, with fairs and carnivals. This is held on the third week of October, and coincides with the city's Charter Day celebration.

Bacolod’s most popular fiesta, is celebrated on the third weekend of October closest to October 19, the city’s charter day anniversary. Festivities kick off with food fairs, mask-making contests, brass band competitions, beauty and talent pageants, a windsurfing regatta, drinking and eating contests, trade fairs and exhibits. The climax is a mardi-gras parade where revellers don elaborate mask and costumes and dance to Latin rhythms Rio de Janiero style.

San Sebastian Cathedral, Bacolod, is made of coral stones and lime quarried from nearby Guimaras Island. The Chapel of Santa Clara ha a unique mural mosaic of the Virgin Mary, made up of 95,000 polished shells. The Chapel of Cartwheels, in Manapla, was constructed using old carabao cartwheels.