MANILA, Philippines – The pristine beauty of Palawan made another mark internationally as the 21st Wanderlust Travel Award in the United Kingdom names it the “most desirable island”.
“The scenery here is heaven on earth with sparkling waters and white sand beaches. One of the most photographed sites is Kayangan, a dazzling freshwater lake with spectacular rock formations above and below the surface,” Wanderlust wrote.
“Elsewhere on the island you can explore one of the world’s longest underground rivers, enjoy a spot of twitching, or fuel up with some delicious cuisine in the island’s capital of Puerto Princesa,” it added.
“These awards reflect the efforts to revive the tourism industry that are well underway especially because of the Marcos administration’s thrust towards prioritizing tourism development. Rest assured that we will continue with our mission to herald the Philippines and the Filipino brand to the world, and to ensure the continued sustainability of our islands” Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said.
Earlier this year, the country’s other popular tourist destinations have also been lauded by global awards: Boracay was hailed by TIME Magazine as one of the 50 World’s Greatest Places of 2022, and Intramuros was chosen as Asia’s leading tourist attraction by the World Travel Awards.
“The province is so blessed with such natural endowments of spectacular rock formations, sparkling waters, white sand beaches, and rich marine life that is incomparable to other islands in the world,” Bevienne Malateo, DOT-Mimaropa director, said in an interview.
“From the Calamianes Group of Islands down to Balabac Island in the South, Palawan continues to mesmerize people around the globe. We are thankful that we are able to share this beautiful destination with all our travelers.”
According to the Department of Tourism, over half a million tourists have visited the island from January to November, which is 65% of more than 782,000 tourist arrivals in the Mimaropa region this year.