Everyone knows that Philippines has about 7,107 islands and most of them could boast of a good diving spot or beach resort. However, among those islands, Palawan cemented its place as the top tourist destination after it was named the world’s top island by readers of CN Traveler magazine with a rating of 88.750.
The island is now home to one of the new seven natural wonders of the world, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Palawan's natural wonder is one of the longest underground rivers in the world, traveling five miles through a subterranean cave system. Guided boat tours take visitors down a portion of the waterway, where karsts, natural rock formations created by dissolving limestone, loom in every direction. Gett
About an hour’s flight from Manila, Palawan’s virtue lies in the fact that it remains largely uncolonized by international hotel chains and developments - and consequently heaving throngs of fellow tourists. Along with the subterranean river, one of the astounding natural features of the island are its lagoons, beaches, and dramatic limestone cliffs.
Not surprisingly, dominating the list of top islands in the world is Hawaii, which landed three spots in the top 10 ranking for Maui, Kauai and Big Island.
Interestingly, the second highest-ranked island doesn’t hail from French Polynesia or the Caribbean, but...South Carolina. A short drive away from Charleston, Kiawah Island is described as a small barrier island on the Atlantic coast that can feel like it’s “a world away.”
Boracay island, also in the Philippines, made it to the top 12 after getting a reader's rating of 82.683. This small island (10 square miles) in the Western part of the country is as close to the tropical idyll ideal as anybody will find in the Philippines, with gentle coastlines and transporting sunsets. Add in a thriving nightlife scene, and you have Boracay as one of the top tourist spots in the region.
The island is now home to one of the new seven natural wonders of the world, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Palawan's natural wonder is one of the longest underground rivers in the world, traveling five miles through a subterranean cave system. Guided boat tours take visitors down a portion of the waterway, where karsts, natural rock formations created by dissolving limestone, loom in every direction. Gett
About an hour’s flight from Manila, Palawan’s virtue lies in the fact that it remains largely uncolonized by international hotel chains and developments - and consequently heaving throngs of fellow tourists. Along with the subterranean river, one of the astounding natural features of the island are its lagoons, beaches, and dramatic limestone cliffs.
Not surprisingly, dominating the list of top islands in the world is Hawaii, which landed three spots in the top 10 ranking for Maui, Kauai and Big Island.
Interestingly, the second highest-ranked island doesn’t hail from French Polynesia or the Caribbean, but...South Carolina. A short drive away from Charleston, Kiawah Island is described as a small barrier island on the Atlantic coast that can feel like it’s “a world away.”
Boracay island, also in the Philippines, made it to the top 12 after getting a reader's rating of 82.683. This small island (10 square miles) in the Western part of the country is as close to the tropical idyll ideal as anybody will find in the Philippines, with gentle coastlines and transporting sunsets. Add in a thriving nightlife scene, and you have Boracay as one of the top tourist spots in the region.