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Tourism in Asia is back with a vengeance now that journey is simpler than it has been for a few years.
All of the highest vacationer hotspots, together with Indonesia’s Bali and Thailand’s Phuket, which had been just about sealed off for years, have soared in reputation as soon as extra.
With that being mentioned, these basic resort locations will not be the one ones liable for reviving Asia’s badly broken tourism sector. There is a lesser-known tropical paradise that used to obtain far fewer guests in years previous that’s now one of many trendiest island getaways within the area.
This yr, Westerners have given the attractive Palawan an opportunity, and understandably so, they already can’t get sufficient of it:
A Hidden Gem Of Southeast Asia
The Philippines is much from being essentially the most visited nation in Southeast Asia, lagging behind the likes of Thailand and its annual 15 million vacationers, the extremely developed Singapore, and Vietnam with its intensive sandy shoreline.
Overall, it’s only the sixth-most visited vacation spot within the subcontinent. That’s to not say it lacks magnificence, nor that it’s, in any means, inferior to its counterparts.
In truth, the Philippines may be thought of one of many final surviving unspoiled tropical archipelagos on this planet.
Scattered in hundreds of items across the South China Sea, the archipelagic nation is solely jam-packed with paradisaical islands and untouched reserves, more and more uncommon finds in mainland Southeast Asia, the place speedy improvement threatens to disturb the plentiful nature.
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Other than its ‘metropolitan’ islands, equivalent to Luzon, the place the bustling nationwide capital of Manila is situated, or Cebu, the place the sprawling Cebu City serves as a monetary heart, different smaller islands that make up the Philippines have retained their quaint character.
One such island is Palawan, with a inhabitants of over 900,000, distributed throughout the compact capital of Puerto Princesa, the place round 300,000 dwell, and smaller settlements resting both on the coast or the mountainous, verdant inland.
Why Is Palawan So Trendy Right Now?
Puerto Princesa International Airport, the principle entry level into the island, hosts solely a restricted variety of flights, principally home ones originating from throughout the Philippines, which helps maintain tourism ranges underneath management and protect the island’s distinctive character.
It is, in any case, recognized nationally because the Philippines’ ‘best island’, with Filipinos themselves deciding on Palawan as their ‘preferred travel destination’. According to an official survey, as many as 23% of these surveyed categorical a want to go to the island.
You could also be questioning why that’s so.
Palawan is greatest recognized for its miles on miles of unruffled sands, lapped by crystal-clear waters, exuberant marine biodiversity, and relaxed ambiance. It is someplace you go to flee the loopy site visitors in Manila and the urbanization points Cebu City faces.
Compared to different Southeast Asian islands, equivalent to Thailand’s Phuket, it’s a lot quieter and extra peaceable, with fewer ‘entertainment zones’, and a stronger deal with ecotourism and wellness, which is certain to put Palawan on the entrance of Asia’s tourism rebound.
In case you have got forgotten, wellness is without doubt one of the prime journey developments this year.
Palawan Is A Force Of Nature
Some of the principle points of interest in Palawan embody the capital of Puerto Princesa itself. It is traversed by a UNESCO-listed underground river and boasts some lovely colonial-era structure (when you want just a little reminder, the Philippines was as soon as underneath Spanish rule).
As these have been left just about unscathed amid Southeast Asia’s wrestle for independence from European powers, Palawan has a excessive focus of historic church buildings, civic buildings, and monuments courting again to this era.
Its best asset, nonetheless, is its breathtaking nature, with lengthy miles of sandy seashores surrounding the coast and turquoise lagoons. Travelers usually describe Palawan as being ‘Avatar-like’, in reference to James Cameron’s 2009 blockbuster movie, set in a fantastical world of distinctive geological formations.
This description just isn’t too far off, as Palawan is house to an intensive checklist of pure wonders. When searching for an escape into nature, guests usually head to El Nido seashore, a tranquil swimming spot bounded by the bright-blue ocean and flanked by a steep karst cliff.
Day journeys to smaller islands within the wider Palawan province are additionally a preferred exercise.
Palawan Tourism Is On The Rise
As Palawan News experiences, the Filipino vacation spot is recording a document surge in tourism this yr within the wake of the nation’s reopening for tourism and rekindled curiosity in Southeast Asia amongst foreigners, particularly these coming from the Western Hemisphere and Europe.
The partial knowledge recorded by the Department of Tourism, or Tourism Live Inventory and Statistics of Tourist Arrivals, shortened to TOURLIST, demonstrates {that a} whole of 765,991 guests visited Palawan between January and June 2023, at a whopping 136% enhance year-on-year.
Out of these, almost half are foreigners. As seen right here, worldwide guests have gotten extra quite a few, however Palawan’s seashores, boutique inns, and wellness retreats are but to be overrun by them.
Additionally, the preferred location for vacationers staying in Palawan is the small city of El Nido, which attracted almost 300,000 for the primary semester, almost 4/10 of the overall arrivals.
In second place, Puerto Princesa, the regional capital, logs 269,090, adopted by Coron and its 75,756 company, San Vincente’s 52,057, and eventually, Linapacan with 16,654.
Leading the way in which among the many locations in Palawan is the city of El Nido, attracting essentially the most variety of guests at 294,065, accounting for a 38.39% share of the overall vacationer arrivals within the province.
All of the locations above are well-known for his or her proximity to nature, proving but once more these vacationing in Palawan are actively trying to find nature-based actions.
The World’s Most Desirable Island
Last yr, Palawan was topped the ‘Most Desirable Island’ within the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, as voted by the general public, in addition to named the ‘Most Preferred Destination’ throughout the Philippines by locals, in a survey carried out by PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc.
Provincial Tourism Offer Maribel Buñi is recorded stating, ‘this calls for more proactive initiatives and measures to ensure that we provide excellent service and offer quality tourism products for our visitors to have a memorable experience while they are on our island.’
As Buñi famous, the objective just isn’t solely to extend the variety of arrivals but additionally to advertise longer stays and ‘bigger spending’.
Could we count on this Filipino oasis to observe within the footsteps of Bali and launch its very personal Long-Stay Visa within the close to future?
That is but to be seen, however we certainly wouldn’t be shocked.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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