Palawan Series: Culion

A former leper colony - this was the only thing I knew about Culion before I stepped foot in Palawan. It's not your usual tourist destination so people don't talk about it. But when I went there last March for Sidetrip Travel Magazine's coverage for its summer issue (out this May), I fell in love with the quaint coastal town.

Yes, it usually isn't on the regular tourist map but it's worth a trip. It has the requisite Palawan natural attractions like sunbleached isles, mangrove swamps, and hidden falls but what sets Culion apart is its intangible beauty. Culion and its people exude a certain kind of strength and pride owing to their history. Walking through its narrow town roads, you can feel a sense of triumph in the air and it's most evident when you talk to locals who, at one point in their lives, have experienced the stigma of being afflicted with leprosy or knowing or living with one.

But Culion has managed to overcome it all - the disease (Culion has been leprosy-free for years), the stigma, and the disregard to embrace the wonderful possibilities nature and history has laid out before her. And so, I think it's apt that I show here not the usual tourist attraction photos as well but beautiful pictures that reflect Culion's hope, spirit, and beauty.

A new dawn awaits Culion...


Photos by Joseph Manayan

Palawan Series: Coron

This is the first of my Palawan series blog posts - my favorite places, most unforgettable experiences, and the interesting people I've met along the way during Sidetrip Travel Magazine's coverage of the country's Last Frontier.

Hope you enjoy these behind-the-scenes stories and photos of our exciting journey to Palawan. And (warning, shameless plugging ahead), please humor me by getting a copy of Sidetrip Travel Magazine out in leading bookstores by early May :)

Coron was our first stop and we stayed at Coron Gateway Hotel, right by the harbor.

Loved their spacious bathroom with a sliding door between the tub and the bedroom. When staying in a hotel or inn, the bathroom is the first place I check. A clean bathroom, however small, is important for me.

Check out Coron town proper's Hollywood-style signage. Taytay, a mainland municipality, also has a similar sign.

This is Jun, our Tagbanua assistant boatman/guide. He's my favorite among all the boatmen we've met - friendly, helpful, and polite. He told me the enchanted tale of Coron Island's biggest lake, Cabugao.

Joseph, our photographer, navigating the rickety steps going out of Barracuda Lake.

The last flight of steps out of Barracuda Lake. Another tourist boat is docked waiting for their turn to go inside.

Meanwhile, this is the rocky ascent going to Kayangan Lake, one of the country's cleanest inland lakes.

Spectacular view halfway to Kayangan Lake. After this breathtaking rest stop, we had to go down another rocky trail before reaching Kayangan Lake but it's all worth it.

And these are my top two most favorite persons I've met during the trip:

Cheena Pe, the charming and hardworking official representative from Provincial Tourism Office, and Joseph Manayan, our kind and tireless official photographer. Most of the photos you see here and in the succeeding Palawan posts are by him, especially the nice ones. If they're blurry or overexposed, I probably took them. ;)

Next post will be about Culion. Will try to blog one place every week. :)

Enjoy the long weekend ahead!