PALAWAN, an island in the Philippines, was voted the No. 1 island in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, a leading luxury lifestyle and travel magazine.
Traveler readers rated it an 88.750. Writer and traveler Lindsay Talbot traveled there to take photos and enjoy the exotic island’s natural, wondrous beauty, capturing sites like the Twin Lagoon, Coron Island, and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
“This small island—one of the Philippines’ 7,107—shot to the top of our list this year with a recent claim to fame: It’s now home to one of the new seven natural wonders of the world, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River,” Talbot wrote in her post, entitled “Visiting the Most Beautiful Island in the World.”
Palawan’s Underground River has also been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
“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,” wrote Talbot.
From Manila, it’s an hour-and-15-minute flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s main airport. Alternately, ferries travel between Manila and the island several days a week (about 24 hours each way).
The town of El Nido on Palawan Island has also been featured on the well-known traveling site last year.
