Department of tourism fetes Palawan as one of the 'World's Most Beautiful Islands

The Department of Tourism (DOT) celebrates the continuous recognition from CNN Travel this time for Palawan as one of the 10 world's most beautiful islands. "Our rehabilitation efforts to preserve the beauty of Palawan did not go unnoticed. We are thankful for this CNN citation of our tourist destinations," Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. The island of Palawan, described by CNN as "a gorgeous haven of pale sand and clear water", hosts a multitude of tourist attractions in Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Coron and the emerging San Vicente, an identified tourism enterprise zone. CNN's Jen Rose Smith noted that the Palawan's "most remarkable hiding place might be in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where an underground river slips through a maze of limestone caverns." Secretary Puyat applauds the local government's efforts of promoting sustainable tourism and practicing the carrying capacity of the country's longest subterranean river even before it was a norm. CNN Travel also recommended tourists to "ride a tidal river deep into a limestone cave system, then bask away the afternoon on a postcard-ready beach" at the UNESCO protected biosphere reserve. Joining Palawan in the CNN list are: Milos, Greece; Bartolomé, Ecuador; Fregate, Seychelles; St. Lucia, Lesser Antilles; Jura, Scotland; Komodo Island, Indonesia; and Kaua"i, United States. Palawan is no stranger to foreign recognition with its latest headline as the 2nd of the World’s Best Islands by Travel+Leisure.