Palawan, Philippines - Expeditions and Adventure Travel

Palawan Island, Philippines

With a wealth of experience travelling in the Palawan and an absolute passion for this Philippine province, Pioneer would be delighted to design you your perfect itinerary. 

Below are some examples of some recent tailor made trips we have designed which might give you some inspiration.

Further Information about the Palawan

Minority Groups | History | Spanish Rule | People | Nature

Palawan is a long narrow island aligned NE-SW with an area of 1.2 million hectares forming the southwesternmost part of the Philippines. A mountainous spine rising to over 2000 metres above sea level runs for almost the entire length of the island, although in the north the mountains give way to rolling hills, laced with steep and fast flowing rivers. There are very few extensive areas of lowland.

Palawan's 1,959 kilometres of coastline are littered with 1780 islands and islets, rocky coves, sugar-white sandy beaches of primordial tropical splendour. Palawan harbours vast tracts of tropical rainforest; thick canopies of trees carpet the mountain ranges running the length of the mainland. The fauna tends to the endemic and exotic – leopard cat, Palawan bearcat (binturong), chevrotain (mouse deer - 8 to 14 inches), king cobra, Palawan stink badger (mongoose), pangolin (scaly anteater), palawan porcupine, calamian hog deer, rare parrots and birds, more than 30 species of bats and over 600 species of butterfly. The Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary in the northern Calamianes islands is home to both endemic and exotic species of animals like zebras, topis, gazelles and giraffes! that roam freely in its verdant hills and plains.

Palawan is a melting pot of 87 different cultural groups and races that live together in peace and harmony. Generally, the people are of Malay origin but there is a strong evident influence from Borneo, China and the Middle East. Eighteen percent of the populace is composed of the following cultural minority groups, including:

• Tagbanua
• Pinalawan
• Batak
• Ken-uy or Tau't Batu
• Calamian
• Jama-Mapuns
• Molbog
• Tausug and
• Samal-Bangingi

Learn more about these cultural groups

Taken from "Discover Palawan," a publication of the Palawan Provincial Information Office:

Palawan is a narrow archipelago of 1,700 islands on the western border of the Philippines. Its geographical location makes it seem remote from the rest of the country, and in fact, some of its southern islands are closer to Malaysia than to other provinces. The waters of the South China Sea lap the western shores of Palawan, while the Sulu Sea hugs its eastern coast.

With a land area of nearly 1.5 million hectares, Palawan is the country's largest province. Its irregular coastline stretches almost 2,000 kilometres long, indented by numerous coves and bays. Highlands and rolling terrain covered with lush forests create a cool and scenic landscape.

Except for northern towns which are occasionally visited by storms, Palawan is generally typhoon-free. Warm weather prevails from March to May, while the coolest months are from December to February. Heavy rainfall is usually experienced in July and August, often accompanied by southwest monsoon.

The crime rate is low and most Palawenos are contented to lead simple lifestyles. Food is abundant to all who are willing to work for a living.

The province is a melting pot of migrants from various parts of the Philippines and other countries. The influx of settlers accounts for the high population growth rate of 3.98% annually. By the turn of the century, the number of Palawenos is expected to reach 750,000.

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History

Ancient Chinese traders and waves of migrants arrived in the Philippines by traversing land bridges between Borneo and Palawan. One Chinese author referred to these as islands as Kla-ma-yan (Calamian), Palau-ye (Palawan), and Paki-nung (Busuanga). The area was described as having many lofty ridges and high ranges of cliffs. Pottery, china and other artefacts recovered from caves and the water of Palawan attest to the flourishing trade between Chinese and Malays here centuries ago.

Malay settlers began arriving in Palawan in the 12th century. For some time, many settlements were ruled by Malay chieftains. Because of its proximity to Borneo, Southern Palawan was placed under the control of the Sultanate of Borneo for more than two centuries after the arrival of the Spaniards.

In pre-colonial times, settlers lived abundantly from the fruits of the earth. They grew palay, ginger, coconuts, camote, sugar and bananas. The people also raised pigs, goats and chickens. They had fishing, farming, and hunting implements such as bamboo traps and blowguns. The local people had a dialect consisting of 18 syllables.