Travel providers’ top pick for 2024: Pristine Palawan

UNDERWORLD The 8.2-kilometer Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1999 and one of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature” in 2012. —PHOTO COURTESY OF PUERTO PRINCESA UNDERGROUND RIVER

With most, if not all, local tourist destinations open again after shutting down at the height of the pandemic, one might be wondering where to go first for their “revenge travel.”

Should I go to Batangas and go snorkeling at its many beaches? Or perhaps go to Vigan in Ilocos and take a walk along the cobbled streets of the 16th century town of Calle Crisologo and visit the shops there? Or maybe visit the picturesque Mayon Volcano in Bicol and bask in all its majesty while sipping a hot tablea chocolate drink?

Evangeline Manotok, president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), offers a suggestion. Go and explore Palawan!

“In Palawan, of course El Nido (is the place to go), the small and big lagoons and of course, the limestone (caves),” Manotok says in an interview, when asked for destination picks for this year.

El Nido’s Big Lagoon, with its blue and clear waters, is considered as one of the must-visit island-hopping stops.

Flying from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to the Puerto Princesa International Airport takes about an hour. This seems like the fastest way to travel to the province from the capital.

Tripadvisor’s list

Popular online travel platform Tripadvisor has ranked Palawan No. 4 in its list of “25 Trending Destinations” worldwide.

Tripadvisor has characterized the Philippine province as “a slice of heaven,” further describing it as: a sliver of an island that teems with exotic wildlife, quaint fishing villages and Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Sites.”

It also praised other tourist destinations in the province, such as the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as the Japanese shipwrecks of Coron Island, regarding it as one of the best dive sites in the world.

Aside from visiting Palawan, Boracay is another destination of choice that is high on their list, according to Manotoc. She also says that people can’t go wrong with traveling to Bohol.

New gems that they would also like to promote include Batanes, Siquijor and Dumaguete.

POSTCARD-PRETTY El Nido’s Big Lagoon —AFP

Rosy view

PTAA is expecting travel bookings to increase by 20 percent to 25 percent this year, as interest in travel grows further and as the influx of tourists continues to recover.

The Department of Tourism is projecting that international visitor numbers will swell to 7.7 million in 2024, significantly exceeding the 5.45 million actual arrivals last year.

The 550-member strong PTAA is also bringing back its Travel Tour Expo, which is now on its 31st run, as well as the International Travel Trade Expo on Feb. 2 to 4 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.

Manotok says that there will be big travel discounts during the three-day event, providing the perfect excuse for people to get traveling again and to satisfy their wanderlust.