The Philippines’ predominance shows that discerning travelers are willing to travel great distances for the rewards of clear waters and sugary white beaches.
Image source: gulfnews.com
Just recently, Travel + Leisure magazine has released its annual rankings of the best islands in the world and Palawan, an island in the Philippines is again taking the brightest spot. After landing first place back in 2013, the ecological frontier of the Philippines has taken back its position in 2016 and 2017’s title as the best island in the world.
If you’re a regular reader of articles about islands, this won’t come as a massive surprise. Palawan Island in the Philippines was also named the best island in the world by Conde Nast Traveler back in 2014 and 2015.
So, what makes Palawan great?
Palawan is home to incredible marine life, including coral gardens and hundreds of exotic species of fish - making it the perfect destination for divers - and has a five-mile long underground river. Animal-lovers will be set, as the island has the largest wildlife sanctuary in the entirety of the Philippines.
The island is also boasting its gorgeous turquoise water, lush forests, tall mountains, and lots of white sand beaches. The stunning look of this place has even made it a location for films such as Bourne Legacy and The Beach.
On top of this, the hospitality of the Filipino’s along with their welcoming smiles truly makes this island the best in the world.
Here’s the full ranking, from tenth place to first.
- Palawan, Philippines
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Boracay Island, Philippines
- Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
- Santorini, Greece
- Maui, Hawaii
- Kauai, Hawaii
- Ischia, Italy
- Hvar and the Dalmatian Islands, Croatia
- Bali, Indonesia
Sources:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/islands#intro
http://metro.co.uk/2016/07/26/palawan-has-been-voted-the-best-island-in-the-world-for-the-second-year-running-6029590/#ixzz4nzVvGyVK
http://metro.co.uk/2017/07/14/palawan-island-has-been-named-the-best-island-in-the-world-for-the-third-year-running-6778123/#ixzz4nzOrzizy