Savor nature in Palawan

One need not travel far or spend a fortune to find a slice of paradise. Experience nature at its finest in Palawan, home of the best beach islands and marine sanctuary in the country.

Palawan boasts not one but two sites — St. Paul’s Underground River and the Tubbataha Reef — which have made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List and have been nominated for the New Seven Wonders Foundation’s “Seven Wonders of Nature.”

The St. Paul’s Underground River National Park (or the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park) features spectacular limestone (karst) formations that showcase a truly captivating landscape.

Estimated to be 16 to 20 million years old, the underground river traverses an intricate network of caves and flows out to the sea.

The park has been added to the UNESCO’s World Heritage List Site, confirming that its outstanding cultural and natural assets deserve to be safeguarded and protected.

The Tubbataha Reef, meanwhile, is a marine sanctuary off the Sulu Sea. It is composed of two atolls, the North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water, and is separated by a deep, eight-kilometer-wide channel. It is where thousands of marine species — including endangered ones like manta rays, lionfish, tortoise, clownfish and sharks — are found.

Palawan is also home to several historical, cultural and natural tourism sites. Water buffs will take great pleasure from its white sand, clear water, shallow reefs and gradually sloping beaches for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and even island hopping. For those who love water adventures, check out tourist sites like Honda Bay Islands, Nagtabon Beach, Port Barton, White Beach and El Nido. 

The good news is one can experience all these at an affordable price as the new Microtel Inns and Suites is set to rise in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Microtel Inns and Suites is a franchise of the world-renowned, affordable yet high-quality Microtel chain of hotels. Managed by Microtel Development Corporation, the hospitality arm of Mergeformatinet Group, Microtel offers a place that’s conveniently located, affordable, and guaranteed to provide clean, reliable, safe and quality lodging and travel services.

There are currently 330-plus Microtels worldwide, eight of which are already in the Philippines — in Baguio, Tarlac, Cabanatuan, Cavite, Batangas, Boracay, Davao and Mactan.

Aside from Palawan, another Microtel is also set to open at SM Mall of Asia.

For inquiries, visit www.microtelphilippines.com.