LINAPACAN, PHILIPPINES – You might have heard about this group of islands in Palawan province as home to some of the world’s clearest waters to swim in before you die. But hearing about it is one thing. Actually swimming in it is another.
If you haven’t visited the islands yet since we last featured them in this blog, now is the time to pay a visit or start planning one. Add island hopping here as a side trip on your next trip to the province. Unlike in past years, the number of tourists coming in is now slowly increasing — sooner or later, this might get touristy enough that visiting becomes far more expensive.
This is the island of Cala Cala in Linapacan, which has the clearest water in the world. Photo by Cheyenne Morrison.
Birds find their nests in this floating tip of the island of Cala Cala.
Both mysterious and majestic, the town takes its name from a myth: elders say a queen once set foot on the islands long ago. The beautiful queen drew everyone’s attention when she arrived, but no one saw her again the day after — she left nothing but footprints. The islands came to be called ‘Reyna Inapakan,’ or the Queen’s footsteps, a name the locals later shortened to ‘Linapacan,’ which it still carries today.
The islands do possess a queenly beauty beyond compare. What makes them more unique and worth your time is that they remain pristine, with some of the cleanest seawater in the world. Since the place feels far removed from commercialization, food, transport, and accommodation here are also considerably cheaper than in the more touristy towns of El Nido and Coron.
So when you visit, leave the worries of city life behind. Get ready to swim in some of the world’s clearest waters, go snorkeling to meet Nemo and his friends, or dive if you’re up for it. Try paddleboarding or free diving, whichever you prefer. Roam around town or island-hop your way through, and if you get the chance, visit the caves of various sizes and beauty scattered across the islands.
MEET THE LOCALS as they paddle the boats around the island as you greet the morning with love that traveler @highheelstohikingboots describes as “magical.”
DURING CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, be sure to befriend the locals who are as awesome as this kid, who even posed for this photo taken by @hanzelkazikmund.
LINAPACAN is part of the Calamianes group of islands and as taken by @calamianesexpeditions, not only locals are friendly, even chickens seen in the middle of the green fields as seen in this photo.
GO FISHING in style. Throw your fishing rods and see for yourself how easy it is to catch the fish for your next meal.
SUNSETS IS AS BEAUTIFUL as this one taken on Ginto Island by @neilcardanosun. Go for a romantic moment or simply capture each sunset with your naked eye once in this beautiful island.
Palawan correspondent Ronces Paragoso has taken this photo of her friend while the sun is setting in the background for @travelmoreph, and we are as grateful.
ANOTHER WAY to watch sunset is through a paddle board, right? Stand up and send the sun home. You can do that in Linapacan as well. Photo @neilcardano.
While you can get here via Manila and Puerto Princesa from other parts of the world, it’s easier when coming from either El Nido or Coron. I’d suggest dropping by one of those two towns first, or going on a Coron-Linapacan-El Nido hopping tour in one go — there are several options to choose from.
If you’d rather do it yourself, here are the easy routes so far. From El Nido, ride a passenger boat from Dipnay (Barangay San Fernando); travel time runs around four to five hours by boat. Coron offers an easier route at around two hours, though travel from that town isn’t as regular, since the schedule depends on the number of passengers and availability of boats — proper planning and coordination with your hosts will help.
There are inns (small hotels) to stay in at Linapacan’s main village, Barangay San Miguel, a small community of fisherfolk.
Traveling solo? No worries — you’ll easily find friendly, hospitable hosts in San Miguel. Traveling with friends? Just bring your cameras and a good heart for the experience of a lifetime, and don’t forget to tag @travelmoreph in your Instagram posts. Enjoy!
*Featured photo courtesy of @robinaction.