The Island of Cuyo

by 360journals November 15, 2011 in Travels 3 comments tags: Cuyo, Fort Cuyo, Palawan
Author’s Note: Palawan has three capitals: Taytay was founded in 1623 and became the capital of the entire territory of the Calamianes; Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903; and the present Puerto Princesa as the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government in 1911 by the New American Administration. This article is the last of three parts about the Palawan capitals. Literally located in the middle of nowhere, the Cuyo Group of Islands is composed of 45 islets scattered in the Sulu Sea. It lies south of Mindoro and is halfway between Palawan and the island of Panay. Cuyo is divided in three municipalities, namely Cuyo, Agutaya, and Magsaysay. Cuyo is the oldest town in Palawan which has a culture of its own and was preserved for more than 350 years. From the sea, Cuyo Island’s first visible landmark is a light tower by the pier. Many of the streets leading to the town have already been cemented but the town has preserved the Hispanic plaza-iglesia structures. Dominating the town centre is Cuyo’s 1860 church, convent, and fort built by the Spanish and finished in 1680; nearby stand a schoolhouse, a gymnasium, and a monument of […]

An Afternoon in Taytay, Palawan

by 360journals October 08, 2011 in Travels 0 comments tags: Apulit Island, balangays, Fort Santa Isabel, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Palawan, Taytay
Author’s Note: Palawan has three capitals: Taytay was founded in 1623 and became the capital of the entire territory of the Calamianes; Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903; and the present Puerto Princesa as the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government in 1911 by the New American Administration. This article is the 2nd of three parts about the Palawan capitals. We only stayed in Taytay for a night having come from the neighboring island resort of Apulit as the balangay boats made its way towards Manila last November. It was almost 4 in the afternoon as our boats made their final dockings amidst the warm welcome being staged by residents and municipal officers. With a couple of hours of daylight remaining, I wasted no time and jumped ashore almost immediately to explore the well-preserved fabled fort of Santa Isabel. Once at the top, the view that stood before me was exhilarating! The afternoon sun perfectly bathes the entire structure in crimson hues with the greens of the grass and trees punctuated by the blues of the sea and sky. Standing there beside the cannon looking over the horizon, one can almost be transported back in […]

Puerto Princesa in One Day

by 360journals August 18, 2011 in Travels 1 comments tags: Calamianes, Cuyo, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Subterranean Park, Taytay, Ugong Rock, Underground River, UNESCO, zipline
Author’s Note: Palawan has three capitals: Taytay was founded in 1623 and became the capital of the entire territory of the Calamianes; Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903; and the present Puerto Princesa as the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government in 1911 by the New American Administration. This article is the 1st of three parts about the Palawan capitals. Puerto Princesa is the present capital city of Palawan, known as the Philippine’s Last Frontier. It is famous for its crocodile farm, Underground River and numerous dive spots. It is also the second largest city in the Philippines (after Davao City) in terms of total land area. Declared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests, which are among the most significant in Asia.