Travel mag names Palawan, Boracay among top islands

Despite the global slump in tourism, Philippine destinations continue to reap accolades from international travel publications.

For the fourth time, Palawan island topped the list of top 25 islands in the world, according to an online story published last Wednesday by the New York-based Travel + Leisure (T+L) magazine.

Palawan, which remains closed to tourists because of the pandemic, was cited for its ocean palm-edged beaches, scenic resorts, dive sites that feature World War II wrecks, rain forests and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Boracay island placed 14th in the world list and 5th in the Asian category.

Last month, Condé Nast Traveler cited the Hidden Beach in El Nido, Palawan, as one of the 30 Best Beaches in the World.Rizal province’s Masungi Geopark Project was included among the five finalists for Sweden’s Win Win Gothenburg Sustainability Award.

Others in the world list include Paros, Milos and Crete in Greece, Sri Lanka, Koh Lanta and Koh Samui in Thailand, Mauritius, Anguilla, Malaysia’s Langkawi, Sicily in Italy, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, Portugal’s Azores, Maui and Kauai in Hawaii, and Hvar and the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia.