MANILA: The island province of Palawan, termed by Hollywood A-listers as “Emerald City” and “the most beautiful place” on the planet, has been named the world’s best island for the second time.
Palawan first received the distinction in 2013 after being voted the “Best Island in the World” on international magazine Travel & Leisure, reported Gulf News.
This year, Palawan topped the list with a score of 93.71, the report said, adding that voters described Palawan as “every beach lover’s dream destination.”
Palawan is known for its crystal blue waters, amazing dive spots, and a plethora of picturesque views. No wonder the island paradise has drawn a string of Hollywood titles to its shores, with Bourne Legacy, The Beach and The World is Not Enough from the James Bond series filming some scenes there, said the Dubai-based news portal.
Bourne Legacy’s Oscar-nominated producer Frank Marshall reportedly described Palawan as “the most beautiful place” he had ever been to.
Actors Rachel Weisz and Jeremy Renner filmed the movie’s breathtakingly beautiful ending scene in Palawan’s El Nido Resorts.
“Palawan is more like the Emerald City. It’s like a fantasy. Maybe it’s real to you but to me, it looked like a fantasy place,” Weisz had reportedly said in an interview.
“Visitors are greeted with mountains rising out of impossibly turquoise waters, where shipwrecks and reefs make for prime scuba and snorkeling,” wrote Travel & Leisure magazine on its website.
Palawan is also home to a five mile-long Underground River and its limestone caverns, with its abundant coral reefs and marine life, tourist can enjoy the magical paradise.
Besides Palawan, two other Philippine islands—Boracay and Cebu—also made it to the list. The white sands of Boracay placed second, while Cebu ranked sixth, reported Gulf News.
