Forget Thailand, this Philippines island is a true untamed paradise

Despite unprecedented growth, Palawan still offers plenty of pristine coastline to explore

I arrived by night, stuffed into the back of a Jeepney next to a basket of chickens. It was late, and the town was quiet. The full moon light glinted on a cluster of fishing boats in the bay. There was no mobile phone reception and I was lost.

It was January 2009, and I was part of a trickle of tourists that had started making the trek to El Nido on Palawan island in the Philippines’ westernmost province. The nearest airport was in Puerto Princesa, an eight-hour bus ride away on a bumpy unpaved logging road, or a flight from the Filipino capital, Manila. According to the 2007 census, there were just 4,500 inhabitants in 950 households in El Nido.