Tags: Historical Places, Natural Wonders
By Marjorie Gorospe
PALANAN, ISABELA— Palanan is attracting tourists from all over for its isolation, rustic beauty and natural wonders.
Palanan is known as the place where General Emilio Aguinaldo made his “last stand” in 1901 against American forces. The Republic’s first President found refuge in Palanan, where he also fell in love with a beautiful woman named Isabel Lopez.
But aside from its historical significance, Palanan attracts adventure seekers to its beautiful beaches that are said to rival world-famous Boracay Island. White sand beaches are found in Dicotcotan in Barangay San Isidro and the hypnotic white sand beach of Didadungan.
Other natural wonders include the Palanan River, which has clear and potable water, the Diminalno Lake, Digoyo Lake, Kanasamuan cave, Disangkilan and Sad-sad falls, and Culasi beach.
Covered by the Sierra Madre mountains, and surrounded by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Palanan is also rich in natural resources such as corals, marine life, and forests. Its mystique is also enhanced by the presence of the indigenous group called Agta or Dumagat who freely roam around the area.
If you are in Palanan, you can enjoy the beach without worrying about the noise of commercial establishments and hotels. Palanan’s coastline is also not only ideal for swimming but also for surfing.
However, adventure seekers need to have a lot of patience to find Palanan. From Manila, you need to take a bus ride going to Santiago, Isabela which is about seven to eight hours. There are no roads going directly to Palanan. You can either ride a plane from Cauyan City or take a boat ride.
(Photos courtesy of origparanan and waypoints.ph)
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Wow! The government should consider constructing roads to Palanan. That would surely generate huge revenue and boost the tourism industry!
Looks like one of the stunning Caribbean islands, or the French Riviera even (think Nice, Cannes, Monaco, etc.). Too bad it’s quite inaccessible (my hometown is less than 50 kms away), and opening it up to tourism could compromise the pristine Sierra Madre area (this time, think illegal logging, land grabbers, deforestation, displacement of the natives, etc.). I do hope there is a middle ground.
Haven’t mankind spoiled this planet enough ? Should people consider to leave some places the way they are, without facilities that sooner or later bring the same mess as everywhere else where ‘civilization’ had come ?