Palawan was named the number one best island in Asia by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine, beating out popular destinations like Bali and the Maldives in popular voting. The island province earned high scores on various criteria such as natural attractions and activities, among others.
Palawan earned the top score of 93.60 in the voting, which was conducted among 180,000 readers of Travel + Leisure who completed a survey of what they considered the “best of the best” in the world. One reader summarized Palawan in a single word: “Paradise.”
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Travel + Leisure cited Palawan’s “rich biodiversity” in the island-province’s rainforests, limestone cliffs, and local terrain. The magazine also notes that many areas of Palawan are designated as protected areas as part of the island-province’s commitment to sustainable tourism.
Among the sights in Palawan cited by T+L are the UNESCO-protected Subterranean River National Park in Puerto Princesa and the diverse snorkeling and diving sites throughout the province, in addition to the world-renowned beaches.
Other Asian island destinations included in Travel + Leisure’s rankings include Bali and the Maldives, which have placed highly on T&L’s surveys in past years. Rounding out the top 5 in the magazine’s survey of the Best Islands in Asia are Phuket and Koh Samui in Thailand.
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Readers of Travel + Leisure also named Palawan one of the top “25 Favorite Islands in The World,” coming in second after Paros in Greece. T+L writer Hannah Walhout cites Palawan for being “strikingly beautiful […] beloved by travelers for its coral reefs, towering rock formations, and secluded white-sand beaches.”
Palawan’s honors from Travel + Leisure comes at the heels of other accolades earned by the island-province in 2025. In April, the online media outlet US News and World Report also ranked Palawan as the “#1 Best Island to Visit in 2025,” citing attractions such as Kayangan Lake in Coron and Bacuit Bay in El Nido, in addition to the beaches and the Subterranean River National Park.
In a separate story, the news site Travel & Tour World cites the success of Palawan’s tourism industry as a gateway to cross-regional domestic travel within the Philippines. The article says that visitors to Palawan are often inspired to travel to other provinces in the Philippines, which also helps to broaden tourism within the region.
Travel & Tour World also states that efforts to boost infrastructure in support of Palawan’s tourism industry are underway. Access through air and sea ports are being improved, as are services for tourists from all walks of life. The site also notes Palawan’s continued efforts in “offering a model of how to balance economic growth with environmental preservation.”
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