It is just before five in the morning as the sun hides behind the mountains surrounding Busuanga, but the place is already teeming with life. The proud rooster crows louder than its previous counterpart, and the hisses and barks of cat and dog fights echo through the humid darkness. This is my first time in the Philippines, and the laidback, foreign-friendly vibe of the Calamianes archipelago has me charmed. The clear, deep turquoise of the surrounding seas is contrasted by towering cliffs of dark limestone bursting upwards with forests of vivid green, swarming the veiny ridges resembling long-forgotten lava, trickled down to the sea. And so, with a new world to discover, and a bag packed with not much more than a mask, a snorkel and a book, you get on a scooter and take on the cracked concrete road that leads around the island.

Peace is dozing off between two palm trees on an empty beach as the waves roll ashore and the wind tickles the leaves of your shade. The holes in the hammock net are ideal for the local dog to thank you for the last bits of adobo, regarded by many as the national dish of the Philippines and in this occasion, expertly prepared by the woman who is lucky to call Alito beach her home. Busuanga isn’t a huge island, and most of the population lives on its south side, where Coron town is located and where most of the tourism happens. This means that after an hour’s drive up north, the rough concrete road comes to an end and your faith is challenged by tricky, dusty offroad tracks that lead you far away from every other tourist and deeper into the genuine Palawan experience.

The slow pace of the northern Cheey region of the island urges you to slow down and enjoy the empty beaches crowded by palm trees, giving way to road-dashing roosters, goats, cats and cows as they go about their business. Sleepy dogs littering the road simply lift their heads in check as their lazy nap resumes, saving themselves for the night when the animals take over. Children extend their hands out to you for a scooter high-five as they balance their huge backpacks on their walk back from school, enthusiastic hellos! being exchanged in the wind.

Filipinos come across as remarkably kind, and where the language can be a barrier in other countries in Southeast Asia, the vast majority of the people here are more than proficient in English. Every time I tried employing my beginner’s Tagalog, I was met with an appreciative reply in both languages. Another common cultural ground is a love for food, particularly pork, from the crunchiness of their classic lechon, to my newfound obsession in the Philippines, pork sisig. This local specialty is traditionally made from parts of the pig’s head and chicken livers (nothing goes to waste!) mixed with onions, chilli and lots of garlic, served on a sizzling hot plate, with a freshly cracked egg on top. Season with a calamansi, – these tiny, yet juicy Filipino limes – pair with a San Miguel Light and you have yourself a winner. Turon was also a highlight, a snack as simple as sliced plantains wrapped in spring roll paper, caramelised in sugar and fried in oil, surprisingly hard to find due to its sheer simplicity, and sold almost exclusively after school when children make their way home. 

On the crowded side of town, the so-called ‘Super Ultimate’ boat tours are a must. A few personal highlights are the Twin Lagoons and Barracuda Lake, where the virtually unlimited underwater visibility will only be challenged by the brackishness of the water. The love of the locals for the sea becomes evident here, and you can see them freedive to depths of up to twenty meters without breaking a sweat. Snorkelling at Twin Peaks Coral Garden is some of the best, and I was lucky to spot a couple of green turtles going about their business, along with dozens of other species in what is still a very well protected ecosystem. Malcapuya island is also a highlight, where it becomes evident that the tourism is culled to a sensible level to ensure the sustainability of the natural gems of the region.

The Calamian archipelago is also home to twelve Japanese World War II shipwrecks. If you have not done so before, Coron is a great place to get into scuba diving, where places like the Reggae Dive Centre will get you certified at a very reasonable price. Some of these sunken relics get up to 170 metres long, having been completely overtaken by coral and a wealth of wildlife that is sure to impress. Clown fish are always popular, but these underwater cities are a world of their own, with everything from electric disco clams to massive scorpion fish that blend in with the wrecks. Staring up the wall of the ship from the bottom of the sea is an experience in itself, as massive schools of fish hang around the structure and Giant Trevallys keep an eye on your meanderings. Be sure to look out for the Banded Pipefish, a tiny, stick-like creature with a fan for a tail fin that resembles something out of an oriental op-shop.

Once the time finally comes, it is time to go back to reality and get on a connecting flight to the capital of Manila. Its population of 15 million can feel slightly different from Coron’s 66 thousand, but the welcoming Filipino nature seems to persist in the big city. Their love for food is even more evident here, with a selection of both Filipino and international food vast enough to get your head spinning. With a full belly and a heart’s content after visiting just a few out of the Philippines’ 7,641 islands, I hope I get another chance at scratching a few more of the country’s paradisical getaways off the list.