Castaway Islands In A Blue Coral Sea

Palawan is a forgotten, far-flung corner of the world where time has seemingly stood still.

Palawan is not so much a place as a world of its own – with 1,780 castaway islands nestling in the corals seas like a string of pearls. With thousands of miles of coastline, exotic beaches, exciting caves and tropical rainforests and mountains teeming with wildlife, Palawan is certainly a place for real adventure. Forget the hype about sunshine paradises like Goa, Thailand and the Middle East.

A Palawan property investment, in the Philippines is the gateway to raw adventure without the health and safety of our nanny states. The islands have two sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list – St Paul’s underground river and Tubbataha Reef.

Famed diver Jacques Cousteau stated the Palawan reefs and coves were his favourite place to dive, and it’s no wonder when you can swim among thousands of marine species — including manta rays, lionfish, turtles and sharks. Some developers are moving in to the fringes of Palawan – one new resort is Cacao Pearl Island, Palawan, Philippines

Cacao Pearl is a small private tropical island that is home to coconut palms, papaya trees, tropical rainforest and three kilometres of dramatic coastline and coral that will be sensitively developed into an eco-resort of 100 villas. The majority of the island will remain untouched to enable guests to experience the natural charm of the Pacific, while offering the upmost comfort and relaxation with a spa area, restaurants and bars, all 100% carbon neutral

Each villa is set in a plot of 800-1400 square metres, ensuring guests the upmost privacy on the beachfront or in the rainforest gardens. Cacao Pearl Island is being sustainably developed and run as a completely carbon-neutral resort, protecting the natural environment and using solely replaceable and recyclable materials. In addition 100% of the resort’s net operating profits will be distributed through a foundation into the hands of local community programmes.

Plus with net yields to owners in excess of 12% easily achievable at the resort, Cacao Pearl is a socially responsible opportunity for the astute investor. One bed villas cost from £131,768 to £218,589 for a top range two-bedroom villa.

Other plus points for Palawan property include it’s located in a natural safe haven protected from extreme weather in a region free of earthquakes and away from the typhoon belt. The National Geographic Traveller magazine rated Palawan as the best island destination in South-East Asia for 2007 and 13th in the world.