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Twin Lagoon, Palawan, Philippines
A pearly province
The Philippines' largest province sticks out from the crowd of islands that forms most of the nation. The long, skinny finger of Palawan stretches southwestward more than 560 kilometres, its coral-rimmed islands, lagoons and bays showcasing seas of rich, pearly turquoise. Speaking of pearls, hunting that satiny gem was once a major industry in Palawan. Boats similar to this bangka used to haul pearl divers into waters up to 30 metres deep, where they'd freedive to find abundant oyster and clam beds. One pearl harvested here in the 1930s, presumably from a giant clam, has been hailed as the largest in the world weighing over six kilograms.
A pearly province
The Philippines' largest province sticks out from the crowd of islands that forms most of the nation. The long, skinny finger of Palawan stretches southwestward more than 560 kilometres, its coral-rimmed islands, lagoons and bays showcasing seas of rich, pearly turquoise. Speaking of pearls, hunting that satiny gem was once a major industry in Palawan. Boats similar to this bangka used to haul pearl divers into waters up to 30 metres deep, where they'd freedive to find abundant oyster and clam beds. One pearl harvested here in the 1930s, presumably from a giant clam, has been hailed as the largest in the world weighing over six kilograms.
Pearl diving is a dangerous job, but many in this province used to do it – sometimes to depths of 30 metres.
© Marco Bottigelli / Moment / Getty Images 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :