Country Archive
Haunted Island
Date: 02/15/2007We were in the middle of the gulf, halfway between Coron Town and Coron Island, in a flimsy wooden boat being tossed by the waves.
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Paradise for a pittance in the Philippines
Date: 01/31/2007
When the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago needed a model for its $40 million "Wild Reef" exhibit, they used Apo Island in the central Philippines.
But the ersatz exhibition can't match the variety of the real Apo, which hosts more than 1,000 species of fish and wildlife and more than 400 types of coral. Multiple world conservation groups have deemed Apo Island one of the finest coral-reef sanctuaries in existence.
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Welcome to the primeval island of Coron-inhabited by indigenous tribes and haunted by powerful spirits
Date: 11/30/2006
"I think the engine is shy of the foreigner," Renejal muttered as he fiddled with the outrigger's engine. . We were in the middle of the gulf, halfway between Coron Town and Coron Island, in a flimsy wooden boat being tossed by the waves. It was the second time the engine had died, and the waves were pushing us toward the open sea. It was also the second time in less than 20 minutes, in the company of the Tagbanua, that my presence had caused shyness and breakdown. The first time-at the pier-Rogelio Aguilar, the chief of Cabugao village and Renejal's father, had acted in a tetchy and furtive manner when he met us. Averting his gaze, he sheepishly explained to Rose, my girlfriend, in Tagalog: "I am shy of this foreigner, and I have prepared the best bed for you."
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Ditching the rat race for the simple life…at seaby David Rich
Date: 10/31/2006
Every few months I log on to www.7knots.com to sample who, in the wide wonderful world of warm waters, needs yacht crew. This year my ad of choice read: "Crew Wanted: 47-foot sloop Karni in the Philippines." As I was going to be flying to the Philippines in a month's time, I e-mailed the contact.
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The Philippines' Last Frontier
Date: 03/27/2006In Maricaban Bay in Palawan, the Philippines, I saw more fascinating marine life in two hours than I had seen in the last 20 years.
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Palawan-the Philippines last frontier
Date: 02/28/2006
In Maricaban Bay in Palawan, the Philippines, I saw more fascinating marine life in two hours than I had seen in the last 20 years. Snorkeling among a pristine coral garden, riotous in purples, reds and umbers, I enjoyed the company of three species of starfish (red, white, and purple), giant clams with three-foot-wide mouths, sharks darting in search of prey, four resident green turtles browsing the grass, shoals of jackfish so thick they blocked the sun, octopus that morphed into different shapes and colors, barracudas, scorpion fish, lion fish, and many more colorful species unrecognizable to me.
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Moving to the Philippines
Date: 12/27/2005Island living is a rewarding lifestyle, unlike any other. I knew early on that it was the life I wanted...
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