Known as the Philippines’ last biodiversity frontier, Palawan accounts for a quarter of the Philippines’ 7,000+ islands.  The westernmost province of the country lies between South China Sea and Sulu Sea. Rocky coves, white-sand beaches, and limestone cliffs dot Palawan’s coastline.  Many endemic species such as the Philippine mouse-deer, Philippine pangolin, and Palawan bearded pig roam its rainforests.  When it comes to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, a world-renowned diving destination, made it on the list.

Your Palawan local experiences will be hosted by Judith, who is from Tanya’s hometown in the Philippines. After she and her partner tied the knot in 2003, they decided to buy a property on Busuanga Island. They started construction of their riverside lodge just after supertyphoon Haiyan devastated a large part of the Philippines in 2013. (Most of the lodge’s wooden structures and furniture were made using logs from the fallen trees.) They received their first guests in 2016 and has been in operation since then, except for a 2-year hiatus prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. After her husband passed away in 2024, Judith is now single-handedly running the business.