The cottage and its furniture are made of bamboo that grows abundantly on the island. Turning to quick-growing bamboo saves the rest of Palawan s forests from logging. After feasting on a smorgasbord of the freshest seafood and fruits, we ride on colorful kayaks and explore the small coves and mangrove clusters. The next sunny day, we head for Culion Island. The island, which used to be an isolated leper colony administered to by the Department of Health, is now a town of charming houses with hanging gardens.
Leper colonies are now a thing of the past, as the disease is now curable.
The Leper Trust continues to be overseen by the Department of Health, but a new municipality has been created because of RA 1793, ratified by a plebiscite in Sept. 1992. The picturesque island and its sights such as an old Spanish-era church, which serves as a lookout point, awe us. From there, we are off to Popototan Island to check out the Coral Bay Beach Resort , stretching over 100 hectares of exhilarating beauty. The quaint resort has eight homey cottages, and owners Cristine and Noel Matta prefer to keep it that way because they feel that having too many guests might upset the natural balance and tranquility of the island. They have much to be protective about.