Travel Photography — Banka (pump-boats) Palawan, Philippines

Palawan is the westernmost Region of the Philippines, this island province's largest island is the long (450km) and thin (50km at its widest) island with the same name. Home to some of the world's finest beaches, natural beauty, and marine and land biodiversity; my family and I went looking for relaxation and a bit of culture.

I hadn't been to the Philippines since a 1991 month-long overland trip from Manilla to the tiny, but beautiful, Island of Camiguin -- a mere 10km from Mindanao. Philippines didn't disappoint then, nor does it now. Although my Nikon FM2 was stolen from under my cot that I was sharing with a Lufthansa stewardess on a crowded ship (yes, I've always wanted to write that), I still came out with many rolls of film. My favorite photos from that trip were of the ubiquitous bangka outrigger boats that could be seen plying the seas everywhere.

This was a family trip, but I still gave myself a bit of a focus; the traditional bangka, also called pump boats.

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Sunset at beach in Coron, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

 

banka (pump-boat), El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

A banka (pump-boat) floats in El Nido sunset, Palawan, Philippines

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Fisherman sits on a banka (pump-boat) in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

banka (pump-boat) El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Banka (pump-boat) ‘Orange Pearl’ floats in clear water off Coron in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

banka (pump-boat) El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Starfish and banka (pump-boat) near El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Fishermen on banka (pump-boat) in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Palm trees, beach, bankas (pump-boats) and Turtle Island in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Setting sun casts Coconut shadow across tropicla beach in Palawan

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Tropical palms trees shade resort beach huts and Swimming Pool

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Beached banka (pump-boat) catches tropical afternoon light, Palawan, Philippines

El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines

Beach hut and palm trees on Tropical ocean resort, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Coconut Palm Trees, Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Coconut Palm Grove, Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

banka (pump-boat) in Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Banka (pump-boat) on beach with tropical sunset backdrop, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Tropical Dinner, Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Romantic table for two on wharf overlooking cape at sunset, Palawan, Philippines

Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Banka (pump-boat);and tropical sunset, Palawan, Philippines

banka (pump-boat) and sunset, Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Banka (pump-boat), Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Pontoon Boat at night, Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Pontoon Boat at night, Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

banka (pump-boat), Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Banka (pump-boat), Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Cape in tropical sunset glow. Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines

Cape in tropical sunset glow. Coron, Palawan Island, Philippines