Palaui Island
Encyclopedia
Palaui Island is one of the island
s in the Philippines
, located off the northeastern extremity of Luzon Island, the largest island in the country.
in San Vicente, in the municipality of Santa Ana
, Cagayan province. It is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) at its longest and about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) at its widest and moderately high. The western shore of the island appears bold, but on the eastern side, a reef projects from its side for 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi), the edge of it being 0.8 kilometre (0.497098189319845 mi) from and extending around the small islet of Escucha, east of Palaui. The Dos Hermanos rocky islets lie off Cape Engaño
, in the northern point of Palaui, and there are some rocks off the northeast point of the island, about 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) eastward of the cape. Gran Laja island, a low rock islet surrounded by breakers, is one of the rocks located northeast off Palaui.
At the southwest end of Palaui Island is Puerto Point, a high, wooded bluff. East of the point and south of Palaui is Rona Island, a low, wooded island with a white base of sand and rocks. Escucha Island is a high and wooded islet east of Palaui, and beyond Rona Island when seen from southwestward through the channel between Palaui Island and the mainland, where a few more islets are located.
Because of its remoteness, Palaui Island is home to 105 species of rattan and similar commercially valuable timber producing wood species plus 25 imported shrubs and is the sanctuary for 90 migratory birds.
where on the summit of the hill lie the ruins of Cape Engaño Lighthouse
. Engaño Cove or Siwangag Cove is a small cove southwest of the lighthouse where supplies for the station were previously landed. Today, small vessels can find good anchorage in this protected cove, except by northwesterly and westerly winds. A trail and a 229-step concrete stairway from the cove leads the travelers to the lighthouse.
The Port of San Vicente in Santa Ana, Cagayan
, situated between Palaui Island and the coast of Luzon, is the jump-off point for crossing the channel to Punta Verde (Point Verde) on Palaui Island, or heading to Engaño Cove, a little further to the north. The hike from Punta Verde, the southeast tip of Palaui, to Cape Engaño takes about 3.5 to 4 hours of hike through beautiful verdant scenery. Primitive camping is allowed at the lighthouse vicinity.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, located off the northeastern extremity of Luzon Island, the largest island in the country.
Geography
Palaui Island lies off the northwestern part of a large promontoryPromontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
in San Vicente, in the municipality of Santa Ana
Santa Ana, Cagayan
Santa Ana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,833 people in 4,101 households.Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.-Barangays:...
, Cagayan province. It is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) at its longest and about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) at its widest and moderately high. The western shore of the island appears bold, but on the eastern side, a reef projects from its side for 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi), the edge of it being 0.8 kilometre (0.497098189319845 mi) from and extending around the small islet of Escucha, east of Palaui. The Dos Hermanos rocky islets lie off Cape Engaño
Cape Engaño
Cape Engaño is a cape and northern point of Palaui Island, an island off the northeasternmost point of the island of Luzon in the Philippines....
, in the northern point of Palaui, and there are some rocks off the northeast point of the island, about 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) eastward of the cape. Gran Laja island, a low rock islet surrounded by breakers, is one of the rocks located northeast off Palaui.
At the southwest end of Palaui Island is Puerto Point, a high, wooded bluff. East of the point and south of Palaui is Rona Island, a low, wooded island with a white base of sand and rocks. Escucha Island is a high and wooded islet east of Palaui, and beyond Rona Island when seen from southwestward through the channel between Palaui Island and the mainland, where a few more islets are located.
Flora and Fauna
Palaui Island was declared as a National Marine Reserve in August 28, 1994 encompassing an area of 7145 hectares (17,655.7 acre). The waters around the island boast of 21 commercial species of fishes with about 50 hectares (123.6 acre) of undisturbed corals.Because of its remoteness, Palaui Island is home to 105 species of rattan and similar commercially valuable timber producing wood species plus 25 imported shrubs and is the sanctuary for 90 migratory birds.
Places to go
The northern point of the island is called Cape EngañoCape Engaño
Cape Engaño is a cape and northern point of Palaui Island, an island off the northeasternmost point of the island of Luzon in the Philippines....
where on the summit of the hill lie the ruins of Cape Engaño Lighthouse
Cape Engaño Lighthouse
Cape Engaño Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located on the Palaui Island in the town of Santa Ana, in the province of Cagayan, in the Philippines. Located on the summit of a hill in the northeasternmost point that forms the cape, it lights the approach from the Pacific to the extreme northeast...
. Engaño Cove or Siwangag Cove is a small cove southwest of the lighthouse where supplies for the station were previously landed. Today, small vessels can find good anchorage in this protected cove, except by northwesterly and westerly winds. A trail and a 229-step concrete stairway from the cove leads the travelers to the lighthouse.
The Port of San Vicente in Santa Ana, Cagayan
Santa Ana, Cagayan
Santa Ana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,833 people in 4,101 households.Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.-Barangays:...
, situated between Palaui Island and the coast of Luzon, is the jump-off point for crossing the channel to Punta Verde (Point Verde) on Palaui Island, or heading to Engaño Cove, a little further to the north. The hike from Punta Verde, the southeast tip of Palaui, to Cape Engaño takes about 3.5 to 4 hours of hike through beautiful verdant scenery. Primitive camping is allowed at the lighthouse vicinity.