Panglao Island
Encyclopedia
Panglao is an island in the Philippines
located in the Central Visayas
, with an area of 80.5 sq. kilometers. Politically, it is divided into two municipalities: Dauis
and Panglao
, part of Bohol Province. Panglao is located southwest of the island of Bohol
and east of Cebu
.
Currently Panglao is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous for its beautiful dive spots and its coral reef, as well as many several islet ideal for beach bathing like the islets of Gak-ang and Pontod.Gak-ang ang Pontod are islets that riddles the beauty of Balicasag island. Balicasag island is an islet within the boundary of Panglao island which offers a magnificent beauty for diving adventurer.Pontod islet is co-opted by uninformed tourists guides and unccustomed tourist promoters an named as "virgin island". Pontod islet is a name that connects the historical and cultural blue-print of the Island of Panglao.
In early history, Panglao was known to Chinese
, Malay, Siamese
and Indonesia
n traders. In 1803, Spanish
explorers came to the shores of Panglao in search of fresh water. At the time a couple of natives on the seashore were making fishing devices called "panggaw". One of the Spaniards asked what the name of the island was. The natives--who thought the visitors were asking what they were making--then replied "panggaw". Hence, from that term, was derived the name Panglao.
is soluble which causes formation of caves and sinkhole
s. One interesting geological feature found in the island is the Hinagdanan Cave
which has an underground water source. The cave is an important water source as the island has no rivers or lakes.
One tourism spot on the island of Panglao is the BOHOL BEACH CLUB. It features a 1.5 kilometer beach shoreline that provides a pristine beauty of what the island offers. It also boasts of the presence of one of the most beautiful dive spots that carries a glimpse of an awesome sea world treat.
s and 2500 new species of mollusks were found around the island.
The discovery was the work of the Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project.
The project found that Panglao alone has more marine
biodiversity
than Japan
and the Mediterranean sea.
is a controversial airport project waiting to start construction on Panglao Island in the province of Bohol, Philippines. It is intended to become Bohol's international airport to support its tourism industry, especially on Panglao Island which is being promoted as an alternative destination for Boracay Island.
The airport is very close to Tagbilaran Airport in Tagbilaran City which currently serves as the gateway to Panglao Island and the rest of mainland Bohol for domestic air travelers. It also is less than 2 hours travel time from Mactan-Cebu International airport, which is a gateway to the Central Philippines for international tourists.
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 in the Central Visayas
Central Visayas
Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region of the Philippines located in the central part of the Visayas island group. It consists of four provinces—Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor— and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City....
, with an area of 80.5 sq. kilometers. Politically, it is divided into two municipalities: Dauis
Dauis, Bohol
Dauis is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 36,139 people. It is one of the 47 towns of Bohol, located in the Island of Panglao.-The Barangays:...
and Panglao
Panglao, Bohol
Panglao is a fourth class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. It is one of two municipalities that make up Panglao Island, the other being Dauis. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 25,558 people....
, part of Bohol Province. Panglao is located southwest of the island of Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
and east of Cebu
Cebu Island
Cebu is an island of the Philippines. It is the main island of Cebu Province at the center of the Visayan Islands, south of Manila.It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol Island. It is flanked on both sides by the Cebu Strait and Tañon Strait...
.
Currently Panglao is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous for its beautiful dive spots and its coral reef, as well as many several islet ideal for beach bathing like the islets of Gak-ang and Pontod.Gak-ang ang Pontod are islets that riddles the beauty of Balicasag island. Balicasag island is an islet within the boundary of Panglao island which offers a magnificent beauty for diving adventurer.Pontod islet is co-opted by uninformed tourists guides and unccustomed tourist promoters an named as "virgin island". Pontod islet is a name that connects the historical and cultural blue-print of the Island of Panglao.
History
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Malay, Siamese
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n traders. In 1803, Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
explorers came to the shores of Panglao in search of fresh water. At the time a couple of natives on the seashore were making fishing devices called "panggaw". One of the Spaniards asked what the name of the island was. The natives--who thought the visitors were asking what they were making--then replied "panggaw". Hence, from that term, was derived the name Panglao.
Geography
Panglao has a terrain that range from plain, hilly to mountainous. Panglao is made of Maribojoc Limestone, the youngest of the limestone units found in the western area of Bohol. The limestone composition halted the development of an airport as coralline limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
is soluble which causes formation of caves and sinkhole
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
s. One interesting geological feature found in the island is the Hinagdanan Cave
Hinagdanan Cave
Hinagdanan Cave is a cave on Panglao Island, in Bohol Province, in the Philippines. It is a naturally lighted cavern with a deep lagoon and many large stalactites and stalagmites.The cave is lit by sunlight which filters through holes in the ceiling...
which has an underground water source. The cave is an important water source as the island has no rivers or lakes.
One tourism spot on the island of Panglao is the BOHOL BEACH CLUB. It features a 1.5 kilometer beach shoreline that provides a pristine beauty of what the island offers. It also boasts of the presence of one of the most beautiful dive spots that carries a glimpse of an awesome sea world treat.
Biodiversity
About 250 new species of crustaceanCrustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s and 2500 new species of mollusks were found around the island.
The discovery was the work of the Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project.
The project found that Panglao alone has more marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
than Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the Mediterranean sea.
Panglao Island International Airport
Panglao Island International AirportPanglao Island International Airport
Panglao Island International Airport is a controversial airport waiting to start construction on Panglao Island in the province of Bohol, Philippines...
is a controversial airport project waiting to start construction on Panglao Island in the province of Bohol, Philippines. It is intended to become Bohol's international airport to support its tourism industry, especially on Panglao Island which is being promoted as an alternative destination for Boracay Island.
The airport is very close to Tagbilaran Airport in Tagbilaran City which currently serves as the gateway to Panglao Island and the rest of mainland Bohol for domestic air travelers. It also is less than 2 hours travel time from Mactan-Cebu International airport, which is a gateway to the Central Philippines for international tourists.