Palaweña

26/05/2024

So the lean season has arrived! And now, breathe a little…………..

For the first time this weekend, I’m sitting down planning my mini-trip to civilization in a few weeks, and of course, I feel like booking a couple more connecting flights to finally get out of the country after nearly two years of being here! But “Keep Calm and Carry On”, as the sign says. She’s not finished yet. :-)

While I’m going to test the waters and leave my baby Palaweña for a few days to see if we can both cope without each other, I’m not done just yet! For now, much planning is in store over the quiet months for our next projects under our humble Palaweña brand, testing our comfort zones.

Cheers to the next challenges, and opportunities ahead!

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized” ~ Sun Tzu

03/01/2023

Introducing Palaweña’s very first Wellness Spa located in our Wellness Hut in Corong Corong.

Located on the beachfront overlooking the breathtaking Bacuit Bay and its clustered islands, it is the perfect location to unwind and relax after an adventure filled day in the islands.

Prior booking essential.

02/01/2023

Happy New Year with love from Team Palaweña!💚

We have been a little quiet the past few months, as we get our business ready for full operations for the upcoming peak season. And we are now ready and waiting to serve you!

We’ve forged exciting new partnerships with some of the most prominent and reputable hotel partners in Palawan, including Seda Hotels Lio, Charlie's El Nido to name a few, and more announcements to be made in the coming weeks, to enable us to reach more of you and deliver the wellness experience the “Palaweña way”.

The last quarter of 2022 saw our team grow to 20 members strong, and the past few months has been particularly hectic getting our outrigger bangka boat fleet newly refurbished to serve our guests with your safety our top priority, ready to host the discerning personal travelers to private, corporate and special events.

We also launched our first Wellness Spa Hut in Corong Corong, El Nido, which adds another dimension to our overall wellness experience offer as we host you in the beautiful paradise of Palawan.

Book & Be Pampered!
To welcome 2023 and as an incentive to our earlybird bookings, every booking in the month of January for a private tour this summer will receive a voucher for 2 x Spa treatments at our Wellness Hut, redeemable at anytime during your upcoming stay in El Nido.

To book, simple private message or call to speak to one of our Wellness Concierge.

We look forward to welcoming you in paradise in 2023!

Stay well.

💚 Palaweña

📷 Palaweña Beach, Matinloc Island

02/01/2023

Happy New Year from Team Palaweña!
We have been a little quiet the past few months, as we get our business ready for full operations for the upcoming peak season.

We have forged some exciting new partnerships with some of the best hotel partners in Palawan, including Seda Hotels Lio, El Nido, Charlie's El Nido, and a few more to be announced in the coming weeks, to reach more of you and deliver the wellness experience the Palaweña way.

The last quarter of 2022 has been hectic for the team, getting our now 6 outrigger bangka boat fleet ready to serve our guests, from personal travelers to private and corporate events.

We also launched our first Wellness Spa in Palawan in Corong Corong El Nido, which adds another dimension to your overall wellness experience as we host you in the beautiful paradise, Palawan!

To welcome 2023 and as an incentive to our earlybird, every booking in the month of January for a private tour this summer will receive a voucher for 2 Spa treatments at our Wellness Hut, redeemable at anytime during your upcoming stay in El Nido.

We look forward to welcoming you in 2023!

Stay well.
❤️ Palaweña

27/05/2022

Be one with nature in this Balabac island sanctuary

Finally, a new standard in island accommodation has arrived in Balabac. It’s simply designed and nestled in nature, in keeping with the typical humble island homes in the little known island of Pandanan.

But inside tells a different story.

Unveiling the first of Palaweña “Bahay Isla” Retreats™️, a collection of nature and beach stays, where every piece and accent carefully chosen to represent the local Palaweños, the artisans that abound in this culturally rich Palawan archipelago.

“Nature is the new luxury” is the statement that has inspired Palaweña’s first humble home-away-from-home project, exclusive to our private guests to the last frontier of the last frontier.

Situated in the Eastern part of Pandanan Island, an approximately 4,000 hectare privately owned island, Palaweña “Bahay Isla” (“Island Home”), Balabac is set within 50 hectares of lush forestland, bordered by sugarfine whitesand and turquoise waters, with its own secret lagoon and vast areas for snorkelling all to yourself.

What’s special about Pandanan is its close proximity to Buliluyan Port, which means it takes a short 20-minute bangka boat ride before you’re in your home-away-from-home, a perfect base for your island-hopping experience.

Pandanan is also home to a small, local community making interaction with the locals and seeing “buhay isla” (island life) first hand, an integral part of your travel experience and cultural immersion in this part of the world.

Palaweña is ready to welcome you!
Connect with us to start co-creating your travel experience and be one of the first to stay in the simple comforts at the Palaweña Bahay Isla Balabac and enjoy the pure living it offers.

26/05/2022

Palaweña on Sustainable and Responsible Travel

In the wake of the pandemic, it’s safe to say that we are seeing a changing attitude towards where and how people want to travel. As a society, we have become more aware about how we can be travel more responsibly, both socially and environmentally.

Travelers value authenticity more than ever before and the rawness of a Palawan travel experience by discovering lesser-known sites ticks both boxes as far as the need for more space and privacy and avoid contributing to over-tourism in parts, while spreading tourism income more evenly across the province and not just pockets in the local community. And it’s up to us as travel providers to ensure that we operate in a way that promotes sustainable progress and become part of a sustainable solution.

Palaweña’s personalized, carefully curated travel experiences address our guests’ needs for more authentic and meaningful travel experience, that’s right for them.

Photography©️ Warren Camitan

24/05/2022

Thank you for your Expressions of Interest.
This position has now been filled.

For more opportunities to join our growing team, please refer to our posts on this page in the past week.

Expressions of Interest Welcome

Are you an experienced chef looking for your next opportunity?

We are looking for a foodie at heart, someone who is passionate about the Filipino cuisine; a motivated, creative individual to be a critical part of Palaweña’s next project. The role will be physically based in Puerto Princesa.

If this sounds like you, please connect for a confidential chat.

Photography©️ Travel + Leisure

24/05/2022

Community Training for Continuous Improvement

Community Guiding Training in the municipality of Balabac is being held throughout this week, kicking off yesterday. The five-day training has been organized by the Balabac Tourism Office in coordination with the Provincial Government of Palawan through the Provincial Tourism Promotions and Development Office.

Putting education and further training first, the Palaweña team based in Balabac are in attendance, to ensure that they are equipped with the latest and best practices in the industry.

©️ Palawan Tourism and Promotions

23/05/2022

Be a tourist in your own backyard -
Share your IG-worthy image with Palaweña & WIN!

Since we launched our beautifully finished outrigger “bangka” boats in El Nido and Balabac painted in our understated yet classic brand color palette of crisp white and Palaweña turquoise blue; we’ve been inundated with passing tourists and even locals to ask for their IG photos to be taken on board one of these traditional Filipino iconic form of sea transport.

If you have done so in the past months, share them with us by tagging, sending via Messenger or email to [email protected] and you will be in the running to win a complimentary seat on one of our Palaweña Community Island Tours to say “Thank You” to our Palaweño community who has supported us in our first year in business.

The tours will be held on the first week of July, our anniversary month!

22/05/2022

Palaweña welcomes its first guests to Balabac

This week, Palaweña welcomed its first guests to Balabac to a wellness experience to remember.

The couple were also the first to stay at our first Palaweña “Bahay Isla” Retreats™️ property, the Palaweña Bahay Isla (“Island Home”) Balabac enjoyed the simple comforts with curated island life experience.

Sharing some images from the past three days with our guests enjoying the islands as though they were the only one there. That’s because it’s partly true. Our new Palaweña “Bahay Isla” Balabac is set on ~ 50 hectares of private grounds and exclusive to Palaweña wellness travel guests only, so you’ll have total privacy and seclusion as you go off-grid.

Would you like to experience Balabac the Palaweña way too?

Connect with us to start co-creating your next wellness getaway.💙

20/05/2022

Finally, Palaweña Wellness Travel™️’s offices-meeting places are opening in June!

Expressions of Interest Welcome

Palaweña is seeking experienced and DOT accredited Wellness Travel Guides to expand our growing operations. Multiple positions are available in Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Balabac.

Are you:

- A dedicated, committed professional looking for your next opportunity to develop your career?
- Do you have a passion for travel?
- A sustainable and responsible travel advocate at heart?
- Both a leader and a team player looking to build your career in a fast-growing wellness start-up in Palawan?

If this sounds like you, then connect for a confidential chat. Alternatively, please send your updated CV to [email protected]

* Palaweña is an LGTBQ inclusive employer.

20/05/2022

Palaweña Wellness™️ is coming soon to Palawan!

Expressions of Interest Welcome

Palaweña is seeking experienced and accredited Wellness SPA therapists and professionals for the upcoming launch of our first location, targeted to open in July.

We are looking to fill the following positions:

Wellness Manager
Massage Therapists

Multiple positions are available in Puerto Princesa and El Nido.

Are you:

- A dedicated, committed professional looking for your next opportunity to develop your career?
- A wellness advocate at heart?
- A leader and a team player looking to build your career in a fast-growing wellness start-up in Palawan?

If this sounds like you, then connect for a confidential chat. Alternatively, please send your updated CV to [email protected]

* Palaweña is an LGTBQ inclusive employer.

20/05/2022

Palaweña Kusina™️ will be serving your favourite authentic Palaweño and Filipino cuisine soon in Puerto Princesa.

Expressions of Interest Welcome.

Palaweña is seeking experienced F&B professionals for the upcoming launch of our first in-hotel restaurant, targeted to open in July.

We have the following positions available:

Head Chef - Hired
Assistant Chef
Restaurant Manager
Bar Manager
Mixologists
Kitchen Support
F&B Associates

All positions are initially based in Puerto Princesa.

Are you:

- A dedicated, committed professional looking for your next opportunity to develop your career?
- A foodie at heart with love for authentic, Filipino cuisine?
- A leader and a team player looking to build your career in a fast-growing start-up in Palawan?

If this sounds like you, then connect for a confidential chat. Alternatively, please send your updated CV to [email protected]

* Palaweña is an LGTBQ employer.

19/05/2022

Living our Sustainable and Responsible Travel promise

We are working on something special behind the scenes that we hope gives more purpose and meaning to your travel than than just “ticking the box”; curated, bespoke travel experiences that speaks to what you want to get out of your time in Palawan.

And we’re starting here in Balabac. Featuring a lesser known, sustainability-focused hidden paradise as your island home away from home, we are getting ready to welcome Palaweña’s first private guests.💙

Watch this space as we unveil more details soon, on how you can experience Balabac, the “Palaweña way”.

18/05/2022

Making Local Artisans Shine ✨

Attention: Palaweño Artists Community

To support the local artists community in Palawan, Palaweña will be featuring a “Local Artisan of the Month” at our soon-to-open offices in El Nido and Puerto Princesa.

This will give you the opportunity to display your feature pieces (paintings, handmade jewellery, arts & crafts, weaving, etc.) and have them for sale at our premises.

Palaweña will also promote the selected artists’ brand and feature pieces through our social media accounts, as well as foot traffic of guests in our premises, and on our online marketplace in the near future.

Why are doing this?
Palaweña’s core values of Heritage, Community and Diversity & Inclusion means that we will continue to find ways, no matter how small, to raise awareness for those in our community who needs a little helping hand.

We believe that small businesses like us have the power to help shape a more diverse and inclusive business landscape. We’ve seen local talents go to waste simply for the lack of opportunity. And we think everyone deserves a chance.💙

Please connect if you are interested in being featured.

18/05/2022

Indeed, as the sign says, “Welcome to Paradise”!

A site visit to our piece of paradise in Balabac with our interior design partners, doing final preparations to welcome our very first guests and share this hidden paradise.

16/05/2022

Thank YOU The Global Palaweño Architect!

16/05/2022

Service with a smile 😃

The building industry does not always have a good reputation, we as clients set a high standard and the process of building, or renovating is an emotional one.

We at Palaweña have been so fortunate to have worked with skilled, yet flexible, accommodating and all-round good guys.
In the past months bringing our projects to life, they have effortlessly made our wishlist happen. And all with that famous Filipino, Palaweño smiles.

Thank you boys! We’re looking forward to welcoming our guests to the cosy meeting place you’ve built for us.💙

16/05/2022

Expressions of Interest Welcome

Are you an experienced chef looking for your next opportunity?

We are looking for a foodie at heart, someone who is passionate about the Filipino cuisine; a motivated, creative individual to be a critical part of Palaweña’s next project. The role will be physically based in Puerto Princesa.

If this sounds like you, please connect for a confidential chat.

Photography©️ Travel + Leisure

14/05/2022

Palaweña strengthens team with new staff appointment ✨

Following the successful launch of our travel services in El Nido and upcoming launch in South Palawan, we are appointing a few key roles in our Sales and Operations teams from next month to strengthen our capacity to deliver exceptional service to our growing client base.

Meet the rose among the thorns, Kath Magalong. Kath has been appointed to head the Sales Operations and Business Development across our main operational hubs and will be based in our main office in Puerto Princesa.

Kath comes with a wealth of experience in Sales and Business Development for over a decade in Palawan. Holding a Bachelor degree in Tourism Management, combined with her passion for travel, adventure and the highest standards of customer service, Palaweña is very pleased to have her join our growing team.

Kath will become a familiar face among our travel partners and guests in Puerto Princesa from June.

Welcome to the team Kath!
Bobkath Zosa Magalong

More team appointments to follow. We are ready more than ever to provide you an unparalleled service and wellness experience.💙

14/05/2022

Palawan is home to some of the longest sandbars, finest white sand and crystal clear waters in the Philippines, and arguably the world. And with images like these, it’s easy to see why.

Photography:
Images of Balabac

14/05/2022

Sunrise is a fresh start, a new story waiting to be written. Write a good day. ~ Palaweña

Good morning Balabac.🌅

12/05/2022

Mind over Matter

Multiple research has shown that practising mindfulness and meditation can help improve our mental wellness.

Simply put, mindfulness, is the moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings and our environment. It is a mental training technique that focuses on the present moment, bringing our attention to the here and now instead of worrying about the past or being anxious of the future.

With practice, mindfulness can help to clear our mental clutter and create distance from our not-so-positive thoughts so that we can view them from a new perspective.

12/05/2022

Boatbuilding in Balabac

Similarly, the local artisans behind the boatbuilding industry in Balabac still persists, perhaps not as it was a few decades ago, but the masters and the next generations within the familiy carry on the tradition in the islands of Balabac.

Palaweña is working on our next project, building a “kumpit”, a traditional Muslim design-inspired boat. Its main difference is that it doesn’t have the outrigger typical of the traditional Filipino boats.

With a lesser capacity, they’re designed to give our small groups of private tour guests a taste of what it’s like to ride these uniquely and beautifully shaped Muslim boats, especially in the calmer months.

Watch this space as we unveil the “Palaweña Dreaming”…

Pictured: Local boatbuilders in their island shipyard. 🚤

12/05/2022

Supporting Local Artisans

As part of Palaweña’s core values of heritage, culture and community, we make sure that every business decision we make supports our values.

As such, when we make decisions on the environment we build, no matter how big or small a project, we partner with designers who “gets it”; who are willing and able to embrace those values to create the built environment that is true to our brand, and is authentically Palaweña.

“Efforts to promote Filipino design have been ongoing since at least the 70s, with a mandate mandate to “develop, promote, and enhance the design of Philippine-manufactured products”, according to BLN Architectural Design’s CEO Archt Jefferson.

“Creative industries are an important cultural and economic asset to any country, as they foster creativity and communication, ensure the well-being of communities, and improve self-worth and esteem among the communities’ members. Creative industries also produce a unique commodity, in that they allow peoples from other countries to experience different cultures”, he added.

Each of the pieces chosen for our renovations and new builds have a story to tell; we choose local suppliers who have their own unique craft and story, that makes each piece of furniture, art and crafts, or textile that much more meaningful for our guests to be surrounded by all-things Filipino when they visit Palaweña.

And importantly, our investment goes into “Buying Local” and supporting the local Palaweño community.