For our non-diving day, we chose an excursion to the neighboring island of Culion |
By banca, Culion is around 1 hour away from Coron Town |
Smooth sailing across Coron Bay to Culion |
As we arrive at Culion, a big storm hit the island and it was showery all afternoon |
The quai at Culion where our boat dropped us off |
The banca boat we took from Coron to Culion |
Shortly after taking over the Philippines, the US established a leper colony in isolated Culion |
A similar leper colony had already been established at Molokai in Hawaii |
Loyola College, Culion (Palawan) |
Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital |
Leprosy was finally eradicated in Culion in the late 1990's |
Rev. Fr. Felipe Milan, chaplain of the Culion Leper Colony 1916-26 |
Culion Museum & Archives (M-F) |
Culion Sanitorium |
Leonard Wood Memorial for the Eradication of Leprosy |
Major General Leonard Wood, US Army |
As a doctor, Gen. Leonard Wood took interest in Culion while Governor General of the Philippines 1921-1927 |
No city in the Philippines is complete without a Jose Rizal memorial |
A large house in Culion |
Large green canopy of a tropical tree in Culion |
The first Spanish missionaries arrived in Culion in 1622 |
The colonial church of Culion was built around 1740 in the old Spanish fort |
The Church of the Immaculate Conception was enlarged in 1933 to accomodate the growing leper colony |
Immaculada from the original church facade was maintaned |
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Culion |
Church bell of Culion dating from the American period |
Interior, Cuilion Church |
Interior of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Culion |
Culion Church |
Altar, Culion Church |
Madonna and Child, Culion Church |
Stained glass window, Culion Church of the Immaculate Conception |
The Church of Culion with Agila hill in the background |
Culion Church |
Parola, remains of the 1740 Spanish fort beside the Culion Church |
Ruins of the Spanish fort at Culion |
The Spanish built the Parola fort at Culion to defend against Moro raiders from the south |
In Memory of the Unborn - Culion |
In Memory of the Unborn - Culion |
The church of Culion on a small hill above town |
Agila, the large hill behind the Culion Town |
A giant Philippine medical emblem on Agila hill above Culion |
View from the Spanish fort, Culion |
View from the Spanish fort, Culion |
We told our boat to wait for a couple of hours while we explored Culion |
Culion (Palawan) |
Tin roofs and palm trees, Culion (Palawan) |
Nipa hut painted blue, Culion |
Flowers with raindrops, Culion |
Jesus is Lord over Culion, Palawan |
North coast of Culion Town |
What looks like a small hotel between Culion church and the port |
Municipal Health Office, Culion |
Legislative Building, Culionn (Palawan) |
Park in Culion with Pitogo Plants, discovered in Culion in 1936 by an American doctor |
The Pitogo Plant is believed to have existed since the time of the dinosaurs |
Plaque with details on the Pitogo Plant (Cycas wadei) |
M/V Asuncion XI at the Port of Culion |
Port of Culion and Crown Prince Construction Supply & General Merchandise |
One of the many piers protruding from Culion Town |
Many houses in Culion are built over the water on stilts |
Flowers on a hillside in Culion |
Unfortunate and very agitated caged monkey |
More flowers, Culion |
The stairs leading up to Agila Hill are to the right of this villa |
Dennis and his favorite color, yellow |
Dennis' favorite color |
Ca. 300 steps lead up to the statue of Christ at the Agila viewpoint |
Pausing for a rest |
View from Agila Hill, Culion |
Coron island in the distance to the east of Culion Town |
Statue of Christ overlooking Culion, Agila Hill |
View of Culion from Agila Hill |
Over-water settlement along the north side of Culion |
Wooden pier leading to a new-looking nipa hut, Culion |
Statue of Christ over Culion |
Thankful to have survived the climb on this warm day |
View of Culion Town from Agila Hill |
View from Agila Hill |
Chindonan Island northeast of Culion Town |
The eagle of the Philippine medical emblem on Agila Hill, Culion |
The view is well worth the hike |
Stairs leading back to Culion Town |
Culion Town waterfront |
Rooftops, Culion Town |
Many houses are built on stilts over the water of the sheltered cove on the south side of Culion Town |
Stilt village on the southern waterfront of Culion Town |
Thatched nipa hut on stilts, Culion Town |
I don't think I'd want to go through a typhoon in one of those huts |
Cat with blue and green eyes, Culion |
Fishermen's huts with their outrigger banca canoes, Culion |
I was hoping our boatman would sail around the huts on the south side of Culion... |
...but he said the water was too shallow for his boat |
Fishermen's huts built on stilts over the sheltered waters around Culion Town |
Stilt village on the Culion waterfront |
We had a pleasant stay in Culion |
Resting on the cruise to Kayangan Lake on Coron Island |
...not my usual position while traveling... |
Arriving in the late afternoon back at Sea Dive in Coron Town |
Dennis and the boat boy from the Culion trip |
Banca boat captain who took us on a day trip to Culion |