A pearly province

The Philippines' largest province sticks out from the crowd of islands that forms most of the nation. The long, skinny finger of Palawan stretches southwestward more than 350 miles, its coral-rimmed islands, lagoons, and bays showcasing seas of rich, pearly turquoise. Speaking of pearls, hunting that satiny gem was once a major industry in Palawan. Boats not unlike this bangka used to haul pearl divers into waters up to 100 feet deep, where they'd freedive to find abundant oyster and clam beds. One pearl harvested here in the 1930s, presumably from a giant clam, has been hailed as the largest in the world at over 14 pounds.