For the second year in a row and the third time since 2013, Palawan, Philippines, has won the Travel + Leisure award for best island in the world.

The long narrow Palawan island , which is located on a province of 1,780 islands , is lined with sugar-white sand beaches and hidden coves, according to its tourism website . Palawan is filled with species unique to the region, with over 200 bird species and 600 butterfly species, according to the government's website . It contains the worlds largest navigable underground river, flowing five miles under a limestone cave out to sea, which visitors can tour by canoe, Travel + Leisure reports .

The sparsely populate island is also home to underwater shipwrecks and coral reefs filled with tropical fish that attract scuba diving or snorkeling visitors, according Travel + Leisure. The abundant wildlife on land and sea, as well as crystal-clear waters give Palawan breathtaking sights, especially viewed from the tops of its lush mountains, Travel + Leisure reports .

For the magazine's annual survey, readers rated experiences across 86 categories on a secure website, and scores were averaged in order to determine the Travel + Leisure awards for 2017. See the other top islands on the world's best islands list here .

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Palawan Philippines Is Travel + Leisure World's Best Island | Money - Money Magazine