It looks like Hollywood celebrities are beginning to appreciate the beauty and tranquil that Palawan has to offer. While Boracay undoubtedly remains the #1 beach in the Philippines (as reinforced by TripAdvisor’s Traveller’s Choice 2013, which put White Beach on the top of its list of the Top 25 Beaches in Asia), the many destinations in Palawan are surely giving Boracay a run for its money.

Last year, the main cast of the Hollywood film “Bourne Legacy” made news when they decided to shoot much of the remaining scenes of the film here in the country. The last shot, albeit a short glimpse, definitely showed both Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz’s characters enjoying the serene and calm waters of Palawan on a boat.

In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Ruben Nepales, Weisz likened Palawan to Emerald City, a fictional location where the capital city of the Land of Oz is located. In between shooting “Oz: The Great and Powerful” and “The Bourne Legacy,” the award-winning actress had the chance to experience the best of both worlds. “Palawan is more like the Emerald City. It’s like a fantasy. Maybe it’s real to you but to me, it looked like a fantasy place,” said the Oscar-winning actress.

Renner, on the other hand, loved both Palawan and Boracay’s sceneries. In fact, these are two of the places that struck him the most. Again in an interview with PDI’s Nepales, the newly-branded action hero claimed that “they are some of the most beautiful islands I’ve ever seen… It’s gorgeous!” He can continue to rave about the beauty of these islands but we are just glad he had the chance to come and visit the Philippines, right?

Pretty Little Liars stars Shay Mitchell and Troian Bellisario also came over to witness firsthand the wonders of Palawan, though on separate occasions. Earlier this year, Mitchell spent her much-deserved vacation in the islands of Palawan, specifically in Lagen and booked at the El Nido Resorts. To quote her Tumblr blog post, “Fantastic vistas, incredible food, luxurious accommodations and a staff who are warm, professional and cater to your every wish.  In a word, ‘paradise!’” Again with the “paradise” description! Check out what else she has to say on her Tumblr account.

Finally, fellow PLL star Troian Bellisario visited Palawan with her equally gorgeous boyfriend Patrick Adams. You might know him better as Mike Ross, Harvey Specter’s genius associate from the hit television series, Suits. Both stars were invited by ETC to promote their respective TV shows and during that period, they found time to visit Palawan and catch a glimpse of its crystal clear waters and fine white sand.

While the destination was a secret, it wasn’t that difficult to speculate that the young couple headed to Palawan “to visit a beach somewhere for a while.” Just like Mitchell, the stars stayed at El Nido Resorts in Lagen where Adams decided that he’s “Not leaving. Not ever,” according to the caption of one of his photos.