The Philippines: Coconut Palace

Here are some pictures from the Coconut Palace in Manila. This is from our trip to the Philippines in January 2005.

The Coconut Palace was built by the Philippine government (specifically Imelda Marcos) for Pope John Paul II's visit, though he declined to stay in such ostentatiousness (perhaps figuring that the borrowed money use to build it could have been better spent). It is built entirely out of Coconut, Nara, and other native hardwood. Some viewers might remember this a pit stop on the Amazing Race reality show.

Click on a picture to receive a larger, higher quality version. Enjoy -- Jim

My Philippine trip pictures:

All my pictures:

My whole site:

home page


	The Coconut Palace was open to the public with a small entrance fee when we visited, there was talk that that might change.
	More of the entrance to the Coconut Palace.


	Grand staircase.

	These flowers were hand-carved by Kapampangan craftsmen onto the side of the stairway.

	Coconut inlaid onto a table. The pieces were small so children has to do the work.
	A coconut chandelier.

	State dining room.


	The palace served as a guest house during the Marcos regime. The upstairs contains 7 guest rooms.


	Each guest room was made to iconify a different part of the Philippines.

	In the Pampanga room they had these statues made of lahar.





	Our tour guide





	The bed sheets are made of banana fibers.


	The Marcos' own bedroom.
	I think these are made of man-of-war.


	The Marco's bathroom.

	Back downstairs


	Out on the patio.

	They were setting up for a wedding when we were there.
	The grassy area behind the palace ends at the South China Sea.

Next page: Villa Escudero, or back to Around Manila: Intramuros, Rizal Shrine, sunset on Manilla Bay

31 December 2005