The Coconut Palace is a palace in Manila, Philippines, commissioned by former First Lady Imelda Marcos for Pope John Paul II's visit in 1981. However, the pope declined the offer, saying that it was too ostentatious a place to stay while in the poverty-stricken Philippines. The Palace's architect Francisco Manosa, later claimed that the Coconut Palace - a showpiece on the versatility of the coconut and its viability as an export - was planned long before the Pope even decided to visit the country.

Coconut Palace Court.

The palace is shaped like an octagon (the shape given to a coconut before being served), the roof is shaped like a traditional Filipino salakot or hat. Some of its highlights are the 101 coconut shell chandelier, and the dining table made of 40,000 tiny pieces of inlaid coconut shells. Highlighted as one of the CCP?s most striking structures for its architecture and interiors, the palace celebrates the coconut as the ultimate ?Tree of Life?. From the coconut's roots to its trunk, bark, fruit, flower and shell, the palace's design, form and ornamentation echo these elements.

The Coconut Palace has been a guesthouse for many guests, including Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, Brooke Shields and George Hamilton. Now, it is a museum, with a butterfly garden and an orchidarium.

On the fifth season of the reality series The Amazing Race, the Coconut Palace served as the pit stop when the competing teams went to Manila. The contestants were welcomed by Luli Arroyo, daughter of current Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.