Puerto Princesa, PalawanDecember 2007
Together with the rest of the corporate slaves, we took a break from gift wrapping Christmas presents and we flew to Puerto Princesa to drink, to update our tan lines and to eat, eat and eat.
70 minute flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa was fast when you’re with friends (and not-so friends). We arrived in the airport and was greeted by our service van from the pension house we're staying, the Puerto Pension (35 Malvar St. Puerto Princesa, Palawan). The place was quite nice and different from the usual hotel and resort type, it was a 3 story house with a restaurant (Tribu) and bar located at the roof deck. Ina and I (as my roommate all the time) were lucky that our room had the most perfect view of all. The rooms are cozy…but I think ours, really…was the most recommendable spot of all (its on the corner of the 2nd floor). After settling our things and changing to our swimsuits we hurriedly went off to tour Honda Bay (as where we will also have lunch). The van took us to the ferry terminal and we boarded a small motorized banca. The ride to our first island was a bit long (about 45 minutes) it was almost 1pm and we were all just tired and starving. Finally we reached Snake Island. The long stretch of white sand greeted us and together with few tourists around, the island looks isolated. Everybody wanted to have lunch as soon as we got off the banca. The food was delicious! (or were we just starving to death?) anyways, there was some issues that the other banca with the rest of packed lunch went to another island…miscommunication about lunch made some really hungry travelers to comment nasty. The food arrived after 20 minutes and we finally ate in peace.
The stroll along the beach helped us get back to ditch our irritated/tired attitude to beach mode. Pictures and fooling around, the corporate slaves began their vacation.
Together with the rest of the corporate slaves, we took a break from gift wrapping Christmas presents and we flew to Puerto Princesa to drink, to update our tan lines and to eat, eat and eat.
70 minute flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa was fast when you’re with friends (and not-so friends). We arrived in the airport and was greeted by our service van from the pension house we're staying, the Puerto Pension (35 Malvar St. Puerto Princesa, Palawan). The place was quite nice and different from the usual hotel and resort type, it was a 3 story house with a restaurant (Tribu) and bar located at the roof deck. Ina and I (as my roommate all the time) were lucky that our room had the most perfect view of all. The rooms are cozy…but I think ours, really…was the most recommendable spot of all (its on the corner of the 2nd floor). After settling our things and changing to our swimsuits we hurriedly went off to tour Honda Bay (as where we will also have lunch). The van took us to the ferry terminal and we boarded a small motorized banca. The ride to our first island was a bit long (about 45 minutes) it was almost 1pm and we were all just tired and starving. Finally we reached Snake Island. The long stretch of white sand greeted us and together with few tourists around, the island looks isolated. Everybody wanted to have lunch as soon as we got off the banca. The food was delicious! (or were we just starving to death?) anyways, there was some issues that the other banca with the rest of packed lunch went to another island…miscommunication about lunch made some really hungry travelers to comment nasty. The food arrived after 20 minutes and we finally ate in peace.
The stroll along the beach helped us get back to ditch our irritated/tired attitude to beach mode. Pictures and fooling around, the corporate slaves began their vacation.
We went off to another island called Star Fish Island…which until now couldn’t figure out why as I didn’t see one. Although I saw starfish shells around but no starfish…the place was quiet and we only stayed for few minutes. Getting back to the port, we saw bats flying around as if they’re coming home with us or if Batman were in one of our bancas. It was almost 5 in the afternoon, the bats were alive!
We showered and hurried off to our dinner at Ka Lui’s. One of Puerto Princesa’s well known restaurant…the Filipino ambiance, the food, the people, the cleanliness of the place (you will need to leave your shoes near the door) and the price. The food was great, I apologized as I cannot remember what we ordered but what I can say is that it was mouth watering!
After dinner, we went around and took pictures and decided to walked back to our pension house to let our tummy settles in after a heavy dinner.
Our second day was the trip to the famous Underground River. Breakfast was set as early as 6:30am as we need to travel for about 2 to 2 ½ hours. The pension house organized the van and tour guides to take us to Sabang port where we will ride a banca for another 15 minutes. The 2 ½ bumpy ride made my kidney swapped places with my uterus. We arrived at Sabang and couldn’t wait to get on to our motorized banca. The 15 minute ride was fast and refreshing. Finally we arrived at the gateway of the Underground River.
The beautiful beach right where we’ve been drop off was beautiful. We walked right through the trail and I was at awe when reached the entrance to the cave. The water was apple green, the place was surrounded by trees and hills and it was a picture perfect from a postcard. We waited for the rest of the group to arrive as we strapped into bright orange life jacket that was handed to us one by one (I hated that thing, but they required it). The Underground River is a must-see in Puerto Princesa, the beauty of the stalactites, the rock formation that looked like saint images and the bats…there were lots and lots and lots of bats. The guide who also paddles the banca was hilarious, he made us laugh with all his antics and stories about the caves.After exploring the underground river, we went to the beach and took pictures. The current was too strong and we were advised that it’s not for swimming. After few more shots we went back to Sabang, where the tour guides from the resort had our packed lunch ready. One hearty buffet lunch (Filipino cuisine; from adobo to grilled fish and pork to sinigang for soup) everyone settled under a nipa hut with tables and chairs.
A quick swim after and we went back to resort by late afternoon. Freshly showered, the girls and I went around near the market from our pension house. We got dried fish and squids, local delicacies and more dried fish. For dinner, we went to another local restaurants (apologies I forgot the name) but it doesn’t matter as the 2nd night dinner wasn’t as good as Ka Lui’s (so much for bad reviews).On our last day, we went for a city tour, my favorite stop was at the Iwahig Penal Colony. The largest correction facility in the Philippines, a very peaceful unique correction as the inmates can walk freely, have their family live with them, do handicrafts and sell them to visitors. They live there like free men, open air, great place, I wish all correctional place are like that.
I also liked the place Baker’s Hill. The name, simply a bakery located on a hill, the owner lives at the back with 3 more houses (a compound for the whole family) cartoon statues surrounded the place, it was nice and interesting especially if kids see the place.
The breads are freshly baked and yes they’re delicious! Another place to visit is the Crocodile farm. From baby crocs to huge scary mommy and daddy crocs around (maybe aunts and uncles and distant relatives too!) you would see different breeds of crocodiles and I got pretty nervous as we crossed the hanging bridge over the crocodile pen while we look at one of the most fascinating creatures eat their lunch. We also stopped at Mitra’s ranch (a privately owned big house) and at the butterfly farm.
By 3 in the afternoon we’re all seated inside Puerto Princesa’s airport expecting to be home and resting in 2 hours in our own home. Unfortunately there had been a flight delayed….for more than 5 hours. Cebu Pacific airline provided us Jollibee dinner and a one way ticket free to any local destination for encountering one traveler’s nightmare. There was even one incident where the lights went off for less than 10 seconds around 7pm…and the people in the airport were really losing it. By 8:30 we were finally on board and on our way back to Manila.
The trip was fun...except for the Jollibee meal (sorry not a fan), the waiting and the miscommunication from day 1. Maybe I'll go back...if it's another free trip, if it's not...I already have my pictures inside the famous Underground river.
for more information where we stayed, please check:
http://www.puertopension.com/
