Revisiting Puerto Princesa, Palawan

~ Text & Photos by Aireen Navarro ~

(Several photos were taken by Charmaine D)

When I think of Palawan, the term ‘last frontier’ comes to mind. Yes, the province of Palawan is indeed the Philippines’ ‘last frontier,’ and just the thought of visiting this area never fails to make me anticipate an adventure-filled trip!!! The perfect vacation for me, away from the hustle and bustle of city-life….

It has been YEARS since I first visited this province…..years as in almost 10 years!!! Days before my second trip, I took time to ‘revisit’ my first trip back in my senior year in college. I and fellow classmates / thesis-mates went there to conduct a case study of Palawan’s eco-tourism potential and sustainability – focused mainly on the coastal town of El Nido. Our first stop was the province’s capital – Puerto Princesa. We went on the usual visits and conducted candid interviews at several local offices overseeing / implementing certain environmentally – sustainable tourism projects, then off to a 10-11 hours bus trip along rough-hewn roads to Taytay where we stayed for a night, then another 3 hours banca ride to El Nido town. Those were the good old days…..

My second trip in October 2006 was mainly to Puerto Princesa where I and two other friends from college went hiking/trekking (well, just for a few meters…..;D), island-hopping, snorkeling, beach-combing, resto-hopping and of course, paddling the 1.5 km stretch of the Underground River….well, not exactly paddling as it was our guide who did all the hard work! We were just there sitting and enjoying the ride, awestruck by nature’s beauty and exhilarated by it all.

Our first day was a few-minutes delayed flight to Puerto Princesa. I made sure that I got a window-seat as I wanted to see the aerial view of the province, checking out islands and forests along the way. It was really quite exciting to recognize the Coron/Busuanga (Calamianes Group of Islands) and El Nido areas. Farther along, I was amazed and relieved that Palawan has retained its dense forests. Then of course, Honda Bay is clearly seen from the air when our plane landed at Puerto Princesa Airport.

We arranged for a tricycle to meet us at the airport, with the help of Duchess Inn of course. On our way to the Inn, we learned that it was the city Mayor’s birthday – Mayor Hagedorn and he’s giving out free food. We were tempted to get free lunch but jokingly opted not to. After we checked-in, a trip to Viet Ville for lunch was agreed. We befriended Mang Ding, a tricycle driver with whom we arranged for our 30-minute (13 kms) ride to Viet Ville, an authentic Vietnamese Village in Brgy. Sta. Lourdes. This is where Vietnamese migrants (history books called them the boat people) settled in the 1970s. Lunch fare was authentic Vietnamese food and reasonably priced. The Village was a bit quiet which suited us just fine. You should try their Vietnamese pho dishes and sapin-sapin, it’s yummy!!!

Then off we went to The Crocodile Farm and Nature Park in Irawan, where we miraculously managed to arrive just in time for the 1430H orientation on Palawan’s freshwater and saltwater crocodiles. The nature park’s very interesting and very educational with crocodiles of all sizes lazily snoozed around under the afternoon sun’s heat. Our guide’s very informative about the crocodile’s habitat and behavior.

The park’s other occupants were also interesting….the Palawan’s bear cat, selupoto owl, cockatoo, porcupine, Philippine parrot or the ‘loro,’ sea-eagle….etc… to mention a few…all indigenous to Palawan…..I was hoping to see a ‘pilandok’ or mouse deer but there was none…so we explored the park with me plodding on to the park’s mini forest trail alone, meeting my two friends later on as they’re not very keen on venturing into the unknown – in this case, obscure densely covered trails which do not give out clues on where it will lead and eventually end. We just hung around the nature park, being entertained observing different animal behaviors – cockatoo dancing/prancing around its cage making its unique sounds….a very cute/cuddly selupoto owl turning its head around sleepily watching us…gently coaxing the porcupines to come out of their decaying copse hide-outs…. cajoling a wild boar to stay still for us to get a good photo of him and we even got to go inside the spacious cage of the ‘loros’ or parrots, thanks to the park’s resident researcher, where the loros just looked at us curiously as we cautiously go near them to get photos…..I know…I know…..we’re not supposed to do that as it can distress the loros, but a researcher looking after them was there to ensure that we don’t stress them and he agreed to let us in….so we’re off the hook!!!

Our last stop was the small pond where 4 species of several indigenous turtles were dozing around. Beside it was a baby saltwater crocodile which guests can hold for a fee of PHP 30 for photo opportunities. I dare not hold or even touch it!!! Let's just say that reptiles are not one of my favorite wildlife species. I just took photos of my friend who’s always fascinated with reptiles. Then, time went by so quickly that we didn’t notice it was closing time! Outside the park, along the highway, we had a great laugh having our photos taken below a billboard with Jollibee (famous Filipino fastfood chain) smiling with a grinning crocodile beside him! Only in the Philippines folks!!!

Another day was spent exploring Puerto Princesa’s Subterranean River National Park. That’s 2.5 hours of a combination of smooth and bumpy road transfer to Sabang Beach, traversing quaint barangays along the way and forest corridors. That’s ‘nature’ massage for you! If you’re used to seeing smog everyday and denuded mountains, you’ll definitely love Palawan, with its protected dense forests! The area gives justice to ‘clean and green’! Different flora thrives in the area. For a while there, I wished that I was a botanist / naturalist / biologist! We made a short stop at a viewing deck where one is awarded panoramic vistas of Ulugan Bay and the islands of ‘Tres Marias’ where dive sites abound. Right then and there, I decided that I will come back and spend a few days at Ulugan Bay, go snorkeling and diving!

You’ll know when you’re almost in Sabang Beach, the gateway to the Underground River, when you start to see limestone cliffs / mountains densely covered with trees. We made a short stop at the Ethnographic Museum to look around the area’s history and artifacts, as well as get our permit to the Underground River. The Ethnographic Museum is dramatically surrounded with towering mountains, which make for great photo opportunities, then off to Sabang Beach.

Sabang Beach is another story! Just imagine a stretch of pristine white sand beach, with towering densely forested mountains as its backdrop. A beach paradise indeed….well for me - as I always get a kick out of walking on long stretch of deserted beaches for a day or two, without raucous tourists around. As far as I can see, no one was swimming or even walking along the beach. I can see a number of resorts built way back from the beach area, mostly covered by coconut trees. This leaves you with a wide beach/shore area. Lovely! That’s eco-friendly resort development for you!

We were assigned to Boat No. 31. As a rule, only a maximum of 6 guests can be ferried to and from the Subterranean Nature Park, around 5.4 kilometers from Sabang Beach. Along the way, we passed isolated coves and towering limestone cliffs. Our boatmen even spotted sharks! A pity I didn’t see the sharks. Anyway, that disappointment was awarded with a huge ‘bayawak’ walking slowly in front of us on our way to the entrance to the hiking trail. Now, that’s what I call Palawan’s signature welcoming party! Crab-eating macaques are curiously looking at us from their perches atop trees along the trail, ready to ‘steal’ our food or something we’re loosely carrying with us, should they get the chance.

The trail to the embarkation/disembarkation area for the Underground River is very edifying, with indigenous animals and trees clearly named, complete with common and scientific names. Then, it was time for us to don our head gear and life vest for a 45-minute underground river paddling exploration. The water’s COLD but it was very exciting and scary at the same time as we entered the cavernous darkness. We were greeted with a lot of small bats and sporadic movements of reputedly huge eels under the river’s deep waters. We occasionally meet up with other paddlers inside, which actually provide us with relief, knowing that we’re not alone inside the eerie darkness.

The sights and sounds inside are just an out of this world experience! Astounding stalactites and stalagmites which took hundreds of years to form…..different rock formations….the Cathedral…St. Mary….the Holy Family….the face of Jesus Christ…..there’s even a ‘street’ with various vegetable formations…..mushrooms, corns, puso ng saging….just amazing!!! The Underground River is actually 8.2 kilometers long but only 1.5 km is traversable by paddle boats. Avid spelunkers can further explore the area with a special permit from the local government. Thrilling as the idea of going spelunking might be, I’m definitely off it ---- I’m scared of the dark!

Whew! Back in the open!!! We hung around to take more photos and checked out fishes in the area’s murky, cold waters. Then, on our way back to our boats, we saw the macaques again. This time, the ‘usurper’ younger male macaque was busy showing off his virility, challenging the older and weaker ‘king’ macaque, forcing the present ‘king’ to retire and give his throne to the usurper. Then its off to ‘birding’ and I was delighted in finally seeing a ‘loro’ in the wild! I particularly love the ‘tagaks’ with their majestic whiteness, gracefully flying around the nearby mangrove areas. I had a great laugh when I saw a ‘tagak’ or egret following a ‘carabao’ or water buffalo – both presented an exquisite image amid the vast green surrounding landscape.

Then, on our third day, it was off to Honda Bay!!! I was hoping to dive in the dive sites off Pandan and Snake Islands which are reputed to be teeming with marine life. But since my two friends are not divers, I had to pay double the usual dive rate (US$ 50 instead of US$ 25). With disappointment – mainly as I result of my mulish reasoning that US$ 50 per dive/minimum 2 dives is highway robbery, I settled for island-hopping, beach-combing and snorkeling. I can always visit Palawan again – and hopefully on my next visit, dive buddies would be traveling with me.

We only arranged visits to 4 islands – Pandan, Snake, Starfish and Luli Islands. We were tempted to also visit Arreceffi Island where the famous Dos Palmas Resort is located, but we have to pay PHP 500 up front per person, so we opted to forego this island – tsk, tsk, tsk….isn’t it obvious that we’re a niggardly bunch??!!??

Despite our miserly outlook to traveling that borders on the irrational, we had FUN!!! Its all really a matter of how one looks at traveling+spending to have a great time. It was my first time to see a lobster while snorkeling! That’s something new for me. We saw a lobster along the coral reefs of Pandan Island. Upon leaving the island, we saw a sunfish, that’s something new for me again! We had lunch at Snake Island where we got to order the fresh catch of the day – jacks or ‘talakitok’ and crabs. Now, that’s what I call the essence of a hearty meal! As my friend said…..’panalo!!!’

I was tempted to walk the long stretch of sand bar known as Snake Island but it had looked daunting and we didn’t have a lot of time! A local fisherman informed me it takes about 1 hour just to reach the tip of the sand bar in Snake Island. So, I had to let that idea go and settled for snorkeling with a huge school of jacks in the deeper end of the ‘swimming area’ and went farther to the other side with corals where angry territorial fishes aggressively guarded their areas …..so I cautiously backed off. We stopped snorkeling when the currents started to turn nasty. We just contented ourselves watching Korean tourists kite surfing. Now, that sport looks tough but I guess you must have core strength to be able to control it and not be unceremoniously dragged along by strong winds – as one Korean was....watching him losing control being yanked out of the water then dropped back to it….I can’t help but think….ouch…that hurts!!!

It was quite choppy when we left Snake Island for Starfish Island. Strong waves pummeled our banca, managing to dislodge our mini banca stairs as we veered left to dock on the island. Starfish Island is aptly named due to the presence of several species of starfish in the area. We were in luck --- we were the only tourists on the island. Our boatmen were anxious about the mini-stairs which fell off our banca. They got themselves busy snorkeling/skin diving, looking for it. While they were doing so, I started to walk off on my own to the other end of the island. Voila! I stumbled upon the stairs we lost! It was apparently washed off to shore, thanks to the sea's strong currents. I hurriedly ran back to my friends, waving frantically to get their attention. I was laughing when I reached them, telling them of my ‘find.’

With our stairs retrieved by our boatmen/snorkeling guides, I and friends leisurely walked around the island, checking out sand dollars. It was quite invigorating just only seeing our own footsteps as we combed the island. Just imagine looking back from where you ambled along and see only your footsteps. The island offers a spectacular view of Snake Island and Pandan Island!!! What more, we were awarded with a picturesque view of ‘tagaks’ in the island’s mangrove area, with Pandan Island as its backdrop. On our way back to the mini-boat station, the island’s ‘katiwala’ has caught a frogfish. He informed us that the fish is quite delicious when roasted. We didn’t stay long enough to taste it.

The sea was calmer when we went to Luli Island (fittingly named ‘lulubog-lilitaw’ as it sometimes disappears during high tide and reappears during low tide. A rest house is now built on the island much to our disappointment. Whoever owned the rest house is lucky though as the island offers a spectacular view of Puerto Princesa Bay and sunset. There’s a hut built on the water with a diving board. Our boatmen and my friend tried it. Then, before we know it, its time to call it a day….halfway to Sta. Lourdes Wharf, our banca’s motor stuttered and stopped working. We laughingly joked about paddling our way back to the wharf,…..a good thing our motorized banca worked again. Before heading back to the city, photo opportunities again with Jollibee, this time he was holding a surf board!

So what happened to our resto-hopping? Relax, I saved it for last ;D We checked-out Bilao at Palayok along Rizal Ave (near the airport). I love the setting, design and materials (indigenous/local materials) used. We of course tried their ‘bilao’ sampler which comprises grilled squid, shrimps, tuna, buttered clams, insaladang talong, salted egg and ‘lato’ salad (a type of seaweed). Regrettably for my friend, her allergies recurred (the culprit – must be the not too fresh squid or clams). We ordered the sizzling pork sisig – another Filipino favorite for her. Another resto’s Ka Lui. We heard so much about this resto where they only serve fresh catch of the day. And indeed, we had ‘happy meals’! Take this --- yummy soup, delicious kangkong sautéed with shrimps, grilled shrimps, tuna and squid and top it off with fresh fruit salad!!! A fresh mango shake is of course the drink of choice. Another resto we tried was Chicken Inato but we weren’t very satisfied with the chicken so we ended going back to Ka Lui and tried their seafood sisig! Try it, you won’t regret it!

Four days in Puerto Princesa is too short! If you plan to explore the area, stay for at least a week. I intend to go back and stay at least two nights in Sabang Beach and two nights in Ulugan Bay. Hopefully in my next trip, I can dive!!!