The Palawan life
Boracay, eat your heart out. Your banana boat rides, frozen shakes at Jonah’s and D’Mall pale in-comparison to Palawan’s breath-taking beauty.
After several summer visits to Bora, it was refreshing to find myself on Puerto Princesa’s shores for the first time. No college friends to awkwardly run into! No people accosting you with island-hopping offers and rates! No jam-packed row of establishments on the beach! No branded sports events with celebrity guests! Instead of just tanning and partying, Puerto Princesa offers a multitude of adventures and discoveries to be made in their lush forests, white sand beaches, and pristine waters. Nicknamed the “Ecotourism Capital of the Philippines,” this city is packed with natural sights and wonders unlike other popular destinations. Just the mention of the name Puerto Princesa brings to mind their famous Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and nominated as one of the World’s New7Wonders of Nature. (You can check out www.new7wonders.com to vote for it!) A couple of hours away from the city proper, the park has a magnificent limestone mountain landscape which they sometimes call the Sleeping Giant as it resembles a (duh!) giant man lying down asleep. Underneath this Sleeping Giant is the Underground River, an 8.2-km stretch through a cave before flowing into the South China Sea. Upon getting to the park and strapping on our life vests and helmets, my friends and I climbed into a banca good for eight people. Our boatman started paddling through the water as we marvelled at the stalactites at the mouth of the cave. Just a few meters later, it was completely pitch black and we had to rely on a rechargeable lamp to illuminate the caves. You could hear nothing but the paddle slicing through the water, and the birds swiftly zipping around us. It was a little unnerving, but exciting.
Going through the Underground River is like uncovering a magical world formed by stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations. Our amiable and funny boatman guided us through huge caverns and domes, pointed out enigmatic shapes and silhouettes, and identified communities of tiny (thank God) bats huddling as they sleep. After telling us a little bit of history about the cave, he pointed out specific rock formations that looked like different animals, fruits and vegetables, the Skyway (sans the traffic-causing construction), and even the face of Jesus. With each shape our mouths kept dropping open in awe, but we closed them immediately (unless we wanted to taste bat poo as part of the experience).
Instead of taking a boat back to the port, we trekked back through the Monkey Trail, a 5-km hike through the rainforest with steep wooden staircases and natural paths. After hauling ourselves up and down the mountain (and in flip-flops! My God, what an unfortunate choice of footwear for trekking!), we finally reached a secluded beach that looked like something from The Beach. We happily crashed against waves and submerged our exhausted legs in the water… then our guide told us we were only halfway back to the port. Well, I’m glad to say we survived the trail, spotting a couple of monkeys, bayawaks, and even interesting-looking spiders along the way. If you’re interested in meeting more wildlife up close, you can visit the crocodile farm during the city tour as well, where we got to see (and even hold!) the little critters face to face. I never want to encounter a crocodile again — they’re seriously scary, even at a safe distance — but at least I can always say I’ve been able to hold one.
Firefly watching was another unforgettable experience, where we took a banca and watched as fireflies illuminated the mangroves around us. Urbanites may be used to the city lights, but the sight of little lights flickering around the trees was unbelievably gorgeous. It was akin to Christmas lights, but softer, gentler and a whole lot more soothing. None of our cameras could capture it, but I guess the inability to photograph it makes it even more rare and extraordinary.
My friends and I couldn’t miss the chance to go island hopping in Honda Bay, with all its picturesque white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and great snorkeling and dive sites. We visited only three islands — Pandan Island, Snake Island and Starfish Island — and we swam and snorkeled to our hearts’ content. Never have I seen such diverse undersea life, from multi-colored schools of fish to the most amazing corals. I felt like I was in a giant aquarium. Best of all, the beaches were unspoiled with commercial establishments or roving trade. Save for one or two sari-sari stores, the beaches were just for pure enjoyment and you could really savor the natural environment. You don’t know the beach life until you’ve gone to Puerto Princesa.
I haven’t even mentioned all the delectably fresh seafood we scarfed down throughout the trip. Must-try restaurants are Ka Lui’s, Kinabuch, and Balinsasayaw, all found in the city proper. Their local seafood dishes and fruit shakes are winners, and the prices are quite affordable. Service in these restaurants was always friendly, attentive and quick. In fact, service was great everywhere we went. I’ve never met such personable and outstanding tour guides (shout out to our boy Harold!), boatmen, waiters, drivers and hotel staff. They were very knowledgeable, effectively eloquent and always good-natured.
Foreign visitors seemed to have the same impression as I saw several of them enjoying the company of their guides and local peers as well. However, it was the sights that stole the show and dazzled them — and the rest of us as well. Puerto Princesa shines through the proliferation of beaches and vacation spots in the Philippines with its unique and undeniably beautiful facets, a tropical paradise that you won’t soon forget. You probably won’t run into everyone you know on the beach, but no one else will have a summer experience like yours.
