Travel to Palawan - El Nido's Attractions

I am back! I wanted to update this blog last Friday but my internet died on me. So I took advantage of the downtime to get the much needed sleep because my poor eyebags have suffered the effects of my blog addiction.

Back to my El Nido adventure, the main activity there is the island-hopping on Bacuit Bay's stunning archipelago. The El Nido Boatmen's Association have organized island-hopping tours with standard rates and very imaginative (not!) titles. Tour A consists of visits to the Big and Small Lagoons on Miniloc Island, Simisu Island, and 7 Commando beach for 600 pesos/person; Tour B includes a tour to Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave, Lagen Island, Inabuyutan Island, Cathedral Cave for 650 pesos/person while Tour C includes snorkelling around Matinloc Island and Tapiutan Island, with a visit to the Secret Beach for 700 pesos/person. The rates are inclusive of lunch (tomato and onion salad, grilled fresh fish, rice, mangoes/banana for dessert) cooked by the boatmen on one of the islands. If you stay in the expensive Miniloc and Lagen resorts, the island-hopping activities are part of the accommodation fee.

We took Tours A and C (the must-tours according to other travellers) as we didn't have the time and the budget to do all the tours. We had to shell out 1,200 pesos for our own boat doing Tour A and 1,500 (already discounted rates) pesos for Tour C since we couldn't find other people to join us. This was a good decision as we could laze around and spend more time on islands that we really liked without having other passengers wait for us.

The first stop was the Small Lagoon on Miniloc Island. We had to swim through the small opening to get inside and the view that awaited was simply breathtaking. The Small Lagoon has crystal clear waters with varying shades of blue and blue-green and enclosed by El Nido's famous limestone karst.

The Small Lagoon's looming limestone karsts served as an intimate backdrop to our own frolicking and curious explorations. On the inner left side of the lagoon, we discovered a small cave that has a colder water compared to the rest of the lagoon. The Small Lagoon's waters was calm and perfect for snorkelling (along sides near the limestone karsts) and swimming to our heart's content. Using the life vests was good since they allowed us to just swim on our backs, gazing at where the karsts meet the endless sky.

Our second stop was Simizu Island. The island's main attraction is not its fine white sand but its marine and coral life. According to our boatmen, this was the best spot for snorkelling. I snorkelled while waiting for our lunch to cook and saw beautiful corals and colorful fishes. Too bad I didn't know what they're actually called. :D

Our boatmen cooked our lunch consisting of grilled fresh fish, rice, tomatoes and onion with vinegar and bananas for dessert, on the sides of the karsts. They forgot to bring utensils so we had to eat lunch with our hands. That made it more authentic - like being cast-aways on a deserted island :D.

After lunch, we got acquainted with our marine friends again, took a nap and just lazed around Simizu Island while waiting for the tide to rise. According to the boatmen, the boat can't enter the Big Lagoon on Miniloc Island during low tide. After more than an hour on Simizu, we chugged along to the Big Lagoon.


The Big Lagoon is obviously bigger than the Small Lagoon but not necessarily less charming. We went around with our boat unlike in the Small Lagoon where we had to enter via a small opening in between the rocks. The Miniloc Resort constructed a raft-like structure in the middle of the Big Lagoon which is perfect out for private romantic dinners, one-of-a-kind wedding proposals and even weddings! ;)

Our last stop for Tour A was the 7 Commandos Beach. I asked the boatmen why it was named 7 Commandos and they couldn't explain. Maybe there were 7 commandos who hid on the island during the war... my imaginatin ran wild again. The beach here is comparable to Boracay's White Beach - blindingly white and powdery. I didn't do much except lazed under the coconut tree while the others swam and snorkelled. It was the perfect way to end our amazing Tour A.

Next post on Tour C.

Travel to Palawan - El Nido

El Nido in Northern Palawan was one of my dream destinations. It became more famous since it was included as a pitstop in the Philippine leg of The Amazing Race. I thought I would never make it there because of the expensive rates offered by the high-end Miniloc and Lagen Resorts not knowing that there are other options of visiting El Nido without going bankrupt. The fastest and easiest (and most expensive!) way to go to El Nido is via a private plane operated by Soriano Aviation which costs 100USD per person one-way. Since we didn't have the budget for it, we took the long, difficult but the cheapest route to El Nido via Puerto Princesa. I am glad we decided to go to El Nido in spite the daunting 8-hour non-airconditioned bus ride, 3 hours of which were spent on unpaved road. From Sabang, we went back to Puerto Princesa and made reservations for seats in an air-conditioned van bound for Taytay. The original plan was to at least take the first 6 hours of the 8-hour trip in an air-conditioned van (600 pesos) and take the non-aircon bus from Taytay to El Nido (2 hours). We stayed overnight at Banwa Pension (550 pesos per night for a double room with own T/B) in Puerto Princesa and just sampled the city's cuisines.

We ditched the original plan when we reached the van terminal at 8:00 a.m. the next day. The Delica Van was too cramped and the aircon looked like it wasn't really going to work with so many warm bodies cramped inside. We decided to just brave the dust and unpaved road and took the 10:00 a.m. Eulen Joy Bus Line going straight to El Nido (P300 pesos one way) with a stop-over in Roxas town for lunch. The road to El Nido wasn't so bad compared to the one going to Sabang but I should've brought a scarf to cover my face and hair. If you take this cheap route to El Nido, be sure to be with someone you really like as the long bus dusty bus ride can wear you off.

Instead of staying in the expensive resorts in the islands, we stayed in Og's Inn along the beach of El Nido town proper. The place is well-maintained and clean plus the staff and owners are so friendly! It felt like a home away from home. For 5oo pesos for night, we had a clean room and our own T/B and the best view in town. We arrived in El Nido town at dusk and the view that awaited us in our pension's balcony was worth the dust, the heat and the almost 1 day trip to reach there.

Our stay also coincided with El Nido's town fiesta so we experienced this slice of Filipino life - the typical perya, baratillo sales, singing/dancing and beauty contests. Our days were spent island hopping, eating fresh fish cooked on the island by our boatmen, snorkelling, swimming in Bacuit Bay's numerous islands, and just lazing around.

El Nido's various attractions in the next posts....

Travel to Palawan - El Nido

I am too sleepy to write about the next leg of my trip to Palawan - the trip to enchanting El Nido. I will just leave with you this photo. This was taken at the entrance of El Nido's famed Small Lagoon. We had to swim through the small opening to get inside. The effort is worth it once you get inside the Small Lagoon. But yeah the rest of the story can wait after I get my beauty sleep! Good night, world! :)

Travel to Palawan - Sabang Beach

Sabang Beach in Puerto Princesa, Palawan is the jump-off point for the Underground River Tours. We opted to do the tour on our own - backpackers' style - instead of signing up for the airconditioned day trips (1,500 pesos per head) organized by the hotels and travel agencies in Puerto Princesa.

The road to Sabang isn't completely paved, so we were subjected to what seemed like a 3 hour butt massage.Accommodation in Sabang is also very basic -- no 3-star hotels here, just cottages with private or shared bathroom. We arrived in the evening due to an unbelievable 5 flat tires (!) and groped our way along the cottages to find accommodation. Most of the cottages were full. Fortunately, we found a room in Taraw Lodge for 350 pesos (good for 2 persons). Never mind if we had to share the bathroom/toilet with 2 other occupants and never mind that we could hear the other occupants' snores. The place was clean and there were no holes on the window screens (no mosquitoes!), what more can you ask for? :D

Aside from the Underground River, Sabang boasts of a long white sand beach perfect for romantic walks and of course swimming. The sand isn't as fine or as white as Boracay's but the quiet vibe was a welcome change from Manila's hectic pace. After the Underground River Tour, we asked our boatmen to drop us off to the mouth of the Poyuy-Poyuy River for the Mangrove Tour. For only 75 pesos, we enjoyed a 45 minute relaxing boat ride amidst the Sabang's 45 species of Mangrove. It was good our boatman didn't talk too much and just let us soak everything in - the calm brackish water, the soothing sights of mangroves on each side of the river, the steady chirping of the birds, and yes a couple of monkeys flirting.

After that, we walked back to Sabang enjoying the sand and sea water on our feet, lazed on our resort's hammock until the mosquitoes came out. Electricity in Sabang is only until 10pm. So there's no night life to speak of. But who needs a nightlife when you have a beach almost all to yourself, a hammock, and a clear endless night sky filled with stars? I wished I had taken more pictures but yeah, I was just too content and happy listening to the South China sea, gazing at my coconut from my hammock.

Where to Stay in Sabang:

• Taraw Lodge - cell no.: 09196011227 (cottages w/ own bathroom 500 pesos/night; cottages with common bathroom 350 pesos/night - good for 2

Things to do:

• Underground River Tour - DIY tour = 700 boat rental (good for 6 persons), park fee - 250 for Filipinos, 350 for foreigners
• Mangrove tour - 75 pesos per head for 45 mins
• Swimming and lazing on the beach - free!!!
• Star gazing - the sky in Sabang was really amazing especially when the lights were off (after 10pm). But we had to go inside our cottage as the place became too eery, with the dogs howling and barking.

Travel to Palawan - Underground River

Palawan has been described as the Philippines' last frontier and aptly so. I was able to visit Palawan last month after years of just looking at photos and reading travel stories. The province is really safe contrary to the dangerous image created by the kidnapping in Dos Palmas in May 2001. Armed with our Lonely Planet Philippines and information culled from the Internet, we decided to stay in Palawan for 10 days covering the Underground River and Sabang Beach, Puerto Princesa and Honda Bay and El Nido.

We took the flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa via Cebu Pacific and immediately went to the jeepney terminal bound for Sabang. The jeepneys (150 pesos one-way) didn't have a fixed schedule so we left after 3 hours of waiting for the jeepney to get full. The supposedly 2.5 jeepney ride took 5 hours because we experienced 3 flat tires and tons of house to house deliveries from eggs, to cooking oil, to gasoline in huge containers. We were lucky to get seats in the front otherwise it would've been a tight squeeze at the back -- not only with people but also with baskets and vegetables and chickens! The Underground River was worth the long, dusty and bumpy jeepney ride though.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park popularly known as the Underground River is considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered to be the longest navigable river tunnel in the world. It takes 30 mins by pump boat (P700 pesos good for 6 persons) to get to the park's entrance from Sabang Beach.

Visitors are only allowed to traverse 3km of the river's length. Hundreds of bats await you once you go inside the cave. It was eery, scary and at the same time amazing. It was like a scene straight out of Lord of the Rings!

The guided tour itself showcased not only the cave's and river's beauty but also the guides' sense of humor. We had to stretch our imaginations and creativity to make out The Holy Family, a cathedral and some other objects from the stalactites and stalagmites.

After the tour, we decided to stay in Sabang Beach to enjoy its other attractions. And yeah, we didn't want to injure our butts for another bumpy jeepney ride.

Instituto Cervantes' Open House and International Book Day

My friends and I are suckers for anything cultural - be it a classical piano recital, a jazz concert, European, French, German, Filipino, Indian or Japanese film festivals. Like travelling, these events provide insights into our own Filipino culture and other country's distinct cultures. It is probably the closest thing to visiting these countries through their films, plays, songs, poetry, music and dances. And once you've actually visited these countries and immersed in their cultures, or you've actually interacted (and yeah, have fallen in love) with the people, you gain a deeper insight and understanding not only of the countries but also of the people. Most of these cultural events organized by the embassies or the cultural centers are for free so that is also another motivation to trek to wherever the event is held.

Last Saturday, we found ourselves navigating through Taft Avenue for Instituto Cervantes' Open House and Dia del Libro (International Book Day). The festival started at 10:00 a.m. but we arrived only at 1:30 p.m. just in time to catch the award winning film "La Colmena" or The Beehive. The film was about the lives of ordinary people in Madrid during the post-civil war years. I didn't read the synopsis and just expected the film to be spectacular because it won an award. But yeah, I ended up somewhat disappointed. Maybe also because I forgot my eyeglasses (what else is new?!) and I had to squint through the entire movie to read the English subtitles.

After the movie, we feasted our senses with the saxophonist serenading at the lobby. Then we hopped to the photo exhibit. Since it was Dia del Libro, there were a lot of books on sale - from cookbooks (I was tempted to buy one :)), popular fiction and non-fiction to Spanish literature. The biggest steal for the day was the book on Filipino-Spanish Cultural Structure in the Philippines sold for only 100 pesos! Of course there were books for 20 pesos - but in Spanish :).



The event smacked of a fiesta minus the buffet with people of all ages and nationalities checking out the books, reading poetry from Spanish, French, Portuguese and Japanese authors, watching movies, learning latin dances and people like us who were there just to soak it all in (or ogle the gorgeous Spanish guys! ;)).

We were too drunk with the heat, the books and the Spanish fiesta atmosphere to actually get drunk with the Spanish Wine tasting sponsored by Rene Barbieri.

We couldn't stay until the Latin Party in the evening and just contented ourselves hanging out at the wishing well until it was time to leave. Who knows we might finally get what we wish for? :). If you want to visit Spain but don't have the budget for it yet, you can soak it all in at the Instituto Cervantes.

For more information:
Instituto Cervantes
855 T.M. Kalaw St.1000 Ermita, Manila
Tlf.:63 2 526 14 82 - 85
Fax:63 2 526 14 49
cenmni@cervantes.es

Day Trip - Pagsanjan Falls

It seems like Metro Manila's heat is getting worse everyday. I went to the bank during yesterday's lunch break and I felt like an ice cream melting under the sun. This morning, I wanted to sleep some more after staying out late last night with SSEAYP batchmates in Greenbelt but I just couldn't. The heat is really getting to me. I want to escape to Pagsanjan!

Pagsanjan in Laguna became famous as the locaition for some of the final scenes of Francis Ford Coppola's epic Vietnam war movie Apocalypse Now. Unfortunately, the place was notorious in the '80s for the pedophiles who went there preying on unsuspecting children. So, I thought the place would be crawling with toursist traps - exorbitant fees, persistent boatmen and pesky vendors. But when I went there with my meditation friends, not only were there no traces of its sordid "place for pedophiles" past, the trip to the Pagsanjan Falls was actually fun and highly recommended for the family. The place is only one and a half hour drive from Metro Manila. Of course, there were the ever-present hagglers along the highway trying to entice us to hire their boats. But we chose the easy and hassle-free way. We went to the Pagsanjan Garden Resort and hired the resort's boatmen. We paid 1,100 pesos per person inclusive of boat, 2 boatmen, boatmen tips and entrance fee.

The highlight of the trip for me was not the waterfalls but the bumpy ride going there. Two bangkeros or boatmen paddled each a canoe with 2 -3 passengers against the river's currents, through a gorge with lush vegetation. At some point, the boatmen had to carry the canoe because it was impossible to paddle through jagged rocks. The Magdapio waterfalls, popularly known as Pagsanjan Falls beckoned to us after a 1 1/2 hour boat ride.

For 90 pesos per head, the boatmen took us under the waterfalls on a bamboo raft. Be prepared for an intense hydro-massage! It was such an adrenaline rush. My Indian friends got addicted so we went under the falls three times and felt like we had the best massage in our lives :). To recuperate from that hydro-message, we went behind the waterfalls and just chilled out in what seemed like a cave. We would've wanted to swim the lenghth of the waterfalls but the currents were actually too strong and so I chickened out. Maybe next time.

Tips when visiting Pagsanjan Falls:
1. Bring plastic bags for cameras and other valuable or better yet, buy an aquapack
2. Wear aqua sandals or mojos - the rocks at the cave behind the falls are sharp
3. Wear lots of suncreen
4. And wear additional mexican hat (never mind if you look silly)
5. Ignore the ridiculous Korean tourists who visit there with full make-up and high heels!
6. Feed your boatmen or at least buy them Coke and bread when you reach the falls after the 1 1/2 hour tiring boatride
7. Take photos along the way, during the scenic boat ride. I was too scared to get the camera wet that's why I don't have any photos to share.
8. And yes, enjoy!

My Top Summer Getaways - Part 2

I feel lucky for having visited the places in my previous post. The Philippines is truly beautiful with a lot to offer to the discriminating tourist. When I was in Palawan with The Boy, my heart just swelled with Pinoy pride seeing El Nido's wonders and the Underground River's secrets. This is only the tip of the country's natural wonder. There is much to explore and experience. Here are the rest of my favorite Summer Getaways. I will just reminisce and daydream of lazing around the beach while sipping my green mango shake, and waiting for spectacular sunsets since I am stuck here melting in Metro Manila's heat.

4. Camiguin Island – Thanks to Cebu Pacific's P10 promo, I was able to visit Camiguin last year via Cagayan de Oro on a shoestring. Camiguin has a mix of everything for the adventurer – volcanic hot springs (Ardent Hot Springs – I just wanted to soak in the warm pools the whole night!), cold springs (Sto. Nino Cold Springs), waterfalls (Katibawasan Falls), volcano (Mt. Hibok-hibok) and of course a White Beach which is actually sandbar of fine white sand.

5. Cagayan de Oro – I didn't have time to explore Cagayan de Oro but the time spent in this city was one adventure after another. In Cagayan de Oro's Macahambus Adventure Park, I walked through the hanging bridge, tried the exhilarating zip line but balked at rappelling the giant tree (also because I had to pay an additional 300 pesos J). I capped my stay with its main attraction – the White Water River Rafting along the Cagayan river. It was one big adrenaline rush and worth steep 1,100 pesos per head fee (discounted rate - inclusive of gear and lunch).

6. White Beach, Puerto Galera – I went there a few years ago and the crowd was still tolerable. The snorkeling was better than in Boracay and everything was just cheaper. The island hopping was also memorable (maybe because I was with friends) plus the cheap massage (200 pesos/hour) by the beach. White Beach in Puerto Galera is for those looking for a quick beach fix on a tight budget.

My Top Summer Getaways - Part 1

I don’t really have any plans yet to fly to one of the country’s 7,100 islands for a summer holiday. I guess it’s also because I had an early summer getaway when The Boy was here last March. Among the places I’ve visited in the Philippines, here are some of my top summer getaways:


1. El Nido, Palawan - the most beautiful place I’ve visited in the Philippines. Pristine clear waters, rich marine life, friendly locals, the intimate Small Lagoon and the breathtaking Big Lagoon, the Secret Beach, Hidden Beach, Seven Commandos Beach, Simisu Island, Cadlao Lagoon - these are just some of El Nido’s attractions. It was like paradise on earth and for an affordable price! We skipped the high-end resorts and stayed in Og’s Inn in El Nido town itself for only 500 pesos per night for a double room.


2. Underground River / Sabang Beach, Palawan - traversing 3km of this UNESCO Heritage site was like going to the earth’s core. It was also an exercise in stretching your imagination and creativity — imagine seeing The Holy Family, Jesus Christ on stalagmite formations! Sabang beach is a good place to chill-out after or before the Underground River trip. No pesky vendors or annoying party crowds — just you, the sea and the stars.



3. White Beach, Boracay - Aside from its enviable powdery white sand- the finest I’ve seen this side of the world - Boracay is of course famous for its party atmosphere, international crowd and cuisines and yes, celebrity sightings.



*Cross-posted from my Wordpress blog

To be continued…

Summer Getaway - Hidden Valley Hot Springs

*Cross-posted from my Wordpress blog.

It is almost the weekend and I am already dreaming of a weekend get-away. Where to go this time? Shoot the rapids again in Pagsanjan? Brave a trek on Taal Volcano under the summer heat? Or laze around Puerto Galera’s white beach? Unfortunately, I will have to content myself with dreaming and reliving past adventures and travels as I will be stuck in Metro Manila over the weekend. But for those itching to escape the city’s stifling heat, you can try experiencing a different heat at Hidden Valley Hot Springs in Alaminos, Laguna. I’ve always wanted to go there ever since I read an article in the now-defunct Colors Magazine. Last year, I finally got to visit with my meditation friends.

After painstaking research in Google to find the resort’s contact number and directions on how to get there, we set off to experience Hidden Valley’s delights. It was a 1 1/2 hour drive through South Superhighway and Laguna - I just can’t remember the exact route as I dozed off or blabbered for most of the drive. The resort itself is situated a few kilometers off the main road and is hidden behind a lush forest to give it a jungle feel. We had to pay 1,500 pesos at the entrance which already includes buffet lunch. The resort does not allow guests to bring food so we had to leave our home-cooked Indian vegetarian food in our vehicles. However, we managed to sneak them in as the resort didn’t have anything for our vegetarian friends (shhh don’t tell the resort ;))

We followed the gurgling sounds which brought us to the 3 main pools. From warmest, warmer, warm - we tried them and loved them all. I especially love just staying under the warm waterfall for a very relaxing back rub. We could’ve stayed in the warm pools for hours but other attractions beckoned.

After dropping off our bags on one of the cabanas, we headed to the “Hidden Falls.” On the way we saw this giant 100-year old tree. I felt in awe of its majesty, like I was just a tiny speck in comparison.

The hidden falls (picture at the top) awaited us after a few minutes of trekking and skipping over huge tree roots. The hidden falls was magical. It actually beckoned us to enjoy its cool waters but the resort guide said guests aren’t allowed to swim in this area. Too bad. We just watched and took photos of the kids from the neighboring barangay as they jumped from the top. Watching the kids brought Fr. Ferriols’ “Lundagin mo, beybeh” to mind.

Aside from the warm pools, Hidden Valley also boasts of a soda pool - according to the guide, the water in this pool tastes like soda; and a lovers’ pool located off the road and away from prying eyes. When we were there, the lovers’ pool was empty. Perhaps because it was more tempting to laze in the warm waters.

We left Hidden Valley’s relaxing warm waters at dusk with a promise to return. It was worth sharing bathroom space with naked Koreans and the blah buffet lunch. I shall indeed return. And maybe next time, I’ll visit with The Boy so we can verify the lovers’ pool’s claimed seclusion ;-).

Contact information:
* Hidden Valley Hot Springs Alaminos, Laguna Tel: (+63 2) 840-4112

Mabuhay from Manila!

Fresh start. This is already my fifth blog! This one will be more on my life as a single pinay working in Manila, my travels in and outside Manila, my adventures and yes mis-adventures. Join me for an interesting jeepney ride.