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.
5 comments:
Wow !! Sabang must be a beautiful and a very romantic place to be in !! The pics are very good !!I wonder when do i take the next flight to the Philippines
Yes sabang is really beautiful. Watch out for El Nido. It is more beautiful than Sabang. Let me know when u take the plane to Phils :) Thanks for visiting my blog!
I just arrived from Puerto Princesa. And stumbling with your very interesting blog I couldn't help but read it and post this comment.I found a lot of similarities between our trips and the things that I wanted to express when writing my own version of the story was well expressed already here. To start with we flew with Cebu Pacific to Puerto and also took the jeepney for Sabang. The trip took us more than three hours because of the same reasons you mentioned except the flat tire. We also lodged ourselves at Taraw probbaly occupying the same cottage you occupied.hehehe..maybe not. Anyway we also enjoyed hammocking by the beach but my friend brought his own and we used this when the hammock was occupied by some caucasian tourists. The next day I was at the Mangrove river. ate Aida was my tour guide. I guess I took almost the same picture like the one you have here. And the picture you took on the tree, I also took a picture there. hahahaha.
Anyway, of course the visit to Sabang would be useless without going to the Underground river. I would have not enjoyed and appreciated the site better had the guide/boatman was boring and timid. Again, I guess we had the same guide who was quick to mention the "light at the end of the tunnel" when we were back at the entrance of the cave.
Despite these funny coincidences, i think the bottomline of everything is the fact that like you I also enjoyed my trip to Sabang. Unfortunately, I couldn't join the group to El Nido because I needed to return to Manila. On my way to Puerto, the jeepney I boarded had flat tire and I missed my flight. I was lucky anyway to get a flight the next day. Just the same I had fun and that little incident hasn't diminished my good memories of Sabang. As they say, it's worth the trip. Keep writing! Your stories are very interesting.
Hi Anonymous!
Thanks for your kind words. I'm glad you also enjoyed your Sabang adventure. The jeepneys to Sabang are something else ;). My travel companion who's a foreigner was so surprised why the jeepneys made house to house deliveries. But yeah that's part of the experience. I think riding through the aircon van isn't as interesting. Hope you can visit El Nido next time. It's really beautiful!
Thanks for visiting my blog.
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