Six must-visit attractions in Palawan
- Joseph Subong
- Feb 6, 2016
- 6 min read
My friends and I are fresh from a seven-month review, a four-Sunday exam and now, a five to six-month tormenting wait for the results. What can be the perfect runaway from these horrors? The sole getaway in mind is Palawan. This, I have after touring Puerto Princesa in 2014.
The list starts in Puerto Princesa.
Ugong Rock Adventure
We had Ugong rock climbing as a stop-over to the Underground River. This is a project of ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan Foundation to give local residents an alternative source of income in lieu of their accustomed means--- kaingin.
The rock we embarked is a limestone formation supposedly below sea level million years ago. Up close, you would see portions of the rock carved by hostile waves.
This activity will require you to sweat a bit and flex your muscles. Don’t worry, at the apex is a zipline to fly you where your van is stationed. Rock climbing costs P200 and P500 for the zipline.
2. Underground River Tour
Palawan Underground River was listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011. I will not raise protest to this. This is a much-deserved title. See it yourself and I am sure you will agree with me.
From Puerto Princesa Airport, it takes three hours to reach Sabang Wharf. It becomes five if your travel agency drops by Ugong Rock Adventures.
At Sabang, buffet lunch is served at P200 but it’s included in the package for those traveling with agency. You may choose from an array of restaurants all serving Filipino cuisine, buffet lunches. Usually, your agency partners with a resto where you will all dine. Your lunch schedule will depend on your arrival at Sabang and the queue at the wharf. If you will arrive early and the queue is not long, your agent may opt to go straight to the UR.
A must try at Sabang is their Tamilok Dish. Tamilok as they claim it is the longest oyster harvested from decaying mangroves and served with vinegar like a caviche.
Boats are stationed at the wharf to ferry you to the UR. It takes 20 minutes on good weather condition. Caution, waves grow bigger later in the day.
You will be docked few meters away from the entrance of the UR. It’s a shore big enough to cater boats ferrying tourists. The beach in itself is an attraction. It’s a prelude to something awesome that you are about to witness.
I loved the trees here which provided lush and shade for the goers, the random rays allowed through the openings of the canopies which created dramatic natural lighting. Plus, the branches suspended inches above the fine sands complemented the drama.
Another favorite was the entrance of the river. Here, salt and rain water meet, waves are hushed and the turquoise water reveal its bed.
The entrance is perfect fit for Filipinos. However, foreigners are advised to bend a little.
Once you get in, there’s no stopping you from opening your mouth in awe of an enormous beauty lying hidden on this farthest end of the world. Just don’t look up with your mouth open, you might take bat piss instead of mineral water from the stalactites as UR is also home to millions of bats.
3. City Tour (Baker’s Hill, Boulevard)
The city Tour consists of a tour at the DENR office with a crocodile farm and a bird sanctuary, sight-seeing in a ranch, shopping for pasalubong at Baker’s Hill and an evening at the boulevard.
Baker’s Hill is known for their Hopia and the cute garden where you can eat the goodies you buy in their bakeshop.
On mornings, the boulevard is venue for jogging, hiking, and biking. After sunset, it transforms into dining and chill out station.
The list continues in El Nido.
El Nido translates to, the nest in English. It is home to beautiful beaches both secret and conspicuous, lagoons, and diving sites. Island hopping is the main activity here. There are four island hopping tours labeled Tour A, B, C, and D which you can choose from.
4. Tour A
Tour A is more on lagoons. There are three of the five. These are, the Small Lagoon, the Big Lagoon, and the Secret Lagoon. The beaches are, Shimizu Island and Commando Island.
The small lagoon is my favorite. It’s a 360-degree beauty likened to a big bathtub with calm, turquoise blend of sea and rain water secluded by breath-taking limestone formations that are over millions of years in the making.
The lagoon may be explored by swimming or on kayak. For the likes of us who are novice at swimming, we had kayak. It’s safer too. There were deep parts in the lagoon and we were not acquainted. Kayak is at P400.
5. Tour C
Tour C is more on beaches consisting of:
The Helicopter Beach
Hidden Beach
Colasa Beach
Secret Beach
Matinloc Shrine
6. Marimegmeg Beach
The long beach of this resort is tailor-made for swimming. It offers the best sight of El Nido’s sunset. Sunbathing is the activity not to miss here.
Tips
From Sabang wharf go straight to El Nido. This will save you two hours of travel time.
Buy your necessities in Puerto Princesa. El Nido is a bit pricey. Food is a little short from Manila price. One meal starts from P120 to P300.
Wear the proper clothing. I ended up bruised after struggling against some corals. Wear the right footwear too. Your havaianas cannot withstand. It’s slippery and some corals are too sharp for your calluses to bear. Corals are not the only things to watch out for. Small fishes might welcome you with a bite.
Don’t forget to wrap your camera tightly and securely. Buy an underwater bag and don’t settle for a cheap one on this. One tourist we met on the boat got her smart phone soaked wet when the water seeped through the ziplock she bought from Divisoria. One regret I have in this travel is not securing an underwater bag. I left my camera on the boat most of the time. As a consequence, I missed to capture many of the post-card worthy views we witnessed.
I don’t recommend that you avail of the city tour through a travel agency. The agency will charge you P600 per person. You can save more if you go by yourself.
The boulevard is near the city proper. You can just take a trike and pay P8.00. You can even just jog your route there if you visit early in the morning. But I suggest that you go there at night and have dinner. You can get a boodle-fight dinner for two at P300.
Trikes going to baker’s hill will charge you P200. We are good at haggling, we got it at P150 for the four of us.
The rest, you may skip especially if you don’t have the time.
Itinerary
Day 1. December 4, 2015. Puerto Princesa
5:00 AM- 7:00 AM - Flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa, Palawan
8:00 AM to 11:30AM- Land trip from Puerto Princesa to Sabang Wharf
11:30 to 12:00 NN – Buffet lunch at sabang Wharf
12:00 NN- 12:20 NN – Boat from Sabang wharf to Underground River
12:20 PM – 3:30- PM- Underground River Tour
3:30 PM-4:00 PM- Return to Sabang wharf from Underground River
4:00 PM to 9:00 PM- Land trip from Sabang Wharf to El Nido
Day 2. December 5, 2015. El Nido
9: 00 AM to 4:00 PM -Tour A- Lagoon Hopping
Day 3. December 6, 2015. El Nido
9:00 AM- 4:00 PM - Tour C- Hidden Beaches Hopping.
Sunset at Maremegmeg Beach- 5:00 PM-6:30 PM
Buffet Dinner at Hilltop- 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Day 4. December 7, 2015. Puerto Princesa
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM – trip from El Nido to Puerto Princesa
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Check-in and rest
4:30 PM – 5:30 – Malling at NCCC, buy groceries
5:30 PM- 9:00- Strolling and dinner at Palawan boulevard
Day 5. December 8, 2015. Puerto Princesa
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Bakers’ Hill
5:30 PM- 6:00 PM – Fort
6:00 PM- 7:00 PM- Attend mass at Palawan Cathedral
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM- Dinner
9:00 PM onwards- Strolling around pueblo
Day 5. December 9, 2015. Manila
Flight back to Manila
Accommodation
Accommodation is not an issue in Palawan. There are good finds within the city proper. You may just roam around for cheap hostels and inns. Don’t be scared to explore the city. Security is threat-free. People are tourist-friendly.
In Puerto Princesa, we stayed at Galaxy Inn just fronting Palawan State University College of Law. We loved it there, the manager was friendly when we first stayed in 2014.
In El Nido, we had Columbus Inn at P350 per night. The place was overlooking Marimegmeg beach. It’s quite far from the town proper though. On one hand, the seclusion gives you peace and privacy. Trike to town will cost you P20 per person.
Budget
Plane Ticket (MAN-PPS-MAN)- P600
Underground River Tour (Inclusive of transfer from airport to Sabang Wharf, Buffet Lunch, and Boat transfer from Sabang wharf to the underground river) - 1,200
Fare (from Sabang wharf to El Nido to PPS)- 600 (1,200)
Hotel in El Nido ( Inclusive of breakfast)- 350 (1,050)
Tour A (Inclusive of lunch)- 1, 000
Tour C (Inclusive of lunch)- 1, 200
Kayak- 400
Hotel in Puerto Princesa- 450 (900)
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