The Philippine Chapter of Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) recommends the following dive sites as a must for an intrepid underwater explorer:

1) Palawan

Coron Bay, Palawan (Photo by David Spencer)

It does not take a lot of imagination to think of Palawan as the prime dive destination in the country because its beauty on the surface flaunts the Eden below. To be sure, there are several choice dive spots in Palawan, but you will never go wrong if you venture into the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park first. Cited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this underwater constellation of heavenly bodies has also been listed by CNN as one of the world’s top 10 dive sites. Coron not only has achingly beautiful lagoons, it also has an unbelievable diversity that speaks of the preservation efforts of Palawan’s local government and its people. There is a WWII sunken ship in Coron that is easy to explore for beginners. El Nido tantalizes with exotic coral diving, an apt introduction to the ecological state of health of surrounding waters.

2) Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro (Photo by ASCOM Prefeitura de Votuporanga)

Puerto Galera off the coast of Mindoro (a province adjacent to Palawan) brims with 40 dive sites for divers of all skill levels. The most famous of them all is The Canyons. Snappers, emperors, eagle rays, barracudas, turtles, tuna and occasional sharks are among the denizens of Puerto Galera’s deep.

3) Boracay

Boracay White Beach (Photo by Deortiz)

Not to be outdone by others on the beach list, Boracay promises underwater adventures in the same way it promises fun in the sand. Angol Point just off the coast of Station 3 is a beginner’s dive spot. For the initiated diver, Yapak waters are more challenging and abound with equally rewarding sightings of white-tip and grey reef sharks, tuna, manta rays and eagle rays. The coral canopy is vibrant and populated with corals of all colors and stripes (quite literally).

4) Apo Island

Apo Island (Photo by SarahDepper)

This island off the coast of Dauin has long been in the diving circuit because of its marine wealth and its people’s conservation efforts. Coral gardens are no less breathtaking, and the opportunity for muck diving arises in the waters of Dumaguete, 30 minutes away by boat. (A recent update states, however, that Apo Island’s coral gardens have been affected – well, actually, decimated – by Typhoon Sendong and are presently under rehabilitation.) Those who have frequented Dumaguete waters also know that there are discoveries that wait in the muck. The ecosystem is entirely different and abounds with baskets of sponges, blazing nudibranchs, and colorful crinoids.

5) Malapascua, Cebu

Malapascua, Cebu (Photo by Matt Kieffer)

Cebu is also on the best Philippine beach list, and it is equally flamboyant underwater as it is on the shore. Hammerhead sharks have been spotted to patrol the waters from December to February, but Monad Shoal abounds with creatures of all imaginable kinds year round. Diving is also friendlier, because the less intrepid can just skim the surface at 5 meters and get generously rewarded with astounding sights.

6) Subic Bay

Subic Bay (Photo by allan piamonte)

More famously known as the United States’ Naval base in the Pacific until the Philippine Senate voted against it, Subic Bay not only beckons with marine denizens but also with interesting finds. Sharks, dolphins, turtles and barracudas flit in and out of Subic waters along with WW II wrecks.

7) Cauayan-Sipalay-Hinobaan Circuit, Negros Occidental

Sulu Sea (Photo by Jayvee Fernandez)

The adventure starts at Danjugan Island just off the coast of Cauayan, a town that precedes Sipalay in Southern Negros. Danjugan is a marine reserve and a living laboratory for WWF (World Wildlife Fund) marine biologists. Additionally, the island’s relative isolation from the mainland has helped maintain the health of marine life. From here further down south, it only gets better. Coral gardens abound in shallower waters until Nabulao Bay in Hinobaan, the last town of Negros Occidental, where another island known in the map as Pitogo but known by the locals as “pulo” (isle), hosts natural growth mangrove forests and a very expensive tropical resort. This tri-town circuit directly faces Sulu Sea, so gigantic bivalve mollusks, 150-pound yellowfin tunas and bottlenose dolphins are typical sightings.

Technically a snorkeling, instead of diving, destination, Donsol in Sorsogon rewards the marine adventurer with almost year-round sightings of the whale sharks locally known as the “butanding.” Before whale shark overdose sets in, however, divers can explore Manta Bowl and Ticao Island of nearby Masbate, where marine wildlife is said to be unbelievably diverse and colorful.

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Baywalk

Baywalk in early morning

Baywalk: The City Baywalk teems with fitness-minded Palawenos before the sun rises and breeze-seeking families after-hours. Bicycle rentals are as cheap as P25 (US$0.60) an hour. Some bicycles can even be rented for use outside the boulevard, which means you can get to other city landmarks on wheels.

Plaza Cuartel

Plaza Cuartel: If you are anywhere near the city center (within the radius of Rizal Avenue and National Highway junction) then this WWII memorial – where 143 American prisoners of war were burned by their Japanese captors – is accessible by tricycle for Php8. Entrance is free. If you want to walk it from the Baywalk, you can take Malvar Street, walk in the direction of the passenger port, and take a left at Concepcion Road. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Concepcion (painted in white and blue) can be seen from this secondary road. Plaza Cuartel is on the opposite street. Opens daily from 8AM to 6PM.

Chinese and Siamese 16th century pottery at the Palawan Museum

Palawan Museum: Discounting the fact that the precious relics deserve better than their present accommodation, Palawan Museum is an eye-opening destination for those who wish to see the province’s ethnological and archaeological history. If for nothing else, this is an excellent itinerary filler for days when the skies are overcast and promise to ruin whatever beach excursions you have planned ahead. With your rented bike, you can pedal all the way to Palawan Museum from Plaza Cuartel and stop at Plaza Mendoza in front of the museum. Entrance fee is P10 for students and P20 (US$0.50) for adults. Opens every day except Sundays from 9AM to 12NN and from 1:30 to 5PM.

Crocodiles are bred at the Palawan Rescue and Wildlife Conservation Center

A resident white-bellied sea eagle at the Crocodile Farm

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center: A little out of the way from the city center, this refuge for ‘wayward wildlife’ can be accessed by public transport (multicab jeepneys) plying the Irawan-PPC (as in Puerto Princesa City) route. From Rizal Avenue in downtown PPC, the ride is about 30 minutes away and the fare is P20 (US$0.50) one way. Entrance to the Irawan Crocodile Farm (as it is known locally) is P40. Photo ops with baby crocs and the fuzzy bear cat are also available at less than a dollar each. Visiting hours on weekdays are from 1:30 to 5PM and on Saturdays from 9AM to 5PM with an hour lunch break from noon to 1PM.

The lush gardens at Baker’s Hill

Baker’s Hill: Another off-city center attraction is this eats-and-sights combo 30 minutes away from Rizal Avenue. Entrance is free and purchase of baked goodies (most popular of which is mung bean or purple-yam-filled pastry called ‘hopia’) is not even required to enjoy this botanical patch, mini-zoo and amusement park of sorts overlooking Honda Bay. From Rizal Avenue, take the PPC-Santa Monica/Pajara multicab (make sure it passes by Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trade or PPSAT) and get off at the PPSAT junction (fare is P15). Take a tricycle uphill (about 5 minutes for P10 if with company or P20 if occupying the tricycle alone) or hike if you have the stamina and time (about 15 minutes). Closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week until dinner time (they have a restaurant). They also open early enough to buy hot ‘pan de sal’ (“bread of salt”) for breakfast.

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – How to Get Around Puerto Princesa on Public Transport >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Angkor Wat remains Cambodia’s major tourist draw

Take for instance Fodor’s 7 Affordable Destinations for 2013. There certainly are plenty of places in Southeast Asia where a dollar goes a long, long way, and Cambodia is one of them. Throw in ancient archaelogical wonders like Angkor Wat and you have got a winner.

Then you have Conde Nast saying in its Destinations to Watch in 2013 that Maldives is out, Philippines is in! Those in the loop already know this, but given the massive campaign of the Department of Tourism that “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”, the country is indeed poised to invade the global beach scene.

Just 7 of the 7,107 islands (Photo by The Wandering Angel)

And Lonely Planet has a word to say: Palawan. Also named one of the Hot 20 Destinations of 2012 by National Geographic, Palawan is indeed revving up for the influx of tourists that has been arriving and and are yet to come. Despite the fact that it can get elbow-to-elbow when visiting the now world-famous Puerto Princesa Underground River, Palawan still has plenty to offer. There’s El Nido, Coron, San Vicente, Port Barton (Sabang), and Balabac Island. And if you dare to explore the 7,000 others, the list could as well be endless.

In its Best Trips for 2013, National Geographic names Myanmar, along with world-favorite Indonesia, in the top 20. Indonesia, of course, needs no introduction, but it is worth mentioning that Raja Ampat, off the coast of West Papua, is the oceanic sister of the Amazon. Philippines has it too (Tubbataha Reefs) and so does Malaysia (Sipadan).

But Burma has a different appeal.

A serene Myanmar countryside trapped in time

Largely ignored by mainstream travelers for the longest time, the country once named Burma took the spotlight once again when its homegrown champion of democracy, the house-arrested Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, earned a seat in the parliament. Today, because of its reclusion from outside influences, places outside Yangon and Mandalay seem frozen in time. Get ready for pagoda fatigue as you stroll along the banks of Ayeyarwady River.

Travel and Leisure still maintains that Philippines is more than just a side trip. You must have already heard countless times about Boracay, but what about the highlands of Nepal? Not technically Southeast Asian, Nepal is one of the favorite circuits of pedal pushers and summit seekers. Time to get to know it more this year.

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El Nido has already been on the path to mainstream popularity before another Palawan attraction six hours away gained worldwide acclaim after being voted as one of the newest 7 Wonders of Nature. El Nido has seen a dramatic increase in its tourist traffic after the inclusion of the Puerto Princesa Underground River to the coveted lineup of natural wonders of the world. When visitors are turned away from the subterranean river because of full booking (visitor entry permits are issued with a daily quota), they head up north and console themselves in the white sand beaches and secret lagoons and teeming underwater world of El Nido.

I have not been to Vietnam yet, but the first time I saw Bacuit Bay, I was taken aback with its likeness to images I’ve seen of Halong Bay (which is also one of the world’s New7Wonders of Nature). Towering karst outcrops carpeted in foliage and veiled in morning mist dot the bay and provide a dramatic introduction – or finale – to Palawan, Philippines’ rising tourist mecca.

I’ve attempted to capture a few of El Nido’s highlights and, like any star-struck first-timer, wished that I could have camped overnight in beaches in between island-hops to really scratch the surface deeper. El Nido is a beauty all its own and deserves to be accorded praise independent of any comparison.

The famed turquoise waters of El Nido found at Seven Commando Beach

Seven Commando Beach before droves of tourists arrive

Pinagbuyutan Island viewed from Seven Commando Beach

A view of Pinagbuyutan Island from a rock overhang

Papaya Beach on the other side of Seven Commando, largely ignored by mainstream island hoppers

Karst topography characterize El Nido islands

Maramegmeg Beach on the southern tip of Corong Corong

Helicopter Island and El Nido Town rock massif viewed from Maramegmeg Beach

Cadlao Island, the largest in Bacuit Bay and the closest to El Nido Town

El Nido Town Proper beach front

El Nido Town Proper

On the way to Calaan Beach to the north

El Nido Town viewed from the northern end of Bacuit Bay

Sunset over Bacuit Bay viewed from Corong Corong

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – How to Get to El Nido from Puerto Princesa >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Knowing that accommodations typically eat a huge chunk of travel budgets, I was determined to stretch my less than US$250 over a 15-day period, or I would have resigned to only one out of my three planned destinations, or pack up home after only five days. But I wasn’t willing to forgo El Nido for the Underground River, nor would I not want to stay long in Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s capital.

So armed with nothing but online references and information on the ground (and unlimited airtime on cellphone calls), I snagged what I thought to be the cheapest accommodations in a destination fast becoming expensive for its newly-found international celebrity status.

Research, Research, Research

Like any conscientious traveler, I was diligent on research when it came to accommodation. I left my itinerary to luck, but finding a place to stay was something I hunkered down to before the trip.

Weeks before my planned arrival in Palawan, I have been calling and emailing around for room rates. I didn’t care whether the room did not come with cable TV (who needs TV when she would be outdoors most of the time?) or air-conditioning or even ensuite bath. All I looked for in a room was a place to hang my hammock if need be. If it came with a bed and a fan, then I considered it a bonus.

My effort paid off with what I believe to be the cheapest accommodations in Palawan – indoors. (If it were not for the fact that solo women backpackers are prey to wandering “evil spirits”, then I would have strung my hammock wherever there was thick foliage and sturdy branches.) If you find anything cheaper, please let us know in the comments.

Cheapest Accommodation in Puerto Princesa City

Like any rising urban hub that is the center of tourist activity, Puerto Princesa is fast becoming expensive itself if you are not patient enough to scratch deeper. Rooms come at a standard rate of P500 (US$12.50) per night for two persons. But since I was traveling solo, I was hesitant to pay for that extra space. I could spend it instead on activities, and yes, food! So I snooped around some more until I found the figure I had in mind and was willing to spend.

When I validated some of my earlier leads for even cheaper room rates (P180), they turned out to be more expensive (I was quoted P500 for their cheapest) and out of the way, which would have made me spend more on transportation.

At P250 (US$6) a day for single accommodation, I thought I snagged a great deal.

I was lucky to have stumbled upon Duchess Pension (a tip from a travel blog), one of Puerto Princesa’s pioneer in accommodations industry.

I consider my find value for money: I had no fancy expectations of hot showers or utter privacy. All I was hoping for my P250 a day (they have P350 for double occupancy) was some level of security (so I could stash my belongings by day and sleep safely at night), a modicum of cleanliness and some peace and quiet so I could get decent sleep.

Duchess Pension Facade

Duchess Pension is situated along Valencia Street, a road perpendicular to Rizal Avenue which is the city’s main thoroughfare. It was about 10 minutes away from the airport by tricycle (P20 or US$0.50) and about three to five minutes from other conveniences (stores, eateries and service centers). I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered by accident (I’m simply lost with maps and my spatial intelligence is below average at best) that Palawan Museum, the main city artery and the local market are just a few blocks away. One of the town’s best eats – chao long or Vietnamese noodles – is a short tricycle ride (P8) from the pension (in the Philippines, pension in accommodation means ‘small scale’).

Some Inconveniences, But You Get What You Pay And Then Some

Because Duchess Pension is located right by the roadside, it can get busy during rush hour which can be heard indoors if you choose a room fronting the street. I had the fortune to have been assigned a room away from the street, but got one right beside a residence. So what I lacked in traffic noise was made up for by household commotion like crying babies, surprise birthday song and dance and the occasional midnight bout of coughing.

Dining Area

Garden Area

Single Occupancy Fan Room

I had to share the toilet and bath with others on the same row, but I always found the amenities vacant whenever the need arises, a real bonus considering my no-frills accommodation. The toilet and bath were sufficiently clean and exceeded my (modest) expectations.

I was also delighted to find that the garden downstairs was quite airy and well-lit and rarely filled with guests. It was a pleasant (and quiet!) setting for a simple breakfast of coffee, rice and dried fish and an oasis from the hustle and bustle in the reception area.

Accommodation for Groups and Room Rates

Room Rates

For bigger groups, double occupancy for air-conditioned room is P850 (plus P100 for extra person and another P100 for cable TV); triple sharing is P950 and quad-sharing is P1,300 (P250 for extra person). Air-conditioned accommodation for 6 persons is P1,900. As room rates can change without prior notice, always check with the front desk for the most up-to-date prices.

Duchess Pension also offer tours to Honda Bay, Underground River, El Nido and Puerto Princesa City so you may opt to book directly with them especially if you are doing a group tour and would want to skip the hassle of travel planning.

Cheap in Price But Not in Quality

All in all, I found my experience at Duchess Pension a real delight. I was able to sleep soundly despite the aforementioned residential distractions; I always emerged clean and fresh after a day’s “toil” under the sun; and I managed to enjoy some alone time in a public area to get me ready for the day ahead.

Duchess Pension gets filled fast, so it helps to book way ahead of time especially during peak season which started in December and ends in May. (Room attendants I talked to report that even during the off-peak season, rooms get filled quickly.) Reservations can be done online at http://duchesspensionpalawan.com/. Or, call or text them at 63-48-4332873 or 63-917-553-0605 (for international calls) for further inquiry.

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – Photo Essay: El Nido, Palawan >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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To cut to the chase, here’s the skinny on how to get to one of Palawan’s busiest tourist hubs with the hoi polloi.

How to Get to the Underground River from Puerto Princesa:-

From Rizal Avenue to the San Jose Terminal and New Market:

• By tricycle: Find a tricycle with the Department of Tourism logo (a peacock with his tail feathers spread). Negotiate. Fare is P80 (so if you are two, you need only to pay P40 each). Travel time is around 20 minutes.
• By multi-cab: Take the multi-cab with San Jose Terminal or New Market signage. Fare is (rounded off to) P15. Travel time is around 30 minutes (with loading time and junction stops factored in).

From San Jose Terminal to Sabang:

• By bus. Look for a jeepney or bus with a “Sabang” signage (Sabang is part of Baranggay Cabayugan which in turn is part of Puerto Princesa City). They park on the back end of the terminal. Fare is P100. Seating is first-come, first-served.

A jeepney parked at Sabang Wharf awaiting passengers

*Buses and jeepney schedules are as follows: 7AM, 9AM, 12NN and 2PM. I haven’t confirmed their last trip going back to Puerto Princesa, but I saw a jeepney waiting for passengers at the Sabang Wharf around noon.

• By van. Air-conditioned shuttle vans are fast becoming the preferred mode of transport to the Underground River because of minimal fare difference and maximum comfort. Vans are either parked where the multi-cab passes by, or are parked alongside the Sabang jeepneys and buses on the back end of the terminal. Fare is P150.

Shuttle vans parked at Sabang Wharf wait for their passengers

*Reserve your seats by calling these numbers (for Lexus Shuttle): Landline (for international calls dial 63-48-723-0128); Smart (63-910-4975-610); and Globe (63-917-5859-613). Van schedules may differ from one provider to another. For Lexus Shuttle (they park on the far end of the terminal), the schedule is as follows:

Puerto Princesa to Sabang:

• 7:30AM
• 8:30AM
• 10AM
• 3PM
• 5PM

Sabang to Puerto Princesa

• 7:30AM
• 1PM
• 2PM
• 4PM
• 6PM

From Sabang Wharf, it’s all boat ride to the Underground River if the Jungle Trail is closed: A motorized boat to get to the beach where the welcome area is located, and a paddle boat from the mangrove area into the river.

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – Duchess Pension Palawan Review  >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Up close, PPUR is achingly magnificent. How it was formed is equally a marvel, a testament to how geological forces can be astoundingly creative, in the same way that they are destructive.

Below is the author’s attempt to capture in stills one of Palawan’s crown jewels.

Dawn over Sitio Sabang, home to the Underground River

The rocky side of the Sabang Beach (to the left of the viewer when facing the sea)

Budget accommodations on the rocky end of Sabang Beach

The sandy beach to the ‘right’ of the wharf when viewer faces the sea

Upscale resorts on the sandy end of Sabang Beach

Docking area on the way the river

The less photographed (and largely ignored) side of the docking area

The pre-tour area where tourists put on hard hat and orange flotation device

The photogenic entrance to the cave

Breathtaking stalactites hang over the ceiling of the Underground River

Stalactites resemble easily recognizable items and figures (Filipino vegetable ‘okra’ to the far right)

Massive stalagmites (recognizable as a ‘dripping candle’) rise out of the cave floor

Crevices are home to nocturnal residents such as bats

On the way out

Boatload of tourists entering the cave

Unhindered view of the entrance to the Underground River

An elevated view of the mountains that hide a river

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – How to Get to Puerto Princesa Underground River >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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There is also that 2,000 kilometers of coastline and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with four more proposed. Given these statistics, it is easy to understand why Palawan gets more than its fair share of glory and fame both locally and internationally.

It also doesn’t hurt that it is the ‘ittest’ of the ‘it’ places in the Philippines right now. If Palawan’s present efforts at conservation is any indication, it will remain the fairest in the land for a long time.

The entrance to the Puerto Princesa Underground River

Palawan came to mainstream consciousness in 2011 when rumor had it that its 5-mile long underground river and cave system (Puerto Princesa Underground River) had a good chance of landing the world’s new 7 natural wonders (which it finally did in January 2012). But long before the world’s attention was focused on Palawan, it was already a hands-down favorite by both local and international tourists. As a UNESCO Heritage Site, the underground river has its fair share of admirers even before the lens of world media zoomed in.

Coron Islands Cove

National Geographic agrees with all those accolades. Named as one of the National Geographic Traveler 20 Best Destinations in 2011, Palawan needs no further endorsement as the Philippines’ emerging consummate tourist magnet.

Located on the central-western seaboard of the Philippines off the coast of Western Visayas, Palawan is that long arm of an island that seems to reach out to Borneo. Palawan Island, the largest island for which the province was named after, stretches for 450 kilometers, and its mountain ranges are still thickly canopied with virgin forests that are now a rarity in the country.

El Nido, Palawan

As the Philippines’ last frontier, it also doesn’t hurt that its rugged coastline is dotted with limestone karst islets, rocky coves and the requisite sugar and white beaches. Its wildlife, both on land and in water, is one of the most staggeringly diverse in the country. The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is another UNESCO World Heritage Site described by UNESCO itself as “an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100-meter perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.”

What makes Palawan stand out among hundreds of other best places to explore in the country is its natural rawness that many observe has long disappeared from Boracay. It’s not that there are not many other contenders – with more than 7,000 islands, who can say for sure – it’s just that Palawan knows it’s beautiful and takes pains to preserve itself. Tourism is definitely huge right now, but local government executives keep an iron hand on how visitors treat their place and how resources are managed such that its natural endowments are not compromised in the name of development.

As a result, tourists can still land on pristine beaches that look as though they were left untouched by man, although thousands of others have already been there before. Karst limestone formations rise above crystal blue-green waters, giving the visitors an Eden feel. The best part, trash couldn’t be found on the streets, and the government is dead serious in slapping someone a steep fine if caught littering or vandalizing government property and the natural environment.

Efficient management of resources, jaw-dropping sights, and regulated tourist infrastructure make Palawan a city in the middle of nature. There is a plethora of attractions that Palawan has to offer even to those who have already been there and back again. PPUR, El Nido and Coron are just some of the already familiar sites that a traveler has likely seen on postcards and travel brochures everywhere, but seeing these highlights of the province is barely scratching the surface. With nature’s riches at its disposal, Palawan enthralls, mesmerizes and enraptures even the well-initiated traveler.

Photos by dahon and Hector Garcia

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