New South Star Drug's calendar featured the best and irresistible travel destinations for this year, so I was tempted to search for the lowest fare from the 3 competing airlines before I finally grabbed this promo offer for this trip from Zest Air, but my Naga-Manila flight was delayed and I was left scampering for my Manila-Puerto Princesa aircraft. No dice. That scheduled flight departed without me on that plane, pshaw! I wasted one full day in the metropolis and waited for the next trip without penalty for it was the carrier's fault caused by the delay.
Nenette Del Valle Bundal, a friend I've known in one of the UCCP seminars in the national level in the early 90's that I attended before was reconnected with me thru the efforts of my sister Joy who searched for her whereabouts and tipped me about PPC before making this trip, met me at the airport. She was my prime tour guide for the supposed to be 3 day tour trimmed down to two.
Dubbed as "A City in a Forest," PPC is a paradise for nature lovers as well. Almost every point of interest is worth visiting because of its innate beauty and wonder. It is home to the Underground River, now proclaimed as "One of the Seven Wonders of Nature." The one day guided tour was worth the price and the experience. We had a stop over at Ulugan View Deck to behold the beauty of the bay and for souvenir shopping.
At Sabang beach, we waited for our boat transfer across the other side of the island where the Underground River was snugly situated. Everyone looked pumped up during our cruise as we anticipate our arrival at the site for our boating inside the pitch dark cave and river. Awesome! There were monkeys around but no water monitors were in sight due to the mating season, I vaguely remember.
We were greeted by the emerald green water that divides the blue salt water and fresh water inside the cave. There were 9 of us on a small boat, and the boatman-cum- guide propelled our vessel by means of a long pole while giving us bits of information about the history of the cave and the wonderful stalactite and stalagmite formations. Tennefaye was seated in front and held the spotlight with constant directions from our tour guide. That was the reason why our photos were clearer and better, hahaha. Convincingly a nature's wonder!
No need and time to rest, so off I walked going to Bay Walk with Tennefaye and Froy to take photos of "Prinsesa ng Baybay." This statue of PPC is commonly overlooked by tourists but not by me. We also enjoyed the foods at the hawker stalls by the bay and waited for the sun to set.
We spent our last night going to different shops for small souvenir items and tried Palawan's "Tamilok," a wood worm (crustacean in fact) at Kinabuch which is best eaten with ice cold beer. It was neither good nor bad, I'd say. I was just fulfilled to have tasted that exotic worm. No one could tell truths and lies to me about Tamilok anymore. Hahaha... Another must-taste in Puerto Princesa is Chow Long.
Tennefaye brought us to a hole in the wall with the best tasting chow long. This prized food item is the Vietnamese refugees' legacy to Palawan. The noodles are made from glutinous rice and it is topped with eucalyptus leaves and fresh spouted mongo.
Our last day was so tight. Hunda Bay island-hopping was a half-day challenge. The only resort was to rent a boat, so a clear advice was given to the boatman that we have to be back at 12 noon. The first island that we reached was Star Fish Island. Midway, I snorkelled at Pambato Reef.
The island was small and pristine with sand that looks like a 99% sugar and mangroves abound on other side. Our boatman got us several star fish for picture taking purpose, and sped up onto the next island called Snake. No snakes are found on the island, but the shape of it is its source of name. There we enjoyed the food we brought and the white sandy beach with boats moored close by. The third island, Pandan, has the best sand quality that is comparable to Boracay’s.
At 12 noon, we completed our city tour by going to Crocodile Farm, Mitra's Ranch and Baker's Hill which bakes the best ube hopia in the world! :)
The island was small and pristine with sand that looks like a 99% sugar and mangroves abound on other side. Our boatman got us several star fish for picture taking purpose, and sped up onto the next island called Snake. No snakes are found on the island, but the shape of it is its source of name. There we enjoyed the food we brought and the white sandy beach with boats moored close by. The third island, Pandan, has the best sand quality that is comparable to Boracay’s.
At 12 noon, we completed our city tour by going to Crocodile Farm, Mitra's Ranch and Baker's Hill which bakes the best ube hopia in the world! :)
We still managed to be at the airport just in time for our flight back to Manila.
Itinerary:
Day 1 - City walk, PPC Bay walk, Prinsesa ng Baybay
Day 2 - Underground River Tour (Day) First taste of Tamilok and Chow Long (Night)
Day 3 - Hunda Bay Island-hopping, Snorkeling at Pambato Reef, Crocodile Farm, Mitra Ranch, Baker's Hill, Departure
Accomodation: Rover's Place
Carrier: Zest Air
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