Puerto Princesa, Philippines Trip 2012

Hello & Assalamualaikum all! Apa kabar semuaaaaaa? :)

Today.... I would like to write about my trip to Palawan, Philippines... Guess for now and this coming few weeks you guys just have to bare with me putting up entries about my past trips... coz, I just started this blog. Hehe. So I have to catch up before I start on my upcoming trips (Huhu macam la banyak sangat 'upcoming' trips tu :P). Yesss.... of course I still want to tell you about my trip to Boracay, my trip to China trip to Shenzen, Guangzhou, HongKong and Macau, Perhentian Island trip and few more lah. :D Kalau bole right up until the moment I started travelling 8 years ago! Hahaha.

Sooo.... Last August Mr.Mon after sooo long dreaming of it finally went to Puerto Princesa in the Philippines. It's supposed to be untouched and very beautiful. It is in the islands of Palawan. I have seen the pictures before and that's what made me decided to go there. But Mr.Mon went only to the Underground River instead of their islands.

So as usual AirAsia was the preferred choice. To go to Palawan, you need to book first the AirAsia flight to Clark Airport, advisable to take the earliest flight if you want to go straight to Pawalan on the same day or else need to stay a night in Clark area (also known as Angeles City - so for hotels, search Angeles City to get your hotel nearby to the Clark Airport). Then you book your flight from Clark to Palawan from Philippines budget airlines either Cebu Pacific or AirPhilExpress. When I went there last year AirAsia still flew there but today I checked, not anymore... Well guess they were not making money so had to pull out the destination. What a bummer coz I got my ticket for only RM15 when they first introduced the destination.

Puerto Princesa is the main entry point for tourists that want to go to first, Underground River (One of the Official New 7 wonders of Nature alongside Jeju Island of Korea, Komodo Island, the Amazon, Halong Bay of Vietnam, Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil & Argentina and the Table Mountain of South Africa. You may click this link: http://nature.new7wonders.com/ for further info) and second, to El Nido where all the untouched island beaches are located.

Anyway lets look at the pictures...

Finally here after 2 plane trips from Malaysia....

We chose this place as it was really cheap. Only PHP350 or RM25 per person 

a nite booked through Agoda. But it was around 200m walk to the main road. 

So if you guys decide to go, find a hotel that is exactly on RIZAL AVENUE. 

That's where everything is. The bars, restaurants, shops etc (This is if you 

decide to stay in Puerto Princesa Town). 

Our very basic room. :) (Nak tido jerrrr jgn nak buat muka sangat lah. Hehe)

This is the City Baywalk at the Puerto Princesa town. The sunset was nice
to watch here. And the food stalls were also worth checking out. You can
go here in the evening just before sunset and watch all the locals hangout.

This seafood restaurant is just 50 metres to the Baywalk above. Highly recommended

especially to muslims since they only have seafood in their menu. And food are cheap

and tasty! You can walk along MALVAR ROAD towards the Puerto Princesa Port 

and turn right into a road going downwards when DEL PILAR ST is on your left. The 

restaurant is just ahead on your left. (Btw I'm using google map for this description)

My very tasty grilled squid for around PHP100 or RM8 only.

Our 2nd day early morning we took the Underground River Tour. We had to first go by van for and hour and a half drive to Sabang Boat Terminal as pictured above. (Nama je boat terminal tapi takde jeti pon hehe. Ha tu batu tu je jeti dia haa nampak tak nampak tak? :P)

The boat ride to the entrance of the underground river takes 15 minutes. To you guys interested to join this tour can check out this website : http://www.gopalawan.travel/Underground_River_Tour. Be sure to book the tour in advanced as it gets full faster nowadays since it was awarded one of the 7 Wonders of Nature. You also have to get a visitors pass earlier since they have a daily quota for people entering the cave. Tour price : PHP1640 = RM120

We're finally here. So excited! =D

The area where we got off the boat.

Very nice beach indeed.

The beach area going to the underground river.

Walkway towards the entrance of the cave of the underground river.

Got to the entrance of the underground river yay! Can you see the cave at the back? Oh yeah here you already can smell the veeeery nice strong AROMA from the cave. Bats pee!  :) (Nak pengsan tahan nafas tapi last2 hirup ajela bagi idung to adapt dgn sendiri nye huhuhu. Ade muka tahan nafas tak pic nih?)

A closer look at the cave entrance. Woooo getting scary. :P

Some of the people already getting out of the cave.

Now it's our turn to get into the cave after waiting half hour for our turn! :D Oh yeah we're wearing a helmet in case any stalagtite decide to fall. Not for the bat pee at all yerrr. The boatman said if you feel drops of cold water from above then its cave water but if it's warm... well you knowlah. Haha. :D

Approaching the cave.

In the cave. Oh yeah only one headlamp was provided for each boat held by the person most front and the boatman will direct that person to the parts in the cave and explain. No lights are installed since to be awarded the Wonder of Nature needs to be 100% natural. So if the head lamp died, well...just pray you'll drift out safely! :P But that is if you drift outwards. If inwards, well...it is said that tourists can only go up to 3.8km inwards. And researchers up to 8km inwards. Further in then you will be welcomed by SCORPIONS and TARANTULAS!

Passing by another boat inside. Btw there is current in the water inside since it is actually a flowing river! And the boat is not a motorised boat. The boatman uses only a long stick....or was it a paddle (Alah lupa plak).

After the underground river tour we had lunch back at the Sabang Boat Terminal beachside restaurants.

One of the more exclusive restaurant.

 

Made new friends.

Back at Puerto Princesa town we had early dinner on our last night there. The new friends above recommended this place. Kinabuch's Grill & Bar. This place is in Google Map. Its on the main road Rizal Avenue. Walk along Rizal Avenue towards the airport and it will be on your right if you're from the city centre.

To our surprise. FRIED WOODWORMS! Omg. Yeah it's the islands specialty. Maybe one of you are brave enough to try then please do tell me how it was ok? :)

Another surprise! CROCODILE MEAT!!! Double OMG. Hahaha.

At last we just ordered Sizzling Squid and Sizzling Fish. They were tasty! :D

Rizal Avenue. The main road of Puerto Princesa Town. A ahh..mcm Kuala Selangor aje kan. :)

The next day we went back to Clark and spent a night here at TUNE HOTEL.

Our room costs only RM35 per person.

We got a room facing MOUNT PINATUBO! Beautiful!

 

Well....actually after one night back here in Clark, we were joined by another two friends who came later from Malaysia and we then proceeded to Manila for another 3 nights. But since I had been to Manila the month before I did not take anymore pictures this time hehe. But I will make an entry soon on my trip to Manila.

All in all we had fun exploring one of the 7 Wonders of Nature. So 6 more to go! :P Though..... I still wanna go back to Palawan and to go to the islands of El Nido to experience the beaches. Can't wait.

Ok then till next entry! Adios....

(Aduiii penat nye kene type balik semua atas ni coz tetiba tadi terpadam more than half of the entry and TERsaved! Demmit!)