2012: My Year in Travel

Despite the roller coaster year that it was, 2012 turned out to be a year where I was able to tick off places that have long been on my bucket list. Thank you to budget airlines' promotions, we got to travel to these places affordably.

FEBRUARY 
Pandanon Island, Bohol

main beach

I first learned about this island from a friend's post in Facebook 2 or 3 years ago. I could not believe that I missed this island after being based in Cebu for more than 5 years! So, though Cebu is like a 2nd home and thus, gets the least priority when faced with promotional fares, I decided to grab tickets for us last Dec 2011 for a trip in February 2012. I want to finally tick that place off my bucket list.

Contrary to what most people know, Pandanon Island off the Mactan Channel is already part of Bohol. But the easiest way to visit this island is through a banca ride from Mactan Island, Cebu.

Together with my Cebu-based cousins, off we went one fine day in February to Pandanon Island. Our very first "summer salvo" in 2012.

Pandanon Island is one of the far-flung islands/islets off Mactan Channel. If  you are coming from Cebu, you can hire a banca from any of the public resorts in Mactan Island to bring you to the island and back. There are also cruise boats you can join that goes to designated islands on a regular run.

The trip takes about an hour, but we did not feel any boredom as the scenery and the great blue is just breathtaking. On the way, you pass by several inviting islands and islets. If you are renting the banca, you can ask the boatman to let you explore some of the islands.

In our case, we decided to go straight to the island so we can spend more time on the island.  There are no restaurants in the area, so you are encouraged to bring your own food. Picnic huts and tables are available. And barbeque pits are abundant. Or, if you joined one of the regular trips, their rates usually include lunch already.

There are no resorts or hotels in the island.  If you wish to stay overnight, tents will be it. And yes, you have to bring it yourself.

So how did I find it? Honestly, it fell short of my expectation on the secluded, long white sand beach part. When we arrived, there were several people already there, so the beach was a bit crowded. I thought it has a very long white sand beach, but no, it does not have technically.  You see, it has a long white sand bar that was submerged when we were there because the tide was already coming in.

But despite that, and minus the crowd, the place has its own charm. A chapel, a ruin and white beach huts. With the sun shining, I still got my bluest of blue skies, whitest of white beach/sand, and turquoise seas. What more can a beach bum ask for? Indeed, a happy beach bum here.

at the back of the main beach

the other side of the beach

Palawan's Must Visit...Must do....Palawan's Best...

Palawan...the Philippines' last frontier....lying between South China Sea and the Sulu Sea, the province is blessed with so much natural beauty...secluded islands and islets, remote historical towns, amazing marine life...

I have been to Palawan several times, in some places I know I have taken some photos but could not find them anymore, it is hands down one of the Philippines' gems...

Sharing with you reasons why I think it is...featuring places in Palawan I have been to, and planning to go to. No, this is not about luxurious resorts or complex that has dotted some of Palawan's islands. This is about Palawan's raw and sometimes mysterious natural beauty...

#1  St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park 

(Sabang, Palawan)

      A UNESCO World Heritage Park, it is located in the St. Paul mountain range and bordered by the St. Paul Bay. An 8.2km navigable underground river that showcases awesome stalagmites and stalactites and large chambers. The area also features unique flora and fauna as it has 8 of the most important forests in Asia.

      One can trek from the jump-off area via the 5.2km monkey trail to the site and marvel at the diverse flora, fauna, beach coves along the way. Watch out for the aggressive monkeys though, they grab at anything in a plastic bag. 

Update: If you wish to visit this place, book your trip at least a month ahead via a local travel agent or your hotel in Puerto Princesa. The local government is now limiting the number of visitors per day. Walking in may disappoint you as chances of seeing it may be slim since you have to wait for "no-shows" to get a slot.

      How to get there: From Puerto Princesa, most accommodations can arrange for a day trip to the underground river. Charges range from P1,500-P1,800 inclusive of lunch, transportation and entrance and boat ride inside the park. 

#2 Island hopping at Honda Bay
(Puerto Princesa, Palawan)

Snake Island

       A must do when in Puerto Princesa. Honda Bay has several islands to offer including the most popular and the longest, Snake Island. Secluded and uninhabited except for the caretakers. All white sand beaches, emerald green to blue seas and snorkelling haven.

      Starfish Island ...Pandan Island...Snake island....

      How to get there: Just a few minutes from Puerto Princesa, one can hire a tricycle or van to bring you to the jump-off pier at Bgy Sta. Lourdes, Tagbanua. Register and they will assign a banca (outrigger boat) for you. If I remember right, the boat hire was around P1,800-2,000 visiting 3-4 islands for 4-5 persons. Bring your own provision (i.e. food, water)

     Or most accommodations can make arrangements for a day trip to Honda Bay. Cost may vary from P1,200-1,500 inclusive of lunch, boat, and island hopping activities.

#3 El Nido Islands
(El Nido, Palawan)

      Just like the other group of islands, El Nido is best explored by boat. Island hopping galore. About 50 white sand islands to explore  along Bacuit Bay, you need at least a week in this place to fully appreciate it. I have been to this place several years ago and it has, hands down, won my heart vs. the more famous Boracay.  It is bordered by Linapacan Straits, Sulu Sea and South China Sea.

Intalula Island

      El Nido, having one of the country's diverse ecosystem, is protected for its unique flora and fauna, its pristine geologic formations---the limestone cliffs, its white sand beaches, its forests and marine habitats including several species of birds and marine mammals that are endangered.


      The boat association in El Nido town has several tours to choose from depending on the islands you want to explore.  All secluded..all unspoilt...all to yourself for several hours or for the whole day.


      In addition, there are other things to do in El Nido:  scuba diving, cliff climbing, cave exploration and visiting its many waterfalls.


       El Nido has several high-end resorts in its islands were access is exclusive to guests. Cheaper accommodations can be had at El Nido town.


       How to get there:  There are flights to El Nido from Manila. Check out Island Transvoyager (Island Transvoyager). Or you may take the flight to Puerto Princesa but will take you several hours by land to reach El Nido.


#4 Coron Island 
(Busuanga, Palawan)

Kayangan Lake
photo by Victor Villanueva

       I have been to Busuanga/Coron several years ago. But it was confined to Club Paradise and a visit to Caluit. A return trip is definitely a must do as this area in Palawan is equally blessed with natural beauty.


       Part of the Calamianes group of islands, north of Palawan, Coron is a fishing town and a popular tourism and diving destination, having the most sunken Japanese warships off its coastline.


       What to do? a lot!...trek..dive...snorkel...island hop...or just laze around....your call...But if you want to explore, here are spots you should not miss:


* Sunset at Mt. Tapyas - if you are a photo-enthusiast, do not miss this. They say the view is breathtaking. Higantes Islands and the rest of the Calamianes islands. You've got to trek up though. 718 steps but the view is rewarding. Most people do it early in the morning or evening so it is cooler.


Check out this detailed blog of Mt. Tapyas with beautiful photos by  lantaw: http://lantaw.blogspot.com/2010/08/coron-mt-tapyas-at-sunset.html

PALAWAN - My Paradise!

Snake Island @ Honda Bay

April 22-27, 2006
Palawan Province


The first time I went to Palawan, exploring Puerto Princesa after my Tubbataha trip in 2005, I swore that I will go back the next year to explore it more. Palawan's unspoilt beauty just tagged at my heart. Can't get enough of it...

So, w/ my good friend Jet, we planned the trip a year ahead. With the help of another dear friend of ours, Bong, who is based in Puerto Princesa and working for Club Noah Isabelle, the itinerary went into several revisions until just a day before we were about to leave for Puerto.

Day 1 (Apr 22 '06) - Upon arrival at the airport, we were met by the van that will take us all the way to Taytay (north of Palawan). We picked up Bong and family, bought a few things at the market before finally pushing for Taytay. Good thing we had the van to ourselves so we were able to stop over wherever we want. Lunch was at a Vietnamese resto in Roxas. We even had the time to observe how those Vietnamese noodles are made.

Fort Isabel from Casa Rosa

The drive to Taytay took about 6 hours of half paved and half rough roads (this may be a shorter trip since I am sure, by now, a good part of the main road is paved already). We arrived Taytay around 3pm and passed by Bong's "kubo" and immediately checked in at Casa Rosa (the only decent place to stay in Taytay, overlooking Fort Isabel). The rest of the day, we spent at the local market buying some stuff for our day trip to El Nido the next day, exploring the small town and hanging around Casa Rosa. 



Day 2 (Apr 23) - This is where the group split. Bong & family proceeded to Club Noah, while Jet , Gia and I proceeded to El Nido town for a day exploring a handful of its more than 15 islands.

The trip to El Nido was about an hour of purely rough roads. But don't despair, the roads were being paved then so maybe by now, the roads are better.

Upon arrival, we proceeded to meet Bong's friend who will assist us in renting the banca. The Banca Association is responsible in dispatching the bancas. So you are assured that they are all safe. There were 3 trips to choose from. Each w/ about 5 islands to explore. We settled for Trip A and vowed to come back soon and stay at least for 2 nights the next time to explore the rest of the islands. 

We then proceeded to buy food for lunch. Wow! food is cheap here. Imagine, more than a kilo of fish is just P40 pesos!!! 

Trip A consists of :


* Small Lagoon -- where you have to wade through a small hole to get to the Lagoon--that in itself was an adventure!

Small Lagoon

Big Lagoon

Big Lagoon

Entrance to Big Lagoon

A Diving Mecca --- Tubbataha!

Note: This is before the advent of my underwater photography hobby and before I owned a digital camera with an u/w case. Topside photos were taken from my digital camera and videocam. Underwater photos taken from Neil's camera.
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Off Palawan...a diver's mecca...in the Philippines...

May 2005 

Since I became a scuba diver, I have dreamt of diving in places that are known to have rich underwater life...Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, Palau...Apo Island, Apo Reef, Malapascua...and especially our very own, Tubbataha Reef in Palawan. Known to be one of the World Heritage Sites, your being a diver is never complete without experiencing...diving....in Tubbataha. It is every diver's dream...every diver's mecca( well, at least to us Filipinos).

That dream of mine came true last month. I joined a 5-day live-aboard to Tubbataha. Since it is in the middle of the Sulu Sea (between Mindanao and Palawan), the only way to explore Tubbataha is via a live-aboard boat. The boat practically becomes your "home" for the next 5 days.

We were blessed with good weather and calm seas as we left the port of Puerto Princesa. When we reached North Tubbataha, we were greeted with an almost "lake like" calm, birds chirping, and one lone islet they call "Bird Island". The rest...as you turn 360 degrees, is the sea...as far as your eyes can see. What struck us most is the unbelievable clearness of the water...you can see 100 feet below! That stirred my excitement for the days ahead not doing anything except eating...diving...eating...diving...eating...napping...diving..eating...diving...night diving...dinner..sleeping (repeat 5X). Wow! What a life!