Palawan has been known for its beaches and amazing sceneries; it may seem like a common thing but trust me, Palawan is different compared to what you have seen.

How do you get to Palawan? First, you have to keep in mind that Palawan’s main gateway is Puerto Princessa. Most of the airplanes fly in and out there. If you want, you can also ride a Ferry – Super Ferry, Negros Navigation and other shipping lines which is a lot cheaper than the airplanes but these will take you longer ( about 23-28 hours travel time from Manila to Palawan). Don’t expect too much of the airports. They aren’t that special in terms of facilities but will do the job.

When your foot steps on the grounds of Palawan, you will be amazed of its cleanliness. Palawan is a very clean place. No traffic, no trash – it’s just amazing! But that’s just the beginning of the adventure.

First, you may want to book a budget hotel near the place you decide to go: Fersal Hotel in Puerto Princessa, or if you want something cheaper then try Michelle Pension. You could also try the pocket friendly Austria’s Place or Rock View; and in Coron, you may stay at the affordable Tameta Pension or Abrhys Ridge Inn.

Now, I want to talk about the trip to the underground river. You’ll find how funny the gas station ads are (I won’t tell you, you have to see it yourself). The place is really far so you have to gas up. You can ride public transportation but usually it’s only during the morning and late afternoon, and it is always packed! Options are: you can rent a car or just be really early.  You will reach a small port after your long travel and will have to ride a pump boat to get to the underground river – the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

The river is great. It is 10km long but only 3km is open to the public which shouldn’t worry you since that 3km is equal to gold – it’s like an unseen paradise. Usually, the boatman will ask someone to sit in front and hold a flashlight to point out the spots. There was a big dome in the underground river which was accessible but was stopped because of the presence of tarantulas which made it dangerous. Along the way, you will see amazing formations; some will look like a candle and others will look like St. Peter’s Cathedral (the dome). You will also find that a lot of bats live there (so the place will smell like bats and the bat’s droppings) and one time, the bat’s droppings formed the face of Jesus! Who knows what you will find there, right?

The water is murky but still interesting. When you look around and observe or just casually look around, you will see stalactites (on the ceiling) and stalagmites (on the ground). Didn’t you know that it takes a year for it to grow 0.33mm?

This is just one of the great sceneries in Palawan, stay tuned for the second part where we will be talking about island hopping and food.

Discover. Seek, Learn. Beyond Cebu.

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