Reminiscing Our First Trip to Puerto Princesa

Four months ago, Ada, Jenny and I went to Puerto Princesa, Palawan for a 4D/3N vacation. We booked the flight as early as November 2009 because we wanted to take advantage of the promo. Maire booked too, but her work schedule didn’t permit her to go πŸ™

Golden Island Senyorita Life in a Duyan

Golden Island Senyorita Life in a Duyan

So the three of us went there without concrete plans at all. I can say that among my trips, this is the first time ever wherein we only booked for a hotel room hours before our flight, we didn’t have any itinerary (all we know is that the Underground River is located there LOL!) and we simply want it to be spontaneous. No plans, no whatevers.

Tired Puerto Princesa first timers at One Rovers Place

Tired Puerto Princesa first timers at One Rovers Place

Our blogger friends recommended that we book a hotel room in Casa Leticia Inn (which btw is owned by actor Matthew Mendoza of the Dyesebel fame). Unfortunately, the place is fully booked. We ended up in a budget hotel called One Rovers Place. There is a common bathroom for those who are staying at the second floor. Thank God there’s free wifi in the place or else we’d end up leaving the place and blaming each other haha πŸ˜›

We went to NCC Mall to eat our lunch at the food court. I must admit that we were a bit shocked because of their systematic way of serving… or should i say, self-serving? I hope though that our food courts here in Manila have the same rules LOL.

Aegis Live in Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Aegis Live in Puerto Princesa, Palawan

We didn’t know that the Balayong Festival is ongoing. Ada and Jennywent to the city plaza that afternoon to take pictures. I ended up sleeping haha πŸ˜› I followed them at around 4PM and witnessed the band Aegis perform live. Guess what? I became an instant fan! We sang their songs like Luha, Halik and Nananaginip ng Gising together with the crowd. Jologs ba? Ok lang. I’d rather watch the jologs Aegis than see Paramore perform live hihi. Also scheduled to appear that night are Pia Guanio, Aljur Abrenica and Piolo Pascual. We left the venue early to eat in Kinabuchs, which was recommended by some of our friends. Thank God the location is just infront of our hotel.

Kinabuchs

Hello, Kinabuchs!

Ladies' Drink

Ladies' Drink for the First Night

I noticed that a lot of tourists are having fun in this place. Saw Germans, Americans, Koreans, Africans and many, many more. If i am not mistaken, they are best known for their seafood servings and of course, the place is a perfect night out venue. We actually drank a couple of drinks but not to the extent of going back to the hotel room wasted πŸ˜›

Welcome to Dangkalan Resort

Welcome to Dangkalan Beach Resort!

Now here goes Day 2. After eating our complimentary breakfast, the van from Dangkalan Beach Resort arrived on time to pick us up. Just in time for the Underground River tour. Originally, we planned to take the Honday Bay Tour but the van just left so we ended up taking the trip to Sabang Beach then straight to the famous Underground River.

Nikon vs Canon

Nikon vs. Canon ala MyBrute

Micamyx

There she goes... Golden Island Senyorita

Mica and Jenny

Mica and Jenny on the Beach

Senyorita

Free Plug by the Beach

Keep Holding On

SAVE ME!

Even if it almost took us two hours in order to get to Sabang Beach, the three of us felt relaxed upon seeing Sabang Beach. For me, it is the most peaceful and most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen (maybe i haven’t explored that much yet LOL but believe me, it’s worth the long ride!). The three of us ended up taking lots of pictures and we even recorded a simple Survivor-like video intended for Project52Weeks. The lunch served to us that day is really delicious. I never enjoyed eating liempo and krispy kangkong the way i enjoyed it that day πŸ˜›

Lunch by the Beach

Lunchtaym!

Patay Gutom Ada

PG Ada!

A few minute after our fun-filled lunch, we went straight to a certain boat station to go to the Underground River. Always remember to wear your life vest especially if you’re a little baby. Take a look at this cute pic πŸ˜€

Don't Forget

Always Wear Your Life Vest πŸ™‚

So finally I saw the outer portion of the Underground River. All the tourists who were there were amazed. I asked myself if am I really in the Philippines? This creation is soooo beautiful!

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Wonder Girls Loving the Underground River Adventure!

Ready to Explore!

Ready to Explore!

On our boat ride inside the Underground River, the boatmen assigned surely did undergo a humor workshop. He said that the Underground River has a cathedral, a grocery and a house inside. We were all amazed upon seeing the natural wonders found inside. I can’t really show it here because I didn’t take pictures inside. I have three videos recorded, but I haven’t uploaded them yet. I will one of these days and embed it here. I promise πŸ˜› Also, a more-detailed blog post will be posted at Senyorita.net.

We saw a very big bayawak on our way out. I forgot the real name of the said bayawak, but I would rather call him Tonyong Bayawak. Ada and Shena dared to touch it and I didn’t LOL. Here’s one of the videos I took haha πŸ˜›

We went back to Sabang and rode the van on our way to Dangkalan Beach Resort. After a short rest, the admin officer of Dangkalan suggested that we try eating at Badjao Seafront. I read a number of good reviews about the place and I was curious. We have to make prior reservations though because the place is always full.

Badjao Inn

Inside Badjao Seafront

Happy in Badjao Inn

Sick but Happy... and Hungry LOL

We arrived there at around 8PM and ordered a lot mostly seafoods. As expected, we finished it all πŸ˜› We are slow but big eaters in real-life despite our sexy physique hahaha πŸ˜› We were already done by 9:30, but the place is already dark 😐 We had to wait for the van to pick us up because there’s no public transpo within the place by that time. Ada kept on sharing scary stories which made the night a bit more… uhm, terrifying LOL.

Before we went to bed, the three of us transfered some photos at the laptops and charged our phones. I should not have checked my email that day LOL but oh well. We were there for a vacation, right? So I slept early and realized I’m about to catch colds 😐

Ready for the Island Hopping Tour!

All set for the Island Hopping Adventure! YES!

Gloria

Meet Gloria - The Bubbly Tour Guide

Hello Day 3! It started with a simple breakfast without taking a bath πŸ˜› The van for the Honda Bay Tour was already there. We had a pretty energetic day because Gloria (the tour guide, not the ex-president) is one energetic girl. She answered all of our questions and insisted that we all try snorkeling. I almost cried because I want to go under the sea and appreciate the beautiful corals found there, but my ear infection just won’t allow me to 😐

Palawan_Trip_March2010_23

They're ready to snorkel!

Our first stop is Pambato Reef, also known as Mini Tubbataha. Though I wasn’t able to dive and snorkel, I did see some of the coral reefs since the water is sooo clear. The german tourists who was also with us were fascinated with the wonderful view. Due to my ear condition that time, I ended up drinking coffee at the ‘store’ found at the middle of the sea LOL.

The bangkero from the other boat kept on asking me why I didn’t dive LOL. He then asked me and some of the tourists from our boat who couldn’t snorkel to go with them and take a short visit at Luli Island. Since Ada and Jenny were busy exploring the wonderful reefs, I ended up joining them teehee.

Palawan_Trip_March2010_24

Senyorita at the LULI Island

So now I’m in Luli Island! LULI stands for ‘Lulubog Lilitaw’ πŸ˜› I actually felt like the white sand will eat me alive when I stepped in there LOL. During high tide, the said island disappears. Parang Atlantis lang. Because of that short trip, I gained instant friends who are working in a salon here in Greenhills. How nice! πŸ˜€

Palawan_Trip_March2010_26

Lunch Time with new friends

We went straight to Pandan Island for lunch. We did ate a lot and bonded with other tourists. Ewan, feeling namin parang matagal na namin silang kilala πŸ˜› They’re fun to be with and literally gay πŸ˜€ We ate big crabs, drank lots of buko juice and ate a lot. Did i mention eating and drinking a lot? No? K.

Palawan_Trip_March2010_27

Kodakan Time!

Palawan_Trip_March2010_25

Snorkel Snorkle Again (and i faint now)

As usual, photo galore! The stay comprised of too much jumpshots and the two girls kept on snorkeling much to my envy haha πŸ˜› I ended up eating more πŸ˜›

Palawan_Trip_March2010_28

Palawan_Trip_March2010_29

Is Valentina there?

Palawan_Trip_March2010_30

Snorkel na naman!

The last stop is the Snake Island. I didn’t enjoy it much. We ended up eating halo-halo only hehe and some of the tourists slept waiting for the ‘we will go home now na’ signal from Gloria.

Now we’re going back to the City!

We did rest for two hours and I felt a bit sick 😐 Ayun, may colds na nga 😐 We uploaded photos right away, took a bath and dressed up. We spent our dinner at the famous and unique Ka Lui.

Feeling like a bored Senyorita at Ka Lui. This place is mine! Haha :D

Feeling like a bored Senyorita at Ka Lui. This place is mine! Haha πŸ˜€

Tres Lakwatseras in Ka Lui

Tres Lakwatseras in Ka Lui

And the place is really unique and artistic. All the customers must enter with bare feet and for some reason, I felt a bit tipsy there though I only drank one can of Coke Regular. Blame it on my condition and the atmosphere. It’s too relaxing and basta. The food is also exceptionally great and as expected, the place is jam-packed with tourists.

Come On

Let's Sing! Come on!

When we arrived back to the resort, we decided to hangout at the swimming pool area where the videoke machine is found. We sang a couple of songs (we need to stop by 10PM because the other tenants might complain pft). So we sang Luha as our tribute to the Aegis Band. Here’s the video πŸ˜›

And Day 4 😐 We woke up late and almost missed our breakfast haha πŸ˜› I drank vitamins and felt a bit lazy all throughout the day. We went out for lunch and ate at Lotus Garden. It is a quiet place and there’s a buffet for Php250. Not bad, right? I find the place a bit romantic and… quiet. I left my camera at the hotel room and got lazy to go back.

Sin of the Day: Gluttony

Sin of the Day: Gluttony

I learned a hard lesson here: Do not eat too much.

Next stop is the Butterfly Garden. We saw butterflies, flying butterflies, lazy butterflies and more butterflies. The girls enjoyed it much and I also did. I just missed my camera here haha πŸ˜€

Then next stop is the Ukay-Ukay place (wah i forgot the name!) I bought a brown Palawan bag (which i am using now as my laptop bag) and two black figures which is believed to bring money luck to its owner πŸ˜›

Senyorita Feel at Dangkalan Beach Resort

Senyorita Feel at Dangkalan Beach Resort

We went back to Dangkalan to pack our things and reflect beside the sea. We even saw a horse there where we can ride for ten pesos. Too bad we lacked time.

When we arrived at the airport for our departure. We all took a deep breath because the vacation is over. Ada had to fix some training-related documents, Shena needs to go straight to her work and I need to decide on something that is related to work. Sigh.

The said trip is a special one for me. As a little kid, I wanted to go to Puerto Princesa because my father stayed there 10 years ago for approximately six months. I’m not sure if i mentioned that my dad was planning to bring us there and start a new life. It didn’t push through though because I got a high school scholarship in Dagupan and he didn’t find a SPED school there for my brother. At least the dream to visit Puerto Princesa came true even if he already passed away.

I have a number of tips for Puerto Princesa visitors:

1. Remember to bring your sun block with you – I got literally dark because of the sun. Keep on applying sunblock because you need to take good care of your skin, right? (LOL wala nang masabi eh haha)

2. Never miss the Honda Bay and Underground River Tour – You will really appreciate the natural wonders of the Philippines upon seeing them and feel amazed that the people in Puerto Princesa was able to preserve them. Good work!

3. Make reservations if you will eat outside – Due to the large number of tourists coming in, it is advisable that you reserve for a table in your restaurant of choice at leats two hours before your arrival time.

4. Only get the food that you can eat especially in buffets – Take it from me. I ended up paying Php100 because I couldn’t finish my meal LOL. I ate a lot and there’s only two bites left, but I just felt like i will puke in public if I force myself to finish the whole thing LOL.

5. Bring Justin Bieber songs – To put you in the mood – really (ok, you can delete this one if you want to LOL)

So that’s it! Wow, pretty long entry, huh? I’m not yet done here, readers! I’m planning to write a much-detailed entry about every restaurant and destination we went to.

Why did i write about this just now? Oh, I was busy. And why did I write it now? Well… I’M GOING BACK TO PUERTO PRINCESA THIS WEEKEND! Expect more stories and videos! Hurray! πŸ˜€

Some of the photos were taken by Ada and Jenny. Thanks girls! πŸ˜€

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17 thoughts on “Reminiscing Our First Trip to Puerto Princesa

  1. Ada

    SHHHHHEETTTT!! OMG Babalik ka ulet dyan eeek! Nandun ka na ba?! Grabeh badet nagbrownout samen ng buong araw kahapon! Grabeh low bat cp ko. Asan ka na? Text na kita mamaya. Anjan ka na ba ulet? Where na you!?!! WHHAAAA!!!!

    Reply
  2. Ada

    OMMMGGG!!! I miss!! Lagay mo diny ugn epic battle pic naten sa Flickr hehehe!
    OMG!!! Whaaaaa!! I wanna go back there again!!
    I’ll post mine later! Woot woot!!

    Reply
  3. drew

    I’m so jealous! I’ve NEVER been to Palawan! The underground river looks interesting. I’ll join you on your next trip beb!

    Reply
  4. Libra

    i love your travel entries! ang haba nito hehe but i enjoyed reading it. parang part na ako ng trip. isulat mo lang palagi travel journeys mo nakakaaliw ka kasi πŸ˜€

    Reply
  5. Mia

    My friend and I went to Palawan for the first time last September. Going back to Puerto Princessa is a must!
    Have fun! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  6. ai

    nice! naexcite tuloy ako pumunta ng puerto princessa.. will be going sa sept pa and thanks for the tips πŸ˜‰

    Reply
  7. Micamyx Post author

    @Ada – Late reply na ako hehe πŸ™‚ Nakabalik na ako last week LOL. Namiss kita haha. I’ll update this post with the mybrute pic. Tinamad ako kasi ayaw nung URL from your Flickr hehe πŸ˜›

    @DAX – Weh amf πŸ˜›

    @Drew – Promise to join me next time, ok? Let’s go to El Nido! πŸ˜€

    @Libra – Thanks Libra! Ginaganahan tuloy ako hehe πŸ˜› Dami ko pang travels na di ko nabblog. If i have time, i’ll blog all of them here and in Senyorita.

    @Rica – Salamat Rica πŸ˜€

    Reply
  8. Micamyx Post author

    @Charles – Thanks Charles! Don’t forget to go to Puerto Princesa when you come back to the Philippines πŸ™‚

    @Mia- I agree! Too many unexplored places pa! πŸ˜€

    @Kai – Must go this year hehe πŸ˜›

    @Ai – That’s good to hear. I hope my entry helped πŸ™‚ Share your Puerto Princesa experience once you’re done na, ha? πŸ˜›

    Reply
  9. Angeline

    I have the urge to visit Puerto Princesa while googling for places to visit for my earlier Philippines trip (but i ended up at Luzon). Now after reading your post, it made me even more determine to go there! Thanks for sharing this great place! XD

    Reply
  10. Micamyx Post author

    @Angeline – Hello there! Yes, going to Puerto Princesa is a great idea especially when you’re with friends. Go there next time πŸ˜€

    Reply
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