The great Palawan landscape (updated)
Somebody wuld probably ask me which is more beautiful: Palawan or Bora? I’d have to say there is really no comparison between the two because they possess different levels of appeal. Bora is more commercial and nothing beats it as a beach party place. Palawan on the other hand is serene and you go there to enjoy nature at its best.
Am still too busy to blog but am posting here some pics of my recent vacation to Puerto Princesa City. Most of these were taken as we went island-hopping and exploring the place’s natural wonders.
Easily the most unforgettable part of the trip was our cruising down the St. Paul Underground River which is a must-do when you’re in Puerto Princesa City. The river has been declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site and at 8.2 kilometers, it is touted to be the longest underground river in the world.
Going to the river from the city proper meant that we had to go through a two-hour land trip to take us to Sabang Wharf and from there take a 20-minute pump boat ride to reach the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Reaching the park, we had to wait for another hour for our turn to ride one of those paddle boats which will take us to the underground.
All the lining up was definitely worth it as the underground with its vast cave formations was the most awe-inspiring I’ve seen! It was pitch dark inside the giant caves with its bats as well as stalactites and stalagmites. But our tour guide was such an expert that I bet he could paddle the boat even in total darkness.
I definitely got scared when I saw these giant lizards (bayawak) under the picnic table with their tongues hissing. But a local assured me they do no harm. Even then, eeewww!
I couldn’t even get myself to hold this baby croc as some were doing for the photo-op. Reptiles simply scare me! They were actually breeding lots of crocs at a farm devoted for this purpose. Other animals I saw were ostriches, mynahs, cockatoos, bats and monkeys. The whole place was a virtual animal lovers’ paradise and zoo in itself!
I totally loved travelling from one island to another and while doing so, trying to get a tan on sundeck of the boat as well. We stopped over some spots to do some snorkelling in the open sea and it was really nice appreciating the beauty of marine life underneath. Roel from our group found this horshoe crab while walking through the seashore and we wasted no time posing with it because there’s no such thing in Manila, lol.
Next ~ Time to get bloated: A culinary tour of Puerto Princesa
Blogging since 2004 and recently married to Mr Z. I can't live without coffee....and brown sugar.
years ago when i was younger and still based there my friends and i were always traveling to different parts of the country. i miss those days. it all stopped when i worked abroad and days back home are spent w/ my family. The farthest I got was Boracay and the whole of Panay Island. Susunod na sana ang palawan d pa natuloy…
How beautiful. I like the cave pics. I wish I took advantage of the time my husband was in the hotel/resorts industry. Then I would have gone with him to Palawan.
palawan! i just hope it stays as it is…it is a bit sad to see commercialization creep in…ive been to bora when it was not yet “the boracay” that is known to the entire world. back then, they didnt have electricity, and we had to bring our supplies from the main island, since there weren’t any stores there yet! i remember sleeping at the beach with my cousins and friends, grabe ajay…ang daming stars!
Oh wow, that is absolutely beauuuuuutiful. The bayawaks look yucky. Hahaha. That’s because I’m scared of reptiles too. I’m sure they’re beautiful in their own way! Ah, Palawan. you’re right; it can’t be compared to Bora. They’re too different and too beautiful ni their own way to be compared to each other.
Hope you can go to Palawan someday too, Iska..
You still have a chance to go, Noemi. Ako naman, I regret not going to Banaue/Sagada even though there was an offer before. I heard it’s really beautiful too:smile:
Annabanana, you’re lucky you were able to see Boracay in its original state.One good thing about Palawan is that they’re really concerned in protecting their environment, so hopefully they will try to dampen over-commercialization…
Glad you agree with me on the Palawan vs. Bora debate Tonigurrrl:razz:
Nice photo’s!
Thanks for at least a few moments bringing me home.
even if only by Blog. I grew up in Palawan a rarely get
to go back that often. thanks for the nice words and
opinion too.
Mike
Thanks for dropping by Mike. I didn’t know you had a blog. Keep it up!