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Published: November 11th 2023
Well, here I am in Palawan for an inaugural visit after all these years, it truly is a dream come true. This marvelous destination is one of the most sought-after places to visit in the world, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be here. Although it is considered a remote destination in the Philippines, Palawan is only 90 minutes flight time from Cebu with most flights going direct to Puerto Princesa. The capital of the province is in the south of the main island, and after arriving safely I advised some locals I needed transport to Port Barton, my first scheduled stop on the island. A local took me to a bus shelter, where I waited with a pair of Spanish girls who were also heading out. There was some fiddling around, then driving around town a bit till the minibus filled up with locals. A frustrating start to the commute turned to excitement as the driver gunned it on the open road. Oh yes, Port Barton here we come!
The journal left off in Boracay, from where I flew back to Cebu yet again for a night at a cool hostel. Everything routes through Cebu while island hopping here, I
think I've ended up back in Cebu about four times already. But it's all part of the fun travelling in the Philippines. So anyways, getting back to real time experiences ... the bus arrived in Port Barton around 1:00pm. This really is a bit of a one-horse town, although the local buzz in the Philippines is that it is the next big thing in Palawan. I'm not so sure as it is still very undeveloped with dirt roads, but with some very nice accommodation options. I settled into a cool hostel for the afternoon, and the staff booked me on an island tour the next morning. I met a Dutch girl who was also booked for the tour and we had a wonderful day on the water, in a group of predominantly local people. I remember telling the guide at the start of the day how I had been very ill while in Boracay, and he said salt water is just the ticket. Well, to be honest, after a spectacular day snorkelling and taking in the sights I feel almost back to normal. We even got to spot some starfish on the beach in one island stopover that is famed
for this particular attraction.
I headed back to my hostel by walking along Port Barton's lovely beach and headed out to a recommended restaurant for dinner by the beach. I had a chat with the Spanish girls from the van who were also enjoying dinner there, they also seemed to be enjoying their visit at this quiet and laid-back dusty town on the west coast of the island. The following morning I packed and headed out to the bus stop for an early bus ride north to El Nido. I was jammed into a seat with no legroom whatsoever, and felt determined to just keep my mouth shut and cop it sweet. However, about an hour into the journey and to my great surprise and relief, the staff offered me a spot at the front of the van. Boy was I grateful for the small kindness, and we arrived in El Nido around 2:00pm after quite a long commute. I found my way to a hostel by the beach that is being extensively renovated, but if you ignore downstairs there is a very homely and well-appointed hostel up and running with lovely staff working there.
El Nido is
a legendary spot and it's such an honour to have the chance to visit. I had the time to book on three separate boat trips and tapped the staff for a recommendation on the best options. They must have thought I was a fairly low maintenance tourist, because no sooner had they suggested the three most popular options then I'd broken out the credit card and booked them all for consecutive days. The tours starting point is from the main beach in the centre of town, and the limestone cliffs and idyllic island destinations are completely off the charts. The trips feature plenty of opportunities to visit pristine uninhabited beaches, lots of snorkelling, and chances to kayak on the beautiful water surrounded by the spectacular limestone cliffs. And to top it off, the trips were full of brilliant and friendly tourists, both foreign and domestic. It's hard to beat the friendliness and warm spirit while in the Philippines, the country just seems to be infectious and I've had the most awesome times during my visit. The town of El Nido is lovely, highly developed with so many restaurants, bars, and club options it will have your head spinning.
However,
there was one final spot to visit to round out this month-long island-hopping extravaganza. The island of Coron is equally famous in Palawan, and it's a short 30 minute flight on a propellor plane out of the airport in El Nido. A French guy I met on the El Nido boat tours recommended a particular hostel, and it did not disappoint. The accommodation is incredible, with multiple floors, spacious open areas, a pool, and a rooftop bar. They also organise boat trips and I booked in for the most famous tour on the island. What a day I enjoyed in fantastic company, and blessed with perfect weather for the entire day. By the time we got back to our respective hotels it was nearly 7:00pm, with the limestone cliffs and general scenery of the islands are easily on par with the beauty on display in El Nido. This proved to be the final night of my trip to the Philippines, and the hostel guests partied at the rooftop bar to finish what has been an unforgettable adventure. A long day of travel ensued starting early in the morning to get me safely back home, starting with a flight to Cebu,
and connecting up with a much delayed flight home. While sitting in the plane on the homeward bound journey I got to thinking, basically all of you should be here now!
"If you think travel is dangerous, try routine, it's lethal." Paul Coelho
It's home time so until next time, I'm signing off for now.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Perfect Palawan
Thanks for taking us back. We loved the diving in Palawan. Looks like a good time was had by all.