Advertisement
Published: April 24th 2007
Edit Blog Post
Day By Day Christian Ministries: Lakbay Palawan April 24-28, 2007. I'm back travelling with churchmates. I'm thankful that our church has a heritage ministry where it educates us about our culture, tradition and history. Lakbay (Travel) tours are organized throughout the year within our country (Philippines), as the saying goes, "Huwag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan." (Don't be a foreigner in your own land).
I like to travel but there are times when I don't have someone to go with me or my friends are not travelling. The Lakbay tours of our church offers us an organized tour on budget. We meet churchmates (some we know, others we just meet during the trip), it's a venue to meet new friends as we travel together for several days. The tour is open to church members, their friends and family. It is an educational/cultural trip and also an R & R (rest and recreation) for us. We pay for the trip at cost.
On this trip to Palawan, I'm travelling with most churchmates I know and have met in other lakbay tours. Our group number for this trip is thirty. It's quite a family affair because most of the people
on this trip are couples with their children, grandchildren, and sisters, cousins, and friends.
Upon arrival at Puerto Princessa City, we had an early lunch at Chicken Inato. Then we headed for Sabang for an overnight. It was a bumpy ride. The highway to Sabang (which is still part of Perto Princessa City) has not yet been fully cemented. It was about two and a half-hour trip. Sabang is the jump off point for trips to St. Paul Sunterrenean National Park (also known as underground river).
We stayed overnight at Robert's Cottage. It has basic nipa cottages, electricity is from 6-10pm, the food is good. There is a Smart cellsite nearby but is unfortunately out of service when we were there. Sunrise can be seen from Sabang.
We were up early and eager for the underground river tour. We got on an outrigger boat going to S. Paul. There is a monkey trail and jungle trail for the adventurous. Please note that whichever way you choose to get to St. Paul, you have to register and get a permit. It is available at the Sabang Tourism at the wharf.
We landed on a small cove with
a beautiful sandy beach and the limestone mountains just at its back. As we walk through our way to the mouth of the underground river, I don't have any idea or any expectation except to see it as i have seen it on postcards, travel write-ups. Indeed it looks just the way it is in photographs. The locals have maintained the surrounding very well.
As I stood there waiting to get to another boat (paddle boat), i took pictures. That's why I was with the last batch in our group to enter the cave. I just can't help say to myself, this is the St. Paul Subterrenean National Park that i have seen many times only in pictures. It is awesome. The tour is about 45 minutes by paddleboat. It traverses an eight kilometer underground river (cave). There is more to explore but this is just the stretch they allow tourist. There are different stallactite and stallagmite formations that the boatman (also tourguide) will show you. The largest corridor is the cathedral (wish i took pictures).
We can all say that it was worth the bumpy road trip, after seeing, going through the underground river.
I remember
the van driver telling us the other day while we were heading for Sabang, that underneath the limestone mountains along the road is where the underground river lies. At noon we headed for the town proper of Puerto Princesa City (PPC). We were billeted in three pension houses, Casa Linda, Badjao Inn, Pagdayon Inn; they were near each other. Our main meeting place is at Casa Linda where most of us were checked-in.
In the following days, we had our Honday bay trip (where we had a day trip to Dos Palmas in Arreceffi Island). A lot of tiny island within Honday Bay. The interesting part of this Dos Palmas tour was when most of us went snorkelling. The staff had to take us in a floating tent where the fishes and corals are to be found. About 3minutes by motorized boat.
We also had a city tour, to Crocodile Farm, Iwahig Penal colony, Mitra's Ranch. In between were the sumptuos lunch at the Vietnamese resataurant in Vietville Village (this is near where the former Vietnamese Refugee Camp was). Dinners at Balinsasayaw and McCoy's. We were also treated for an after dinner tea by the J.I.L. (Jesus is
Lord Ministry)of Palawan at the Hotel Fleuris. Most of the restaurants in the city is like an art gallery. They use local materials for their inetriors. Cafe Kamarikutan is a coffee and art gallery place. Kalui is by reservation. The food is inexpensive for us coming from Manila. They have a big serving.
At noon of our last day, we had freetime for souvenir shopping. Kasoy (cashew nut) is their number one product and my churchmates said it was cheap to buy it here. There were also a lot of native handicrafts but the stores are distant from each other. The people of Palawan are friendly and helpful. At the check-in counter of the airport in PPC, i saw a lot of people who bought "rain maker" pipes (it has sound of water gushing). It has "pebbles" inside a bamboo pole. It varies in length and design.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.066s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 7; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0374s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 2;
; mem: 1.1mb
a i ren
non-member comment
paradise
i never expected that the philippine is such a beautiful paradise ive ever seen..unlike what ive been in other countries i tour..i wish i could come back again in your beautiful place..thank you for beautiful heart for sharing me your baeautiful paradise...