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Published: February 20th 2023
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Where do you start with a nation of islands when you've set aside two weeks and a comparatively limited budget? The answer lies in planning a trip to the Philippines as carefully as possible, so the itinerary was narrowed down to 3 islands, Cebu, Palawan and Luzon, for the capital city of Manila. First up was Cebu, and the small coastal town of Moalboal which seemed to be sufficiently shrouded in mystery to work it into the mix. Part of the mystery revealed itself in the shape of a truly outstanding hotel which had enough in the way of attractive features to simply not bother with anything else in the region (!) That approach though does not at all fit the template for a curious and camera-ready international traveller, and as the town of Moalboal itself proved to be nothing out of the ordinary, save for a few shops, eateries and beaches further along the coast, the real start turn came in the form of an excursion which would have been ridiculously regrettable to have missed out on. Nearby Kawasan falls is the location of a canyoneering tour which is best described as a series of waterfalls all strung together which
gives the participant the chance to dive, slide, climb or just shuffle from one area of the falls to the next, to a backdrop of inspiring scenery, and a 'gift which keeps giving' kind of experience which could well grace the 'best days out on earth' shortlist. Given that the majority of the route is at least waist deep in water, photographic equipment needs to be suitable, but for the thrillseeker who loves an excursion memorable and natural, this one takes a whole lot of beating. Moving onto Cebu city, it appeared that this sizeable Filipino city had enough in the way of features to make it convenient and worth a look-in, ranging from the heritage monument to the Sugbo museum and features in between such as the more hi-tech Marcelo Fernan suspension bridge. As ever before though, there is quite a lot to gain by exploring the environs, and the Taoist temple and the Temple of Leah are two major attractions which really do warrant your time and attention if you are to put together your own itinerary. Next up, Palawan was calling, so a flight into the island's biggest urban area of Puerto Princesa revealed a town with
a fair few options for shopping, dining, overnighting and even a couple of bona fide tourist sights along the way. My image of the nation's pristine white sand beaches was shattered by the discovery of a local beach in the town which not only charged admission for entry (!), it was an unsightly place and as uninviting a beach as you might have the misfortune of stumbling across - ouch! A popular day trip from the town is a visit to the world's longest underground river, which is an organized tour requiring a permit which can be arranged by the hotel. My verdict is that it is worth a punt for the claim to fame nature of the actual experience, but the cave complex which you float through is just too dark and enclosed for the average digital camera to gain any great photos of, so it pays to just content yourself with just being along for the ride. Moving further afield, and a rest stop in the small beachside town of Port Barton was a strategy, if only to catch a breather and break up the journey en route to the eastern resort town of El Nido. Port Barton
does have a far better-looking beach, and a couple of minor features which allow for a short stay to be worthwhile, yet reaching El Nido was journey's end in Palawan, and had to deliver a special enough kind of experience to make the stay on the island worthwhile, so did it measure up? The answer is a resounding yes, as I hold the view that this is the island's most captivating area, with a truly sumptuous beach and jagged cliffs setting, where a small town and a scattering of amenities make it a real gem of a place. If you're looking for an excursion, then look no further than island hopping, which will bring out the best in the coastal scenery, and allow for rewarding activities such as snorkelling, beach BBQ and kayaking, to a backdrop which simply delights. Beaches abound in the area, and two of the finest are Lio beach and Seven commandoes beach, neither resembling the other, but both being real hotspots. The final stay in the Philippines was the nation's capital city of Manila, and though this enormous city has quite a fair few features, it appears that I had fallen into the mode of perhaps not planning the episode well enough to do anything other than a trishaw ride through the walled historic district of Intramuros and a visit to the malls of the business district of Makati. Enjoyable enough then, but a carbon copy of what I had done there on my first visit to the city back in 2009, and evidence of the fact that I had simply let the road guide me along my way, rather than taking the reins more firmly myself and insisting upon a fresh and unfamiliar experience. Two weeks had elapsed, and the Philippines hadn't had the same impact as the experience had amounted to first time around, and a couple of factors are to blame for this. One is the fact that, try as I might, I was never going to develop a taste for the national cuisine, it simply falls way too short of the mark for me, and also I felt like I had already sampled the best of the nation's beaches back in 2009. On the plus side though, the excursions were the true star turn, not to mention the sublime hotel in Moalboal, and as I prepared for the next part of the world tour to work its magic upon me, the overall verdict was that this entire undertaking was the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience which would leave an impression lasting enough to endure an ensuing period devoid of any further overseas trips. For the record, after returning home in mid-November, that period of travel inactivity lasted a mere 6 weeks!
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