wet in paradise!

---

I was so looking forward to our Palawan trip that nothing could dampen my enthusiasm. Mother Nature tried. Typhoon Hanna delayed our 8:15am Manila-Puerto Princesa flight to 11am. But no matter. JR, David, Jen, and I were finally on our way to sunny Palawan!

It was a damp, damp, damp Puerto Princesa waiting for us. No storm here. (Palawan doesn’t get hit by storms, our guide said. It’s just the rainy season, silly me.) I have never read a blog about a wet Palawan, so this should be something new.

Our tour guide first took us to the Crocodile Farm. JR wasn’t too excited about this but obviously, I was! Check out my photo with a 2-year old croc. I could feel him swallowing during the photo op. The adult crocodiles’ pit was something too. It wasn’t your usual lonesome croc lounging in a mini swamp at the zoo. There were about 50 of them slithering down there! There was a peculiar smell too, very similar to the stinky seaweed wrap at the spa of my favorite gym.

We next proceeded to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm where convicted prisoners were allowed to roam freely around the facility (which encompasses vast lands for farming, including a nearby mountain), and work on agricultural projects. They don’t get paid but are given an allowance of P200 ($4) a month. Some of them even have their families living with them. The colony has its own hospital, school, and public jeepneys to the city center; practically a small community. We were promptly assisted off our van by an umbrella-carrying inmate (in a brown shirt meaning he is a minimum security prisoner). Looking back, I should have bought some of the handicrafts made by the inmates. Now, I’m feeling guilty.

Next stop was the Butterfly Farm. It is actually the private residence of a butterfly aficionado. Before going into the garden, we were first made to watch a short film about the butterfly’s life cycle. Onto the garden. We had sprayed on cologne to attract the butterflies. Ideal would be flowery/fruity scents. We had to settle with Jen’s white tea and ginger. Hmmm, I really couldn’t tell if this worked, though. Just in case they were not up to showing off in the rain, JR and David compensated with a nice looking butterfly-adorned umbrella. Haha! The garden was lush but we only saw about two varieties of butterflies, although there were a lot of them flying around. Guess the others were not too keen about the rain. Will have to come back here in the summer.

Our last stop was Baker’s Hill, a bakeshop located at the posh side of town. Bought some pastries and posed with its many interesting statues. David particularly enjoyed this place. Didn’t get to visit Mitra’s Ranch as it was currently being renovated.

We were back at Hotel Fleuris at 5:30pm. I’d recommend this place. Fairly new building used to be owned by Mayor Hagedorn, clean rooms, nice pool, very friendly staff, and located within walking distance of the public market. The NCCC mall is also nearby but who cares? When in Palawan, it’s all about nature and seafood! We tried to get a reservation at the famed Ka Lui restaurant but nothing was available til 8:00pm. We were starving already so we just reserved for Monday dinner at 7:00pm. Ka Lui is closed on Sundays.

We went to another well-recommended place, Badjao Seafront Restaurant. What a find! As its name suggests, guests dine al fresco by the sea. Our timing was supposedly perfect for sunset but well, given the weather, no dreamy sunset. Another note to self - come back in the summer! But check out our photos, dusk effect! Hahaha.. Good enough ambiance. The food was ok. We had fish sinigang, chili crabs, garlic butter shrimps, and lato salad. The crabs were tasty despite not having aligue. Note to self again - in ordering mud crabs, tell the waiter you want female ones with lots of those orange colored, high blood pressure inducing crab fat. Same with all the restaurants we tried, we were given prawns even when the menu says shrimps. Though prawns are also yummy, shrimps are just sweeter and more succulent. I love seaweeds so I gotta say, the lato salad was perfect! Fresh green translucent berrylike seaweeds and tomatoes to be dipped in sinamak (coconut vinegar infused with garlic, ginger and chilies) - irresistible! Good thing I was the only one enamored by it, so no competition from JR and Jen. David, on the other hand, was blissfully contented with his favorite sinigang or what he calls pickle soup. Sinigang is Filipino soup made sour by tamarind, tomatoes, or kamias. It can be made with fish, prawns, pork and even beef. After dinner, we phoned our tricycle driver to bring us back to the hotel. Badjao Seafront is located about 15 minutes away from the city center so you have to arrange with your tricycle driver to pick you up when you’re done or he can wait for you at the restaurant. Rate would be P120 to P150 ($3 to $4).

The following day we were supposed to go to the Underground River but due to the relentless rain, some roads were left unpassable. So we were off to Dos Palmas resort instead. For breakfast at Hotel Fleuris, I recommend the adobo flakes. Yummy! We were supposed to be picked up by the Dos Palmas bus at 7:00am. 7:30 already and we were still waiting. Apparently, because of the change in schedule, the bus forgot to pick us up. Our travel agent, Ellen’s Travel and Tours, promptly sent over a van to bring us to the port. At the port, all the others who were not forgotten by the bus were already positioned with their life vests on the motorboat. Didn’t know it was gonna be a long ride but it took us more than an hour to get to the resort. But what a welcome site it was! Quaint cottages on stilts by the sea with a long bridge connecting it to the pristine white beach and the other resort facilities. Right off the boat we were given a festive greeting by the resort staff - native music of drums, gongs, etc., gumamela (hibiscus) flowers from Manang Hanna (that’s what we called her courtesy of typhoon Hanna), and cold drinks. The resort offers a variety of aquatic activities but since we were not up to snorkeling or kayaking round the island, we settled on our cottage by the beach. Although we had to pay more, we chose Dos Palmas over the Honda Bay tour mainly because we had our son with us. We wanted to get some R & R and Dos Palmas had the necessary amenities for toddler emergencies, and it also has a beach so… We made the right decision. David deemed it the perfect moment to do number 2 and no hassle changing his nappies. We also heard that the shelter in one of the Honda Bay islands collapsed due to strong winds and some people were hurt; whereas in Dos Palmas, we were very comfortably settled in our hut on the beach lounging on huge white pillows. Beach heaven! Anyways, David decided he is scared of big waves so we opted to explore the resort’s other offerings. A stone path led to the spa, which has its own pool and looked really inviting, but with David in tow, no pampering for me. A one-hour massage costs around P1,500 or $30. A small art house had a very interesting version of Mona Lisa. Off to the restaurant for lunch and it could not get any better - a buffet of spicy seafood sisig, spicy chicken tinola (they love spice, I love spice!), grilled pork chops, grilled blue marlin, gambas, fish fillet, spring rolls, lato salad, buko pandan, fresh fruits, ube flan, and need I add more? After taking turns watching David while the other gets lunch (David preferred running after the birds trying to get in the restaurant), we were back to the huts by the sea. JR settled himself on a hammock. If this paradise did not cost so much you’d have to drag me off it kicking and screaming. Listening to the sound of the waves hitting the shore, the wind on my face and merrily messing my hair, good food, good conversation. Truly blissful! We were so mesmerized by it all we did not notice the wind was getting fiercer. The pair in the other hut had already escaped to the inner confines of the resort. The small bits of sand carried by the wind stung when they hit! Hanging habagat (southwest monsoon) was on a roll again. I bundled David up and JR and Jen were immediately throwing the pillows back to the overhead bin but the pillows kept falling back on them. Had I not been choosing which tree or structure to hold on to in case of a tsunami, the scene was actually hilarious! Weird but when we transferred to another portion of the beach it was quite peaceful. No sign at all of the others panicking like we did. We found a hut and relaxed anew (with David occasionally throwing sand at us) until it was time to leave. Til next time, manang Hanna.

There was no electricity when we got back to Puerto Princesa. Fortunately, our hotel had a power generator so no problem there. After a change of clothing, we took a tricycle to another recommended restaurant, Kinnabuch. I don’t know if the lack of electricity was a factor but suffice it to say that I will not be advising friends to eat here. As the place was quite packed, we were seated at what was obviously an additional smaller structure on the left side of the large compound. It was very dimly-lit and it was not just the brown out. While waiting for our food, we at least were entertained by the replay of the eventful F1 Japanese Grand Prix and the motorcycle stuck on the wall. Our food came and what a disappointment. Even with super insufficient lighting, the fried rice was glistening in oil! The garlic shrimps was so so, the bulalo was bland (couldn’t see the salt in the kitchen?) and the meat not so tender, the sinuglaw (mixed grilled pork and fish kinilaw) was … there was just something missing (the Gerry’s Grill version tastes way way better). I think only the sweet and sour lapu-lapu was good coz I didn’t get to taste any. So yeah, disappointing dinner, and as I will say again later, we should have dined at Ka Lui’s or Badjao Seafood a second time instead of Kinnabuch. Good thing there was still some left of the pastries from Baker’s Hill to compensate for the lackluster meal.

After speed-eating bacon and eggs at the hotel café, we were off to the Underground River. Yey! Been looking forward to this part of the trip after all the pretty pictures I’d seen on books, magazines, and the net. The four of us were in a van with an American couple and Michael from Australia. Our very able guide, Alex, entertained us with some interesting information on the way to Sabang (jumping point to the Underground River). It’s a wonder how our van survived the very rough two-and-a-half-hour road trip. It was your ordinary family van but it impressively took on the mountainous road like a 4wd warrior. Huge potholes, knee-deep mud, mini streams, rocks; we often had to hold our breath, but our trusty van surprisingly took them all in stride. I was so proud of David too. Our driver said most kids would get so dizzy and puke. Not David. Perhaps it’s because his parents have been dragging him all over since he was two months old. Harhar, my itchy feet! He is always in his best behavior when traveling. Anyways, we got a view of Mount St. Paul under which the famed underground river is located. The British explorer who discovered the mountain was supposed to have been reminded of the dome of London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral, hence, the name. The river and the area around it is officially called St. Paul Subterranean River National Park.

After a brief stop-over at a view deck, we finally arrived in Sabang. First thing we noticed were the huge waves, although they did not look so ominous from afar. There would be a 15 to 20 minute boatride to the mouth of the underground river. The habagat waves being so threatening, the coastguard advised against taking David for obvious reasons. JR thoughtfully volunteered to stay behind with David if I really wanted to go. Jen said she’d go if I go. When the coastguard made us sign a waiver, I asked Alex if there had been unfortunate occurrences in the sea before. His candid answer, ‘may lumulubog na bangka, pero wala pa namang namamatay.’ Waaah! Super encouraging! Couldn’t say the coastguard was being overly cautious too. There were usually 32 bangkas plying the Sabang-underground river route. That day, only six were brave enough. What! I don’t know what made me do it, but we’d gone far enough and my son would have his dad with him just in case. Basta, bahala na si Lord. I kissed my husband and son more fervently than usual and off we went. Normally, a bangka can accommodate six passengers. But again, not today. So they can maneuver their boats more easily, the bangkeros would only take four passengers each. So there was me, Jen, Alex, and Michael. I lost whatever poise I had left getting on the bangka. Alex explained that big waves always come in threes so we had to hurry and be aboard before the next big three comes. Or else, we’ll be soaked if not slammed on to the rocks. I’d be exaggerating if I say the waves were as big as Bohol’s Chocolate Hills but dang(!) up close they were huge! Suddenly realizing the immense power of nature, I honestly thought this was going to be my stupid end. So thick of me to insist on braving the sea just because I just bought my ixus 950. Two-thirds of the way, I was praying (Lord, please, please, not today, please!), thinking about JR and David, and seriously considering who between Alex and Michael I’ll grab on to if and if. The slightly older guy who had been doing this tour for 12 years and was constantly assuring us that we won’t drown or the friendly aussie who seemed to be enjoying the waves as he sang the theme song from Hawaii Five-O. Jen was most probably thinking the same thing, remarking it was a like scene from Pirates of the Carribean. I relaxed and said a prayer of thanks when our destination was within sight. Very scenic, I actually ventured to let go of the wooden slats I was holding on so tightly and managed to take some photos. Jumping off the boat, we walked a short pathway to the mouth of the river.

It was a totally different and welcoming view. A calm lagoon enveloped by the lush mountain. A small hut housed the registry of all visitors to the underground river. You get to pick your own life vest (keeping in mind your size and the smell of the vest), and helmet (your favorite color and head size). I think there were usually ten small bangkas to ferry people in and out but as expected there was a shortage that day. Only two bangkeros came to work. The trip inside the underground takes 45 minutes so we had to wait and wait for our turn. It wasn’t too bad since it meant we had more time to take pictures. We also had good conversation with Alex and Michael, and were adequately entertained by monkeys who were putting on a show swinging on the tree branches and swiping whatever food and drinks they could reach. Finally it was our turn. To get in the boat, we had to get into the water. Because of the continuous rain days before, the river which was usually crystal clear, was murky green. Note to self again - come back in the summer! Well, at least we couldn’t see the sea snakes. We convinced Michael to sit in front, with Jen and I behind him, so he could hold the light and we could take good pictures inside. That still didn’t do the trick, however, since it was extremely difficult to shoot in the dark, in a moving boat, and with hardly recognizable subjects. Our boatman/guide pointed out different rock formations which supposedly looked like this and that. Some were obvious and were actually shaped like a mushroom, a corn, the nativity; but the others, we were like, really? how? i don’t see it. It was both fun and creepy inside the cave. Once we learned that the deepest part of the underground river goes 15 meters below, I immediately tightened my life vest. A boatmate had the nerve to ask if there was danger of the stalactites falling on us. Really. The good boatman assured us that Palawan does not get earthquakes (Alex had explained that Palawan is actually a chunk of land that drifted from China, thus, it is not affected by the Philippine fault line), so no danger of us getting crushed to death. It was also pretty cold inside the cave. Should have figured that out (cave and river, hello!) and there I was in my spaghetti straps. Plus it was also dripping cold water. I believe there were thousands of bats sleeping in all corners of the cave. Weird but while you can’t help but get a whiff of the pungent guano smell outside the cave, inside there was no stink at all. What I found most amazing though was the cathedral-like ceiling of the cave. It reached (according to our boatman) almost the peak of the mountain so there was all this cavernous space inside. Though the underground river is more than 8 kilometers long, the tours cover only about 1.5 km of it. On our way out, we met four more bangkas. It appears the other boatmen decided to show up after all. It was a relief seeing a glimmer of light. And then again I saw the raging waves where the river meets the sea. Groan. So much for a few minutes of tranquility.

We were supposed to have lunch at park by the river but Alex said we had to get back to Sabang right away because the waves are getting bigger. Could they get any bigger?! So after taking some photos of the free-roaming monitor lizards and the beautiful mountain backdrop, we were back on our boat. It was literally like riding a roller coaster. But this time I managed to record a portion of our sea adventure. Whose high pitched scream was that, Jen? Hehe.. Many, many thanks to our very able bangkero. I was so glad to be back with my boys! We had a relaxing lunch at one of the beach huts in Sabang, a few more minutes to walk on the beach, and it was time to go back to the city.

After a quick bath, Jen, David, and I took a tricycle to the public market to buy cashew nuts for pasalubong. All the guides said it was best to buy cashew nuts from the market instead of the big named stores since they would be freshly-baked and not old stock. For trans-fat free snacks, get the roasted ones. The garlic fried version is also really good. I’m not much into the sugar-coated ones but my sister swore they are quite tasty as well.

We were excited to finally eat at Ka Lui. Very charming place! Diners are asked to leave their footwear (to be placed in native bags or in a wooden cabinet) before entering the dining area. There were low tables where diners can sit on the floor or on huge wide pillows. Our table had sturdy wooden stools. The whole restaurant is like an art gallery. Paintings and artworks of all kinds served as its main décor. David particularly liked counting the ceramic hanging fishes and banging this small black wooden figure of native man (I assume) on the table. Even the sink was a work of art. Surveying the other diners, my tummy rumbled in excitement. Well, not only is Ka Lui superb in looks, the food was amazing too! I regret eating at Kinnabuch last night. This place is way better in all aspects I could think of. The crabs were oozing with aligue and the seafood sisig was just delectable. I’m still trying to figure out how I can duplicate it in my own kitchen. David as usual loved the sinigang na sugpo (prawns). Of course, my fresh lato salad was gone in a matter of minutes. The kinilaw na tangigue was just so so. I guess being from Sagay makes me really discriminating when it comes to kinilaw. My green mango shake complemented the meal very well. We got ready to leave and the waiter told us to wait for dessert, on the house. We happily dug into mixed tropical fruits (pineapple, watermelon, papaya, and buko) drizzled with brown sugar and daintily presented in a young coconut shell. Good night, Palawan!

It was time to go home. We had a 10am flight back to Manila. Upon the advice of locals, at around 6am, Jen and I went to the local wet market to buy fresh seafood. Amazingly cheap seafood! We bought, per kilo, female mud crabs at P170, lapu-lapu at P140; the squid and shrimps I can’t remember exactly how much but they were dirt-cheap as well. Of course I bought fresh lato and more seaweeds. Someone approached us if we wanted our purchases packed fit for air travel. How efficient that the market has a fixed rate for this - P73 for a maximum of 5 kilos, P83 for up to 8 kilos, and P93 for up to 10 kilos. An additional 20% tip to the person who actually packed your goods will suffice. After one last adobo flakes breakfast at the hotel café, we were off to the airport. The very thoughtful hotel staff gave David a coconut leaf shaped into a bird as a farewell gift. They even brought the pastries that Jen left in our room fridge to the airport.

Right. I am already dreaming of my next trip to this island paradise!

---

Photos

nature boy!
david will want to come back here when he sees this picture.

are we having fun or what!
he's just a baby! and so well behaved during pictorials. :)

iwahig penitentiary
that's an inmate right there behind david.

baker's hill
david loved it here. check out their gulaman and cashew brownies.

badjao seafront restaurant
taken around 6pm. those are mangrove trees adding to the dramatic scenery. a long wooden bridge leads to the restaurant.

dos palmas welcome!
smile, manang hanna!

dos palmas
idyllic cottages on the water. they're pricey!

dos palmas
hut on the beach. perfect place to relax.

dos palmas
david loves it here too! enjoying the hammock.

dos palmas
i love the palm trees.

leaving my boys behind
at sabang. jen and i were off to the underground river. dang those giant waves!

waves, waVES, WAVES!!!
with the size of the waves and our teeny-weeny boat, captain jack might as well have joined us.

underground river
into the depths of the cave.

underground river
i'm coming out!

big butiki at the park
monitor lizards roamed free around the underground river park

beach leading to the underground river
managed to smile for the cam before braving the big waves again.

ka lui
great ambiance, good food!

Comments

[Rob_n_Lorenza]

Looks like fun
Looks like you had a lot of fun at a really cool place! Keep writing. Lorenza