30 Magical Points in Palawan

1. Like in Vigan, Puerto princesa's locals mostly go around town in tricycles.

2. Street lights, water systems and good road are lacking especially ones away from the city.  Going for a night trip to El Nido from Puerto Princesa? Then you'll know what I'm talking about.

3. No wonder Nemo's hard to find.  Sooo small. Smaller than you think it is.

4.  Fact: El Nido will take your breath away.

5.  It's Lord of the Rings fan days again.

6.  I once thought I wouldn't dare swim with fishes.  But there I was, feeling like being surrounded by cute preschoolers.  I wanted to hug them all! haha

7.  Don't know how to swim?  Don't worry, if you got your big goggles with you then that would double as floaters.  Believe me it's like having floaters on your head without looking like a wuss.  The next best thing to underwater camera.

8. The underwater camera.  The best thing you'll ever have in the beach. The picture explains why.

9.  Stick to the resto you KNOW serves good food.  Don't wallow and get curious to check on others.  There wouldn't be a rave online for no reason.  Save yourself the time, money and from disappointments.  Go eat good food.

10.  The road to adventure is squishy and green.  Makes you want to think what you did wrong for you to be forced to walk through all these goo!  

Publisher: Shy - Thursday, July 25, 2013

Explore the Majesty of El Nido

If you have been following my blog for awhile now, you know that I've written about Palawan and how it topped my places to go in the Philippines.  Well, let me just direct you specifically to El Nido, because it is where most of the magic is.  Now I haven't had much pictures on the islands because I was too happy to just immersed myself in paradise, trying to sink my teeth real deep in the experience of just being alive.

Good thing my fellow travelers have done the documentation so you could see just how much of a heaven El Nido is.

Here is a map of El Nido's Island hopping tours:

Before going any further, let me take it upon myself to make your experience better.  This post is best enjoyed with this played on the background.

You are about to witness Philippine's finest islands, one of the best islands in the world.

With great Filipina pride, I introduce to you

El Nido

Enjoy!

Publisher: Shy - Sunday, July 21, 2013

Finding Paradise in Palawan

Ok.

So the trip to PALAWAN was a SUCCESS

And for you to fully understand that, I just have to give you a sneak peek of our 

Fantastic Summer Adventure.

Enjoy!

Candid pic taken by my sister. I don't know why I was so giddy here.  

Publisher: Shy - Thursday, June 13, 2013

Awkward Smile

So going to Palawan, I had a hunch that most probably we will be crashing on to some foreign tourists, and most likely there will arise a need to strike up a conversation with them.  My thought was: I could handle it, I mean I did have some flawless conversation with a couple of tourists during my Indochina trip, surely I can do that again in Palawan.

So feeling confident, I figured it should be fine.

Do people need to think about these small things?  I mean, it shouldn't be much of a problem right?  They are  humans too and they don't bite... really.

So we were in El Nido Palawan, and we just got in the van we signed up for a trip to the Underground river.  Before heading to our destination, we had to pick up a couple in an inn somewhere in town.  So we slowly skid our way in front of the inn's entrance, and suddenly came out a couple of Europeans.  The girl, a french lady, broadly built but she still looked stunning with her Scarlett Johanssen face.  And the guy. This guy was wearing his crisp white polo, khaki cargo shorts and this stellar glasses, first thing I thought was he just looked like Liam Hemsworth.  Even after seconds of just looking at them hurriedly wearing their shoes out in the patio, left me with a ball of hair down my throat.  I was at the edge of my seat.  Now obviously, that doesn't happen to me ever so often.  Me attracted to a guy this much, doesn't come by too often as it has with girls.  For some reason, a handsome face that would make me swoon is a rare happening.  Very rare that it made me question... Why?! Where are the good looking guys at?  Maybe I do have a high standard for guys, but still, there should be at least 2 or 3 guys(a year) who could match up to it.

Anyways, so there they got in the van and seated comfortably behind us.  I was practically silent. Yes.  In my head, I was already thinking of something to say...

Hey where are you guys from?

How long have you been here?

How are you?  My name is...

Isn't this a wonderful day? My name is...

You know what, you guys look like Hollywood stars, can I have a picture taken with the both of you?

I mean, every introductory lines I could possibly think of, I've already thought of twice or maybe more than that.  And there I was, just seated facing ahead, pretending to be checking on some pictures, taking pictures, talking to my mother beside me, sleeping, every possible thing you could do except being friendly and talk to the few tourists seated nearby.

In one of our stops, we had lunch at a beach, and there we were lining up for the buffet.  The couple were lining up ahead of us, I thought that it would be a perfect time to just talk to them.  And again in my head, there went lines and lines that I could possibly say, and finally she stared my way... the Scarlett Johanssen looking lady was there looking at me, which was the perfect point to open my friggin mouth and say something nice, but all I ended up with was

an awkward smile.

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a smile that says, I've been meaning to talk to you for hours but I can't seem to do it.  So I hope you could see all that frustrated energy and friendship on my face.

Enjoy.

Publisher: Shy - Saturday, April 27, 2013

5 Things You Shouldn't Dare Miss Out in Palawan.

1. Go see the Underground River.  You'll see that there's a whole new world as you get inside that seemingly measly  mouth of the cave.  Imagination would make you see rock formations of the last supper, the naked lady, carrots, mushrooms, horses and many more.  Guides would point out where the Batman and Robin hideout is.  And you'll discover why it's important to close your mouth while all throughout the trip.  

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My brother posing for a pic as we waited for our turn to get in the boat.

Mind hanging with the gang?

2. Do Island hopping in El nido and be fascinated with the different islands.  While you're at it, don't forget to feed the fishes while snorkelling around Simsu Island.  Take pleasure as you surround yourself with a hundreds of them.  Take great underwater pics of course.  Also, try swimming your way through the hole to reach the Secret beach.  Don't fret once you see 2 or 5 jellyfishes here and there.  They're the stingless kind.  End your island hopping by doing sunset watching at 7 Commando Beach.  

Setting force in our island hopping.

On our way to helicopter island.

My sister taking her pic in our first island - Helicopter island.

Had our pictures taken in Star Island where we ate our lunch.  

3.  Try their local delicacies. The tamilok actually doesn't taste like oyster with wood shards aftertaste.  After eating it, I wasn't sure watSip a mouthful of birds nest soup in Balinsasayaw Resto.  You'll realize it tastes more like egg soup.  Still waiting for my brother to post the pics.  Do grab so Chao Long and find redemption after eating the previous  delicacies I've mentioned earlier.

4. Be mesmerized with hundreds of the fireflies at night as you row your way between mangrove trees.  No pics since we missed this.  This was set in the itinerary to cap the whole trip, just arriving in Puerto Princesa after a gruelling 6 hours on the road, we were far too exhausted that a 45minutes of tricycle ride sounds like forever.

5. Work your way up the Ugong Rock Cave, and tap on the rock to hear on the sound and see for yourself why it's called 'Ugong' (Sound).  I must say that the descent is more intimidating than going up.  Acrophobics? Brace yourselves, it won't be pretty, but definitely worth the sweat.  Once reaching the top you'll find yourself sweating like a pig.  From there, you'll have to decide how to get down: do sitting/superman zipline or head your way back in the cave.  

Rapelling up the cave.

With my Mom posing as we climb steep stairs in the cave.

Publisher: Shy - Sunday, March 31, 2013

Palawan Preparation: El Nido and Puerto Princesa Adventure

So 5 days to go before our Palawan trip. Ohhh, I've been waiting for you for years now, and it always exciting to know that I'll finally be stepping on the best beaches of the Philippines. This is just nature at its best right here. 

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I wonder if being in the beach for 5 days could dampen my enthusiasm. I'm afraid I'll get bored in the last days of our trip.

Wait, is that even possible when you are in paradise?  

That should probably be the worst or more like unlikely thing that could happen.  But I brushed that possibility by just trying to enjoy the beach in the most varied ways possible.  Take for example, snorkeling, island hopping, taking underwater pictures, doing an early morning jog along the long stretch of powdery white beach, kayaking, and what else? hmmm, I've practically done many things with the beach, played with the one nearby my place.  It's just a smaller version of the one that we'll be visiting, but there is always a moment of serenity in that nook that I have in Isla Reta.  And it never fails to bring me to heaven.  Everything just stops and I just feel myself floating in my own dreamland.  I sure pray that I can create many moments in Palawan.  Most times, when I do pray for it, I get more than I expect and wish for and a bit more.  And I pray that this time would be the same as with any other trips I had.  I know that nature would just awe us again this time around.  Making moments as we try to experience it firsthand.  But much more than the wonderful places, it's always the moments I have with my loved ones are the ones which stays with me forever.

And so I can't wait to see our reaction and how we take in nature's wonders.  Hmmm, I could only scratch on that emotion for now.  I'm pretty sure we'll be amazed as we get inside the Underground River and the darkness swallowing us as we go deeper inside the cave.

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Or I could only imagine how my sister would irk as she get her first swallow of tamilok, which is a mangrove worm, turned into a special local delicacy.  

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And for some locals or tourists who prefers the extreme and all-things-quirky?  They would go down the mangroves or beachside in search of a dead mangrove root, grab the worms out of it, wash it in a bowl of water a few times, then dip it in kalamansi or lemon juice, sprinkle it with a bit of salt and swallow it raw.

Just like how it should be enjoyed. :)

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I can't wait to do our first kayak with my sibling.  I could only imagine us kayaking alongside the jagged wall of Cadlao Island, and just be in awe as to how small we are and be humbled by all that.

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I've got my itinerary already lined up and itemized, activities highlighted, expenses calculated.  It's after doing all these did I discovery that I'm quite OC with trip planning.  Down to the last detail baby.

Now everything is almost all set and ready.  I'll just probably wait and enjoy the ride when it happens. :)

Publisher: Shy - Friday, March 15, 2013

Palawan Here we Come!

What's been pushed back off the calendar plenty of times, doesn't always means that it will never going to happen.  

Yes. Palawan plan is finally going to be materialize next month.  And as always, I would be the coordinator, events planner who would have to plan for it all.  At first, it bugged me because, as much as I would want to make it easier for them, I realized that planning isn't that easy after all.  I felt like I needed help from them.  It was almost always treacherous.

Thanks to travel bloggers like Josiah from Lakas ng Trip, itinerary planning wouldn't be of a pain this time.  He had practically laid down as much usable info as he could, making this trip headache-free for me.  What did you know? He had a 4D/3N itinerary, which was quite same as ours, with ours having an additional lovely night to bask under the lovely moon of Palawan.

Thanks pal, I owe you. :)

For those who doesn't know what Palawan is, it's a long stretch of island found at the western part of the Philippines.  It's where you could find the most breathtaking beaches my country has to offer.

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What you think an ideal beach would be? It's Palawan baby!!!

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Now doesn't she reminds you of Survivor. Credits

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But generally speaking, facility-wise, is a far cry from those in Indonesia or Thailand.  Something that the local government should work on more. However there are a number of resorts though, which are at par with other world class resorts. One of which is Amanpulo.  This one is not only equal but it may seem like it's better than any leading resorts out there.  Not that I've been there, oh how I wish to.  However judging from the reviews over at tripadvisor it does sound like one hell of a dream destination.  Bookmarked!  Hmmm, I sure would need to do a lot of savings for me to stay there, I heard a night would cost a whopping $1000.  With a price like that, you could just imagine what is in store for you.

You could be the "keeper of one of the most perfect places on Earth "as how neiltaylor2233 puts it in his tripadvisor review.

Hmmm yeah, paradise!

Publisher: Shy - Wednesday, February 27, 2013