Puerto Princesa's Underground River (Palawan)

Our 6-day Palawan trip started in Puerto Princesa. We did a city-tour on our first day and a visit to the Underground River on the second day :)

Known to be one of the 8 Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa's Subterranean Underground River has been attracting many local and foreign tourists.

Because it is situated in Sabang area of Puerto Princesa (around 1 1/2-2 hour van ride from the city), travel agencies has been growing like mushrooms in the city. They organize trips to the underground river daily and make your life a little easier in securing permits and transportation. They also provide buffet lunch and a tour guide.

View from one of the stopover

The view from the Sabang Port where you'll ride a boat to go to the main area of the Underground River

Planning to visit the Underground River? Here are some options for you:

Option 1) Ask your hotel if they offer a tour to the underground river. Usually they charge around P1500/person (inclusive of transportation to Sabang and buffet lunch).

Option 2) Look for a good travel agency in the town. I would recommend SMY Travel and Tours. Dean, our tour guide was helpful, witty and funny :) According to him, they are the only travel agency that gives sweet tarts for their guests. (And yeah, the tarts were really good!) P1500/person (inclusive of transportation to Sabang and buffet lunch).

Dean San Luis

0915-8141-630

smytravel@yahoo.com

Option 3) Go to the tourism office. Pay P175 for permit. Ask around town for transportation going to Sabang. From there, you have to show your permit in the tourism office near the port and get your number (for the boat). Can be a hassle  but you'll save a lot of money.

Almost all the boats look the same so remember the number of your boat. :)

Some important things to remember:

Don't go there during weekends. There will sure be a long line.

Don't expect too much. From the 13-kilometer underground river, you'll only see 1.5 kilometers of it. 

If you just bring camera phone/tablet, you'll not have good pictures.

Give tips to the boatmen and to the tour guide.

Eat tamilok ( a local delicacy-- it's not too bad) :)

(c) Pictures by Nemil

See our El Nido Trip here 
See our Coron Trip here

Budget Hotel in Puerto Princesa Palawan: Marianne Inn
Rating: 4/5
Good Location: Situated in the middle of the city proper, near Honda Bay
Affordable and good service: P1500/night (for 2 people) with private bath, Hot and Cold Shower, Aircon and TV
Mobile: 09175342138; 09297413367
www.marianne-palawan.com

The Grandeur of Pagudpud (Ilocos Norte)

It has always been my dream to visit Pagudpud and enjoy its untouched beauty. The dream came true last December. From Vigan to Laoag, we went up to the last town of Ilocos Sur to finally witness its grandeur. It didn't disappoint me but the weather wasn't on our side. :(

Because we're on a DIY trip, we decided to do a "tricycle tour", a common way to go to the different tourist spots in the town. I was able to contact Kuya Arnel ( 09127897797) ahead of time and he agreed to meet us at the town's landmark early in the morning.

Originally, if you're coming from Laoag, you'll take the Northern Tour first (P600 tour fee). Your meeting place would be in Burgos for the Karpurpurawan Rock Formation (and then follows the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and the  Bangui Windmills). But because it was raining really hard on our scheduled visit, we opted to try the Southern Tour first (also P600). Here are the inclusion of the Southern Tour:

1) Kabigan Falls is a ravishing waterfalls in Barangay Balaoi, a kilometer away from the National Highway.
It is a 30-minute walk from the jump point where guides would be waiting. (You need to pay another P100 for the guide and if it is raining, you can rent raincoats for P50). The scenery along the way was breathtaking. In spite of the muddy path and the unending rain, I really enjoyed the time walking there with my husband. Too bad, our pictures were limited because we needed to protect our camera. :(

2) Patapat Viaduct is several kilometers of road near the sea connecting Ilocos Sur to Cagayan Valley. In spite of the rain and the fog, I stood there for several minutes just looking at the waves and the rain. It was beautiful.

3) Bantay Abot Cave, Timmangtang Rocks and Agua Grande: These are the beauties that we weren't able to see and enjoy. We were shivering when we've reached these places. The only thing that I saw was black clouds and huge waves and a blurred image of Bantay Abot Cave and the rocks. It was really frustrating. (I'll see you next time, I guess).

4) Blue Lagoon: Armed with my small umbrella, we went and see the small "boracay" of Ilocos. Hannah's, the famous hotel and resort there, offers various kinds of activities for tourists (like the zipline that would pass by the sea---spell COOL! P700 for the zipline-woooh ohh.)

5) Saud Beach: Our last destination's the Saud Beach. For now, you know my line already: We weren't able to enjoy it to the fullest because of the RAIN. But we stayed in one of the cheapest accommodation available there-Cathy Homestay. It has been praised by many local travelers because of the quality service and affordable price. We paid P1500 for the night. The room was huge and is really intended for families. We spent our first Christmas together enjoying the sound of the rain and the waves nearby. (If you are on a budget,I suggest you buy food on the grocery store in the town. The restaurants in Saud Beach are too priceyyyyyy).

The next day, it was still raining in the morning, we couldn't even go to the beach and have a swim :( We have decided not to pursue the Northern tour (but inside I was grumbling and angry and mad--haha). So at 10am, we called Kuya Arnel again and on our way to Pagudpud town, the sun began to shine brightly. Hurrah! Here are the awesome places you'll see in the Northern Tour:

1) The Bangui Windmills:

2) Bangui Windmill View Deck:

3) Karpurpurawan Rock Formation: This one is my favorite--majestic!

Tourists were swarming like ants in spite of the weather. At the entrance, Kuya Arnel transferred us to another tricycle driver (the P300 from the P600 will be given to him. He told us that this their way of helping one another.) Entrance fee's  P35 each.

4) The Cape Bojeado LightHouse: From the Karpurpurawan Rock Formation, our new guide brought us to the old lighthouse in top of a hill. From the top, you can see the shoreline of Burgos.

After a few minutes, we headed off to the nearest bus stop and we waited for a bus to Laoag. It took us 1 1/2 hour from Burgos to Laoag City (P75 fare). From Laoag, we headed to Partas Bus Station and went home to Manila after 5 days of wandering in the towns of Ilocos. It was an experience worth remembering. 

You might want to read: 

Viva Vigan

The Road to Laoag

The Road to Laoag

map from google

From Vigan, we rode a non-air conditioned bus going to Badoc (fare is P50). Based on the blogs that I've read, Badoc has a beautiful church called "La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc" and the Juan Luna Museum was there too. It was a nice and small town.

The Churchwas small and it was already repainted, making it look more modern. The bell tower, however, was kept on its original look. So it is still worth seeing. It is just near the municipal hall.

The La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc

Just a few blocks away, you can see the Juan Luna Museum which was originally the house of the Luna family. It exhibits Juan Luna's impressive paintings. Really interesting. The house was very beautiful too--inside and out :)

From Badoc, we rode a bus going to Laoag but we dropped off to Batac- Marcos' hometown. There we visited the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum and ate Ilocos empanada :)

Pres. Ferdinand Marcos

From Batac, we rode a tricycle going to Paoay (fee is P50-P70-special). The Paoay Church welcomes us with her magnificient structure :) The old church was very pretty and we took a lot of pictures. We were set to go to Paoay Lake and the Ilocandia of the North but there was no public transportation available. The tricycle fee would cost us another P100. We felt it was too much already so we decided to skip it.

We rode a jeepney going to Laoag and we arrived after thirty minutes or so. We checked in to a budget hotel (that I wouldn't recommend-haha) and after an hour rest, we went roaming around the town. Laoag is a very small town and you can just roam around the city by foot. We went to see the front of Laoag Museum, municipal hall and the sinking bell tower.

The Sinking Bell Tower at the center of Laoag City

We decided to have dinner  in the nearby nice cafe and ate some unusual food :) And there we were, ready for the next day's travel to Pagudpud. :)

My dinner that night: Pesto with tuyo

Option: From Vigan, you may go directly to Laoag. There are regular jeepney and bus trips going to Paoay, Batac and Badoc.

If you're not coming from Vigan, you may opt to take an airplane. Cebu Pacific and PAL Express offer regular trips to Laoag. (Sometimes, the promo fare's cost is only P1000 below). The bus from Manila going directly to Laoag costs P850+. Vigan to Laoag-P150 (direct).

(This post is based on a whole day travel starting 6am-6pm. From Paoay, we arrived in Laoag at 2pm. We had the rest of the afternoon to wander around Laoag.)

See my post about Vigan here.
See my post about Pagudpud here

Viva Vigan!

I love Vigan! The place is full of things to see and learn. Busog ang mata at kaisipan.

We originally planned to go to the Mountain Province for my birthday. But there were some hesitations (budget (or the lack of-hehe), weather, etc etc). In spite of all these, we were able to have our much needed relaxation (especially for my husband who's been working hard for the whole year).

With just some little knowledge about Ilocos, off we went on the night of the 20th. A friend gave me their itinerary (budget details, places to see--maybe I'll write the details itinerary on another post) and I've read some blogs about travel info in Ilocos (for me this blog is really helpful http://adventuroj.com/category/travel/ilocos-sur/). We rode the Partas bus (they have good service, honest drivers and regular schedule to the north). Fare is almost P800. Terminal Numbers for inquiry: 725-7303, 416-2809.

Here are the places that you can visit in Vigan:
You can do this by just walking (just find a local map, ask your hotel, it'll help you in your walking tour)

1) Plaza Burgos: During the day it looks serene and quiet. However, at night many people are strolling and when we were there, there was a dancing fountain show every night. Cool!

Plaza Burgos and the Vigan Cathedral during the day

They tried to keep the buildings look old. This is the street near the plaza where there are many fast food chains, street foods and tiangge stalls. 

2) Vigan Cathedral (near Plaza Burgos), the Arzobispo and the Ilocos Sur Capitol
A few meters away is the famous Vigan Church (or St.Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral) and the Arzobispo, an archbishop's residence during the Spanish period that houses the Museo Nuevo Segovia (museum with paintings and religious relics)

The Ilocos Sur Provincial Hall is just in front of Plaza Burgos. It was beautiful at night with all the Christmas decorations and different Christmas lights.

3) Heritage Village (near Vigan Cathedral, Vigan Hotel)
From the cathedral, stroll some more meters and you'll see the Vigan Hotel and the Heritage Village.

Front of Vigan Hotel

The start of the Heritage Village. Cafe Leona, a famous restaurant in Vigan is on the left side.

4) Padre Burgos Museum 
The Burgos Museum is the old house of Padre Burgos and his siblings. It is near the Capitol and is located in Quezon Avenue. It's interesting to learn and see something about the life of the historical figure that I just read briefly in history classes. I also got to see Ilocos' rich history and culture.

Entrance Fee: P20

Interesting things found inside the museum (Japanese galleon, tribal people in Ilocos, heroes and prominent figures in Ilocos, the Noli Me Tangere copy)

5) Other Places to see (just along Crisologo Street):
Syquia Mansion (the residence of Elpidio Quirino and his wife): with an entrance fee of P20.
Quema House (an exquisite stone house; this is a private residence but they allow visitors to take photos).

You can do this by riding a tricycle (P30-P50 one way) or by a calesa (P150/hour)
6) Hidden Garden: a garden with a restaurant and different kinds of plants. Going to the Hidden Garden, you'll also see the many pottery shops in Vigan. (No entrance fee, hurrah!)

Lovers in the garden

                                   
7) Baluarte Zoo: a popular destination for families, Baluarte offers different kinds of animals and educational shows. The entrance is free too :)

8) Bantayan Bell Tower and Church (you can skip this on the calesa tour if you are staying in Henady Inn--it's just 50meter or so)

The morning view on the Bell Tower. The tower opens at 6am :)

You can go here by bus or van: Adventure Zone, Ilocos Sur
Going South: (click here to read my post about Adventure Zone)

Because we lack some time, we weren't able to see the following. Maybe you can check this out when you visit.
9) Mindoro Beach: They say the sunset is really good here, just 15 away from the town.
10) Meztizo River Cruise: just make sure you do this before 5pm

So these are the places you can visit on this lovely town. We did all of these in two days (not including the 10-hr bus travel time) and the budget ranges from 4000-5000 (for two person) depending on how wise you are. Don't forget to eat empanada, bagnet and vigan longgonisa when you visit.

See our adventure after Vigan here: The Road to Laoag

Eden Park and the Sky Cycle Experience (Davao City)

           
                                                                                      

 In the suburb part of Davao City lies a lovely place called Eden Nature Park.
It offers a variety of activities and amenities such as:

1) Day Tour: It costs P520 with buffet lunch. The tour covers almost all the main parts of the park (plus you'll see almost all the different facilities offered by Eden). It's relaxing and fun :) (Good for pictures too!)

2) Buffet Lunch: they serve healthy and delicious dishes. I soooo love their variety of lettuce and different salad dressings! Yum, yum! :)

3) Fishing: P40-fishing fee inclusive of fishing equipment  (if you catch a fish--it is considered sold already so you have to pay for it)

4) Playground: kids will surely love their playground. Adults will also take an interest on the "Indiana Jones" part where you'll ride a rope and bounce back at the end.  (Sorry, I couldn't fully explain the thing!)

5) Cabins: They have different types--for honeymooners, families, companies. The cabins have their own kitchen and they are set in different parts of the park so you can enjoy your privacy. (I don't know about the prices though. Maybe a little bit pricey but I think it's worth the try).

6) Skycycling and Zipline: I think this is a new facility. It is at the other end of Eden (you have to go out of the park, it's on the right side). Although it is still by Eden's Management, I think you can go there without having to pay the "entrance fee" in Eden Park. So if you're on a tight budget and would just want to try the Skycycling and Zipline, then you can just do that.

Zipline: P150

Skycycling: P200

Combo (Skycling + Zipline): P300

This is it! The Sky Cycle Path

And there we go!

So that's it---try Eden Nature Park when you're in Davao City. :) Hope this helps!

For more info, you may visit http://edennaturepark.com.ph. 

Adventure Zone, Ilocos Sur

Adventure Zone is just 15 minutes away from Vigan town. If you're on a DIY trip like us, you can just take a bus or van going to Sta. Maria (fare from Vigan is just P25). The drivers will know where Adventure Zone is (feel free to ask them to drop you off).

The government of Ilocos Sur created Adventure Zone for those who seeks adventure while in Vigan. The provincial capital itself is full of attractions that you can visit in a day or two (either by walking or by riding a 'calesa'). However, if you want something else, then Adventure Zone is perfect for you.

Here are the things that they offer so far:

1) Zipline        P250 each-one way (see my video-it's worth it!)

2) Rapeling     P150 (two attempts)- I also tried this! Good experience

3) Kayaking   P200

4) Plus the beautiful picture-perfect bridge overlooking the mountains and Abra river.

So just in case you have a trip in the North, it'll be cool to drop by Adventure Zone :)

(c) Photos by Nemil

Mt. Mabilog (Laguna, Philippines)

Dusk at Mt. Mabilog 

In the midst of the stress in the city, my husband and I together with our friends managed to sneak to a nearby mountain to rest and enjoy the nature. It has been more than a year already since my last hike, so I wasn't prepared physically. The less-than-2-hour climb was really burdensome this time. Plus my right foot which was injured a couple of months ago, still hurts. But anyway, anyway we did it!

Because of the travel blogs that we've read, we were able to reach the place easily. According to these travel blogs, there are three  jump-off for this mountain. We chose the jump-off at Lake Pandin, Sto Angel, San Pablo City so that we'll be able to experience Lake Pandin too.

From Kamuning, we rode a bus to San Pablo (Fare: P135.50). From San Pablo, we rented two tricyles to go to Sto Angel (Lake Pandin). The rent costs P200/per tricycle. We were 12 so we paid P50 each.

We reached Lake Pandin in a few minutes (it is cheaper to ride a jeepney but the trike drivers know exactly where to go so if you're new in San Pablo, better take the tricycle). We were welcomed by the monkey-guard and some bangkeras. 

The Monkey-Guard at Lake Pandin

We all agreed to take the balsa tour which costs us P180 each (with free buko). We had our baon so we didn't buy the food there. (If you want fresh food you can ask them to serve you food too-P360 something per person ata including the tour). It is admirable that all the bangkeros were women.

Ate Lotlot in her buksan ang buko-moment

We didn't swim on the lake but they said the water is cool and deep. Kuya on the picture above is the lifesaver of the lake.

After two hours, we decided to start the journey to Mt. Mabilog. Because we're 12, we were required to take two guides (P300 for each guide). The trail is actually easy (and we can do it for an hour). However, I was very slow and my husband carried a big and heavy backpack bag so we stopped from time to time. On our way, we were able to see Lake Yambo from a distance.

After two hours, we reached the summit. The summit is actually spacious (pero masukal ang ibang lugar!). There were few hikers already so we didn't get to have the best place. But it was okay :) The view on the summit is beautiful (nakakawala ng pagod).

View on our Camp Site

Sunset on the Other Side

We were there before the sunset so we were able to enjoy it. Plus it was full moon that night so we got to enjoy the moon too :)

The next day, we went to Lake Yambo and Bunga Falls. I'll complete the story on the next post. :)

(c) Pictures by Nemil