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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Palawan 2011 - Day 2 (Underground River)

After a very daring activity at Tagabinet we headed to Sabang where we had our buffet lunch by the beach. The buffet consist of grilled pork and tuna, pancit, adobong manok, sauteed kangkong, nilagang baka, nilagang tuna, ensaladang mangga, and fruits. I was not able to take a picture because I was too hungry to even take just one but it was yum!

Welcome to Sabang, the gateway to Underground River

After lunch, while we were talking about the Spelunking experience we had a couple of hours ago a lady approached us and offered a very familiar delicacy of Palawan, need I say more? - the Tamilok or woodworm (for reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipworm).

She said that we really have not been to Palawan unless we tried it. Hah! The sales talk got us! One of the ladies on our table bought one order for Php 100 - that's five Tamilok for us.

I never really want to have one as the idea of the word "worm" is bugging me but Val tried one and she said it's just really like oysters, so I eventually ended up eating one, the last one but the biggest, longest and probably the juiciest one. It was so long that I had to twirl it with a fork like a spaghetti. lol.

The second Tamilok

Valerie eating the fourth Tamilok

20 minute boat ride to the underground river site

Ahh.. Don't you just love seeing this kind of water.. It's like I'm seeing 7 shades of blue.

Welcome to the Underground River

The starting point

Safety first guys!

Here we go!

I found myself blown away when I saw these amazing mineral formations. The experience was amazing. Seeing the nature's gift to us is beyond explanation of the gratitude I felt inside the cave. For someone like me who's enticed with history and heritage, this is really big.

Underground sediment depositions believed to be millions of years

One of the biggest stalagmites inside the "cathedral area" of underground river

Amazing formation of stalactites.

It took millions of years for these stalactites to be formed

While we were cruising the stretch of the underground I asked the mamang bangkero the location of the seacow (dugong) fossil, that the tour guide asked me secretly if we wanted to see it, but it would cost us additional fee (under the table) since this is not supposed to be known to the public yet, but the mamang bangkero did not respond on my inquiry (I asked him three times).

When we got back to the land the tour guide said that this also depends on the bangkero. Some are really strict about telling the information about the location as the thing is still understudy by foreign scientists. The tour guide told us that PNoy visited couple of weeks before and went to see this amazing fossil. Haay.. Sayang talaga!

After the underground tour

Happy to see one of the finalists in the "New 7 Wonders of Nature"

Jose playing on the sand and very happy

In line with these, I am appealing to you my friends to please vote and support the Puerto Princesa Underground River. This will not only bring glory and honor to the Palaweños but to all of us Filipinos. In fact as of October 02 2011 the Philippines is the only left entry from Southeast Asia and we are on the fourth spot. We have became known as the text capital of the world. Let us show them!

For more information on how to vote visit http://www.puerto-undergroundriver.com/

Monday, October 3, 2011

Palawan 2011 - Day 2 ( Ugong Rock Adventure )

We started day two with a continental breakfast in bed, literally, at seven as we have requested. At eight o'clock AM while we were doing our morning ritual of smoking the tour guide came to let us know that we will be leaving in 5 minutes. So we hurriedly packed our things to bring (camera, extra clothes, bottled water).

A tour van was waiting outside then we left De Loro for underground river experience. We went to fetch three girls in Casa Fuerte, three kilometers away from De Loro, who will join our group tour.

Our tour guide's name is Jouie. He is a native Palaweño so he is very much familiar with the place. The travel time from city to Sabang, where we are going to take a boat to underground, is two hours. After one and a half travel we stopped at Tagabenit. He said that we are scheduled to cruise the underground river at two o'clock in the afternoon and we are just going to be bored if we will go directly to Sabang. So he suggested to try caving at Ugong Rock Adventures.

Ugong Rock is a limestone formed millions of years ago. It is believed that it used to be part of the ocean and after millions of years of waves it forcefully curved/created wonderful limestone structures inside, then the water sea level subsides and voila! We have Ugong Rock!

Ugong Rock is actually being maintained by ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan Foundation - it's one of their five community-based tourism initiative project to help people of Puerto Princesa. The Ugong Rock tour guides and facilitators are people of Tagabenit (since the amazing limestone formation is located in their area). In my opinion this is a really nice idea of helping people, instead of donating money create an initiative project that will have a long term sustenance to the people, di ba? Way to go ABS-CBN!

Val all geared up

Jaydee and Jose pro-safety first

For Php 200 you can go caving up to the top and trace your way back into the cave to go down which will take an hour each way. Additional Php 250 if you are going to do zipline on your way down in just 23 seconds. I am not a fan zipline 'coz I have an irrational fear of heights, I am Acrophobic. So I only paid Php 200 and I am willing to take the challenge, back and forth, of whatever they got inside those caves! lol

They called it Ugong Rock because on the entrance of the cave you will hear an "Ugong" sound. It's like the million ocean waves have been recorded by the cave to be heard good for the earth's lifetime.

The guys goofing around. Tree planting project. lol

Spelunking is another term for caving. Spelunkers are what they call untrained and unknowledgeable amateur explorer. Cavers is what you call well experienced people in cave exploring. Spelunking is fun yet tough. Really tough! It would take a lot of strength and guts to love this activity.

60 ft. up! Jaydee spelunking her way up in her maxi dress.

Almost there!

Whew!

My turn b*tches!

Easy for Joseph 'coz he has no weight/gravity issues! lol

We made it up!

Val in between the rocks

And I thought this is going to be our last challenge... not really!

Wooooohhhhhhoooo!! The view!

It took an hour to get on top. How are we gonna go down? We no longer wanna take the same route going down. So we decided to go zip-line! Excuse me, this is not your ordinary zip-line. It's a gravitational zip-line. What made it different from the other zip-line? This has a slope! Others are just a straight fair cable slightly inclined. Ugong has an 80 degrees slope going down. It's really scary.

On the video I took. The zipline guy took him forever to convince me to let go already and go steady and relax. Easy for him to say! lol. And so I closed my eyes and I screamed like it was my last.

Joseph had a pretty much zipline in his life so it's no biggie for him. lol

And then a casualty. Valerie got hit by the metal sling, the next thing I know she was calling my name saying her left eye hurts. So we asked for an ice for cold compress to constrict blood vessels and localize bleeding.

After a couple of smoke. We went back to the van and went to Sabang beach where the lunch buffet is waiting for us! Wooohh!!

Friday, September 30, 2011

Palawan 2011 - Day One (1)

Just when we got back from a Boracay trip last January, ZestAir had a promo fare. We booked 5 tickets to Puerto Princesa, Palawan - September 17 - 19.

Round trip ZestAir ticket to Puerto Princesa, Palawan - Php 400 each.

Fast forward to September 2011.

It was my first time to see Palawan. I have always been fascinated to see the place, that's why I was excited!

Being and has always been the group's planner. I was obliged to find a great deal tour. My friend Joseph suggested the Hibiscus Garden Inn, I tried to get in touch with them but to no avail. I guess they do not want to have business with us. lol. Aaron, my officemate, found online a great deal. De Loro Inn and Restaurant. (http://www.deloropalawan.com/).

Their tour packages were unbelievable. I even thought it was a hoax so I had to assuredly check if they are real and had to find and read the reviews about them. Contented with what I have read, we availed the tour package D which includes the accommodation and tour.

Rate: Php 3,800.00 / Person (3days / 2 nights)

Inclusions on Accommodation:
Welcome Drinks, Daily Continental Breakfast, Free Airport Transfer.

Inclusions on Tours:
Aircondition Van Transfer, Boat Fee, Entrance Fees, Cottage Fees,
Permits, Buffet Lunch, Tour Guide.

Not Bad!! Right?!!

The place is just 2 minutes away from the airport which is great! And I thought the people there are the most courteous, well-mannered resort employees I have ever encountered. I swear!

So basically all we have to worry was dinner and "pasalubong". You will be amazed with the food they got there in Palawan! I will show you some food images I got later on.

Since September is a typhoon season in the Philippines, expect a lot of flight cancellation and delays. Praise to God that on our day of departure Mr. Sun is up and bright! We arrived 5 o'clock PM at Puerto Princesa safe and sound but not Jaydee's luggage.

A damaged luggage greeted us at the baggage claim. Jaydee had to go to the airline ticket counter and report the incident. Ay the hassle talaga!

A huge sculpture of a horse will greet you at the De Loro's lobby

The Palawaneers Val, Jose, Jaydee and moi

This is like the bridge from our room to the dining hall

Our room - Room 10

I really cannot complain on the room accommodation because basic needs were there - bathroom was clean, they got hot and cold shower, refrigerator, air conditioner and television were working absolutely, they got security and we got a our own patio outside where we could do our smoke - freaky lang the gecko lizards near the zen garden in front our patio because we can hear them.. lol -, the floor area was huge! Aside from the fact that we really are not dainty - at all! But it's really more than I had expected.

Now, it's dinner time! We went to this "Kinabuch's Restaurant Bar & Grill" located at Rizal Ave. of Puerto Princesa. It's really not difficult to find, just tell the tricycle driver the restaurant's name and they will take you there in fine feather. lol. You know what's amazing with the tricycle drivers of Puerto Princesa? They got calling cards! lol Seriously!

It has been a trend for most of them to have one, since more often than not their passengers are tourists. You can hire a tricycle to take you anywhere around the city. Isn't that awesome!? So, Jose took the driver's calling card and advised him that we will just text him if we are ready to go back to De Loro. He's nice by the way.

Kinabuch's Restaurant Bar & Grill seemed really famous in Puerto Princesa. Why wouldn't they? The ambiance is beach like with open air dining area. I like their "kubo-kubo" suits for "barkada" dining in and they have an area for family too. The food is great! Generous portions are being served. Their menu consists of different variety of cuisine. From Filipino to Thai, Indian and Western.

Jose and Jaydee

Two (2) of Palawan's renown food Tamilok (wood-worm) and Crocodile meat

Kinabuch's Iced Tea Slush is a must try. It's a best seller. I tried to ask the waiter how does the bartender prepare it but they are not allowed to divulge it. lol. The only clue: they cook the tea on stove top. Hmmmm.. Shrimp in coconut milk cream. Delish!

Gising-gising, this has got to be the best gising-gising I ever tried. It put to shame the one I had at Ceslyn Restaurant in Cabanatuan City which I always thought the best one. Mixed Seafood in cream - it has tuna, squid, shrimp, bell pepper and peas. It's almost like all you need is a pasta noodle and this can be the sauce. This is my fave.

Sinigang na hipon is Val's request and it's good, really good!

We wanted to order crabs but they were out of stock already when we got there - that early. Imagine that!!

Our total bill was Php 1,600 apportion of 4 that's Php 400 each. Not bad! It's fresh, it has big servings and great ambiance! It's a big must to eat at Kinabuch's Reataurant Bar & Grill when you are in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Next stop.. Badjao Restaurant.. on Palawan 2011 - Day Two (2)