Halcyon days in Palawan

It’s been a year since my friends and I planned to have a vacation trip to Puerto Prinsesa in Palawan. Then last May of this year, we availed the nine promo tickets from Air Philippines that only cost 700+php back and forth (Manila to Palawan/ Palawan to Manila). 

Our departure was Sept. 23-29, 2010 and we were pretty excited for this trip because all of us were first-timers to visit the beautiful province of Palawan. Months have passed but three of my friends were not allowed to take a vacation leave at their work and some of them weren’t also allowed by their parents. So we’re only six in the group and still, we decided to push this one through. 

Palawan is such a wonderful place and I can’t refuse this chance of a lifetime of visiting the province they called the Last Frontier. I heard a lot of good comments and reviews about Palawan and I can’t wait to see and experience it for myself.

 

( Credits: google.com for this image)

We arrived there at three o’clock in the afternoon then we stayed at DLM Pensionne House manage by Mam Jackie (Ate Yette’s client at their cargo office in Manila) and his husband named Kuya Erwin. We took a rest first then we ate our dinner with lots of sumptuous meals cooked by Kuya Erwin. Palawan seafoods’ like shrimps, crabs and seaweeds were very delicious and I’m still craving up to this moment I’m writing this post! We toured some of the cities in Palawan like the Crocodile Farm which is haven of crocodiles and some species like ostrich, skeleton of sperm whale, serpent eagle, and pheasant peacock among others that are only endemic in Palawan.

 

Skeleton of Sperm Whale

Skeleton of a crocodile found in one of the rivers in Palawan (not the Underground River)...

Ostrich

Serpent Eagle

and the star of this farm...

Crocodile Family

Baby Crocs

We also explored Baker’s Hill where lots of bread, sweets, and other delicacies are made by their hardworking bakers. This place is such a Wonderland because lots of cartoon characters were displayed and the visitors were very much thrilled at it.

 

Then we also went to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm which is one of the most talked-about place in Palawan because of its uniqueness. This place is not just a prison jail but a community as well because the prisoners there are also vendors, farmers and their families also lived with them. Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm were featured in Rated K according to our tour guide, Kuya Mark. The prisoners were very nice and accommodating to every visitor that comes by.

Our Tour Guide, Kuya Mark (Mahiyain ka, Kuya? :P)

Some of the Inmates

Then the Mitra Ranch owned by the political clan of Raul Mitra was the last city we visited. It’s Palawan’s very own version of Tagaytay City view deck/ overlooking.

But what left me speechless during my stay in Palawan was when we experienced the breathtaking natural wonder of St. Peter Subterranean River or famously known as the Underground River. According to Kuya Mark (tour guide), this river is the main eye candy of the province because if you’re going to ask most tourists what is the best place they liked in Palawan and they’ll answered that the Underground River is truly exceptional among other rivers. If you’ll also ask them what brought you here in Palawan, most answers are “I want to see the Underground River because of its popularity worldwide.” I also agree with them because when I saw the river I can’t help but to amazed and I caught myself awestruck because of its natural beauty.

We wore our helmets and life vests then we entered at the mouth of the cave/ river by boat riding. We saw some rock and stalagmites (stalactite) images that were naturally formed by water like holy family, smokey mountain, image of Jesus Christ, vegetables like carrots and giant mushroom. Our boatman said that it will take millions of years before a rock will naturally form an image I just mentioned above. Wow! That’s truly amazing! The next day, our last agenda was the Honda Bay composed of Snake Island and Starfish Island. They called it Snake Island because of its snake-like form while the Starfish Island because lots of starfishes are lived freely at the bay.

The Starfish Island

(I'll eat you Patrick Star! :P)

Palawan is truly a paradise to live in and I must say that when God created this earth and showered His blessings, Palawan got most out of it! The Palaweńos are very hospitable and I must commend their municipality mayor, Mr. Edward Hagedorn because of his dexterous leadership and the way he and his fellowmen doing their job in preserving and protecting the natural beauty of Palawan. I want to go back there and I’ll never get tired of appreciating Palawan and other provinces of the Philippines because of its nature’s finest and pulchritude. Halika, byahe tayo! Just an FYI: Underground River is one of the finalists in Seven Wonders of the World and you may cast your vote by visiting this link, St. Peter Subterranean Underground River. 

 ** MORE PALAWAN PICS FROM MY FB ACCOUNT! :P