Last June 12-14, 2010 my officemates & I went to Palawan for a vacation. We booked and stayed at Puerto Pension for our hotel accommodation. This hotel is with a good location and has also comfortable and affordable amenities.
When we arrived at Palawan last June 12 we went directly to Sabang Beach to have our lunch then proceeded to our underground river cruise. As we reached our first destination, which is the underground river, we were able to enjoy the peaceful scenery & the cool breeze of the air surrounding us as we rode on a boat going there.
The Palawan Underground River is a Subterranean Thrill with 8.2
It is the world’s longest subterranean river located in Sito Sabang. Bats and insects live inside the tunnel creating some unpleasant smell during the cruise. A guide with a paddle-powered outrigger and a kerosene can take you to the Palawan Underground River. The local government offers prices depending on the outrigger and number of people that will ride it.
Usually, a group of 4-6 people ride the paddle-powered outriggers going inside the Palawan Underground River. To avoid any accidents, a life vest and a helmet is provided to the guests. Flashlights are very useful during the trip so you can see what’s inside.
Next day of our tour, we traveled to Snake Island where we did some swimming and snorkeling. Snake Island was aptly named because of its long yet narrow shape. The Island is so narrow (especially as the tide comes in) that you can take photos where you can see the ocean on both sides of the island!
Next day of our tour, we traveled to Snake Island where we did some swimming and snorkeling. Snake Island was aptly named because of its long yet narrow shape. The Island is so narrow (especially as the tide comes in) that you can take photos where you can see the ocean on both sides of the island!
The guide was there to assist us especially those of us who weren’t too good in swimming. We had a simple but hearty lunch that the guides brought over from the main land then moved on to Pandan Island for another round of snorkling.
In the afternoon after our swimming & snorkeling activities we went to visit the following: 1) crocodile farm 2) rancho sta. monica 3) the baker’s hill & 4) souvernir shops for our "pasalubong".
1)THE CROCODILE FARM
The farm is found near the city center of Puerto Princesa, about 20 to 30 minutes by land. It is being maintained by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a holding facility so a lot of animals here are also released into the wild or forest after they are rescued.
In this farm there is a skeleton of a huge crocodile which is said to be the largest ever that was captured in the 90′s. It has a length of about 5 meters from the nose to the tip of the tail and was discovered to have eaten half a body of a human. It later died in captivity.
The farm has hundreds of baby crocodiles bred in captivity and placed in batches inside a huge tub and fed twice a week. They are then transferred into a bigger pool when they grow up to a mature size.
There are two types of crocodiles in Palawan. The first kind is the freshwater crocodile and the second is the saltwater crocodile. About 80% of the swamps and rivers in Palawan are still infested with crocodiles so people needs to be very careful before going into these areas.
There’s a short tour inside the farm with a small fee when visiting the place. Visitors are allowed to have their pictures with a baby crocodile (about 1 meter long) with its mouth tied up.
A viewdeck owned by the Mitra’s, Rancho Sta. Monica offers the most breathtaking view of Palawan a few hundred feet above the rest of the city.
3) BAKER’S HILL
One more notable stop is Baker’s Hill, a simple yet very popular bakery with a well-decorated park at the back! The park is complete with statues, decorations and structures designed in various th emes. Lcoal and tourists would visit to spend some time relaxing and enjoying the location and the pastries.
4) SOUVENIR SHOPS
Souvenir shops are located at the center of city wherein different kinds of "pasalubong" are being sold at low cost. This is the place were we bought our pasalubong to our friends & families.
With all those destinations we went to, I could say that our trip to Palawan is a memorable one. On your next trip & travel try to go to PALAWAN and see the wonders of nature and experience the beautiful atmosphere of the place.
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