Tag: Philippines

Do-It-Yourself Honda Bay Tour, Puerto Princesa, Palawan

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Most tourists go straight to El Nido from the Puerto Princesa Airport but there’s so much to see in this city that you shouldn’t miss. I had my recent reunion with high school friends here and the city is a perfect quick getaway with your barkada.

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GETTING THERE and GETTING AROUND

There are many local airlines flying to Puerto Princesa International Airport from Manila, Cebu and Davao daily. We flew with Cebu Pacific Air for only P750 roundtrip which we got during a seat sale. There are different ways to get around Puerto Princesa, these include tricycles, multicabs, jeepney and vans. For short distances, we usually just took the tricycle which is P10 each person. For longer distances, you can negotiate a rate with the driver.

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El Nido, Palawan: Sweeter the Second Time Around

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Big Lagoon, El Nido

Ahhhhh El Nido…I can’t help but to hum “Moby’s Porcelain” song in my head every time I think about this magnificent place. The place is teeming with breathtaking lagoons, limestone formations and white sand beaches. Palawan was recently voted as the best island in the world according to Conde Nast Traveler Magazine so more and more people are eager to visit the place, especially El Nido. To my surprise, there were even more foreigners compared to locals during my visit this summer.

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A Long Weekend in Cagbalete Island

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After countless debates on where to spend the weekend, my friends and I decided to go to Cagbalete. Thanks to the papal visit, we had another long weekend to linger away. Unfortunately, the weather did not agree with us so we got stuck in the island longer than expected. Cagbalete Island is situated in Mauban, Quezon. This place has been slowly gaining popularity as more and more people visit this beautiful island.

Getting there:

  • We took the JAC liner bus in Buendia terminal bound for Lucena (P210). Buses leave every 30 minutes. We left around 2AM and took us 4 hours to get to Lucena Grand Terminal. From there, you take a mini non-aircon bus to Mauban for 2 hours (P50). It was an interesting ride seeing how the locals go about their morning (except that I didn’t have any sleep so it was one hell of a ride for me). Oh, and expect various live stocks and sacks as your seatmate.
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L-R: Try the Batangas batchoy at Lucena Grand Terminal. ; Mini van to Mauban.

  • Another option is taking the van to Mauban from SM Lucena (P60). Much more comfortable and takes less time as it has fewer stops on the way.
  • From the drop off point, you can either walk or take a tricycle (P8/person) to Mauban port. There is a P50 environmental fee and public boats leave at 10AM.

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Rediscover Puerto Galera: Talipanan Beach

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I have lost count how many times I have visited Puerto Galera. With its convenience and proximity from Manila, Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro has been a famous beach getaway for urbanites for some time now. Most famous for its White Beach, it can get pretty busy especially during weekends and holidays. I remember coming here during Holy Week a few years back and it was so packed with people, you can barely find a spot to lay on the sand! Now this is not my idea of a relaxing holiday; good thing Puerto Galera has a lot more to offer than just the famous White Beach. A few years back, we stayed at White Beach for a weekend and a friend recommended we have lunch at Luca Italian Restaurant at Talipanan Beach. It was about a 40-minute walk from White Beach to Talipanan Beach but it was totally worth it! Not only did we get to eat delicious Italian food at Luca, we also discovered this beautiful and tranquil beach away from the craziness of White Beach. So we vowed to stay there on our next trip to Puerto Galera.

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Fast forward to 2015. I’ve been busy with work since December and been itching to go to the beach. Luckily, I got a few days off work so Kat and I decided to hit the beach. Originally, we were planning to go to another beach in Occidental Mindoro; however, some unfortunate circumstances rattled our plans (more on that later!) and we were left with no choice but to head to Puerto Galera instead. Of course, Talipanan Beach was first choice and good thing they had an available room that day!

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Lake Pandin: A Quick Escape To Nature

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Tired of the rush? The hordes of people everywhere you go? The traffic and the pollution?

Don’t get me wrong, Manila is my city (born and raised here!) and I love how you can keep yourself entertained and find something to do at any hour of the day. But I was away for a long time last year and mostly stayed in islands and small cities. This was when I realized that being in a big city is not for me. I enjoyed being close to nature. It revitalized me, lowered my stress levels and overall, made me happier. So being back in the concrete jungle for almost a month was taking its toll on me. I missed the quiet, the peace, the fresh air and just being around beautiful nature. I had to get out and recharge. And then I remember seeing this blog post a few years ago about this nice lake not too far away from Manila where you can chill on a raft and have lunch, swim and relax. With the help of my mighty friend Google, I was able to find this gem of a place: Lake Pandin, San Pablo, Laguna!

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Working in Palawan Paradise: Pangulasian Island

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Approaching Pangulasian Island

Approaching Pangulasian Island

I am sitting at the departure area of Lio Airport. It’s 8:40 in the morning, in twenty minutes, I will be going back to Manila. Pangulasian Island has been my home for the past two months. It’s hard to find words to describe how my experience has been. Two months went by too fast.

Snorkeling at 6am waiting for the sharks

Snorkeling at 6am waiting for the sharks

Early morning kayak sessions

Early morning kayak sessions

Living in a beautiful island surrounded by nature’s bounty is an inexplicable thing. Waking up to the sounds of chirping birds in the morning, going for a run at 6:00 AM surrounded by lush greenery and all you can hear is your breath and nature’s sounds. Hiking to the top of the island to see the moon set and the sun rise with a 360 view of the stunning Bacuit Bay. There is no shortage of majestic, painting-like sunsets.

Pangulasian Sunset

Pangulasian Sunset

Digging my feet into the fine white sand and looking out into the azure waters. Witnessing turtle hatchlings, swimming with the sharks, monitor lizards gallivanting around the island, monkeys in the smoking area, kayaking under the moonlight. These are just some of the things I have experienced for the past two months.

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Pangulasian Panorama

Turtle hatchlings on the island

Turtle hatchlings on the island

Going to the island, I did not know what to expect. I have always lived in the city and living on an island with the beach a few steps from where I sleep has always been a dream. So when I got an opportunity to work in El Nido Resorts’ Pangulasian Island, I grabbed it. And I am so glad I did. In working there, I have met the loveliest and most genuine people. Thank you for the friendship and the random adventures I will always remember with fondness. It does claim to be “The most beautiful place in the world” and it lives up to that title. Through the real gem of the island – its people.

-Tanya

Evening class with the staff

Evening class with the staff

Last night in Pangulasian Island with the Marine Sports boys

Last night in Pangulasian Island with the Marine Sports boys

Saying our goodbyes on my last day

Saying our goodbyes on my last day

Goodbye, Pangulasian! I will be back!

Goodbye, Pangulasian! I will be back!