I was up and ready by 7:30am. I waited for the tour van to come pick me up for today’s tour of the longest underground river in the world, the Sabang Subterranean River (which on November 11 this year, became one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature — based on public votes).
I was the first to be picked up. I was also given a bottle of iced tea and a Palawan souvenir pouch. I don't know if it was because I was the first to be picked up, but I didn't see other passengers get itOne of the members in our tour van had to be picked up from the Microtel Beach HotelWhich gave me the chance to check out the mangrove beach on this side of Puerto PrincesaIt was a bit of a wait, so we all went inMicrotel is one among the few posher accommodation options in Puerto PrincesaThe beach isn't great, but it's all you get near Puerto Princesa citytownWe headed back to our vanThe lobby of the Microtel hotel (Above photos were all taken using my phone)Once everyone was picked up from their respective hotels, we were on our waySince I was sitting at the back, I tried my best to take photos from behind the tinted glassThe hills of Palawan look lovely
To our right was Honda Bay
The smooth roads eventually gave way to bumpy ones
The van stopped at a viewpoint on the way for a break.
Yes mayor, I'm sure you did this with your own salary. Psssh.The locals sell food and other small items here -- and there's a toilet, thus the stopThe South China Sea
We got back in our van
The guide pointed to that big hillThe underground river is beneath that!After one and half hours of driving, we were by the seaAhh, finally! What I came to Palawan for. No, not the boats... crystal clear water!
Sabang beachIt was time for my group to begin our tour
I like these boats, they feel safeThe bamboo poles on either side prevents the boat from flipping over (well, in theory at least)Even though I've seen similar sights in Malaysia and Thailand, I never tire of these limestone rock formations amidst blue waters
We arrived at the Puerto Princesa National Park
Since our tour cost ₱1500 ($34/€25), all our charges were coveredLots of monkeys here too
I walked towards the underground riverThis place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The cave... beautiful, isn't it? 🙂We had to wait for our turn, as they only allow one boat in at a timeLook at the colour of that water!Yes, finally, a photo of me
When it came time for us to go in, the guide asked which one of us would volunteer to hold the light. When researching, I read that the person who has to hold the light gets to sit in the front, so I ‘volunteered’. Now, I needed to sit in the front if I wanted to take good photographs inside, because as it is, it was going to be dark. On top of that, I didn’t want somebody obstructing my view. Also, holding the light gave my camera a light beam to focus on — and I could only shoot with auto-focus on given my hands were now occupied with two tasks.
So I sat, adjusted my tripod’s height and set the camera’s settings. I was going to hold the light with my left hand and press the camera shutter with my right hand.
Helmets and life-jackets on, we followed suitHere we go! 🙂I knew it was going to be tough to shoot inside while moving and shooting in manual mode that too. I didn't want to use flash since I assumed it wouldn't be good for the eyes of the cave's creatures.But other tourists inside the cave were shooting with the flash on and the guides didn't say anything. So I switched my camera to Auto mode and continued shooting.
It was cool inside the caveOther boats were making their way back
Kinda looks like car in the distance doesn't it?
Besides the sounds of the cave dwelling fauna, the only echoes one could hear were the cheers of the tourists
The guide would point to many limestone formations that were moulded over hundreds of years into shapes resembling many things. Like these 'dinosaurs'.Scientists visit the underground river quite often
The 'candle' rockSpot the horse 🙂There are a lot of birds flying about insideThis is the only 'land mass' we came acrossThis was something resembling a 'religious' event, but I can't recall what the guide told us
There were many more object-shaped rock formations
We had reached the end point for tourists. Even though the underground river is the 8.2 km (5 miles) long, only a kilometre is allowed to tourists. To go beyond that, you need a special permit.The boat turned aroundBecause I was holding the torch lamp, these big bugs were all over me. I had no idea what they were, but they made my position all the more uncomfortable.This was a 'face' rock
Swallow birds, lots of them inside
Past the candle rock again
I don't remember if I took this shot because the guide told us it resembled Jesus' face
Yes, the boat went in between these rocks
After nearly half an hour inside the cave......"light at the end of the tunnel"
Here we go...
Ahhhh....
The boat dropped us back to the banks where I collected my bag from the counter. Going inside the subterranean river is my second cave experience on this trip, the first being back in Sagada last week. I truly enjoyed this though! The above photos were just a few of the 140 shots I totally took from inside. 30 minutes went by really quickly and you don’t even realize it took that long until you look at your watch. I wondered what the remaining 7 kilometres must be like.
Walked back towards the boats
Our tour group gathered and headed back to our boat
Everytime I see islands like this, I'm reminded of LOST (man, I miss that TV show!)
Yes, our boat would go through these rocks as wellDon't know if the boat drivers do it as a challenge 🙂
I was looking forward to spending some time at the beach and in the waterWe walked back to the shore, where a buffet lunch was prepared for us
I thought of hitting the water before lunch but...... I don't know why it was so
I still went into the water, knee deep.
Panorama comprised of 7 shots
I then decided to check out the accommodation available on Sabang beach in case my readers were looking for information on where to stay on Sabang beach.
There weren't many beach front 'hotels' as suchGot a card from here. Some info: 09196011227/09215492156; e-mail: rebecca_nuevo@yahoo.comPh: 0910-978-4539/0926-701-9246; e-mail: rlenez80@yahoo.com (as mentioned on their card)
The lady at Green Verde curiously asked me where I was from, among a few other questions. I asked her if it was easy to get from Sabang to El Nido and she told the only way it’s ‘easy’ is when there is a group big enough to fit a private van that can be booked in advance. That’s it. Otherwise, its back to the junction at the main highway and wait for a bus to El Nido.
Considering how much time I spent yesterday, going back and forth thinking how to do Sabang and then El Nido, I guess it is far more convenient to do the Underground River tour from Puerto Princesa City itself.
I liked taking panorama shots of these trees (comprised of 6 shots)I had my lunch, which was mostly barbecued tuna and other dry dishes. (Didn't really enjoy it much)We left Sabang past 2pmNo matter how far or how small a village is, you will always find a basketball hoop in Philippines
The journey back was another one and half hours. In the end, I felt I made the right choice by opting to simply do a tour from Puerto Princesa itself, instead of attempting it myself. I mean, I would only suggest going at it alone if you plan on staying on Sabang beach a few days. It would have cost me about the same but had I done it myself, it would have proven to be quite difficult.
I spent the rest of the day back at Banwa Arthouse’s cafe, researching on El Nido, but as I went through my photos, newer guests who had checked in that day said their “hello” and began conversations. First a Japanese surfer, who spent a few months in Canada picking apples (seriously, some of the people I meet on my backpacking journeys) and then spent those earnings traveling throughout India and is now in the Philippines. (Sigh, it’s moments like this I wonder why I spent 8 years working at multi-national corporation back in Bangalore!)
Then a group of young Danes (I believe they told me they were Danish) asked me where I had been today. We spent quite some time talking and then, we decided to go to Baybay for dinner and check out what was happening there tonight.
We walked to Baybay expecting a crowded festival.
Hmmm, not quiteWe all bought some beer cans and decided to snack. We tried fried chicken intestine first.Had this next. Barbecued... something (I don't remember what)Quite a lot of Filipino cuisine is this shade of dark brownWalked around a bit with our beers in hand'Main course' was hamburger
Just as we were walking out, a b-boy dance battle was announced to begin.
Puerto Princesa's finest dance crews (I'm presuming) were on stageSome of the moves were impressiveWe didn't hang around for too long though
Back in the room, the Danes were curious about all the places I had already been to in Philippines and wanted to see my photos. After an hour of that, I paid for my two nights stay at Banwa Arthouse as I was checking out tomorrow early morning. I had to call it an early night. Tomorrow I was going to take the first bus to the final stop on my Philippines tour — El Nido.
Today, I didn’t have to wake up that early. My Cebu Pacific flight to Palawan was at 11am, so I took it fairly easy after yesterday’s tiring tour of Bohol. Once I got ready, I checked out of Sugbutel and the staff hailed a taxi for me to go to Cebu airport (cost ₱183).
Though there was a bit of traffic (being office hours), I got to the airport by 9am and checked in. My flight was on time and I got a window seat again.
Goodbye Cebu
Hello largest island in the PhilippinesThe flight landed past noonPalawan looked beautiful already
Even though I didn’t have a reservation anywhere, I did make a list of a few good hostels or budget accommodation, referred to as ‘pension inns’ here in the Philippines. I hired a tricycle taxi and asked him to take me to Duchess Pension first – one of the most recommended budget hotels in Puerto Princesa.
When I got to Duchess Pension, it was full. So yeah, it’s popularity is true. I then asked the driver to take me to my second choice, Banwa Arthouse, which wasn’t too far from Duchess. When I got to Banwa, fortunately, a bunk bed was available.
I paid the trike driver ₱50 (because that’s how much he charged) and I checked in.
A bed in the mixed dorm cost me ₱350 ($8/€5) per nightThe toilet is attached to the dorm and was cleanThe one reason why I shortlisted Banwa Arthouse was because of how it looksThis is the cafe and where you can access the wi-fiThe basement has more shower rooms, but otherwise it's where the staff and family stayThe sit-out areaBanwa Arthouse from outsideI decided to go for a stroll
If you are wondering if I was staying in some village, no, I wasn't.There are other 'pension' inns aroundThis place looked newNo, I wasn't going to spend time seeing another churchI headed towards the seaThough I was aware there was no beach in Puerto Princesa (seriously) I hoped to at least touch the water. But Baybay is a corniche, so you can only sit by the ledge and stare at the sea.
Tonight at the Baybay, there was going to be an event with stage performances, food stalls and such. I guess I knew where to come for dinner.
I decided to get lunch for now (not Jollibee of course)But given how hot it was, I stepped in here to cool off a bit and to get some water
I walked all the way to the city centre where I hoped to find a good seafood restaurantI crossed the roadThere were more budget accommodation available hereBut aside from a bakery, there were no seafood restaurantsI moved onI stepped into this hotel presuming since hotel looked nice, the restaurant maybe good tooErrr...
I glanced at the menu and despite the restaurant’s appearance, there was nothing out of the ordinary available. Even the seafood options were limited. It was nearing 3pm, I didn’t feel like walking anymore. So I ordered just a seafood pasta and a beer.
How was the pasta?
Bad! In fact, it was the worst I’ve ever eaten! Not to a point where it was sickening, but just plain bad for the ₱130 they charged for this. The sauce was straight out of a can, the bread didn’t have a hint of garlic or wasn’t even toasted – it was just plain sliced bread! The prawns were surely packaged, frozen ones and I could barely identify the other seafood used in the dish. Ugh, I still ate it as I was hungry and I didn’t want to pay double for this rubbish!
If this is the quality of food served at this restaurant, then it’s no wonder patrons leave leftovers on their plate! Avoid, avoid, avoid!
Sigh, I should have just gone to a Jollibee!Walked towards the airport because I did remember seeing more restaurants thereManny Pacquiao's next match was being hyped well in advance by just about everybodyI walked towards the airport roadI was bored, so I sat near these fountains for a whileThis road leads to the airportBanana?I walked a bit up the road and just felt so uninspired to walk any further. So I hailed a trike and decided to go back.
It looked like Puerto Princesa had very little to offer within its city limits. I asked the driver if there was anything remotely interesting and he said “church”. Sigh.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
I left the church and walked a bit further down. It was the port, I couldn't enter. I walked back.
That was it. I was officially bored.
I walked back to Banwa Arthouse, and went to the cafe to do some research. It was so hot even though there was a fan on. Well, on and off. Electricity kept going and coming, along with the internet.
My original plan was never to stay in Puerto Princesa. My hope was to land in Puerto Princesa and head straight to El Nido, which is at the northern end of Palawan. Unfortunately I had just missed the last private van going to El Nido as its a 5-6 hour journey by road. Another place on the agenda was the region of Sambang, famous for its Underground River.
As I sat at my table, a Polish guy came over and we began talking. Turned out, he too was planning to head to El Nido but had to be back in Puerto Princesa the day after to catch his flight in the evening. We decided we’d go to El Nido together and share expenses for accommodation.
“Great!” I thought, but two Swedish girls across from us joined in on our conversations and told us they had just gotten back from spending a few days in El Nido. They showed us their photos, we shared our plans and my intention of going to Sambang, and after hearing our experiences, the Polish guy and I decided it was best we go our separate ways. I decided to go to Sambang first thing in the morning and after doing the underground river tour, spend the night on the beach. Wake up the next day and then head to El Nido from Sambang, since Sambang is before El Nido.
But when I went to inform the staff that I would be checking out tomorrow morning because of my intention to head to Sambang, he told me my plan may not go as smoothly as I hope. He told me it’s because there’s a crucial junction along the way from where one has to take a left to go to Sambang. From that junction, Sambang beach is still a fair distance. Problem is, if I need to get to El Nido, I have to head back to very that junction to catch a bus going to El Nido. He also warned me saying that the buses are not that frequent given the distance. (Palawan is big island, but it’s sparsely populated)
All of this was confusing and at the same time, I didn’t want to risk – or waste time – in case I didn’t get the bus from that junction. The staff advised it’s easier to just do the Underground River tour from Puerto Princesa itself. He may have pushed for it so that I stay another night and book a tour through him, but alas, I couldn’t afford to take any chances.
So book a Sambang tour for tomorrow I did.
By the time I decided what to do, the Swedes, the Polish guy and a Palawan native who was staying at the Banwa Arthouse asked if I wanted to join them for dinner. The local said he knew of a good restaurant and assured me their seafood was good. So in two tricycle taxis, off we went to a place called Kalui.
The place looked quite nice and was moderately pricedThe Swede beside me ordered vegetarian and her dish looked, interestingI on the other hand ordered a seafood sisig (cost ₱250/$5/€4). It was alright, but I would have preferred it without the mayo.
Dinner was pleasant, and we each spoke about where all we had traveled and our stories. It’s moments like this why I especially love backpacking — meeting other travellers and sharing our experiences!
Nice place for a gathering
Once back in the hostel, it was another early good night from me and another early wake up tomorrow!
Woke up early today (expect the next few days to all begin with that line). I left Sugbutel at around 5am as I planned to catch the very first ferry going to Bohol. I took a taxi to Pier 1 where Oceanjet‘s terminal was. I bought a return ticket to Tagbilaran (Bohol’s capital city) which cost ₱825 ($19/€13).
These were air-conditioned seatingThe ferry left the pier just past 6amI stepped out to get a better view of the waters
I went back to my seat and tried to catch up on lost sleep, all the while trying to ignore Step Up 3D that was playing as part of our ‘pirated in-ferry entertainment’.
The journey to Tagbilaran takes nearly 2 and 1/2 hours, which is exactly why I made it a point to catch the first ferry — I wanted an early start to my day.
Arrived at 8:30am
As soon as I disembarked, there were several agents offering tours of all the sights on Bohol island. They cost more or less the same as they did back in Cebu, so I walked on. Just outside the Dao ferry terminal, were tricycle taxis who approached me as well. They had laminated sheets showing me the same sights and told me they would take me to each attraction and then drop me back to the terminal by evening. They quoted ₱1200 at first but I bargained, and eventually agreed for ₱1000 ($23/€16) — which I felt was a bit more reasonable.
I was more keen to take a tricycle taxi than a minivan full of tourists for my own selfish reasons. One, open window means I can take photographs a lot clearer than behind the usual tinted windows of a tourist van. Two, being the only customer, I could ask the driver to stop wherever I wanted.
We set offFirst the driver took me to a churchTook one photo and told the driver to move on. I've seen enough churches on this trip.
I was happy to see the seaBohol island is the 10th largest island in the Philippines
I tried my best to get the shots without too many obstructions or blurry plants that usually appear in photographs while travelling.
My Danny Trejo look-alike tricycle driver
You get off the main highway and take a left at this junctionBesides the Chocolate Hills, high up on my list of things to see were the tarsiers
Loboc townWe were about to enter the 'man-made forest'It suddenly got dark and chilly
The ‘man-made’ forest is called so because decades ago, Bohol residents meticulously planted mahogany trees along a two-kilometre stretch.
Which grew into thisAs the tour vans sped past, I asked my driver to stop on the side so I could take a proper photo
We were 'out of the woods'
Passed through many small villagesWe had been driving for nearly an hourBut finally...... the hills were in sight!I wondered how much further we had to goCarmen is the town where the Chocolate Hills are located
The viewpoint is atop of the hill on the left
Up the hill we went
I paid the entrance fee of ₱50 ($1.15/€0.83) to go up to the observation point on the top of the hill.
My nightmares from last week return: stairs!Even halfway up the stairs, I couldn't help but take a look at what I came all this way forAnd there are over 1700 of these hills all around!Once you get to the top...... voila!How many of you even knew such a place existed? I didn't know about it until I began researching for this trip.Undoubtedly one of the most amusing natural wonders I have ever seen!
Chocolate Hills were just nicknamed such because of their resemblance to bon-bon chocolates. Other names include “God’s tears” or “God’s droppings”.
Man, they really love doing corny poses out here! 🙂Back to the hills
Panorama comprised of 12 shotsI took shots of all the hills around mePanorama comprised of 10 shots
Panorama comprised of 8 shots
Panorama comprised of 11 shots
Decided to swap lenses and take the final few shotsBeing summer in Philippines, the hills weren't as greenWow, someone is buried hereYou could really see clouds move over these hills
I felt I had taken enough photos, so I went back down.
Panorama comprised of 11 shots
This is the only hotel and restaurant on this hill, in case you fancy staying right here
I had an overpriced boku juice (coconut water) and then went back to my tricycle driver.
We left the Chocolate HillsGoodbye
Waking up really early just to catch a ferry, coming all this way — it was well worth it. The Chocolate Hills are undoubtedly a ‘must-see’ in Philippines.
Though, it only occurred to me on the way back that I should have taken a video from the top. Sucks.
Entered the man-made forest againStopped to get some clear shots againNature's way of keeping sunlight out, making it very cool inside
The next sight on the tour was a hanging bridge in a locality called Sevilla.
Entry was ₱10It's as the name suggestsBut it's made of bamboo
Loboc river
There are some souvenir stalls set up by locals at this endI made a quick return
If you don't like wobbly bridges, you might want to wait until an elderly person finishes crossingI walked back to my tricycle driver and we left the hanging bridge
We got back to the main highway
Next up, lunch cruise on the Loboc river
There are many companies offering the lunch cruise, I just picked one after seeing their buffet menu for today. Cost ₱400 ($9/€6)Lunch time!The boat
The food
Even though I wasn't fond of Filipino cuisine, I had to eat somethingWe set offThe boats are actually maneuvered by this little guy who just pushes it along the riverThe cruise includes stopping by these platformsThese platforms hold young locals who entertain tourists with musical performances
After ‘docking’ the boat alongside the platform, the locals began.
They were really good with their singing and playing!They danced for us tooI really liked this performance and I felt like recording video, but decided against itPutting up a video of their performance here would kind of take away their livelihoodIt may be as touristy as it gets, but I still liked it. I left a ₱100 note in the tip box on the platform.We applauded and left
There's a lifeguard for Loboc river too... though I don't know how effective one man can be, seated hereI sat and enjoyed the rest of the river cruiseWhile having dessert of courseReminded me of Kerala's backwaters
Village boys playing in the river
After one and half hours of cruising, we were back
I headed back to my trike
We moved on to our final attraction of the tour and one I was very keen on seeing in person -- the tarsierI was expecting to go Bohol's largest tarsier conservatory but instead, the driver took me here
When researching, I read that there were many unauthorized or illegal venues where one can see tarsiers, many who just capture tarsiers from the wild and profit from it. So I told the driver to take me to the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary in Corella, but he told me that I might not have the time for that as it is very far and beyond Tagbilaran City.
Oh well, one sign this place was legit was that there were no entrance fees.
These guys hanging around are slothsThese are the tarsiersSince it was the afternoon, they were in the middle of taking a nap. But seeing them with the eyes fully open is what sets this primate apart from the rest.They're about the size of your handThis centre had around ten of these interesting animalsFew of them finally woke up. Now I know where the idea for Dobby from the Harry Potter movies drew inspiration from.
What tarsiers are fedHello there...15 minutes among tarsiers, and we were doneWe rode back to Tagbilaran cityBut I asked the driver to stop when we passed by the sea againPanorama comprised of 10 shots
Not all of Bohol's shorelines look like this. The island does have stretches of white sandy beaches, but just not on this side.
My driver
Baclayon Roman Catholic church
The driver dropped me back to Tagbilaran City, near the church, where I paid him the agreed upon ₱1000 for the tour (plus a ₱50 tip). I still had nearly 2 hours before I had to catch my ferry back to Cebu.
I was near the Church of Tagbilaran, so...I decided to check it out
I left the church and walked towards a Wild West-themed cafe and bakery right beside the church. They had a banner outside advertising their ‘famous’ mango pies. Looked and sounded delicious, so being the foodie I am, I ventured in.
Garden Cafe
The cafe mostly serves locals its fix of Americana, with the menu mostly comprising burgers, steaks and other Tex-Mex fare. Prices are reasonable and they were still serving customers main course meals despite being 3:30pm. What I found most interesting was — some of the waitresses were deaf. There were books on display on how to communicate in sign language, but for me, my order was simple. I pointed to the mango pie sign on my table and simply indicated ‘one,’ with a smile.
Costing just ₱35, it was alright. The mango filling wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be. I don't know if the type of mangoes commonly found in these parts are of a tangier variety, considering us Indians are used to much sweeter ones back home.
I sat for a while to cool off, drank ice cold water and then when I felt like walking, left the cafe.
I decided to check out the mall sceneThis is Bohol Quality Mall
Hmm, that’s it really. Tagbilaran is no Cebu. The SMs and Ayalas are yet to set foot on Bohol.
Don't expect anything fancy in Bohol. It's the simple life here.Guess there are a few Indians in PhilippinesI decided to walk back to the ferry terminalThe priest jokes practically write themselvesClean roads
I got my ticket checked and waited in the departures hall for my 6pm ferry. When you buy a return ticket from Cebu itself, it entitles you a spot in a ferry returning at any time. I was done with Bohol as far as I was concerned, so I decided to catch the early ferry.
The sunset at 6:15pmJust noticed there was an open-air compartment above mine which cost much lesser. Should have just take this one as I really didn't need air-conditioning when there's sea breeze.
I went back to my seat and instantly dozed off, despite how freezing it was inside my cabin. I guess I was really tired and the early wake up was getting to me. Still, I felt satisfied knowing that I saw everything I wanted to see in Bohol. Even though my tricycle tour (eventually) was not that much cheaper than a van tour, I’m still happy I opted for it because I had the freedom to stop the driver whenever I felt like taking photographs.
I was back in Cebu past 8pm and I headed back to Sugbutel first, so I could dump my bag. Then I went to SM City for dinner.
By 9pm, everybody was shutting shop
Fortunately, a McDonalds was still open (though they were cleaning up) and I managed to get the last remaining burgers on order.
I headed back to my room, took a nice shower, backed-up my photos — nearly 600 of them (out of which I only used 188 in this post). Bohol was well worth the trouble and I can highly recommend a day spent on the island for anyone visiting Philippines.
When it came time for us to go in, the guide asked which one of us would volunteer to hold the light. When researching, I read that the person who has to hold the light gets to sit in the front, so I ‘volunteered’. Now, I needed to sit in the front if I wanted to take good photographs inside, because as it is, it was going to be dark. On top of that, I didn’t want somebody obstructing my view. Also, holding the light gave my camera a light beam to focus on — and I could only shoot with auto-focus on given my hands were now occupied with two tasks.
The journey back was another one and half hours. In the end, I felt I made the right choice by opting to simply do a tour from Puerto Princesa itself, instead of attempting it myself. I mean, I would only suggest going at it alone if you plan on staying on Sabang beach a few days. It would have cost me about the same but had I done it myself, it would have proven to be quite difficult.
