Getting There...

Departing from Clark (Diosdado Macapagal International Airport)

Air Asia's new A330 

Pleasant sunny flight. Always happy to get a window seat.

The faux leather seats give passengers a premium feel.

Heavy duty and all reliable bags all ready....

I like  this photo. It has a nice 60's-70's feel to it. More photos like this in this blog

Tags: Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines, more fun, Travel Destination, 7 Wonders, Underground River, Air Asia

We Have Arrived! Welcome to Puerto Princesa!

We were shuttled immediately from the Puerto Princesa Airport to the Holiday Suites, a small but very brand new boutique hotel right across from an equally new shopping mall.

The basics

I have always been fascinated with how the tricycles around the country, vary from place to place.

We originally wanted to go swimming on our first day so we arranged to be taken to a nearby beach.

We should not have gotten our hopes to high. But then again, we were in PALAWAN.

Photogenic? Yes. Swimmable? Thats a different question.

The place has a Lord of the Rings feel to it, where Smeagol would pop out from a tree trunk any second.

If you notice, the water is brown.

Vintage shot of the beds

Hallway

Is it a tricycle? Is it a car? There's no need to decide!

Newly opened Robinson's Place Mall literally a stone throw away from Holiday Suites

Tags: Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines, more fun, Travel Destination, 7 Wonders, Underground River, Air Asia, Holiday Suites

Dinning @ Badjao, Puerto Princessa's Most Recommended

Badjao Seafront Restaurant a popular place to dine in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

A grand entrance already?

This footbridge goes about 50 meters and is surrounded by a mangrove forest.

Scenic view unfolding as the sun sets. Looks like a set from the movie Avatar? again, Lord of the Rings?

Just wow.

In another world

Butter crabs and clam soup

Sizzling calamares

Grilled fish and eggplant salad

Fruit dessert

Tags: Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines, more fun, Travel Destination, 7 Wonders, Underground River

Side Attractions to the Underground River

We were scheduled for the Underground River Cruise at 3:00 pm. But since it is about a 2 hour drive from the hotel, the travel operator picked us up at 9:00am

Waiting for our shuttle.

Starex to take us to our destination

What to do for 2 hours inside a van?

I agree. This should be the case all over the country - where the locals are the primary beneficiaries of a sustainable and non-damaging tourism industry. Bravo Palawan.

Souvenir shop. 

Will probably never wear this t-shirt again. This soooo wrongly represents my physique.

The Elephant caves because of its distinct Elephant head shape. This is part of the famous limestone forest, a series of gigantic rocks in the area that appear to have shot out of the earth.

Zooming in

Impressive. These street lights are self sustaining. Notice the solar panels and windmills. They charge enought to provide light in the area until 10pm at night. 

Tags: 04- Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines, more fun, Travel Destination, 7 Wonders, Underground River, Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines, more fun, Travel Destination, 7 Wonders, Underground River

Sabang Beach - Jump off to the Underground River

This is Sabang Beach. Long and wide, white sandy shores, blue waters and a jump off point to the Underground River. 

But first, food. 200 pesos gets you a nice buffet lunch.

Then souvenir vendors flock around you the moment you start showing interest. Anyway, they're pretty and  not too expensive. Also, I'd rather buy this from locals (are they really?) than at a souvenir shop downtown. Sure, it costs a little more, but you'd be helping with their livelihood. 

I will never get tired of taking beach pics.

A different angle.

And spot.

Time to get to the Underground River. We hopped on a boat (maximum of 8 passengers only) that'd take us there in 15 - 20 minutes

Limestone cliffs jutting from the sea like this used to just be magazine and internet pics to me.

Now, it's the real thing!

Tags: Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines, more fun, Travel Destination, 7 Wonders, Underground River, 

One of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World - Palawan Underground River

The boat ride takes you to a beautiful beach lined with these majestic cliffs. This beach is also the entrance to the Underground River. You will have to walk about 100 meters on a wooden foot path where there is a chance of encountering Macaques (monkeys) known to grab plastic bags from tourists.

At the mouth of the cave. This is it.

The following images do not do justice to what is actually inside. They are not merely photographs but evidences of a wonderful experience best done first-hand.

Holy Family and Pegasus. You could fit a 3 storey building inside this mammoth cavern

Stalactite formations

Enormous waterways make the tour boats look like floating matchsticks

The Highway. No tourists allowed beyond this point.

The Candle at a distance rising almost three storeys high.

The Candle, a huge stalagmite formation in one of the worlds largest caverns

Outrigger boats wait for their passengers on the way back to Sabang beach. SWIMMING IS NOT ALLOWED on this beach.

Tags: 05- One of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, 7 Wonders, Air Asia, more fun, Palawan, Philippines, Puerto Princessa, Travel Destination, Underground River,