Palawan Part 2: Making the Most of of Sabang

Early to bed, early to rise.

We hopped on our banca early to avoid the numerous tourists expected to arrive in the late morning. As we were headed to the underground river, I saw a sea turtle pass under our boat and even some egrets resting on some rock formations. We also passed a few amazing limestone formations and cliffs. As our boat dropped its anchor, we were greeted by a welcome signage to the underground river.

A map showing the location of the underground river

The underground or subterranean river used to be called the St. Paul Underground River because it is part of the St. Paul Mountain range. At 21 kilometers long, it was the world’s longest, until the underground river in Mexico was discovered. They changed the name to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999.

Along the path, our guide Rene explained to us the rules we would have to abide by:

> Do not feed the monkeys.

> Do not touch or pet the monkeys.

> Do not leave belongings unattended as the monkeys might steal them.

> When you see a bayawak or monitor lizard, do not mind them because they don't mind you.

> Take care of your belongings during the cruise in the underground river as, well, the water's pretty deep.

A monkey we spotted along the trail heading to the underground river

I was glad to actually see monkeys in the wild, climbing trees. We finally got to the "pier" and boarded our banca for the underground river tour. Our guide was very funny and informative, he kept all of us giggling the entire time while keeping us informed. I learned that they are all trained for their spiels and even trade jokes or punchlines with one another so they can get the tourists' attention. The formations inside the underground river/cave were really beautiful.

Clockwise from bottom right: Formations of Sagrada Familia, Mushrooms, a Crocodile, a Lady's Behind and Wizard

We then hopped on our boat again to head to the cove nearest to the Sabang Mangroves. We had to take 2 bancas as one would only accommodate 4 persons, plus the guide. The mangrove or bawakan tour along the Sabang river is a livelihood project of the Sabang community, and stretches long enough for a 45-minute to an hour-long tour. It was refreshing to see how vast and rich the forests in Palawan still are. As proof, I even spotted snakes twice along the way.

A snake crawling on the branches of a tree and bakawan branches kissing the water

A piece of the vast forest of Sabang, Palawan

After the mangrove tour, we took the trail and walked back to Daluyon. It gave us a good feel of the coastal village and their way of life. We had lunch as part of the package in one of the restaurants along the beach.

A peek into the simple yet very beautiful life in Sabang

That was just about it for our second day in Puerto Princesa. We spent the rest of the day playing in the beach, frolicking in the pool and just lounging around. 

The sunset from Daluyon

I believe that soon after we visited the underground River, they have implemented rules as to booking for a tour as they now only accommodate a certain number of people at a time. This is actually good because when we were on our way out and when we got out of the cave during our trip, there were just too many people and it was slightly ruining the experience. See more information here.

Palawan: The Last Frontier

It has been a while, so this might be quite a struggle. I'm writing about a trip we took in 2009, so please bear with me as I write all that I remember from that adventure. There are so many highlights from this trip, so I have decided to break it down into four entries.

A young saltwater crocodile guests can hold and have photos with.

It has been a long time since our entire family has come together for a trip like this, so we tried to make the most, and the best out of it.

We took the first flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa via Cebu Pacific, a good idea if you plan to make the most out of your trip. Since a half-day city tour was included in our itinerary, we started our adventure with it to maximize the day. First on the list was the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center more popularly known as the Crocodile Farm.

Guests are welcomed by a display of the skeleton and leather from the largest crocodile they've had so far. Then, we were led into a large, but well-organized collection of crocodiles. They had young crocodiles in a separate facility, which I appreciated because rarely are these babies seen in other zoos or parks. Aside from saltwater crocodiles, they also have other wildlife in the facility like a pony, some wild birds, the Philippine serpent eagle, bearded pigs, and the Palawan binturong or bearcat - a subspecie endemic to Palawan. 

We then headed to Baker's Hill, which is, well, a "compound" of restaurants and shops selling various items such as local delicacies, handicrafts, and other souvenirs. Aside from having photos taken with the various statues and figures, and checking out the bonsai display, we weren’t too keen on eating there so we decided to head to Mitra Ranch. 

Rancho Sta. Monica as it is otherwise known is owner by former Senator Ramon Mitra, Jr., which they have opened to the public as it has a beautiful view of the ocean, including the islands that comprise Honda Bay. We didn't stay too long because we had a couple more things in our itinerary - the Iwahig Penal Farm and of course, lunch. We decided to skip the former and just spent more time on the latter.

We had lunch at KaLui in Rizal Avenue, within the city proper. In KaLui, they request guests to take off their footwear upon entering the dining area. Quite nice and interesting, but can be odd for others, too. I remember having Stingray in Coconut Cream and having their dessert in "original cut" version. We were so happy about the food and service, we decided to come back for more before leaving for Manila on our last day. Not to mention, all 9 of us were so full and satisfied, at a very affordable price of P1,800!

KaLui's "Original Cut" Dessert by request.

Tired and drained from the heat, full from our feast, we headed straight to Sabang, a town most famous for the Underground River. The road trip took about an hour and a half. Some parts of the trip at that time were still rough roads as it was several months before the Underground River was pegged as part of the New 7 Wonders of the World. It was totally fine, as we were all able to still take a nap and have our first glimpse of the St. Paul Mountain Range and some limestone formations along the way. Palawan really is the last frontier.

Daluyon's Facade

Daluyon's Pool, with a view of St. Paul Mountain Range

We stayed at Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort. I stumbled upon Daluyon when I was looking around the internet for reviews of accommodation by the beach. I also saw that it was very near the Underground River and walking distance from the mangroves - a definite plus. I then remembered that a friend of ours stayed in Daluyon the year before and found it wonderful. They may be a bit pricey compared to the homestays and other resorts nearby, but you get what you pay for. You get a view of the St. Paul Mountain from the pool, and Sabang beach which, we find very similar to Boracay. The terrain very slowly rolls deeper and the sand is also very fine. The only difference is that the sand here is beige, though it's (a lot) more peaceful and secluded. Definitely good for families or couples looking for a getaway.

Right after we checked-in, we changed into "resort wear" (versus travel and city tour wear) and absorbed the relaxed vibe. Overall, our stay in Daluyon was very, very wonderful.