Ugong Rock Part 1: Through holes and darkness
28 MayStill on the road towards one of the new seven wonders of nature, we saw an interesting monolith…
…not having any idea that we would be climbing one of those…
…from the inside, through narrow holes.
Again, this was not part of our original itinerary. Considering we were on a very tight schedule (with less than 10 hours before our flight back to Manila), we still tried this exciting adventure.
Photo by Yvonne Solis.
For PHP 500 per head, the caving and spelunking started with an introduction. We learned that this tourist spot in Palawan was managed by the local community which provided livelihood to the residents of the village.
Photo by Yvonne Solis.
By the entrance to the cave, another introduction is given by our tourist guide, a woman of about fifty years of age. She was so jolly and enthusiastic with her job that she could not contain her joy every time she took a very nice photo. She knew how to get a great shot from different angles.
Photo by Yvonne Solis.
She also explained that the cave was called Ugong Rock because the stalactites create this resonance (“ugong“) when struck lightly.
One of the main attractions in Ugong Rock was the rappelling. It wasn’t high but made difficult buy the slippery and sharp rocks. We were told that they used to climb without using any harness, but was later required by the city government for safety reasons.
Another great attraction was when we had to crawl through a very tiny hole. Just by looking at it, I could not honestly imagine that my shoulders and butt would fit. With proper movement, I was able to pass through it.
After a grueling climb within the cave, how did we get back to base camp? That’s next!
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Protected: Where on earth is this (password: name of mountain in Luzon where I was heading)
27 MayTags: Where on earth
Puerto Princesa Viewdeck
21 MayIn the second day at Puerto Princesa, our itinerary only says that we’d be going to the world-famous Underground River. But the city had so much to offer that the road trip itself was a fun activity.
Our first stop was the breathtaking viewdeck that overlooked a thick forest and a calm sea (or was it a lake?).
Photo by Vanessa de Leon
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Tags: New7Wonders, Puerto Princesa, travel
Happy Mothers Day
13 MayTo the woman who:
1. finally enjoyed traveling with me
2. took over the situatuon when I almost gave up on understanding how the public transportation works in Hong Kong
3. gave up her career so the embryo that I was inside her womb would hang on
4. single-handedly reared an only child
…etc.
Happy Mothers Day!
P.S. I still think that this occassion was created as a marketing ploy to increase greeting card sales. Nonetheless, let’s honor the moms, but not just today.
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Rancho Mitra Viewdeck
12 MayIn support of Puerto Princesa City’s tourism effort, the wealthy Mitra family opened its ranch and turned it into one of the breathtaking spots in the city.
From the viewdeck, the horizon is split between green and blue (thanks to the unadulterated vegetation from below and the calm waters and sky beyond).
Rancho Mitra panorama. Click image to enlarge.
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Tags: New7Wonders, Puerto Princesa, travel
Crocodile Farm and Nature Park
5 May
After basking in the morning sun in Nagtabon Beach, we headed back to the town proper and started our city tour.
Our first stop was the Crocodile Farm and Nature Park.
Photo by Yvonne Solis.
Now you know.
The tour of the farm consists of two parts: a guided tour among the crocodiles and a self-guided tour within a forest park.
Crocodile Park
Upon entering, we were welcomed by the skeleton and the skin of a single crocodile found in a town in Palawan. Then the tour guide gave us interesting facts about crocodiles and Puerto Princesa city’s efforts to protect and propagate the Philippine saltwater crocodiles.
Crocodile skin
Crocodile skull
We went to the nursery, which houses probably more than a hundred young crocodiles. But we were warned not to get too close to the tubs because while they may be young, they’re capable of jumping high enough to reach you and of biting with enough force to cut off arms.
Then we headed to the area where full grown crocodiles are kept. They’re really huge monsters!
If the encounter with the monsters of the brackish waters made you sweat, then it’s time to wander through the forest park and be in one with nature.
Hornbill
White-breasted sea eagle
Bearcat chilling out on his terrace
Myna
We saw this bearcat hanging at the ceiling of a cottage.
This made my day! It’s so cute!
At the end of the tour, we were offered to take pictures while holding a young crocodile. It’s mouth was taped for protection.
For PHP 30, you can take pictures with the baby crocodile using your own camera. The official photographer will take three picture of you, but you have to pay for PHP 150 if you the pictures printed.
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Tags: ItsMoreFuninthePhilippines, New7Wonders, Puerto Princesa, travel
Nagtabon Beach Cove
3 MayWhen you go to Palawan and decides to go to a beach, which for sure you will, Nagtabon Beach Cove is not the first destination that will come to your mind nor to someone who’s been to the island. It’s not famous by comparison to Honda Bay.
Hidden behind the mountains, Nagtabon Beach is off the beaten path.
And the path leading to Nagtabon beat the tires of our van… twice
But that, and the sun up above our heads, didn’t stop us from camwhoring on the rough road.
While at the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold, as they say, at the end of that horrendous road is a stretch of paradise with clear waters, fresh air, and just pure wonder of nature. It really is a virgin beach (Careful!).
Nagtabon Beach Cove panorama. Click to enlarge image.
No commercial shops, just nature offering its own beauty.
No deafening videoke machines; just the soothing sound of the waves, the rustling of the leaves, and the chirping of the wild birds.
No other people than us. Relaxation mode!
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Quicksand experiment
At the edge of the beach is a strip of fine sand that looked saturated by water. Meaning, quicksand! And I remembered various videos in YouTube which showed people trying to get stuck into a quicksand on a beach by agitating the sand-trapped water.
I tried it and did some sort of air planking. Getting out of it was really hard. Everytime I tried to get one of my legs off the sand, it’s as if it’s being sucked back down.
Underwater fun
When there’s water and underwater camera, there’s underwater camwhoring.
Me! Photo taken by Jake Domanico (like a master).
Regie
Daryll
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Tags: beach, New7Wonders, Puerto Princesa, travel
#ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines Official Video, International Tourism Campaign
1 May
Hmmm… I think the transitions were a little bit too fast for those who’s not yet aware of the campaign (meaning, that the one-liners are not exactly what they say, but rather are funny word plays to convey that Philippines has “funner” versions of things). These one-liners are supposed to be related to the background images. But others may need more time to process the relation and the meaning.
Nonetheless, I love and support the campaign because it really is more fun in the Philippines!
Which brings me to what needs to be done soon – upload all my pictures from my recent trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan where one of the official seven wonders of natures can be found!
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Day 1 in Palawan at a glance
29 AprHere’s a quick peek of our first day in Puerto Princesa. More pics to come in my next posts!
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Tags: New7Wonders, Puerto Princesa, travel
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Travel dates: September 7 - 8, 2011
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Travel dates: July 11 - 12, 2011
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Travel dates: February 18 - 21, 2012
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