Trifter

A friend once told me that there are certain songs that resonate to our consciousness and hold our hearts captured and then there are places that don’t only capture the heart but also the mind and the soul, don’t only resonate to our consciousness but linger to our being for a lifetime. These places can only be….PARADISE!

A chance to spend three days in Palawan is an invitation that will make you shout with joy, but an assignment that will take you around Palawan for a whole two weeks and half, is one that you would not exchange for the world even if it means spending Christmas and New Year away from the rest of the world. So without thinking about the revelry that is the Holiday Season, we packed our bags, our cameras and our laptops, along with some good books and the excitement bursting in our hearts, to discover what is called the Philippine’s Last Frontier. And in this issue, we will give you not just glimpses of what paradise looks like, but also the experience of being in paradise.

Palawan is the largest province in the country in terms of land area measuring 14,896.3 km². Stretching from the South China Sea to the Sulu Sea, Palawan is endowed with sprawling beaches from all corners. Its relative distance from its neighbouring islands, nearest of which is Mindoro, makes Palawan a sanctuary for all kinds of flora and fauna, shielded from the chaos of excessive population. It’s nearness from Borneo meanwhile, makes its biodiversity more similar to Borneo than to the rest of the country. With the abundance of wildlife and fish that can only be found in Palawan, and not to mention its scientific importance especially in the continuous study of the marine life, the whole province was declared a Fish and Wildlife Sanctuary in 1967. Considered one of the cleanest provinces in the Philippines because of stringent implementations by the local government, Palawan is the one among the top three tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous not only with foreign tourists but flocked by locals as well.

Puerto Princesa: Gateway to Paradise

Puerto Princesa, the province’s capital, will be the least favourite among the places in Palawan. Not only is it congested with vehicles during the daytime, but it almost looks like the Metro Manila cities, minus the garbage and the squatters. Most vacationers opt for the rustic, country destinations especially hard working professionals who can only get a couple of weeks to unwind. Undoubtedly though, Puerto Princesa offers a diverse selection of good food that you would not find in the corners of El Nido or Sabang especially if you are craving for quality variety at a lower cost. As the most common drop off point for tourists because of the Puerto Princesa Domestic Airport, Puerto Princesa also enjoys visits of tourists only on a shorter period. But there are those who stayed and opened up restaurants and bars for both local and foreign customers. So whether you are craving for an Italian, Filipino or exotic dish, Puerto Princesa surely has it.

Dining

Moana Hotel and Restaurant

Owned and operated by a true blooded Italian, Moana Hotel and Restaurant offers genuine Italian cuisine under the strict supervision of Eduardo Zanella and his wife.

Our hunger for a good cup of coffee or a shot of espresso (which is quiet hard to find in the city) led our feet to Moana on our first night in Puerto Princesa. And good espresso was what we had for a surprisingly low price of P30 and served by one of its owners Jorge. After a shot, we decided to study the menu and we just couldn’t stop ourselves from ordering. Some favourites are Risotto Alla Pescatora, Lasagne and Penne Al Pesto. The prices range from P120 to P300 per dish but you are assured of really delicious, to say the least, Italian fare. When we went back to the place for our last day, the good owner treated us to a plate of Italian delicacies but with more variety than what is in the menu. We had the best serving of Artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, bacon strips with herbs straight from the Italian mountains, montadella, salami from duck, Gorgonzola, Valser, and other different cheeses and meat strips which I tasted for the first time. According to Eduardo, they have to import some of their ingredients from Italy to give their customers a real Italian dining experience. Even the wines are imported from his country and other parts of the globe, so when you decide to have either a red or a white wine to pair with your dessert, you will not be disappointed. And the pool view of the restaurant makes dining at Moana a great gastronomic treat.

Located just some few meters from the airport along Rizal Avenue, Moana’s garden setting and native atmosphere makes staying there more than a stop-over to go to the nearest tourist spot, but a relaxing experience with the best of the Italian staples. They offer native rooms complete with all the amenities (air-condition, private bath with hot and cold shower and cable TV) and made of cool wood and native materials accented with Italian styled chandeliers. They also offer diving, snorkelling, water sports and other activities for the adrenaline junkie in you.

Balinsasayaw Restaurant

You wouldn’t miss this native restaurant in the heart of Rizal Avenue because of its big sign and inviting little huts, small garden and pond with koi fish and turtles. They serve local delicacies and even exotic dishes. Our favourite (and also one of the cheapest) is the grilled tuna. Its smoky, succulent meat always hot from the grill (so you have to wait longer than necessary) served with atchara (pickled papaya) with your choice of freshly blended fruit or buko (coconut) juice, is a tempting alternative to the Continental, American or Filipino breakfast that is commonly offered in other restaurants. And to top it all, the prices are very much affordable especially for those who are on a tight budget. For P60 you can already have a full meal in a relaxing garden and in your own nipa hut.

They also offer El Nido Soup, the famous Palawan fare which was actually the nest of Balinsasayaw (swiftlet) birds that can only be found in the rocky cliffs of El Nido and other parts of the province. The nests of the birds are woven from their saliva. Although we didn’t try it because of its heavenly price (P300+) we heard that El Nido Soup is so delicious and healthy and is often taken by conceiving women. The difficulty of harvesting the nests explains the high price, because it is often located at the end of hanging cliffs. These days, the harvesting of the nests is already regulated because of the rapid diminishing of the Balinsasayaw birds.

Kinabuch Restaurant

People flock to Kinabuch because of its famous crispy pata, live bands, pool tables and soccer games. Also along Rizal Avenue, a few meters away from Moana, Kinabuch is an al fresco restaurant that offers the best of Filipino food. We visited the place twice during our stay and we couldn’t be more satisfied with their service. They have three pool tables near the bar where you and your friends can bet for who is going to pay the next day’s food and a complete bar list for a nightcap before you hop on the bus to Sabang the next day.

Our last dinner in Palawan was as memorable as the place itself, especially that we spend it in Kinabuch. We had Bulalo, the famous Filipino soup of beef shanks and vegetables with meat so tender that it melts in your mouth and a tasty treat of bone marrow which is the real catch in a Bulalo soup. We also had Garlic Shrimps and two servings of Yang Chow with vegetables and a couple of refreshing fruit juices. It was, like what they say here in the Philippines, a meal you eat before your death sentence. We ended up taking out some of the food for breakfast.

Places to Go

Once you get out of the city proper, which is approximately a 20-30 minutes ride away, Puerto Princesa changes into a different surrounding stripped off its urban qualities. True to its claim, Palawan is a very clean province where you can’t see any candy wrappers or used plastic bags out of their proper places, the trash can. The roads are lined with talisay and other local trees you can only see in the provinces as well as different species of wild flowers growing on the side of the road. For backpackers and tourists who are not on a tour package, the best way to go around the city is through tricycles (motorbikes attached to a body that can seat three people inside and two at the back of the motorbike). This vehicle will give you a clear view of the hills, the vast rice fields and the whole panorama of the city that is revered as one of the last remaining tropical paradises in the Philippines.

Honda Bay

It’s true what they say that it is a different world down there. Visiting Honda Bay and snorkelling for the first time not only substantiate the statement, it also made me an instant snorkelling addict after a period of one hour. Needless to say, Honda Bay is one of the best places for aqua lovers.

It took us a tricycle ride of 30 minutes from the city proper to Santa Lourdes pier, the jump off point to the islands. When we arrived, our newly found friends, an Australian couple were already waiting in one of the orange boats on the dock. We headed to the tourist centre first where they are renting fins, masks and snorkels for snorkelling before joining them.

Dotted with small islands, three of the most famous are Snake Island, Pandan Island and Starfish Island. Honda Bay is the most accessible beach area around Puerto Princesa. A one-day island hopping tour is the best package to get when you want to see the three islands. A boat usually costs P800-P1500 depending on the size, but it is recommended to share it with another couple if you are tight on the budget.

When we got to Pandan Island, there were already a lot of tourists frolicking on the blue green waters; most of them were Japanese and Korean tourists. There were also some bird enthusiasts busy with their binoculars, while the beach is permeated with the smell of grilled pork, fish and vegetables, steamed rice and fresh fruits. We forgot to bring our food so we tried to forget the hunger for a while and focused instead on the view underwater. But the number of people snorkelling there somehow disrupted the enjoyment. The last thing you would want is a boy’s foot stomping on the sands while you are posing with the fishes, driving them away turning your photo into a boring underwater snap. So we moved on to the next island.

Aptly called Snake Island because of its shape, Snake Island is a strip of white sand beach with a spectacular underwater view, when you talk about fishes. Never had I imagined I could see as much fish in the oddest combination of colours. Our boatman, who also acted as underwater guide educated me on the names of the fish flirting around me for a grain of sand (which the fish mistook for bread). There were groupers, butterfly fish, territorial fish with their lovely pink scales (who also bite and chase when you get near their corals), jack fish, gobies, angel fish, barracudas, damsel fish, parrot fish and many other different kinds. After a somewhat tiring but relaxing communion with the fish, we all felt hungry. But since an hour had passed since lunchtime, we were left with only one choice for lunch, huge live crabs, marinated in Sprite. We were not expecting too much because our stomach had been set to digest fresh grilled fish, but once the food arrived, it was scrumptious. Such a simple meal of steamed crab, rice and coconut turned into a gastronomic feast that left us all glued to our wooden benches for a while.

“This is life, what more can you ask?” exclaimed our Australian friend after the delicious lunch. I couldn’t agree more.

Other islets worth visiting are the Starfish and Cowrie Islands.

Crocodile Farm

Spend an afternoon in the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Centre or more popularly known as Crocodile Farm and watch dead-looking crocodiles transmogrify into fierce animals when the piece of chicken lands at their midst. Or amuse yourself with hundreds of baby crocodiles at the centre’s breeding area.

The Crocodile Farm is a joint venture between the Philippine and Japanese governments to rescue sick, disabled and illegally gathered crocodiles. They house the Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), one of the most endangered species in the country as well as salt water crocodiles which can measure up to 5 meters long. At the centre’s entrance is a huge display of salt water crocodile skin you could only wish in one of your shoes and bags.

An interesting note we learned from the crocodile farm is that the buying and selling of salt water crocodiles is allowed because, unlike the Philippine Crocodile, salt water crocodiles multiply faster.

The centre also houses other Philippine animals in a mini zoo around the 10-hectare property. Lay bearcats that wouldn’t even move in their cages, ostriches gracefully flaunting their behinds, a lonely wild boar, chickens, avian species and playful monkeys. You might even chance upon a snake slithering down the tree near the adult crocodile cages. Entrance Fee: P40.00

Butterfly Garden

If a visit to the Crocodile Farm is a bit tiring for you with all the walking, photo opportunities and fast heartbeats, you can also relax and enjoy the serenity that comes with watching butterflies.

The Butterfly Garden is actually a small home garden cum greenhouse that is converted into a butterfly breeding area. Visitors are given a film lecture on the life cycle of the butterflies before entering. Inside is a collection of different flora that also serves as a food supply for the butterflies and a small man-made stream. Although it is prohibited, you can’t stop yourself from touching the butterflies which are fluttering their colourful wings around you or clinging on your shoulders, your hair and even on your arms. Entrance Fee: P75.00

Puerto Princesa might not offer the wonders of Palawan that is nature at its purest, but it certainly has its own piece of adventure to boost. Besides, what better way to appreciate a Palawan trip but a stop-over in the heart of the province where every effort is concentrated to keep this paradise as beautiful for the next generation.