Subli Guest Cabins<\/strong> would be our overnight shelter in the city that day, as Matthew & Johan<\/strong> would be jetting in from Manila the next morning for our northbound, overland trip to the touristy and popular but more remote El Nido.<\/p>\n We arrived in high spirits at the guest cabins, made of concrete and bamboo, despite our red-eye flight from Siem Reap<\/strong>, which\u00a0included a 6-hour sleep-depriving wait inside Manila’s newer and spacious Terminal 3<\/strong> airport<\/strong>.<\/p>\n After verbally agreeing with the young and bubbly receptionist to rent their only Honda scooter for PHP 600 (USD 12) that day, we promptly showered and got some sleep after checking\u00a0in.<\/p>\n Refreshed from our 3-plus hours of rest, we strapped our helmets and ventured out at 3 PM along with a bagful of dirty clothes– only to run out of gas just a few meters away from the compound.<\/p>\n Ruby flagged a passing ‘tricycle’ <\/b>(a common form of paid transport in the country, similar to ‘tuk-tuks’ –<\/b> a motorcycle with a ‘sidecar’ <\/b>for extra seating passengers), <\/b>and they returned with petrol in a 2-liter PET plastic bottle.<\/b>\u00a0 We filled up the tank with another PHP 90 (USD 1.80) at a nearby Shell gas station along Malvar Road<\/strong> after we finally got\u00a0going.<\/p>\n Riding a scooter, motorcycle, or even a bicycle is one of the simple joys of life that we, as human beings, tend to overlook.\u00a0 With the wind on your face and the sights and sounds of the surroundings all around you, one’s sense of adventure is elevated by having that constant awareness of the dangers of being on the road, so that you hold on to dear life on that handlebar.<\/p>\n We saw a body of water to our right immediately after passing the public market, so we made a right turn at the next intersection.\u00a0 The road narrowed markedly and led us to a sweeping descent at a small park\u2014 the Puerto Princesa Baywalk<\/em>.\u00a0 <\/strong>Along its stretch were numerous open-air food stalls that overlooked a cove part of the Palawan Sea<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It was just about 4 PM, but 2 or 3 food stalls were already doing some business, so we opted for K’na Boyet sa Baywok-<\/strong><\/em> one where a group of tourists occupied a couple of tables.<\/p>\n Once seated, the aroma of that familiar “calamansi” <\/em><\/strong>(calamondin) and soy sauce-flavored<\/em><\/strong> BBQs that are popular all over the archipelago triggered our ‘hunger reflexes’ higher.\u00a0 We sidled towards the charcoal-fed grill, where several pans filled with assorted sea offerings vied for our attention.<\/p>\n An order of grilled “pork liempo<\/strong>” (grilled, marinated\u00a0pork belly), shrimps saut\u00e9ed in butter and garlic, rice, a mango shake & two bottles of San Miguel Light <\/strong>beer set us back for about PHP 750 (USD 14.50).<\/p>\n Bellies filled, we then set our sights for Baker’s Hill<\/strong> <\/em>and asked for directions from the very amiable waitress, who suggested that we might as well visit Mitra Ranch,<\/strong> <\/em>as both were in the same area.<\/p>\n Amidst moderate traffic, as it was a weekend, we didn’t take long to find our way towards the city’s main highway, Puerto Princesa North Road<\/strong>.\u00a0 However, we had to ask locals for directions twice to reach the junction of PP South Road, which\u00a0would lead us to our destination.\u00a0<\/strong> We dropped off our laundry bag at a shop along the cemented\u00a0two-lane highway while trying to find our way towards Baker’s Hill.<\/p>\n Like most roads in the city outskirts, the narrow road that goes up towards Baker’s Hill was so puzzlingly unmarked that we overshot it by a few miles despite asking directions 2 or 3 more times — the last one from a mechanic working on a wheel of a small truck along the grass-lined fringes of the highway.\u00a0 The tall trees behind the shop gave us glimpses of the rice fields.\u00a0 They would punctuate the highway the farther we got away from the city proper.<\/p>\n Baker’s Hill<\/strong> was just a family compound with –you guessed it<\/em>–\u00a0a bakery<\/strong>, an open-air restaurant, and a souvenir stall.\u00a0 It became a ‘snack-stop’ <\/em>for visitors going to Mitra Ranch<\/strong>.\u00a0 It strives to become a major tourist attraction in the city, mainly through word of mouth and recommendations from past visitors on travel websites.\u00a0 The bakery primarily sells pastries and snacks, notably the various ‘hopia<\/strong>‘ (thin, flaky pastries\u00a0filled with mung bean paste).<\/p>\n Just a few meters uphill, Mitra Ranch<\/strong> offered a better view of the city, horseback riding, and zip-lining.\u00a0 The place was opened to the public after the death of the family patriarch, Ramon ‘Monching’ Mitra, Jr<\/strong>., who was an esteemed senator.\u00a0 Unfortunately, he lost the 1992 Philippine presidential election despite being considered the early favorite to win.<\/p>\n Dusk was upon us after we picked up our laundry and headed back to the city.\u00a0 We had decided to have an early bedtime since we needed to be up early to meet the couple at the airport for our morning trip to El Nido.\u00a0 Moreover, with our weather-beaten faces and aboard two small wheels that offered minimal comforts, tiredness had crept in on our bodies once again.<\/p>\n It was already dark once we reached the city proper and got lost once more, only to find ourselves buying some delicious ‘lechon<\/em>‘<\/strong> (roasted suckling pig) for dinner from a makeshift stall in front of a shop that sold various solar-powered devices.<\/p>\n After handing us the take-out goodie in a plastic bag, the middle-aged vendor summoned us to the edge of the sidewalk and pointed to an intersection where we would make a right towards Malvar Road<\/strong>.\u00a0 His instructions sounded like music to our ears.<\/p>\n It was\u00a0about 8:30 PM when we made the final turn back to the comforts of Subli’s compound aboard our trusty scooter.<\/p>\n Day\u00a02 \u2013 Feb. 6, 2017 \u2013 (Monday): The Road to El Nido\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n It was about 8:45 in the morning, and the air was crisp with a light gust from the east.\u00a0 It made the flowers, protected by a low, concrete encasement, sway to its rhythm.\u00a0\u00a0I spotted the driver holding a sign with Matthew’s name on it while he waited just a few yards away from the exit gates of the Puerto Princesa airport and chatted with him.<\/p>\n Just an hour ago, we checked out of Subli and took\u00a0a tricycle to meet Matthew and Johan for our van ride to El Nido<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Matthew had arranged\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0rides as well as\u00a0our accommodations in that popular destination\u00a0north of Puerto Princesa.\u00a0 We would be out of the airport by 9:15 aboard a van that badly needed\u00a0a new set of shock absorbers.<\/p>\n The driver briefly stopped by\u00a0a hotel with a cheesy name-D’ Lucky Garden Inn<\/strong>– and picked up a young couple from the U.K. who joined us for the trip.\u00a0\u00a0The four of us would stay for a night in Puerto Princesa at this hotel after our El Nido escapade.<\/p>\n The very long (almost five hours) and tiring ride, mainly along the two-lane but cemented Puerto Princesa North Road,<\/strong> was uneventful except for a few stops where the driver loaded up on a few more passengers along the way to augment his earnings.\u00a0 There was a mandatory stop at an ‘agricultural checkpoint<\/em>‘ where we bought some drinks from a nearby store.<\/p>\n At kilometer 131, just along the highway, we\u00a0had our lunch break at\u00a0Elfredo’s Manokan & Seafood Restaurant <\/strong><\/em>in the sleepy municipality of Roxas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n We\u00a0would pass through undulating roads along the fringes of the\u00a0municipalities of San Vicente<\/strong> and Taytay<\/strong> (the first capital of Palawan, dating back to the Spanish colonial period and where the small Fort Santa Isabel – <\/strong><\/em>constructed in 1667- still stands until, on a small rotunda<\/strong><\/em>, \u00a0we\u00a0bade goodbye to the PPNR and veered\u00a0west\u00a0towards the Taytay-El Nido National Highway<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Previews of what to expect in El Nido would manifest along the T-EN National Highway as the road grew steeper, following the Malampaya River<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Majestic views of a few islands would behold our eyes\u00a0as soon as the van crested a steep\u00a0hill.<\/p>\n We finally arrived at the terminal in El Nido at about 3 PM, and a short tricycle ride (PHP 50 or USD) whisked us to our hotel’s downtown office along Calle Hama.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A woman in her mid-20s with hints of Middle Eastern ancestry confirmed our reservations and radioed for two (2) smaller tricycles to pick us up.\u00a0 She also provided insights and impressions about the entire place, handing out a simple map of El Nido that included a list of nearby massage parlors, bars, and restaurants.<\/p>\n The road that led to Caalan Beach Resort<\/strong> <\/em>was too narrow – barely a meter wide in some areas – that on several occasions along the way, either our ride or the incoming one had to stop and give way to the other.<\/p>\n The cemented road followed the shoreline\u00a0until you hit an unsealed portion\u00a0lined by\u00a0coconut,\u00a0banana & other small fruit trees as well as a variety of ornamental plants with\u00a0nipa huts<\/em><\/strong>, slow-slung houses, two-story concrete hostels, ‘sari-sari’<\/em> <\/strong>stores (a small, family-operated shop that sells sodas, snacks & various\u00a0household goods typically attached to the house), makeshift food-stands, dogs by the roadside, all\u00a0mingled in\u00a0a locale\u00a0called “Barrio Taiyo<\/strong><\/em>” (Taiyo Village)<\/i><\/b>.<\/p>\n At the resort, we were greeted and offered welcome drinks by Bee,<\/strong> who explained that she and her husband, John, were helping their parents run the place during their vacation.\u00a0 She added that her father, married to a Japanese woman, was an engineer from South Korea who decided to settle in this part of Palawan when he was assigned to work on a road construction project in the area.<\/p>\n We finally settled into our second-level room, which featured a balcony offering magnificent views of several islands in the bay, with Cadlao Island<\/strong> being the largest and most immediate.<\/strong><\/p>\n Mat & Johan checked out the beachfront but found it too rocky and the nearby waters too shallow to take a quick swim, so we all just had a quick nap before heading out back to town to have dinner after briefly waiting out the mild drizzle brought by dark clouds that passed by.<\/p>\n Calle Hama<\/strong> is the unofficial party street in El Nido, as it’s where most tourists end up after their excursions along the beach.\u00a0 It’s a narrow, interior road; hence, it is closed at night to all vehicular traffic – except for tricycles owned by resorts along the coast – to allow enough space for all the touristy activities<\/i>.<\/p>\n Due to poor or even non-existent urban planning & zoning, it suffers, just like most remote bayside resorts all over the country, from its inability to exude any charm or appeal.\u00a0 The area is a haphazard collection of food stalls, souvenir shops, hostels, and houses, where locals, backpackers barely out of their teens, and elderly tourists mingle and wander around.<\/p>\n After trying out a few pieces of “barbecue-on-a-stick<\/strong>” from a sidewalk stand, we got bored with the area, as it was a bit early, and took another tricycle ride towards “Bulalo Plaza<\/strong>“.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n We stopped just a few meters after we exited the junction of\u00a0Rizal Street<\/strong> and the Taytay-El Nido highway.\u00a0 Unless you’re a local, and although the place is open 24 hours a day, it is easy to miss, as the small signage is often overwhelmed by the cliff walls and the surrounding greenery.<\/p>\n We climbed a few steps into the eatery and were ushered to a table right in the middle of the place by a pleasant, effeminate waiter who introduced himself as Megan<\/strong>.\u00a0 The entire setup resembled a kitchen converted into a restaurant, featuring about eight wooden tables and bamboo benches in a squat, elevated location that faced the highway.<\/p>\n Two orders of the house\u00a0special,\u00a0‘bulalo<\/strong><\/em>‘ (beef shank soup with vegetables), a plate of ‘seafood sisig’ <\/strong><\/em>(a variety of minced seafood saut\u00e9ed in a sizzling skillet topped with chilis & fresh egg), rice, sodas, and a bottle of beer were more than enough for our stomachs.\u00a0 Afterward, we decided to walk back to town to shake off some of the cholesterol deposits.<\/p>\n Along the way, Mat & Johan inquired at a roadside travel and tour stall for the earliest trip back to Puerto Princesa on Wednesday to catch the underground cave<\/strong> trip on the same day.\u00a0 Mat balked at the idea after learning that they would not only barely make it to PP on time but also lose the money he had paid for their already booked and scheduled return trip.<\/p>\n Back at Calle Hama to get our free ride back to the resort, the trio went shopping for souvenirs while I scoured the place for some cold beer in cans.\u00a0 I managed to get some, but they were not cold, so I searched in vain for some ice.\u00a0 Our driver suggested I could get some at the\u00a0 resort, so our tricycle squeezed back into that narrow alley, its motor sputtering in the stillness of the early evening along the shore.<\/p>\n Ruby showed up later in the room holding a block of ice wrapped in plastic that Bee had given her.\u00a0 While they all prepared their things for the island-hopping trip the next morning, I sat back on the bed to enjoy my ice-filled glass as I slowly poured the country’s best beer –San Miguel<\/strong><\/em>– into\u00a0it.<\/p>\n It was a luxury I would regret in the next few hours, in fact, for the next few days.<\/p>\n Day\u00a03 \u2013 Feb. 7, 2017 \u2013 (Tuesday): Island Hopping Tour Day\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Immediately after breakfast, John<\/strong> knocked on our door and informed us that we needed to prepare for the island-hopping tour by 9:00\u00a0AM.\u00a0 A few guests had already milled around the nipa-roofed<\/strong> gazebo, where we could see them choose and pick among several sizes and colors of snorkel gear neatly arranged atop a low table in the middle of the sandy floor.<\/p>\n Last night, however, my seemingly innocuous decision to ask for some ice for my warm canned beer resulted in vomiting episodes and several trips to the bathroom – bad water<\/em>– that rendered me so physically exhausted.\u00a0 But who wants to miss a cruise of the islands on a nice day in El Nido?<\/strong><\/p>\n He prepped six (6) other guests and us on what to expect during the ‘island-hopping’ tour and offered great tips on how to ‘survive’ the almost day-long water trip.\u00a0\u00a0Then, without John, our boat crew of four (4), led by a spunky Palawe\u00f1a<\/strong> in her late twenties, herded us to a quarter-mile walk along the shore towards the deeper part of the bay where the resort-owned outrigger was moored.<\/p>\n Yesterday afternoon, before heading downtown for dinner, we agreed to purchase the “Island-hopping package C<\/strong>” (“Hidden beaches and shrines<\/strong>“), which started with a nearly hour-long ride to\u00a0Tapiutan Island<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Our group was barely enjoying the waters in our snorkel gear when a coast guard band of two aboard a small motorboat waved us to move to a different location to protect the coral reefs in the area we were in.<\/p>\n The next stop would be ‘Secret Beach<\/strong>‘.\u00a0 It is accessible via a narrow portal that leads to a cove with shallow water, surrounded by limestone walls that have witnessed a significant slice of mankind’s history.\u00a0 The big boulders below the water made it an ideal place to waddle around and enjoy the sun.<\/p>\n Lunch aboard the boat consisted of a salad medley made of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, grilled ‘pork liempo’ <\/strong><\/em>(pork belly),\u00a0 steamed ‘tahong<\/strong><\/em>‘ (mussels), grilled ‘tambakol<\/strong><\/em>‘ (skipjack tuna) complemented with slices of watermelon and pineapple.\u00a0 We also bought fresh coconuts from an enterprising vendor who sold canned soda and beer on a boat.<\/p>\n After lunch, our boat headed to “Hidden Beach”<\/strong>, which was the most challenging part of the trip for non-swimmers, as one had to fight a swell near the edge of the cove, amidst huge rocks that were constantly slammed with waves.\u00a0 At least two boat crews had to assist each guest who either couldn’t swim or was unwilling to venture into the dangerous waters.<\/p>\n The last leg of the tour was a brief stop at the “Helicopter Island<\/strong>” – so-called because its silhouette resembles a helicopter when viewed from a distance – where we took pictures of the majestic cliff walls.\u00a0 We missed those beautiful sunset views, as gray skies dominated the rest of the afternoon.<\/p>\n It was almost 5 PM when we finally made the channel crossing back to the bay and a short walk along a narrow, tree-lined path leading to the resort’s back door, where some drinks and biscuits awaited us.<\/p>\n Day\u00a04 \u2013 Feb. 8, 2017 \u2013 (Wednesday): Back to Puerto Princesa on a Bum Stomach\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n My stomach felt better after a cup of tea and a Pepto-Bismol tablet.\u00a0 Breakfast consisted of two boiled eggs, as I was too weak and tired to go to the restaurant.\u00a0 The styrofoam box with my dinner lay untouched on top of the shelf.\u00a0 Last night, after the boat trip, Mat & Johan went back downtown to get some food and check it out a bit more, while Ruby just opted to stay to help me out with my stomach bug.<\/p>\n We quietly packed up our belongings, including our still-damp clothes, as the lack of breeze from the bayfront and the fact that it had been mostly overcast for the remainder of the afternoon after the boat trip didn’t help the somber mood.<\/p>\n A narrow tricycle with enough space for the 4 of us took us back to town for our ride back to Puerto Princesa.\u00a0 At the bus terminal, I took care of our luggage.\u00a0 At the same time, they walked off in search of a pharmacy to obtain some anti-diarrheal tablets, electrolyte mix (Oresol), and bottled water to stabilize my stomach on the long trip back to PP.<\/p>\n For reasons unknown to us, we were transferred to another van loaded with two other passengers just a few miles outside of El Nido.\u00a0 The van was more comfortable, so we didn’t complain.\u00a0 The return trip was uneventful except for a lunch stop at an open-air restaurant that offered a nice view of the hillside and a glimpse of the waterfront further down.<\/p>\n We all managed to doze off in the air-conditioned van along the way, possibly in anticipation of the activities ahead in PP, or perhaps because our bodies were still recuperating from the strenuous water activities of the previous day.\u00a0 Or maybe it was just another one of those sleepy, beginning-of-summer<\/strong> days in Palawan that’s perfect for a siesta<\/em><\/strong>?<\/p>\n By 2 PM, we’re back in the city of Puerto Princesa, and we had to wait for a few minutes at the odd mixed-business-and-living-room-like\u00a0<\/em>reception area of\u00a0the\u00a0enigmatic D’ Lucky Garden Inn– <\/strong>our overnight shelter for the day before we head back to Manila the next morning.<\/p>\n The place had an unusual appeal due to its maze of very narrow passageways that led to several doors, leaving you guessing where they would lead next.\u00a0 I suspect that the entire place is an ‘all-purpose lodge’ that can accommodate all patrons looking for either a quick 3-hour ‘love motel’<\/em> <\/strong>service or weekly\/monthly renters.<\/p>\n Mat had booked two separate rooms for us, and both had that unmistakable scent of a love motel, which I could describe as a mix of household bleach and a strong musk fragrance.\u00a0 Mat and Johan’s room even had a motif \u2014a red, mosquito-net-like fabric draped over the center of the double-sized bed.<\/p>\n After settling down in our rooms and cold showers, we rested for the remainder of the afternoon until the couple took off again aboard another van for the ‘firefly watching’ trip<\/strong> <\/em>in an area\u00a0of the Iwahig River <\/strong>where\u00a0a\u00a0penal colony is situated nearby.\u00a0 <\/strong>They would be the only takers for the PHP 1,200 (USD 24) per head tour, as inclement weather discourages other tourists.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Ruby wandered all over to sort out the entire compound while I stayed inside the room to battle the bacterial infection that had now settled in the lower intestines.\u00a0 The numerous trips to the bathroom made me so hungry that the ham & cheese sandwich, fries, and a bottle of Sprite that I ordered did not last long on the serving tray.<\/p>\n Mat had sent a text message to inform me that we both were already asleep when they returned from their trip by 9:30.\u00a0 They would report the following morning that while they enjoyed the food at the restaurant stop before they took the boat for the firefly watching, just a few of them showed up and failed to dazzle with their fireworks as it briefly rained during the trip.<\/p>\n Day\u00a05 \u2013 Feb. 9, 2017 \u2013 (Thursday):\u00a0 Puerto Princesa Airport in 3 Minutes<\/b><\/p>\n Since our one-and-a-half-hour flight back to Manila was scheduled for noon, just after having their early morning coffees, the trio accepted the offer of one of the receptionists, whose husband owns a tricycle, to give them a ride to Baker’s Hill and Mitra Ranch at a discount.\u00a0 Ruby decided to return to Baker’s Hill to buy that delicious hopia<\/strong><\/em> again,\u00a0this time as ‘pasalubongs<\/strong>‘ (<\/em>presents) <\/em>for the folks back in Manila.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n With renewed spirits after spending almost 18 hours in bed since our arrival, I decided to explore the place after a hearty breakfast of ‘cornisilog<\/strong><\/em>‘ (corned beef hash, fried egg, and fried rice).\u00a0 My bum stomach had markedly improved after the continuous intake of the electrolyte mix, cold Sprite, and Diatabs.<\/p>\n The ‘lucky garden’ was just across our room, so I made a few trips between the bathroom, the garden, and the restaurant just to the right.\u00a0 I took a few pictures of the surrounding areas to pass the time while I waited for the trio to return.<\/p>\n Sometimes you visit a place, and one bad experience would be enough to ruin your entire perception of its people.\u00a0 On the other side of the coin, the friendliness of the people in a particular place could be so overwhelming that you wish that you had stayed much longer.<\/p>\n Palawan is one of those places that could be categorized as the latter.\u00a0 Its people will afford you just the right amount of personal space so that you can introspect on your life’s journey and enjoy what the entire island has to offer.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marcoscarpio.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_2249.jpg\" "\\"Morning")
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