Underground Wonder

Day 4: Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour

We arrived at PPC at around 11 in the evening. We were very much excited because tonight we're going to try couchsurfing. Couchsurfing is a thing that travelers do in which you stay at a host's house for free so as to give an opportunity to share your life, culture, etc, with each other. People have been doing it since 2004. All you have to do is sign up at their website and look for a host based on your destination. To know more about this awesome traveling adventure, check out Couchsurfing.org.

Couchsurfing

We took a tricycle towards our host's house and we were greeted with all smiles by our generous host. He is a member of the Philippine Navy, but is currently on leave so that he can focus on doing other things that he's interested at, such as being a diving instructor. His guesthouse was really spacious with lots of rooms and common areas, where I imagine various travelers are able to share their stories. One traveler we met there told us that she's been couchsurfing for about a year now and that the one we were staying at in PPC was probably the most comfortable she's had because in other hosts, she told us that she just slept on the floor or on the couch. We settled in for the night and braced ourselves for one of the world's 7 wonders the morning after.

Common Area

Our Nipa Room

View from the top of stairs

Our couchsurfing host was the one who arranged our Underground River Tour, which was worth 1500 pesos inclusive of van and boat transfers, environmental fee, tour fee, and buffet lunch. We were fetched by the van at around 9 am, and had our 1 1/2 hour ride to the port located at Sabang Town, which is 80 km north from PPC. There is a stopover about an hour into the ride, and before arriving at Sabang Town, we stopped for a short photo ops in front of the Karst Mountain, one of the legs of the Philippine version of the Amazing Race.

Karst Mountain

Sabang Port

Sabang got its name by combining Tagalog words which mean "fresh water" and "salt water." You can choose to hike to the entrance or take a ~15 minute boat ride. Upon arrival at the port, the tour guide arranged for the boat, and we were transferred from port to the entrance of the Underground River.

At the Entrance

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a protected national park located in the St. Paul Mountain Range, bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and Babuyan River to the east. The Cabayugan River runs for 8.2 km inside the 24 km long cave before it joins the West Philippine Sea, with only about 4.3 km of the river being navigable by boat. It became part of the New 7 Wonders of Nature last November 11, 2011.

Boat Groufie before entering the PPUR

At the mouth of PPUR

Upon entry, I was not really expecting anything since I am not really interested in caving or related activities. But I was really in awe with everything inside the cave. It is a beauty that you should see at least once in your lifetime, and in person! The tour guide was also very interactive and fun to listen to. Although you may stink of bat droppings and sweat once you leave, it is truly a great wonder of nature. All you need to bring is your brilliant imagination. Beware of using your mobile phones or other gadgets, and food is not allowed inside the cave because of the monkeys.

Entrance to PPUR

Inside one of the 7 Wonders of Nature

After what felt like a 15 minute tour or more, we headed back to the port at Sabang where we had our buffet lunch at one of the beach resorts there. Then we headed back to PPC where we asked the tour guide to drop us off at the souvenir hub.

Lunch

We bought souvenirs and then headed back to our host's house. After packing our stuff, we decided to indulge in couchsurfing. We talked to other couchsurfers staying there, and with our generous host as well. It made us regret the decision that we only stayed there for only one night because it was a really nice experience to be able to exchange stories with fellow travelers, and to make friends with all of them. I made a vow I'd go back, or would at least try couchsurfing again in my future travels.

Around 45 minutes before our flight, we headed back to the airport, and with heavy hearts, left for home.

Palawan is truly a beauty of nature, that gives you that "I-could-get-used-to-this" feeling. My experience there made me want to have a sabbatical there for around 1 month, just to find myself or as a form of spiritual retreat. The place is truly relaxing, and peaceful. I'll definitely go back for more.

Thanks for reading, and see you on my next Sun-Kissed Journeys! :)

-xo

El Nido Inland Tours

Day 3: El Nido Inland Tours

Day three of our Palawan escapade did not involve a boat. We woke up to a partly cloudy day and had our free breakfast in the inn, hoping that the day would continue with such a promising weather for exploring El Nido.

The inland tours are offered by almost all of the tricycle drivers, and the prices can vary depending on the number of participants, the season, and the places you'd like to visit. The price usually averages to 600 to 800 pesos for 2 pax, and includes visiting 2 or 3 places starting from 8 or 9 am (or later) and ending at around 4 or 5 pm. The price could go as high up as 600/pax during peak season. We chose to go to Nagkalit-Kalit Falls and the famous twin beaches of Nacpan and Calitang. We left the inn at around 10 am.

Path to the Falls

Nagkalit-Kalit Falls

 Our first stop was the Nagkalit-Kalit Falls. About 30 minutes away from the town proper, this refreshing destination requires hiking for around 30 minutes or more, depending on your speed and whether or not the terrains are slippery due to rainfall. The tricycle driver dropped us off a house by the road where we met our hiking guide to the falls. The hike involves going through 7 - 9 rivers. The 50 plus year old guide that we got told us that she has been guiding tourists to/fro the falls for 20 years now, but she doesn't look another day older than mid-30s. She was very nice, very fit and was really talkative, she was even able to tell us almost her whole life story for the duration of the trek towards the falls. Her talkativeness helped calm me down since I was scared I might see a snake or two on the way to the falls. It didn't help too that there were only 3 of us going through the eerily quite forest. But this stuff is really suitable for those who love a "closer to nature" kind of experience.

She told us that the falls got its name because the visitors usually just "comes and goes" fast. It is Bisaya for "saglit" or "mabilisan" (for just a short while) stay. The waterfalls give off lush green and blue colors, and it's either you sit by the rocks or swim in the middle where the water falls.

We stayed there for just around 20 - 30 minutes and decided to head back down. It was easier to go back down than to trek up. You have to pay for the tour guide for around 200/pax.

We then got into the tricycle again, and headed to the famous twin beaches of Nacpan and Calitang. The road was real rough and the tricycle had a hard time going through some parts of the rocky road. It was raining during our journey. There was a point near the end of the road to the beach where the tricycle can no longer pass through because of the state of the unpaved road, so we had to walk through the mud.

Nacpan Beach

When we got to Nacpan beach, it was just about time for lunch, so we opted to eat at the carinderia by the shore before going to see the twin beaches. The menu included both seafood, pork, and chicken. We decided to indulge in seafood and ordered buttered shrimp, and crab. The atmosphere was pretty relaxing, and the food was really good too. We ate at a leisure pace while we watched both locals and foreigners enjoy a game of beach volleyball.

Seafood Lunch at Nacpan Beach

 We then had a short climb up a hill at the far end of Nacpan beach for a real nice view of the twin beaches. The climb up is really slippery though because the hillside was too steep, you have to hold on to a handful of grass on each side to hoist yourself up the hill. The view is really amazing, having to see two beaches with different hues, side by side. It's almost as if they are trying to reach each other, but almost is never enough.

Twin Beaches of Nacpan and Calitang

After taking pictures of the twin beaches, we then descended the hill via another route, which was less slippery but passing through thick bushes of waist-high grass, which made me panicky since it would make you think that snakes might just make an appearance.

Nacpan Beach

We then decided to swim in Nacpan beach where the waves were really huge. The locals that were swimming with us even taught us how to safely dodge the waves by going down once it hits so that you don't get carried by it. It was really fun to do, especially with huge waves.

By 4 pm, we headed back to the town proper, where we stopped by a souvenir shop to buy souvenirs, and then back to the inn to freshen up before our van picked us up for our transport back to Puerto Prinsesa.

Sunnies at Nacpan Beach