Tra-Abel’s Top Things to Do at Ilocos Sur

Ilocos Sur is home to the recently named "New7Wonders Cities of the World" - Vigan City. That's enough reason for me to visit the province. A little surprise during my trip was the celebration of Vigan of its Longganisa Festival, which made my visit there more colorful! So without further ado, here are the Top Things to Do that I recommend to everyone planning to go to Ilocos Sur, Philippines!  

Immerse in Philippine History while walking around Calle Crisologo

Entrance Fee: Free

Tour Guide Fee:Not Required

Address:Crisologo St., Mestizo District, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Personal Rating: «««««

The biggest selling point of Ilocos Sur tourism is its heritage village with its center located at Calle Crisologo. It is a cobble-stoned street, lined with Spanish Era ancestral houses (with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floorings, balustrades and azoteas in varying Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese architectural styles), which led to Vigan's inscription in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Tra-Abel’s Top 10 Things to Do at Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Norte has always been part of my family’s list of places to go. We occasionally visit our relatives in Pasuquin and on top of that, some of the seminars and conventions I attended were held in Ilocos (Batac and Paoay). But that was 10 years ago. So when my high school friends came up with an idea to visit Ilocos Region in 2014, I immediately agreed.

Ilocos Norte is a province on the northern most part of the Philippines. It is famous as a local tourist destination where you can find a variety of tourist spots that offers different travel experiences.

Here are Tra-Abel’s top 10 things to do in Ilocos Norte:

1. Trek to the Refreshing Kabigan Falls

Entrance Fee: 20 per head

Tour Guide Fee: 100/group

Address: Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Personal Rating: ««««¶

Kabigan Falls is an 87-feet tall waterfalls located in Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte. Having been to plenty of waterfalls in the Philippines, the main highlight is the scenery that greets every tourists on their way to the waterfalls. One has to cross a small river (or is it a creek?), walk along the side of green rice fields and trek through a lush virgin rainforest. Another exciting thing about the trek are the FOOD stalls selling varieties of local delicacies such as tupig, empanada, kakanin and other mouthwatering merienda. The food stalls are situated 500 meters apart, in such a way that they serve as a pit stop to catch your breath and replenish your energy. 

Tra-Abel Guide to Ilocos Region

Ilocos is located on the most northwestern part of the Philippines. Plenty of tourists visit this region to learn and reminisce the rich history the place offers, home to the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site - Vigan City, which boasts of Spanish-era mansions, the kalesa and cobblestone Crisologo Street. 

In addition to these historical treats, you can also find a century old lighthouse at Burgos and a century old baroque church at Paoay. 

Also, if one ventures beyond, Ilocos is home to stunning white sand beaches, enchanting caves and waterfalls, and exceptional rock formations. If these are not enough reasons for you to pack your bags and head to Ilocos now, then maybe the following reasons can make you. Ilocos is also where you can find the scenic Bangui windmills, the first in Southeast Asia, or surf the perfect waves of Pagudpud and partake into the adrenaline inducing adventures offered at Paoay sand dunes.

Palaui Island Trip Day 3: Exploring the Island

On our last day at Palaui, my sister and I decided to just explore the island and trek to some of its hidden gems. We arranged from Nature Village for an island guide who will accompany us around the island. Ate Maricar was assigned to us. We told her that we want the see the nearest waterfalls and to trek to some of the islands nearby beaches.

Waking up with this beautiful view!

She then led the way along the shore until we reached a structure (a shed of some sort) that according to her was the place where the TV Survivor tribal council meetings were held. The hut was still in great shape, but is now plagued with hermit crabs. So that makes it Survivor, Palaui Island: Hermit Crab Edition. We took some pictures and played with the hermit crabs for a while (hermit crab racing) before we continued on with our trek.

Survivor Palaui Island!

We left the shore and went deeper into the island where we met the Aeta Community. Since we were there during the weekdays, we were given an opportunity to observe one of the Aeta children classes. There was only one classroom and about 20 students so it was not clear to us if they have grade levels. The teacher who was in front of the class was also an Aeta and she was teaching the kids about Mathematics. I guess counting was important to them since that would come in handy during trade and doing business with other communities.

Palaui Island Trip Day 1: Tra-Abel En Route - The Unplanned Trip

Palaui here I come!

Having been to many places around the Philippines and some to its neighboring countries, it was only in 2013 that I became aware of the beautiful and exotic Island of Palaui at Cagayan Valley (Region 2). Coming from the province of Quirino which shares the same region with Cagayan, Palaui is just a stone throw away. So when the opportunity came to travel to Palaui, I immediately boarded a bus to Tuguegarao City. Coming along with me to experience the beauty of this little island is my sister, who did not bother filing a leave from work. LOL.

The trip from Echague (located in Isabela Province where my grandparents live) to Tuguegarao City took around 3-4 hours. We arrived at the city around noon, where we withdrew cash to cover our expenses for the whole trip as there are no or limited ATMs at Santa Ana/Palaui.

After getting lunch and some rest, we hired a trike to get to the terminal where Santa Ana bound Van can be found. The first trip from Tuguegarao City to Santa leaves at 5:00 AM and the last trip leaves at 4:00 PM. The fare is around Php 200.00 and the travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.

We arrived at Santa Ana Poblacion around 5:00 PM. Santa Ana is a small town in Cagayan where both fishing and farming is the main source of income. The recent feature of Palaui Island in the two (2) seasons of Survivor (a television show) added tourism as another source of income for its people. So we were quite happy to help the community with our trip there. 

Tra-Abel Guide to Palaui Island, Cagayan

Cape Engano Lighthouse!

Palaui Island is located on the most northeastern tip of the Philippines in the province of Cagayan, where the last kilometer marker (642 km) up north of Luzon can be found. It is a small exotic island with a rich flora and fauna, home to the historic Cape Engano Lighthouse and surrounded by stunning and beautiful beaches and islets such as Anguib, Nangaramoan, Punta Verde, Crocodile Island and Dos Hermanas.

How to Get There

By Land

You can catch any bus from Manila bound to Cagayan (Tuguegarao City). There are a number of them both regular and air-conditioned. Here’s a list of the buses going to Cagayan Valley:

1. Victory Liner (From Pasay, Sampaloc and Cubao/Kamias Terminals)

2. GV Florida (From Sampaloc and Cubao Terminals)

3.  Five Star (From Cubao and Pasay Terminals)

4. Other buses with route Manila to Cagayan Valley: Auto Bus, Ballesteros Bus, Dagupan Bus (Most of the buses bound to Cagayan Valley can be found around Sampaloc and Cubao area)

From Tuguegarao City take a Van to Santa Ana Market/Poblacion. Approximate travel time is 2.5 to 4 hours. In Santa Ana Poblacion, you can opt to stay overnight in one of the budget hotels around the area or you can go directly to San Vicente Port by taking a tricycle. From the port area, you can hire a boat (see rates below) to Punta Verde or Anguib Beach where you can spend the night. This will actually depend on the time of your arrival at Santa Ana. For the tips on where to stay at Santa Ana, Punta Verde and Anguib please refer to the accommodations section of this post.

The uninhabited shorelines of Punta Verder in Palaui Island

Thoughts on Solo Backpacking: The 'Solo-Traveling-Jitters'

How I actually got into this craziness?

Sunday, February 9, 2014, it was past midnight (1:25AM), but here I am, still awake with plenty of thoughts running through my mind. This has been the case for a few days now. I am two days away from getting on that plane to Bangkok where this craziness was about to take me. I’ve been having sleepless nights, wondering what will or will not happen to me, thinking if should go or not go on this trip and weighing if this is the sane or insane thing to do. So how did I get into this mess?

Wondering where my next destination will be! Czary 101

Let me take you back on the day I booked the plane ticket. It was late night on July 12, 2013; I was a little groggy from the bottles of red horse (a local beer) I drank during my friend’s birthday celebration earlier that day. As usual, I went online to check my Facebook, Instagram and other social media accounts before going to bed. That was when I came upon the “piso fare” promo for all domestic and international flight of Cebu Pacific Air posted in their Facebook account. I randomly search for international flights bound to anywhere. I did not have any plans of purchasing a ticket anyway, since I have a scheduled trip to El Nido, Palawan on July 26, 2013. But when I checked the travel period; it was from January 1 to June 30, 2014. So on a second thought, the trip will not be happening in the near future and that will give me enough time to plan and save for my trip. I immediately booked a roundtrip ticket to Bangkok for 10 days thinking that the trip will be easy peasy since Thailand is a backpacker friendly country.

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Siargao (Day 2): The Three Islands

Island Hopping is one of the many activities you can try at Siargao Island aside from surfing. There are three islands included in the island hopping activity. The Big, Small and Naked Island, each have its own beauty that will surely captivate you!

Our first stop for the island hopping was not really an Island, it was a snorkeling site. The boat stopped in the middle of nowhere and the guide told us that there are colorful fishes and corals in that area. I forgot to take a picture of the underwater action though because I was busy playing with (following) the fishes.

Naked Island! You have to be naked to enter!

First island for the island hopping tour was Naked Island (Time to get Naked! LOL). The island is called "Naked" because it is a dome of sand in the middle of the lagoon. The local name of this sandbar is Pansukian. We were really lucky when we went there because we had the island for ourselves. There were no other people during that time.  The island was really bare and only a small coconut tree was present. The best time to visit Naked Island is in the morning when the sun is not too hot and still not harmful.

The only one present when we went to Naked Island! LOL

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Siargao (Day 2): The Boardwalk at Cloud 9

Waking up and finding yourself in a different place is really a delight to me. Watching the sunrise and the locals’ early morning routines excites me. So when I went to Siargao Island, I made sure to wake up early to catch the sunrise at the famous “Boardwalk at Cloud 9”. The boardwalk is a walkway which allows surfers to get near the Cloud 9 (Siargao’s famous waves) and where onlookers watch the surfers ride the big waves.

From Ocean 101, the Boardwalk at Cloud 9 is just 3 to 5 minute walk. To enjoy the walk from your reserved accommodation to the boardwalk, I suggest that you walk on the shore rather than the main road. One needs to be careful though when walking along the shore since there are pointy rocks on the way to the boardwalk. Even if it was still dark, you should not worry since there are few people on the shore, specially fishermen taking care of their catch from the previous night.

View of Boardwalk at Cloud 9 from afar!

The sun started to show as I was approaching the boardwalk. The reflection of the rising sun on the crystal clear water of Cloud 9 beach was enchanting.

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao –Siargao (Day 1): Tra-Abel Enroute

Siargao Island is known to many as the surfing capital of the Philippines with a worldwide reputation for its “Cloud 9” waves perfect for surfing competitions.  So why the hell did I go there? To Surf-plang (surfing na may kasamang semplang)? Ahhmm, at first, YES, I want to try it but when I saw how big the waves were, I got scared! (There was a low pressure area (LPA) when I went there, so maybe next time. LOL)

How to get there

Montenegro Fast Craft!

Fast crafts and ferry boats are the most frequent and most affordable means to get there. Here are the trip schedules:

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Surigao City: City of Island Adventure

For the second part of my CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao Tra-Abel trip, I visited Surigao City and Siargao Island, both are part of Surigao del Norte.  Surigao City is located at the Northeastern Tip of Mindanao and dubbed as the 'City of Island Adventures'. 

How to Get There:

By Land – Buses from Pasay City, Metro Manila have trips going to Surigao several times a week via Lipata Ferry Terminal. Daily bus trips from Butuan, Cagayan de Oro City or Davao City to Surigao City are also available at regular intervals.

By Sea – Passenger boats are available every day except Sundays from Cebu. Boats from Manila also have regular trips to Surigao.

By Air – Cebu Pacific Air flies daily from Cebu to Surigao every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday & vice versa. PALExpress (Philippine Airlines) likewise flies from Manila to Surigao every day except Wednesday and vice versa. Skyjet flies to Surigao from Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday and vice versa.  For more regular trips, you can fly to Butuan City or Davao City and from there take a bus to Surigao City.

Where to Stay:

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Hinatuan Enchanted River (Day 2): Bluer than Blue

Hinatuan’s Enchanted River is a river on the island of Mindanao that flows directly into the Pacific Ocean. When I first heard that this river is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mindanao, I got curious (really, rivers?). Living in the Philippines composing of many islands, we are accustomed to plenty of rivers (during family reunions, barkada trippings, etc).  I browsed the internet out of curiosity, to know why it became a popular place to go.

I was really amazed by the pictures I saw on the net.  The water of the river is crystal clear blue (unlike normal rivers that are either dirty brown or just normal-looking-river.. LOL). At first, I thought the pictures were photoshopped, so to prove me wrong, I included Enchanted River to my itinerary.

How to get there

By Air 

From Manila or Cebu or Davao City as transit point, Philippine Airlines (or its low cost counterpart – PALExpress)  and  Cebu Pacific ply the Manila-Davao-Manila and Cebu-Davao-Cebu several trips daily. From Davao City, there are non air-conditioned buses in Davao Ecoland Terminal directly bound to Mangagoy in Bislig City for a 5-hour trip.  From Mangagoy ride a bus bound to San Francisco/Butuan City – and just tell the driver to drop you in eskina/crossing Enchanted River- that’s more or less an hour travel.

From Manila or Cebu or Butuan City as transit point, Philippine Airlines (or its low cost counterpart – PALExpress)  and  Cebu Pacific also ply these routes three times a week. From the airport take a cab to the City Bus Integrated Terminal where air-conditioned van may be hired for a 4-hour trip to Bislig City (passing the town of Hinatuan) at a reasonable price. Regular trips of Bachelor Express buses also ply the Butuan route as early as 2:00AM daily. Note that Hinatuan is the last stop before Mangagoy/Bislig, so be sure to be awake when the bus stops at Hintuan (or just inform the driver to drop you off at Hinatuan Terminal). From the terminal you can hire a habal/habal (single motorcycle) to the river.  You can also ask the driver to drop you directly in eskina/crossing Enchanted River where single motorcycles are also available (there is a large tarpaulin of Enchanted River in the crossing).

By Sea

Inter-island vessels like the Super-ferry and Sulpicio Lines serves the Manila-Butuan or Cebu Butuan routes on regular schedules with Nasipit Port as transit point. Aircon vans are available at the wharf or take a jeepney to the city terminal for the regular bus trips to Bislig City (passing the town of Hinatuan).

Source: Bislig City Tourism Leaflet

Enchanting Experience! 

If my ride to Tinuy-an Falls was a real pain-in-the-ass, my trip to Hinatuan Enchanted River was a delight. The cool breeze of the morning touches my face as we drove deeper into the forest where the river is located.  We reached the river after a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from Bislig City. There was an entrance fee of Php50.00, stores are located near the entrance of the river, cottages can be rented for those who are planning to stay longer, swimming and diving gears can be rented at a reasonable price. (Entrance fee is 50 pesos per person, life jacket rent is 15 pesos per hour, and cottage rent costs 100.00.)

A little walk from the entrance, you can already see the crystal blue water of Enchanted River. Since, I arrived early in the morning, only a few people were in the vicinity which made my trip to

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Surigao del Sur (Day 1): A Roadtrip to the Unknown

Mindanao has always been perceived as a dangerous location for tourist. However, not all the provinces of Mindanao are code red (tourist unfriendly zone), in fact only a few provinces are considered dangerous. According to the latest advisory dated January 2014, tourists are advised against all travel only to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (consisting of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao). So if you are planning to visit Mindanao, do not worry, just exercise normal security precautions, avoid the provinces enumerated above and be sure to enjoy your stay there!

My first stop for the Caraga Northeastern Mindanao series of Tra-Abel was Bislig City, Surigao del Sur with a short-side-trip to Butuan City of Agusan del Norte. Bislig is the charming city on the eastern coast of Mindanao, facing the Pacific Ocean. According to oral tradition, the city was named after a forest vine of the rattan family which grew in abundance along the river banks. This vine was noted for its strength and was credited for saving a royal couple from drowning when they once crossed the river (Source: Tourism Leaflet of Bislig City).

How to get there:

From Butuan City

From the Bancasi (Butuan) Airport, take a trike/jeepney to the City Bus Terminal where air-conditioned vans may be hired for a 3-hour trip to Bislig City at reasonable rates (a bit more expensive than bus). Regular trips of Bachelor Express (non-aircon buses) also ply the Butuan-Bislig route as early as 2:00AM daily. (Note that “Mangagoy” is the placard used by the buses instead of Bislig)

Super comfy buses of Bachelor Express

From Davao City

From Davao airport, take a taxi to the Ecoland Bus Terminal where air-conditioned vans may be hired for a 5-hour trip to Bislig City at reasonable rates (a bit more expensive than bus). Regular trips of Bachelor Express (aircon and non-aircon buses) also ply the Davao-Bislig route as early as 2:00AM daily.

From Surigao City 

There is no direct bus going to Bislig. Either you take a bus to Butuan or take a bus going to Tandag. If you opted for the Butuan Bus refer to the directions above. Meanwhile, if you chose the Tandag bound bus, you can either take a jeepney, a van or a bus from Tandag Terminal to Bislig. (According to the locals, the route Surigao-Butuan-Bislig is more comfortable since the roads on this route are more concrete and polished(?))

With little knowledge about the place I was about to go, I departed Placer, Surigao del Norte at 4:00 in the afternoon. I boarded a jeepney going to Surigao City Integrated Bus Terminal. From there I immediately took the Butuan bus (lucky for me, the bus did not take long before it departed) and enjoyed the 2-hour trip.

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao Series: Tra-Abel Trip Itinerary

In September 2014, an idea crossed my mind – to travel through the provinces of Caraga region in the Northeastern part of Mindanao. Caraga is composed of 5 provinces: Agusan del Norte (Butuan City), Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte (Surigao City & Siargao), Surigao del Sur (Bislig City & Hinatuan) and Dinagat Islands. This region hosts plenty of tourist sites and spots such as Enchanted River, Tinuy-an Falls, the surfing capital – Siargao, Sohoton Cove National Park, Britania Islands and many more.

Itinerary Map (source: wikipedia) 

Start   Placer, Surigao del Norte
1        Butuan City, Agusan del Norte
2        Bislig City, Surigao del Sur
3        Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
4        Surigao City, Surigao del Norte
5        Siargao, Surigao del Norte

An opportunity to make my plans become a reality, came when I was assigned to perform audit fieldwork at Placer for one (1) month in October 2013. Placer is a small municipality of Surigao del Norte, 30 minutes away from Surigao City, the Capital Town.

Here’s my planned itinerary for the Tra-Abel Caraga Trip (2 weekends only - Sat&Sun)

Palawan Day 3: El Nido (Island Hopping Tour C)

I came back from the Taraw Cliff Climbing unscratched but with sore limbs and muscle pains. Tay Miloy recommended that I should take Alaxan FR (Pacquiao’s pain reliever after a boxing match. LOL), so I bought 3 tablets from a store nearby. Since I arrived ahead of time, I decided to lie down and rest a bit, while waiting for the person who will fetch me up for the Island Hopping Tour C.

At exactly 9:00 AM, I heard a knock from ate and she said that my sundo is ready to take me to the boat for the island hopping. Upon boarding the boat, I noticed that everyone in the group except moi is foreigner (Oh good, language barrier cum nosebleed alert! Hahaha). In a way, the situation is favorable because I don’t need to mingle with everybody and I can just close my eyes and take my rest from the tiring taraw cliff climbing while waiting for the boat to arrive at our first island destination.

Unfortunately, after 15 minutes on board, the couple (they said they’re not but they look like one) next to my seat started talking to me.   They are originally from France but they are currently working at Malaysia. The ‘rest’ which I was dreading to get went to lala land and never came back that day. Our conversation focused mainly on work, travel, food, culture and many things. I thought to myself that this is a good opportunity for me to practice in preparation for my solo backpacking trip to Indochina in February 2014. 

The first stop of our island hopping was the Secret Beach, a good spot for snorkeling!

Secret or Hidden Beach?

Fishes! and sands? haha

Palawan Day 3: El Nido (Taraw Cliff Climbing)

The idea of climbing taraw

It has been my habit to check out travel blogs and other sites whenever I am planning to go somewhere. So when my ticket to Palawan has been confirmed, I immediately browsed the web and looked for exciting and out of the ordinary (life threatening) things to do at El Nido. And that’s when I came upon El Nido’s “TARAW CLIFF CLIMBING.”

Here are some of the stories that caught my attention and fixated taraw cliff climbing on my itinerary:

From TheKillerFillers.com: “Mountaineering experience won’t prepare you for climbing Taraw. It was serious rock climbing from the first assault. And when I say serious, I meant serious like 80-degree-5-storey-high-limestone-piercing-death-drop serious. I wrote many climb stories and talk about death cliffs all the time and I want to take that back for if death cliffs have a picture in the dictionary, the cliffs in Taraw should be it. There were times you will need to pull yourself up with the strength of your arms just to get to the next stepping stone and I am not the leanest person you’ve seen, so go figure.”

From IronWulf.net: “I thought this was gonna be easy. Like walking on regular mountain trails and winding roads… My mountain climbing experience didn’t prepare me for this. We were traversing the sharp and jagged limestone trails and pulling ourselves up along almost vertical walls… A few more climbs to the peak, the trail became more challenging and dangerous that one step could send me plummeting down to the sharp rocks.”

From BoyWonder.com: “Climbing Taraw Cliff has got to be the most difficult thing I've done physically. No amount of Zumba could have prepared me for it. We were literally rock climbing. And we didn't have any gears! There wasn't an option for it anyway. We just had our bare hands and slippers.”

Maybe it was in my nature to be competitive, that I want to achieve what others can. To prove everybody that even with a body and weight like mine, I still can. Or Maybe I’m just reckless and crazy that whatever crosses my mind, and thinks that it’s fun, I’m willing to do it, whatever the risk may be.

The day and night and hours before the climb

As posted in my previous blog entry, the day before my climb, my friends and I went to Island Hopping Tour A. And from the boat we were riding we saw the taraw cliff from afar. The view got me excited and at the same time scared, for I am sure that tomorrow will give me the best (experience) but the hardest (physically) time of my life!

view of Taraw Cliff from afar

Palawan Day 2: El Nido++, Philippines (Island Hopping Tour A)

The plan was to wake up early to catch the sunrise at Bacuit Bay, so as early as 6:00AM, I was already on my feet ready to catch the magnificent view of Bacuit Bay’s rising sun. Sadly though, I was not able to capture it and just decided to walk around town.

Early morning at Bacuit Bay!!! minus the sunrise.. :)

Walking around town

Right on the center of El Nido is where the parish is situated, where a lot of locals can be found.

The town was starting to get populated and establishments were starting to open for business, and so I just decided to walk along the shore of Bacuit Bay on the way to my friends' lodge. As I was walking, a fisherman approached me and offered his catch during the night. It got me curious so I looked into his bucket and saw bundles (is this the right term?) of crabs that made my mouth salivate thinking that steamed crabs are perfect after a whole day of island hopping tour.

So I asked Manong Fisherman, how much each bundle costs, to which he answered Php150.00. I was really surprised at the price he gave me because as I counted the number of medium-sized crabs in the bundle - it ranges from 8-10 pieces. I immediately bought one bundle consisting of 9 above medium-size crabs and took it at Tay Miloy’s Inn hoping they could help me steam it later in the afternoon.

Since it was still early, I continued to walk around town trying to look for the entrance of Taraw Cliff, my next day’s planned activity. Taraw Cliff is the limestone formation which can be seen on the left side of the town, which on first glance is impossible to climb.

Tra-Abel En Route: Setting Foot in Paradise

Palawan Day 2: Setting Foot in Paradise

The van trip from PPS to El Nido took us exactly 4.5 hours and the driver was kind enough to drop us off in front of the lodge where my friends are staying. He gave us a calling card for future trips and referral to friends, so here it is:

Kimberly Faith Van Rental

Php500.00 per person

CP# +639066027812/+639099274853 

Since I planned on a different itinerary and I’m on a tight budget, I booked my accommodation at Tay Miloy’s Inn (the cheapest accommodation in town I know of).

Tay Miloy’s Inn

Php300.00 per night good for 2 persons

CP# +639297955756

Tay Miloy’s Inn is perfect for those who are on a tight budget; the room consists of 2 beds, a fan and clean beddings. The bathroom is shared but is always clean and the people are friendly so it’s the perfect place to meet new friends especially if you are travelling alone. On the down side, the floor and walls are not concrete so footsteps and noises can easily be heard and it has limited spaces and reception area. My stay with Tay Miloy’s was nothing but satisfactory, and the one thing I’m most pleased at, were the owners, they were so helpful and friendly that made my tours possible and my stay in El Nido a success!

Palawan Day 1: Puerto Princesa City Tour

July 20, 2013

30 minutes after 8 in the morning, the flight attendant of PAL Express Flight 2P 941 announced our arrival at Puerto Princesa City airport. I was excited and at the same time nervous, for I have no idea what adventures await me for my first Tra-Abel Trip!

Upon alighting the aircraft, I immediately texted Manong Rommel, my contact person for the Puerto Princesa City day tour. It really saves you time if you arrange your tour/itinerary in advance. A lot of information is available online, so have the patience to look for one, it really pays off. Anyhow, here is the contact number of our Tricycle Driver cum Tour Guide for the Puerto Princessa City Tour:

PPS City Tour Trike Contact Info

Manong Rommel - 0919 879 9501

PPS City Tour - Php600 for 2 persons (300 each)/ Php500 if you're alone

*The rate is standard for all the PPS Department of Tourism accredited trikes but you can always try to ask for discounts.

Manong Rommel was very helpful in a lot of ways, he's very knowledgeable and friendly, so don't hesitate to ask a lot of questions and trivia about the places/spots you're going.

Manong Rommel's Trike

Palawan Day 0: The Long Road - From Mountains to Beaches

4:30 PM July 19, 2013

One of the perks of working in a faraway place is getting home early from the day to day work. Our office hours end at exactly 4:30 PM, way earlier compared to my previous jobs’ 6:00-6:30 PM end of day work. So 15 minutes before 4:30, I am already outside the General Office waiting for a UV Express (van) going to Baguio.

Mankayan to Baguio van route always gives me mixed emotions. I feel refresh from the fresh air and the sceneries that we pass through at the same time I feel burdened and sick due to the endless winding roads. The trip from Mankayan to Baguio took me exactly 3.5 hours of sleep, amusement, sickness and nausea (this is the reason why I seldom go home).

Cloudy afternoon taken along the Mankayan-Baguio Route

Unlimited view of the vegetable terraces at Bugias, Benguet

We arrived in Baguio City at around 8:30PM, ample time for me to shop for the things I needed for my Palawan Tour as follows: Sunglasses; Snorkeling Gear; Sun Block; Dinner and Snacks.

5 minutes after 9:00PM I immediately went to the Victory Liner Baguio Bus Terminal hoping to still catch the bus scheduled at 9:00PM. Unfortunately the bus left exactly at its designated time schedule (Filipino time didn't work this time, LOL). Instead I boarded the bus scheduled to leave at 9:30 PM. I was a little worried because my flight to Puerto Princessa, Palawan will be boarding at 6:00 AM and the trip from Baguio to Manila will approximately take 6 hours, that will only give me 2 hour allowance for unexpected delays and such. 

Thankfully, the bus departed from Baguio at exactly 9:30PM! But briefly after 30 minutes on the road, the bus suddenly stopped on the side of the road and the driver's assistant informed us that we will have to transfer to another bus (Oh great! The 2 hour allowance will be diminished)

Stranded in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the rescue bus. HAHA

After waiting for 30 minutes, the bus scheduled to depart from Baguio City at 10:00 PM finally arrived, but it can only accommodate 4 passengers.  We were informed that passengers with reservations will be given priority. But fortunately, after a teleserye like, dramatic explanation, I was given the privilege of getting one of the four seats available, thanks to kuyang kundoktor, for understanding the situation I'm in.

4:40 AM July 20, 2013

Finally, MANILA! Thankfully, I'm a little bit early so I went to the nearest convenience store to eat my breakfast, hailed a taxi and went to Ninoy Aquino Internal Airport Terminal 3. At exactly 6:40AM PAL Express plane left the ground, to finally take me to the paradise I've always dreamed of.

PAL Express. A low cost airline with great service!

Follow my adventures at Palawan on the succeeding posts:

Palawan Day 0: Tra-Abel En Route - From Mountains to Beaches

Palawan Day 1: Puerto Princessa City - City Tour
Palawan Day 1: Tra-Abel En Route - On My Way to Paradise
Palawan Day 2: El Nido -  Island Hopping Tour A
Palawan Day 3: El Nido - Taraw Cliff Climbing 
Palawan Day 3: El Nido - Island Hopping Tour C