San Vicente, Palawan

Palawan has always been my favorite destination (a dream destination, actually). I was fortunate enough to explore Coron and El Nido previously and both towns were undoubtedly wonderful. But, I've recently read blogs about San Vicente being promoted as the new  "Boracay." Most articles described San Vicente as a quiet, unexplored and scenic vacation spot.

Airswift plane

So, we booked a flight with Airswift that lands directly at El Nido. There are available flights operated by PAL from Clark to San Vicente but, we did not pursue it anymore due to the recent earthquake incidents in the area. 









Can I just mention that Airswift flights were surprisingly smooth and on time? I would highly recommend flying with them if you're El Nido-bound. 

Dropped off passengers at the newly-opened San Vicente airport

El Nido airport (part of Lio Estate by Ayala)

From El Nido airport, we hailed a tricycle (350 pesos) going to the van terminal that will take us to Club Agutaya in San Vicente. Take note that van from El Nido to San Vicente has one trip that leaves at 8am. Luckily, we were able to ride in time for the van departure and paid 600 pesos each. Since it was a means of public transport, there were several stops to pick up and drop off other passengers along the way. It took us 3 hours to reach Club Agutaya, located in Long Beach, San Vicente. 





CLUB AGUTAYA - THE RESORT

Club Agutaya's lobby

Club Agutaya's beachfront

Club Agutaya is quite pricey but definitely worth every penny. Luckily, we were able to get a discounted rate through Agoda and even got upgraded accommodation upon arrival (there were not many guests that day). I love Club Agutaya for its excellent customer service. The staff was very courteous and warm. The rooms smelled and looked good, even the bathroom was squeaky clean! We were provided with fresh towels, toiletries (except for toothbrush and toothpaste, I guess they encourage you to bring your own), and a cabinet for your clothes and a vault inside to keep your valuables.  

Swimming pool

I also love the swimming pool and the restaurant (Cafe Lily) which served really delicious meals (price range is about 300 to 800 pesos, suitable for sharing)! And most of all, the beach was really calm and ideal for swimming. Club Agutaya has day beds and hammocks in the beach area where you can just lounge all day. It was simply P-E-R-F-E-C-T! 

pork sisig, fried rice, squid in curry and coconut sauce, breakfast spread

breakfast on our last day

Club Agutaya in Long Beach San Vicente

ISLAND HOPPING TOUR


We availed of the Combo Tour where we get to visit 7 sites, arranged through Club Abutaya's front desk and paid 2,500 per pax. I must commend Club Agutaya for arranging everything, from our snorkeling gears, life vest, cold water and soda, lunch and snacks! Even our fellow tourists were surprised at how the resort took care of us. Special mention to Kuya Mackie for driving us to the dock area. I can sense his pride and passion from the way he tells us numerous stories (both life-saving facts and effortless jokes haha!).

First stop is the Exotic and Maxima Island. It was a good place to swim and snorkel. 

Exotic and Maxima Island

Our tour guides/boatmen took us to Inaladelan Island, another snorkeling and picnic site. It was an ideal place to relax after your sumptuous meal since there were beach huts along the shore.

Inaladelan Island

clear waters of Inaladelan Island

A little bit farther from Inaladelan is the Turtle Sanctuary. Too bad our underwater shots were corrupted so, I cannot share photos of the sea turtles we saw. It was such a delight seeing them in action, crawling/swimming underwater. After that, we stopped by the Twin Reef. We braved the strong current and snorkeled with the help of our tour guide pulling us towards the coral garden. San Vicente has a vibrant marine life. The corals may not be as colorful or grand as those in Coron but, I still hope they maintain and protect the magnificent view/creatures underwater. 

Next stop was Port Barton and the Sandbar. Port Barton was surprisingly full of foreigners, not even a local or Pinoy tourist in sight. Residents and resort-owners in Port Barton heavily rely on solar power. Hence, electricity is limited. The atmosphere was very relaxing. There were several restaurants where you can grab a bite or get fresh fruit shakes and coffee. 

seashore at Port Barton

Our last stop was Bigaho Falls. You need to walk for about 15 minutes before reaching the falls. Halfway through the hike, you need to register and place a voluntary donation for the maintenance of the area. Tip: If you are not a good swimmer (like me), I would suggest bringing your life vest so you can enjoy swimming in the cold, fresh water of Bigaho Falls. 

 

sunset after our trek to Bigaho Falls

During our stay, the town was celebrating the Summer Festival and had several programs lined up like a band concert, bikini contest and basically a party at the beach. We would have gone and checked out the activities, but we were too sleepy after eating dinner, and Club Agutaya's staff were very encouraging in their invitation. 

Come to think of it, partying at the beach with all the loud sounds was something I was not looking forward to. After all, I visited San Vicente for its calm, tranquil and peaceful environment. I just wish it would remain that way. There's a certain charm in simplicity that will naturally make you fall in love with San Vicente. 

Club Agutaya - view from our room

fine sand and clear water in Long Beach

Coron, Palawan - A Flashback

If there's one place I'd go back to, it would be Palawan. I wouldn't get tired of exploring the city, countryside more so, the beaches! I was fortunate enough to go to one of the most popular diving spots in the Philippines: Coron, Palawan.

Coron is a small, quaint town in the northern part of Palawan. When I visited this place way back 2009, I was amazed with the simplicity of life and naturally peaceful surroundings (over- and underwater, that is.).

I would like to share with you some of the photos back then...

Mt. Tapyas

Kawayanan Grill where we ate our lunch

Maquinit Hot Springs - very nice to take a dip

sunset at Mt. Tapyas

sunset view at Mt. Tapyas

Darayonan Lodging House

Prime hotels and beach resorts are located in the farther islands of Coron. Being a thrifty traveler, staying in one of the budget hotels in town was the way to go. At that time, Darayonan Lodge seemed the best option for our accommodation. It's accessible to almost everywhere; and the staff were friendly, too. My friend and I initially booked for a native cottage but, the bamboos were squeaky as we move around the room so, we requested to be transferred to their newly renovated building. The rooms were equipped with an aircon, comfy bed, veranda and heated shower. The upgrade price was fair enough for the price of approximately Php 3000 for 3 days/2 nights stay, for 2 persons.

Corals...no need for goggles!

lunch prepared by boatmen

twin lagoon

You have to fit into that hole to get to the other side.

Palawan natives

At Banul (Banol?) Beach Coron Palawan

Banul Beach, Coron Palawan

Kayangan Lake

This is my favorite spot of all --- the Kayangan Lake. If you are a first timer in Coron, you will surely fall in love with the island as much as I did. And I can't wait to go back! :)

My First Trip to Palawan: A Flashback

My first ever out of town trip (and first, ever plane ride!) was in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. The mere experience of booking plane tickets, scouting for a hotel and arranging tours felt pretty exciting, for a first-timer like me. I travelled with an office buddy who was like me, starting to build a career back then. Luckily, we learned about Cebu Pacific "Piso Fare" promo; so, we were able to buy our round trip tickets for approximately Php 2,800/per person only.

With just a few clicks, we've reserved our plane tickets through Cebu Pacific. As "newbie" travelers on a tight budget, our next agenda was look for a pension house or inn. After a few phone calls and email inquiries, we decided to stay at Puerto Pension Inn. Instead of booking for a guided city tour, we explored on our own via tricycle rides. The only guided tour we booked was the Underground River Tour which cost around Php 1,200/per pax for a whole day tour including lunch, entrance fees and boat rides (take note this was the rate wayback 2006).

Most people say that travelling need not be expensive and that is indeed, TRUE. It just entails SAVING UP for your trip and the plain truth is, YOU-NEED-MONEY to travel. But, the beautiful experience, new discoveries and new-found friends are all WORTH IT. And this, first-time experience ignited my interest for travel and taking a break from "work life".

random mangrove area we chanced upon

entrance to the Underground River

dock area for boats outside the entrance

manunggul jar from the museum we visited