A Palawan Wedding Experience

Located at the southern part of the Philippines, Palawan is said to be the last frontier in this part of the world. The place is host to some breathtaking sights and wonders of nature where visitors would dub it “paradise lost—and found.” People from all over the world come to Palawan to witness and experience nature at its very best. Locals often migrate and spend their retirement away from the hustle and bustle of the city life in one of the places there and truly are bowled over by its magnificent sights to offer.

Life in Palawan is so simple yet so full, light but always bursting with excitement and anticipation. People would often dream of spending their special occasions on the shores of one of those beaches in Palawan where sparking sands and blue waters lure the free spirited souls.

Let me share with you the fascinating experience of Ricky Barba who picked Palawan as their wedding venue in 2003. His bride and family members were so mesmerized and captivated that having a good time and so much excitement was an understatement.

Ricky Barba joined South East Asian Urban Development (SEAUD) as Safeguards Specialist last October. A national of the Philippines, he obtained his Master’s degree in Economics from the National University of Singapore and his Bachelor’s degree in Development Economics from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB).

Ricky started his career teaching at UPLB in 1991, and while in UPLB was involved in various research projects on poverty and income inequality assessment. From 1995 to 1996, he was a Research Associate for USAID’s Environmental and Natural Resource Accounting Project III. For 11 years, he worked as a consultant for various departments of ADB and since 2004, has assisted SEAUD in ensuring projects complied with safeguards policies. The following is our conversation with him:

Question: Do you have any other place in mind to visit before deciding to go to Palawan?
RB: Bali.

Question: Who’s with you? Are you alone or with your family?
RB: My wife, our parents, my wife's siblings, our best friends.

Question: Why Palawan? How did it become your choice of place to visit?

RB: We initially wanted to go to Indonesia, as my wife and I have spent a lot of time in Indonesia--but our requirements were quite straightforward, a place we could gather immediate family together which would be an escape from work and Palawan was the better option to Bali.

Question: Before visiting Palawan, do you have any expectations on what’s in store for you there? Any apprehensions or doubts?
RB: We had gone on a trip first before deciding on the resort. We had no doubts and what we saw exceeded our expectations.

Question: Where exactly in Palawan did you stay? And what sort of activities you have?

RB: We stayed in El Nido, roamed a bit in Puerto Princesa City. We got married in Palawan, we had a luau party, we kayaked, and we hiked around the island, swam and snorkeled a lot of course.

Question: It sure was a lot of fun and good times. How do you find the locals there? Any difference in terms of character in where you came from?
RB: They were largely the same--curious, eager to help. The priest in our wedding was from Puerto Princesa City.

Question: Exactly how do you feel the moment you looked around and marveled the place? Can you define it? Any similarity in any place you have already visited?

RB: It gives you a feeling that the Philippines truly has a lot more to offer. It was quite a refreshing place. Very tranquil and relaxing too. The limestone formations are similar to Halong Bay in Vietnam. The beaches are comparable other island clusters. But the fact that it's in the Philippines makes you feel at home.

Question: Before you came to Palawan what exactly you have in mind? Do you expect a place that resembles a paradise? Or just another place to visit just for the sake of it?
RB: Yes, we hoped it would be like paradise and it was!

Question: Do you think visiting the place with your family coming along is worth it in terms of expenses and experience?
RB: Yes. Our family especially enjoyed our advance trip to Puerto Princesa. We went to Palawan State College museum and looked at archaeological and ethnological collections from Tabon caves and some artifacts from Cuyo Island. We enjoyed it.

Question: If you are going to rate Palawan against any other places that you visited. 10 as highest and 1 as the lowest what would it be? Why?

RB: 10. It couldn't be any better. I hope it remains as is and does not become overdeveloped and crowded.

Question: What do you think is the distinction of Palawan and its people? Do they have any distinguishing traits or culture that makes them memorable to visitors?
RB: They are the same as all Filipinos--warm and friendly. That is memorable to all non-Filipinos.

Question: What places in Palawan would you recommend to a new comer?

RB: Lagen or Miniloc in El Nido, and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. The underground river there is truly amazing and navigable. This river stretches eight kilometers deep into an underground lagoon with crystalline waters. I suggest you visit first Puerto Princesa. Being the capital of Palawan and the nerve center of it, you can decide your options there by getting around familiarizing with the place and the locals especially if you had plans of migrating and settling in the place.

Palawan is truly a paradise, an amazing place where breath taking sights will continue to astound your imagination, more so when a most important moment of your life is spent there just like Ricky's wedding. Having it with your family and friends is quite an exhilarating experience—but sharing it to the world is another thing. I’m glad Ricky agreed to share with me a piece of his encounter in bliss, and I’m sharing it to the world in this piece.

Pagbisita ng isang OFW sa Honda Bay

Isang napakagandang pook ang Palawan: tahimik, malinis ang kapaligiran, maraming sariwang lamang-dagat na maaaring kainin. Kahit sino'y siguradong matutuwang bumisita sa Palawan.

Isa sa mga nakapagliwaliw na sa Palawan ang kababayan nating si May Cabrera, na nagtatrabaho bilang accountant sa isang kumpanya ng mga pabango sa Doha, Qatar. Dahil adventurous, mahilig siyang pumunta sa mga malalayong lugar kahit pa sa mga islang para marating ay kailangang tumawid sa dagat.

Nasa Pilipinas pa lang si May ay mahilig na siyang maglakbay. Nakapunta na siya sa Boracay, sa Tagaytay at sa Sicogon Island na malapit sa Estancia, Iloilo. Gusto kasi niyang makita ang kagandahan ng Pilipinas kaya siya pumupunta sa iba't ibang lugar sa ating bansa.

At hindi naman siya nadismaya sa pagbisita niya sa Honda Bay sa Palawan kasama ang katrabaho niyang tagaroon.

"Nung nagbakasyon ako roon last March, kasama kong umuwi yung kasamahan kong Pilipina na nagtatrabaho din dito sa Doha. Nakatira siya sa Palawan malapit sa Sta. Lourdes. Nabanggit niya sa akin na malapit daw sila sa Honda Bay Island," ani May.

Tuwang-tuwa raw siya nang malaman ito at sabi niya sa sarili niya ay di ko sasayangin ang pagkakataong mapuntahan ang Honda Bay Island, na mga 30 minuto lang ang layo sa lugar ng kasamahan.

"Nung nakarating kami dun nagulat ako . Napakagandang lugar, puting buhangin, malinis at sa gitna ng dagat, makikita mo ang asul na kulay ng tubig," kuwento niya.

Ayon pa kay May, nakakarelax ang lugar. Pagdating pa lang nila ay naglaro na agad siya sa buhanginan at nagbabad sa dagat. Noong dapit-hapon daw ay binantayan pa niya ang paglubog ng araw. "Napakaganda. Parang ang sarap tumira doon, sayang nga lang at napakaikli ng bakasyon ko," sabi pa ni May.

Ang Honda Bay ay nasa Barangay Sta. Lourdes sa Puerto Princesa City. Dito'y may mga naliliit na pulo na may magagandang beaches at shallow reefs. Marami ang natutuwang mag-swimming, snorkelling, at diving dito.

Ayon sa Department of Tourism website, kabilang sa mga isla sa Honda Bay ang Cannon (Cowrie) Island, Bat Island, Lu-Ii Island (mula sa salitang "lulubog-lilitaw", dahil nakikita lang ito kapag hibas o low tide), Meara Marina, Starfish Island (na kilala sa pinong mapuputing
buhangin na maraming starfish), Snake Island (na may mahabang baybaying hugis dagat), Pandan Island, at Senorita Island (na pangitlugan ng mga isdang Lapu-lapu). Sa mga gustong mag-overnight, may mga matutuluyang resort sa Meara Marina at Starfish (gaya ng
Sandbar Resort).

Nakapasyal din sina May sa St. Paul National Park, sumakay sa bangka at dumaan sa under ground river. Marami pa aniyang mapapasyalan sa Palawan gaya ng Bat Island, Turtle Island at hot springs katulad ng Kim Hot Spring."

Dagdag pa ni May, kung ikukumpara ang Pilipinas sa ibang mga bansa, mas maganda talaga ang ating bayan dahil maraming mga magagandang tanawing maaaring makita rito.

Iba talaga ang Pilipinas. Kung matutuklasan mo lang ang mga magagandang lugar dito sa atin gaya ng Palawan, hinding-hindi ka manghihinayang kapag napuntahan mo ang mga ito.

The Underground River Tour Experience

“I went there alone but left with 5 new friends.” This is how Roel Baldivas, a product specialist summed up his Palawan experience. He never even thought that his solitary trip would mean having a few good laughs with strangers who would soon become friends.

Although going to Palawan was a dream destination, he never really intended to take the underground river tour. To think, that his visit was nothing but work related, the place was still recommended by friends and hotel personnel during his stay. In turn, their prodding finally convinced him to go.

To begin with, Roel has the least expectations. It wasn’t of great help that on his way to the site along with other tourists, both local and foreign, the state of the road has not been very good. He even noted, “It’s not the transportation that I’m against but the road, the place is a prime tourist spot but it seems that the local government forgot to fix it.” Yes, the ride was bumpy and rough literally yet he, himself, never anticipated surprising fun after.

It took Roel and company two hours before reaching their destination. Since the tour is provided by the hotel and a tour agency, all they need to do was sit back, relax and listen to the ever friendly and accommodating tour guide.

The trip underground lasted for an hour and there, Roel experienced F-U-N with a bit of a downside. “On the tour, one of us was assigned to hold the spotlight as we pave our way inside the caves, since the one designated for the task was a traffic police in Manila; we sort of expected how good his orientation is when it comes to directions, etc. though it seemed to be not the case,” quipped Roel.

For it appeared that whenever the guide asked the guy to focus the lights on a certain stalactite/stalagmite formation, he turned his the other way. “So every time the guide says left, the guy would go right. We didn’t see a thing! It went on for almost half an hour and we missed seeing everything!” added Roel.

On the other hand, everything was not lost for this happy bunch of campers as they somehow managed seeing snakes and other formations, courtesy of the very amiable tour guide of course.

Venting out their frustrations, they continued teasing the traffic police guy. There inside the bus, they chatted and knew each other like friends and the rest as they say is history.

As for Roel, the tour was a journey like no other. He said that for any nature lover, Palawan is living bliss. There is more than meets the eye when one visits Palawan, for it boasts not only of pristine and breathtaking sights but has in it the most friendly faces and gentle smiles.

“I’ll recommend it to my former classmates, clients and friends. I really fell in love with Palawan, because here one can prove that nature and humans can exist without creating harm.” Roel further adds.

“I really love Palawan ever since but because I already experienced the underground river tour, I love it even more.”

True to his words, Roel’s adventure turned out as enriching and fulfilling. In the process, he met people who later on became good friends. In fact, he loved the place so much, he will try coming back with them. It seemed the underground experience linked lives in ways more than one, and as for the traffic policeman, well, he is always welcome.

Share your Puerto Princesa City Palawan Experience

Palawan is one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines. In this blog, we will sharing stories of people who have visited Palawan, especially Puerto Princesa City.

If you are one of them, we encourage you to share your story here.