A week before our trip, Metro Manila was flooded because of typhoon Ondoy. Never have I seen so much water in the streets in my twenty-ish years of existence. It was really sad that a lot of people were put in danger, their houses and properties destroyed. But despite all this, I have seen a hope for our country—a people power of a different kind manifested itself.  Ordinary people suddenly became heroes, risking life and limb for complete strangers.  It’s nice to know that even if natural disasters can’t be avoided, you can always count on the spirit of bayanihan to help you get through the storm.

That week came to pass, and yet another storm was brewing… I’d fear that the country hasn’t recovered yet and here we had another typhoon coming. I was worried too that our trip to Coron would be cancelled. Darn it.  I waited a long time for this trip since we booked our flight way back March –thanks to the Cebu Pacific Promo!  I was happy to know that Ondoy is leaving the country, but alas, that happiness didn’t last long since a new typhoon was coming! Pepeng or Parma which is expected to be worse than Ondoy will be in Manila on the day of our flight. That really sucks. Luckily (not entirely) it switched into a different direction. Thus it did not hit Manila. So, we still took the flight.

I was relieved when we arrived in Busuanga, it was like summer! So sunny,  we experienced slight showers but generally the weather was perfect  for a vacation. We arranged a van to get us to Coron (Php 150.00 per pax). It took around 45 minutes to 1hour travel time from the airport to our destination.

Things to do in Coron

Actually, we haven’t set any plans on what to do when we got there. We asked our van driver on where we should go, and we just went to the places he mentioned.

Go Hiking at Mt. Tapyas

I am not sure about the history of the name of the mountain because I don’t have any reliable sources, but judging from its slight cut at the top I would assume it’s why they called it “tapyas(cut or chip)..” It’s  700 steps from the foot of the mountain up to the peak.

You would see the entirety of Coron at the top. I was slightly worried about my prior knee injury but, urgh, whatever! I’m decided to climb this hill! Haha! The effort was very well worth it!

It’s was so nice to see everything from that height. It was an astounding view of the scenery plus the scent of fresh green grass, oh it was so blissful!

Relax at Maniquit Hot Spring

After hiking, we went to the Maniquit Hot Spring (30 to 45 minutes travel time from the town proper) to relax our weary feet. Going down the steps was quite difficult for me. My knees were really shaking. Entrance fee cost us around Php 100.00. They gave discounts to students and senior citizens. It was really hot! I have been to hot springs, but with this one, you have to slowly adapt with the heat. They said that the water came from a volcano, so that may help explains the ultra hot temperature and the sulfuric smell. It was relaxing but I noticed that hot waters kind of affected our breathing. And I felt tired afterwards. After being immersed for 20 minutes, I laid my back on the edge. It felt so good!

What else?! Island Hopping!!!!

I was really really excited with this one! The guest house owner, Patrik has a boat for rent and I think he’s got the cheapest rates in town.

We went to Siete Pecados (fee: 100.00 each) for snorkeling. My bf and I tried to get near in one of the islands but when we got there, I got scared cause there might be a sea snake so we went back right away. Haha! There were lots of fish there! We took some slices of loaf bread  so that the fish will come nearer from where we were. It was really fun and I enjoyed a lot cause a lot of cute fishes came around me and just a few moments later, bigger fish (about the size of tilapia) was already swarming all over! I really got scared and went to the boat as fast as I can! Whew!

We went to the Blue Lagoon. I said to myself, “God has wonderfully created these islands!” Lime stones were beautifully hewn and the plants accessorized it plus the clear blue waters made it even more beautiful! I was stricken with awe.

Sorry for the digression. This is where you get dropped off to hike going to the Kayangan Lake ( fee: 200.00 each). There was a short briefing that explained some tribal ritual and beliefs of the Tagbanua tribe (early dwellers of Palawan). It is here that we were told of the four lakes in the Calamian group of islands. One lake was believed to have a barracuda and only professional divers were allowed there. The biggest lake  was believed to have a giant octopus living in it! And they would only allow divers to explore the lake only if they were given the blessing of the Tagbanuas.

We also went to Twin Lagoon ( fee: 100.00 each) where in you can only pass by swimming. since the tide is high, we have to swim underwater to get to the lagoon. We decided not to go because some of us can’t swim without vest.

One of the best beaches I have been to is the Banol Beach( fee: 100.00 each). The water was so clear and the sand was really fine. Plus I found the place to be quite safe cos I didn’t feel strong currents that pull you away from the shore.

Hike to Concepcion Falls

Yes, we really did a lot of island hopping and it’s really really tiring but really worth it. We were supposed to go to Banana Island but the tide is high so we decided to go somewhere else. We decided to explore around the area. the van driver Kuya Raffy, advised us to go to Concepcion falls. we hired the van for Php 2500.00. travel time is around 2 hours of rough drive.

It wasn’t a really big kind of falls and it’s not even famous among Coron travelers.  It was quaint, but I really found it really beautiful. The water was cold and clear, it relaxed our muscles. After swimming, we stopped at a view deck to have a few shots taken and, of course, soak up more the beauty of Coron. Definitely, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.

Food and Pasalubong

Coron town is very friendly for tourists, especially the prices of necessities. Food is relatively cheap compared to other tourist destinations. You can have a meal for as low as  Php 50.00. Mang Joe’s Tapa is the best. It’s just at the corner of the town proper.

Palawan is known for

• Cashew Nuts
• Seafoods
• Yummy seaweeds

Must Haves

There were lots of mosquitoes, so it would be a good idea to bring lots of insect-repellant lotion. You should also bring umbrella (during this season)  As in the duration of our stay, we had at least 2 showers a day.

Where to stay

I’d  like to take this oppurtinity to  thank Timi for referring us to Patrik’s Guesthouse. Thank You Timi!

Try staying at Patrik’s guesthouse. It’s really reasonably priced but cozy and clean. it’s not air conditioned but it’s really cold during the night because the house is by the bay.  For more informantion visit http://swewa.net/

For van rental  contact Kuya Raffy(09085661749).  He’s very nice and he’s rate is a bit cheaper than the usual rates there.

Mindoro or Mina de Oro literally means mine of gold. Well, i wasn’t sure of that. but I am positive that Mindoro has one priceless treasure – Puerto Galera.

Puerto Galera a province in Oriental Mindoro is considered to be one of the hottest summer destinations here in the Philippines. It was my first time this year to come to this well-known place to relax from all the day’s work and of course to satisfy my itching-for-vacay feet.

There are a lot of Beaches here in Puerto Galera. Sabang, Tamaraw, White and the infamous Talipanan Beach. I think it was the last stop of the ferry boat and well-known among bloggers. I actually googled about Puerto Galera and I saw on pinoytravelblog about Talipanan. Right there and then I decided to go to that place and I was happy about my decision.  My company doesn’t seem so (most of them are boys so normally they would want to go where the chics are.). What I love about this beach is that you can relax, unwind almost as if the island is yours. Very few people  go here, most of them are foreigners and peeps who just want a peaceful environment.

We went snorkeling at a dive site where the boat man brought us. I was so excited! I put my snorkel gadgets on, then I dived and saw these cute school of fish and the colorful corals alive and pretty! Because of that spectacular beauty, I forgot that I was breathing with my mouth,  I said “WOW” out loud! Sheesh I drank a lot of sea water. I have to remember shutting up even just for swimming. Haha

after snorkeling, we asked the bangkero to drop us inWhite Beach. it is perfect for those who love the crowd and nightlife. The probability to see someone you knew was indeed a fat chance.  Another good thing about White beach is that there are a lot of  restaurants to choose from. It’s like a small city in there.

We weren’t able to try the hike so we just stayed there and enjoyed the beach. Just near our place, we found a beautiful semi-lagoon where you can swim.  There were naturally hewn rocks, oh ith was so beautiful! it  has an amazing formation. I dunno why but I do love rocks. I remembered when I was like around 14 when we went to Calapan, Mindoro. I swear I brought home about 20 hand-sized stones. Haha my mother went ballistic.

The beaches in Puerto for me were just fair, not like the other beaches I have been to. But what is superb about the place is the dive site. It was very splendid. Fish of different sizes and colors, corals that are darn pretty! That underwater beauty on your very own eyes you could almost touch it (be wary though some of them stings).  It was really a wonderful experience.

Activities

Banana Boat Ride – Php 200.00 /pax
Island Hopping / Snorkeling -  Php 1500.00 – 2000.00 boat rental add Php50.00 for  snorkel set
Parasailing – Php 1500.00 – 2000.00 – 1-2 persons

Night Life – Taste the famous Mindoro Sling (I love that drink) available in Tanduay or Bacardi 250.00 – 450.00 per pitcher.
Massage – around Php 200.00
Jet Ski – I wasn’t able to get the rates for these. Sorry
Trekking  to the falls – 150.00 – 400.00

How to get there

Estimated time of travel – 3-4 hours

You can ride a bus going to Batangas Pier in Buendia or Cubao. You can also rent a van. We ride at Buendia which costs Php 166.50 one way.

From Batangas Pier, you can chose from different ferry boats. In our case we ride at Commandos. One way ticket costs Php 250.00 but you can buy a round trip ticket for Php450.00.

You have to pay Php50.00 for Environmental Fee (I dunno maybe for some preservation fund or something) and another Php10.00 for the Terminal fee.

Where to Eat.

Urgh! This was our dilemma during the trip. What I don’t like about Talipanan is that you can’t get a decent meal despite the fact that the prices are doubled save for Luca’s Italian Restaurant.yum!

We had to pay 100.00 for a breakfast meal and there servings are very small. Luca’s is quite pricey but the servings WOW! Big enough for 2. Plus it was very Italian. Tomatoes, basil, olive! Mmmm! I love! At Luca’s prices ranges from 140 – 200 for pasta dishes and 350-500 for pizzas around  14-16inches in diameter

Where to stay:

If you are to stay in White beach you need not to worry about reservations because there are a lot of hotels and rooms that are for rent  ranges from Php800 – Php2500 per night but during peak seasons the prices goes way way highter.

At Talipanan, we stayed at El Canoneros – fairly nice. The toilet is clean. Our room cost about 4000.00 for 10pax add 100.00 for additional person. Aircon and has five double-size beds.
Contact Miss Sally – 09164322430

Bamboo Beach House is pretty much more decent though but has a bit higher price.  Around 2500.00 for 4pax.
Contact Miss Juvie – 09175620992

Lakwatsera Tips:

If you are on a tight budget, bring your food and drinks. It is really expensive there. Prices here in Manila are usually doubled. like a 1.5liters of cola in Puerto costs Php 75.00 – 80.00.  a lot of restos there allows packed meal and they also have cooking services so no worries.

Bring underwater camera if you can. I really wished I should have brought one so that i could show you Puerto Galera’s underwater beauty.

Who would have thought that there is a nautical transportation here in Manila? Of course there is! Pasig Ferry has been operating since 2007 and a practical means of transportation for those who likes a traffic-free travel plus sightseeing. Biyaheros or Merchants (transporting goods from Manila and then sells it) also finds the boat very useful way to travel since they got masses of goods. The boat runs where else? But of course in the historical Pasig River! Way back Spanish occupation, Ilog Pasig (or Pasig River) has been a mode of transportation since it runs from Laguna de Bay to Pasig passing different areas in Manila. The Boat is very clean follows safety precautions. Underneath the chairs are individual life vests and only allows passenger at maximum seating capacity.

Pasig River has witnessed the triumph and pitfalls that have happened here in Manila. Ilog Pasig was also the setting of the first Chapter (Bapor Tabo) of Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo (My favorite Filipino fiction). When I tried to ride the boat, I thought I was warped back through time. Haha! So much drama! Going back to my story, the transportation operations was stopped. For some reasons, the Pasig River that used to be clean became polluted. Mainly because of industrialization, the waste products are carelessly thrown on the river. Now I am glad that at least the government and some NGOs are trying to do something about it (a bit late though). Pasig wasn’t that polluted anymore.

Pasig ferry operates from Intramuros to Kalawaan and vice versa. Below is the list of schedules. I took a photo on the bulletin board at the Escolta Station

What to do

hmm.. street photography. you’ll observe loads during the trip.

No-no’s

Seriously, you can’t jump on the river. Haha kidding! Who in the right state of mind would do that anyway?

They strictly follow schedule so don’t be late.

Firearms and other pointed objects are not allowed inside.

You cannot smoke inside the boat.

You can’t take a picture of the Malacanang Palace (Presidential Residence). They said it’s for security purposes.

Lastly, Don’t throw anything on the river. It’s the simplest deed to help save the river. unless it’s a fish food which is very unlikely.  And I don’t think you like breeding  janitor fish.