live a free life around da world

Puerto Princesa

journey

I took the air-conditioned RoRo-Bus from Corong Corong in El Nido for 483,-PHP to Puerto Princesa. Before we started we got a short mess and a prayer for a safe ride, which was 6,5 hours.

RoRo bus station

our rogation

The road was in the beginning sandy and stony with a lot of potholes.  We had two stops on the way. The first was after 2 hours in Tray Tray for only 10 minutes. There are some small shops around.

the road in the beginning

On the way you will see many rice fields, that Palawan is very green and very simple houses, where the locals living.

ricefields

ricefields

kind of funny

Somtmes you pass or use a short tarred piece of road, just in the middle for only one lane of traffic.

there is only place for one

…but place enough for the common sport

basketball

The second stop is in Roxas after 4 hours from starting was for around 30 minutes. It´s also possible to get there some food or jump to the toilet. Don´t forget, that your language down in the bus will get very dusty.

second stop in Roxas

rice to sun-cure on the road

still under construction

and rain again

now we got a better road

on a half finished bridge

By arrival on the bus station in Puerto Princesa are waiting taxis, tricycles, multi-cab and Jeepneys for your further travelling.  So its your decision, Jeepneys of course the cheapest.

from inside, on my way to my next accommondation

The Honda Island hopping

I got a pick up at around 07:00AM for the transfer to the Honda Bay. The bus was quiet cold!

Shortly before we arrived we stopped for picking up some snorkeling gear (my recommendation: take also fins!) for 150,-PHP per set. Later I saw an offer for the same package for only 100,-PHP directly at the pier.

…better you ask also for fins

After signing and paying 40,-PHP for fee we jumped on our boat no. 35. Don´t forget to remember your own boat no., cause there will be later some more side by side (I got a flashback to diving in Egypt).

guess, how busy that place was!

our boat was not the only one

The first stop was only a floating jetty, with enough place for around 15 boats close to a reef. It was quiet busy there, maybe more snorkelers than fishes. If you have now fins, you can stay away from the bulk. The reef is alive and big enough for one hour snorkeling – I saw a nice Barracuda there and many reef fishes.

not the best stop for for a snorkelling trip for around ten boats with each 15 persons

The second stop after a 20 minutes boat ride was the starfish-island.

arrival

A long sandy beach with shells, houses for having lunch, a small shop, some clever Tourist staff, such as a full-size frame, where you can stand into it with a nice back round. Even dresses to-use for free for the pictures are there. If you are unlucky like me, you will have at the snorkeling spots the wind and the waves.

our lunch place

the full-sized frame

„be a shark!“

„… or a hula-girl!“

the crew is preparing the good lunch

The third stop was on Isla Pandan. A well touristic organized island. A beautiful beach with white fine sand and some reef blocks with many small fishes waiting for the bread, to which you can easily walk in. Of course you are not alone on the island. Even a bar you can see there and they are selling coconuts, which are dropping down just some meters beside. I arrived back at DALLAS INN at around 04:00PM and it was worth to do that and leaving the noisy Town.

arrival at our last stop

again not alone

… on the ….

it is a well organized island

sometimes you see more snorkelers than fishes

I took a tricycle on my departure day to the airport for 40,-PHP.

I booked a flight with ZestAir for 1.700,-PHP from Puerto Princesa to Manila and I knew, that allows only 10kg (my language-weight 20kg). So at the check in, it came up and I asked, if the plane is fully booked. – It wasn´t, not at all. The plane was only half full with peoples and they still asked me to pay 1500,-PHP more for my added luggage.

They ripped me off! I never will understand that, if the plane is empty like that. Wuuuuzaaaaaa – Harry!

There is also an airport fee to pay 45,-PHP

I took a tricycle to the DALLAS INN, my next accommondation for the next days. They asking 600,PHP for a single room with private bathroom (while rainseason maybe cheaper). The DALLAS INN  is located in the Carandang St., where it is not so noisy. The Rizal Av. is the main road, goes from the harbor down to the airport and is very noisy.

The staff from DALLAS INN is very friendly and helpful with organizing daytrips, transfers or getting the permit for the Underground River (which could be a bit hesitantly or annoying in case of full booking). It´s like a visit in a family, which are renting some rooms and trying to do business. You are welcome to step in their private rooms for picking up your staff out of the fridge.

the gate – closed from 10:00PM – U gotta ring the bell for entrance

the garden with terrace on the left and the workshop on the right

the meeting place with free WiFi, tea and coffe

from different point of view

upstairs to the first floor, behind the plants

… and if you´re more fat than me, you´ll have a problem in that floor

the view to the sea and the bay walk (and the staff house)

My room was in the first floor, but a fat person wouldn´t reach it in case of the narrow floor before.

my single room …

… with private bathroom

the terrace with hammocks, plugs and WiFi

If you´re lucky and telling them one day before, you might get a small breakfast. There are always free tea, coffee and drinking water by the living room suite. You get the WiFi everywhere, best place is in the living room suite. They have also a roofed terrace with two hammock’s and sufficient plugs. Around six o clock mosquitos showing up. The distance to the shops and restaurants is very short, even the airport is reachable with an 20 minute walk.

Rizal Av. mainroad

Rizal Av. mainroad

puerto princesa impressions

puerto princesa impressions

inside different event´s

You can visit some churches, the bay walk or the Tiki-bar with live music every evening. At my visit time were a music-event going cloce to the Capitol, with a market and many local food shops.

bay walk

bay walk

… in the evening sometimes full with shops

a tiny church, but a atmosphere like in a Gospel-Church

Immaculate Conception Cathedral

… inside

There is also a big wall market called “NCC” in the side road at the Jollibee.

A interesting offer for lunch or dinner you can find in “Mang Inasal” in the Rizal Av., where they serving unlimited rice for the most menus – just be clever!

Inasal ….

… unlimited rice

Some other activities can be the Honda island hopping daytrip, a visit to the crocodile farm, a trip to the Underground River or watching the fire flies (a bit far away).

The most of the tourists are staying only one or two nights in Puerto Princesa.

good food in a cheap restaurant

the typical traffic n the main road

the typical traffic n the main road

Tricycles

still 11 seconds time to cross the road

the road to the NCC mall

a Jeepney

you´ll find many fast food shops on the road like Chowking or Jollibee

careful! The power supply lines hangig sometims quiet low

It took four hours to go with the new Montenegro-Ferry from Coron harbor to El Nido harbor. That Ferry is operating since one and a half month now.

Arrival on El Nido - Jojo, which works in the asiano arts & crafts shop at the Rizal Ave. and me

Marina Garden Beach Resort (MGB)

I walked with my luggage to the Marina Garden Beach Resort, which is located right on the beach, in the opposite of the police station (sign “Pulis”).  That took between 5 and 10 minutes.

By the check in, you got to ask what you want to know. There is not really showing you around, but anyway, it´s not so big. I booked a room (no. F1) with shared bathroom for 730,-PHP in the family cottage. It is not the cheapest one in town, but you get an amazing ocean view and the sound of the surf, which brings you every evening to sleep.

reception

way to the beach

family cottage

oceanview from the coffeeshop-terrace

the coffeeshop

the two angels "Ana & Mars" of the Coffeeshop with me

Me in front of room no. F1 of the familycottage - long live Franconia (best part of Bavaria)

Marina Garden Beach Resort from the sea

room no. F1 inside, with oceanview from the bed

room no. F1 inside

shared roofed terrace

shared bathroom

the door to the beach

They are offering different kind of breakfast for average 120,-PHP. It looks like a small beach bar in the garden and you can get also drinks here. The price for the local “San Miguel Pilsen” beer is in town 35,-PHP, in MGB 40,-PHP and in the restaurants at the beachfront 50,-PHP.

breakfast-service by rain to the terrace

by sunshine directly on the beach

The electricity is only available from 02:00PM until 06:00AM. So by your daily morning-toilet you gotta take a torch with you, if you don´t want to be in the dark. The bath and restroom is good, ask for your own toilet paper. The room has two beds, which you can move around like you want. There is further a desk, Ventilator, closet, the view from the bed to the ocean and at the entrance a private terrace with ceiling and washing lines. If you want to lock your important staff, ask at the reception, you get it for free.

MGB at night

Sometimes it´s possible to hear the noise of the disco „Asylum“ or a few party-people on the beach.

El Nido

El Nido has two main roads with corner food shops , bars, massage and spa center, island tours, diving shops, restaurants and accommodations. What I heard is the tourism growing up the last years quiet fast. Before there was only one massage center and now you can count around ten, which are offering a full Swedish body massage for 350,-PHP per hour (7,-€). Very cheap compare to Germany and very good. I got one of course already for my body and I was very satisfied. I am sure I´ll have another one. The primary public traffic is here also the tricycles.  A pity is, that the rain season started already and it was raining every day.

El Nido town

El Nido town

a small shop, but you get very good local sweets - opposite of the tourist information, beside the post office

El Nido town

El Nido town

maybe the first Tricycle in town

barbecued pork, beef or chicken on a stick

corner shops

corner shop

I got at that place my wonderful massages

traffic in town

the "squidos" a very good and inexpensiv restaurant - I recommend the stuffed squids and a rum-coke

rental bikes an Kayak, also by Rico´s Cottages on the beach

slim paths between the shops to the beach

In one of the two main roads you can find also a tourist office, which hands out quiet good information’s

the tourist information

an internet cafe

a rice mill

the Pamhalaang lokal Palawan - Department of the Interior and Local Government

the busstation

garbage pick-up

my favorite tricycle in town

The locals by themselves living in really poor conditions. In very small houses with many persons. They are always very friendly and helpful. There is also no reason to be afraid during nighttime’s going a round.

local living in El Nido, just between the tourism

local living in El Nido, just between the tourism

local living in El Nido, just between the tourism

barber

sports arena - common is basketball

If you gonna to buy something it is worth to burgle a bit.

corner shops in town

El Nido is surrounded with black chalk-rocks covered with brushwood

the bakery in town

one of the Carinderias, offering good and cheap local food

I took my lunch often in town by small local restaurants called “Carinderia”. They are offering fish, pork, chicken or vegetables a portion for only 40,- – 50,-PHP served with rice for 10,-PHP. That means you can have a good lunch with a soft drink for only 100,-PHP (2,-€).

At dinnertime I went always out to the restaurants right on the beach. There you can find all one by one beside each other along the beach with sometimes torches in front.  The price is nearly the same, only the entertainment is different. In the “Sea Slugs” is always a very good live band playing and a delicious food with big portions. Here you can meet also a lot of Backpackers. The “Pukka bar” offers also very good food and Reggae music, which I love. So I took always my last beer here, by listening the sound of the ocean.

dinnertime at the Seaslugs with livemusic on the beach

dinnertime at the Seaslugs with livemusic on the beach

Children are selling the local food “ballot” here in the evening on the beach going up and down. They are shouting their offer quiet loud. If you are interested you should try it, only for 20,-PHP. It´s a duckegg with already an not development embryo inside. Beside you are getting a spicy sauce, which you take on the half open egg and then you suck it empty. If you lucky, you will like it and your stomach can handle it. You get an impression by that LINK: “…………………………………………..” done by the pretty  Ana, which is a staff member from the MGB Resort.

Ana alias "the Cannibal"

Not every Philippino likes that, so its about 60% like it to 40% which don´t eat it.

oceanview with some excursionboats

oceanview with some excursionboats

oceanview with some excursionboats

catch of the day for lunch at the beach

kids playing on the beach

Just by luck I joined the “Reyna Elena St. Constantine Procession”. It´s possible for the kids to do it more often. The only thing they have to do in advance is, to bring in the month may every day a flower to the church. The small ones are looking really cued painted and with high heels.

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

Reyna Elena St. Constantin Procession

The best way to transfer to Puerto Princesa is to take the “RoRo bus”. You need to buy a ticket maybe one day in advance at the “Corong corong market by the RoRo ticket office for 482,-PHP. So you get a ride in a air-conditioned bus with a transfer time of six hours. The service starts at 08:00AM, 10:00AM, 12:00AM and 04:00PM.

the RoRo bus station

Islandhopping Tours

Tour A

Small Lagoon – Big Lagoon – Shimizu Island – Secret Lagoon – Seven Commando

By not optimal weather conditions, in case e of the rain season, I joined the tour A for a daytrip.

Tour A

So first we went to the small lagoon for snorkeling. With sunshine must be really amazing colors in the lagoon. She is quiet good hidden, only a small opening between the rocks is the entrance. Of course you can find it now, because the island trips are a quiet good running tourist business and I think you will be never alone there. So there were around ten other boats beside ours. So while snorkeling you can see in the water batfishes, snapper and “Hornhechte”. If you are lucky there should be also possible to see turtles or Barracudas. It is quiet cool to snorkel in the lagoon with tuerkis water and high chalk rocks around you, which are teilweise grown with trees. The water temperature is often changing quickly.  So we had around 30 minutes for snorkeling there, before we went to the big lagoon.

handing over the snorkeling gear on the beach

the entrance into the small lagoon

... he is big enough for snorkelers and Kayak´s

getting ready on the boat

... happy Harry

amazing colors

I love turquoise colored oceans

We only past slowly by boat the big logoon for taking some pictures, here is snorkelling not planned.

the entrance into te big lagoon

... again beautiful colors

... here is more space for Kayaking

imposingly black chalk-rocks surrounding the lagoons

Afterwards we drove to Shimizu island for taking our lunch and snorkeling. The spots are quiet good for snorkeling and you can see all different kinds of reef fishes there. The reef is in the shallow area broken, but if you go along the edge of the reef-slope, you have a nice visibility to the deeper side. The Anemone fishes are a bit more aggressive compare to these from Coron.  I really love to play around with them. The lunch what they offered was very good: two big grilled fishes, roasted chicken, rice, vegetables, spicy sauce and fruits for dessert. The lunch was a part of the package.

Schimizu island

Schimizu island

Schimizu island and lunchtime

... jup, we were not the only ones again there

... what a view

In case of the raff sea, we couldn´t go to the secret beach – safety first! So our captain choosed a different island for the next snorkeling stop.

on the way to the next island

the reef for snorkeling was not so good here

... but lovely colors

Our last island stop was on Seven Commando. You can find here a small shop and a Volleyballfield for some activities. The staff is waiting for a challenge, good luck. They started at that time the construction of new rooms on the beach. Three young cats, were the star´s and we didn´t snorkel there. Anyway it was raining again.

the beach area

the shop with snacks, hot, non and alcoholic drink offer

Afterwards we  went home and arrived at El Nnido around 04:00PM.

My diving day with Submariners

I got the offer for two boat dives incl. equipement and lunch for 2.400,-PHP (ca.  46,-€ – there was no discount for own brought equipment).

The staff was friendly and they did a good job. We were only three divers in a group and got sufficient time for taking our pictures. The boat was much smaller then by Rocksteady on Coron. We went to a small lagoon for lunch, which was very good.

the divingshop on the beach

the first divespot at the Helicopter island

The most of the reef was dead and the visibility was only 10m – 15m, but we saw some staff.

a sponge

featherstar

hardcoral

my darlings - Anemone fishes (clownfishes)

a giant clam

coralreef

a crab is turning his house

leathercoral

a sleeping green turtle with two sharksucker on it

.... woke up

a pyjama nudibranch

featherstars

a grooper

yellow fin Barracudas

the small lagoon at lunchtime

the small lagoon at lunchtime

nice colors again

nice colors again

........ happy Harry

nice surf on the rocks

after returning we got a free decompression beer - barami salamat!