Sunrise at Culion Church and Fortress – Palawan, Philippines

May 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
La Inmaculada Concepcion Churh in Culion

I was able to beat my alarm clock. At five in the morning, I woke up from a short and shallow slumber, opened my eyes, got up and out of the bed, and then the alarm clock went off. It was one of those rare mornings that I was able to score against it. That's how excited I was to start the day. My friend Mica decided to stay in the room and continue her journey in dreamland. After brushing my teeth as efficiently as I could, I grabbed my camera, went down the hall to the lobby, and made my way to the church to watch the sunrise that Culion is starting to be known for. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Historical Sites, Lighthouses, Palawan, Philippines, Religious Sites Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lusong Shipwreck and Coral Garden – Coron, Palawan, Philippines

May 15, 2013 by 1 Comment
lusong coral garden

I can tell you a thousand reasons why I am not a diver but they all boil down to one thing --- fear. For a traveler who was born and raised in Batangas, a diving hotspot, I am unusually afraid of the dark and beautiful depths of the sea. Yes, it is the fear of deep water, of drowning, of death that has always kept me afloat, skimming only the surface of the water. For the longest time, I had been content with my snorkel and never had the thought of exchanging it for a diving gear entered my mind. Not until I got to Lusong. The sun had already set and only its faint afterglow illuminated the skies but Lusong Island continued to radiate a beauty that was both thirsty and soaked. Summer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Natural Wonders, Palawan, Philippines, Wildlife Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Review: Tameta Pension House – Coron, Palawan, Philippines

May 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
View from the fan room

If I ever wondered what it would feel like to stay inside an oven, I would have had an idea on my first day in Coron, Palawan. Summer had just started but it already felt like we were in the inner layers of hell. Mind you, Coron is infinitely beautiful but the late March heat had turned the ground into frying pans and we were but seared meat. That's why, looking back, I don't understand why I chose to stay in a fan room that day. Ah, I know --- budget. We booked a room at Tameta Pension House, a not-so-well-known inn. Thing is, it lies just opposite the popular Patrik and Tezz Guesthouse, which was fully booked that time. The owner suggested that we stay at nearby Tameta instead. It was a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Accommodations, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pamalican Island – Busuanga, Palawan

May 10, 2013 by 1 Comment
pamalican island busuanga

Even before coming to life, my plan of circumambulating the island died when our boatman, Harold, told us we only have 15 minutes to spend. He was worried about the weather and the time, since we were set to make one more stop before calling it a day and the sun was already threatening to retire. Still, I hopped out of the boat with a smile on my face and let my feet make shallow marks on the white bed of sand that skimmed the island. We were the only people in the island, save for the caretaker and his child, who were busy stacking sticks in one corner. Having an island all to myself is always a great feeling; I always daydream that I own a private island. Despite the boatman … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , ,

Chasing Sunsets at Mt. Tapyas, Coron – Palawan, Philippines

May 3, 2013 by 1 Comment
Mt. Tapyas sunset

Why do we keep chasing sunsets? Is it the sight, the picture of the sun surrendering all his glory to the restraints of the liquid horizon? Is it the warmth, the feeling of the king's last-born rays caressing our skin as he dives into the sea? Or is it the chase, those jading moments when you brave the way or beat the time just to catch his last few breaths? She sat on one of the benches that dash the trail and told me she was giving up. Mica, a friend and a fellow travel blogger, was calling it quits and we were not even halfway the climb. Under normal circumstances, I would have tried harder to convince her to go on but these were no normal circumstances. We had been awake for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Mountains and Hills, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , ,

Culion Museum and Archives – Palawan, Philippines

May 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The facade of Culion Museum and Archives

All four of us stood by the door of the museum, waiting for the caretaker. "If the whole island had been declared leprosy-free," I couldn't help but scratch the back of my head in confusion, "where are the former patients now?" "Most of them have gone back to the outside world," answered Kuya Toto, a local and one of our tour guides. "Some stayed." "But I don't understand," I expressed my inability to process information efficiently. "Who are living here now?" "Some just moved here from other places. Toto is from Metro Manila but he decided to work here," Jona replied with a smile. She, too, is a local, touring us around. "The others are descendants of the patients. I am a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Man-made Marvels, Museums, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Review: Isla Culion Hotel Maya – Palawan, Philippines

May 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hotel Maya

She raised her left arm and led my eyes to the round-roofed church perched on a cliff by the shore. "Beside it," My friend Mica said as-a-matter-of-fact-ly, "is where we will be staying." Before I could respond with "We're staying outside the church?" complete with a half-joking half-violent look to match, my eyes caught the big bold letters that adorn the edge of the plateau --- Hotel Maya. Hotel Maya is perhaps the most well-known in the few lodges in Culion and it's not difficult to see why. From the moment we set foot on the island, we were treated with utmost kindness and hospitality. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Accommodations, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Calauit Safari Park: A Piece of Africa in Busuanga – Palawan, Philippines

April 3, 2013 by 4 Comments
Miller and Terrence.

That scene alone sums up the park. Three zebras escaping the scorching sun took shelter in a garage and there they stayed beside a rusty, old Pinoy jeepney. It was an intriguing sight, a harbinger of how I would see the place after spending half a day in it. The land rover we were riding stirred dust across a vast plain where giraffes roamed gracefully, hopping from tree to tree. Zebras bent their necks as they grazed, pulling the grass off the more moist corners of the island. Africa, I mumbled as our vehicle slowed down to halt. A far cry, maybe, but for now this was the closest I could get to an African safari --- Calauit Safari Park. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Man-made Marvels, Natural Wonders, Palawan, Parks, Wildlife Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Black Island (Malajon Island) – Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines

April 1, 2013 by 5 Comments
The main beach of Black Island (Malajon Island)

Upon contact with light, the walls of the cave sparkled as if covered with a girl's bestfriend. He threw the light on the other corners and they, too, shimmered like diamonds stashed away in the dark. “There are many caves and chambers like this under this mountain,” he said proudly to an overly excited audience --- we, his audience. “But they’re inaccessible today,” he added. And the audience let out a long sigh. Harold, our boatman and tour guide, led us out of the second cave we visited that day. The caves are probably long and deep but we were only allowed at the mouth, leaving us wanting, drooling for more. Still, we were not disappointed. Its depths may be elusive for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Caves, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Natural Wonders, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Culion Town Historical Tour – Palawan, Philippines

March 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A Jesus Christ the Redeemer statue at Aguila viewpoint, overlooking Culion town.

At first glance, it looks like your typical provincial town. There's a church on top of a staired hill, old buildings flanking the tangling streets, a statue of a town hero standing proudly on a pedestal, and a plaza smack at the center of the town proper. Yes, at first glance everything looks ordinary except when you stop and stay a little longer, you'll find that these structures talk. Yes, they do. And they tell stories of a stark past, one that has always been filled with constant struggles. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Historical Sites, Man-made Marvels, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
Close
Get travel tips and ideas straight to your social media accounts! Follow me!


Twitter

Facebook

Google+