Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
Puerto Princesa Beach Guide
Puerto Princesa is a place in the Philippines that has also earned the recognition to be one of the world’s top eco tourism destinations. This place is filled with marine life as well as awesome beaches. Some of the beaches are protected by the government. There are many perfect diving spots in Palawan’s beaches. Below are some of the beaches you will find beautiful there.
1. Honda Bay – If you like gorgeous beaches you will like this beach. This beach offers guests different choices. There are more than two beaches with the same kind of sand which means plenty of sites for snorkeling or diving. The two islands that are commonly frequented by tourists are Bat Island and Snake Island. The first one is known for the bats that live there and the cave they live in. You can see them before the sun sets.
2. Nagtabon Beach – This is a beach not so far from the city. This is in the town of Bacungan. The beach is eight hundred meters long. Tourists will surely enjoy strolling along the shore. There are several resorts in this beach.
3. Napsan Beach – This is a beach that can be reached within an hour from Tthe city. It is in the tiny town of Napsan. This beach is covered in white sand and the water there is clear and blue. There are several rock formations around the beach giving
a good view of the skies and the island.
4. The Calamian Group – This is a group of island in the northeastern area. This is one of the popular choices among tourists who like going to Palawan. The famous of them are Cullon,Busuanga and Coron. The islands are beautiful because they are actuall small islets that lay above the giant reefs.
5. Apulit Island – This is a beach two hours from the city . In the town of Taytay. Taytay is the former capitol of the whole Palawan. You can also visit the other islands coming from Apulit. The islands surrounding Apulit always have something rare to give to the tourists. There are good diving spots in this island which are popular among the diving fans in the Philippines.
6. Bacuit Bay- This is the part of the beach where you can island hop. One of the nearby islands is the El Nido marine area. Many divers enjoy this beach and consider it their paradise.
Palawan Hospitals and Health Care
Palawan is one of the most visited, inviting and interesting island provinces in the Philippines. Travelers and residents in this place have nothing to worry about medical emergencies because there are numerous health care institutions in the area that provide affordable and high quality services. Palawan hospitals and health care facilities are subdivided into several categories including rural health institutes, Medicare facilities as well as municipal health units. Below are some of the most efficient, reliable and accessible Palawan hospitals and health care institutions.
Palawan Adventist Hospital and RTN
Two popular private health care facilities in the province are the RTN and Palawan Adventist Hospital. Both of these medical establishments provide high quality services to patients. These institutions employ topnotch physicians and medical staff. In addition, the institutes use advance medical equipment for the diagnosis and treatments of patients. The private rooms and wards in these establishments are comfortable and well ventilated. Above all, the hospitals have emergency rooms where patients can always go and stay if they have health conditions that need immediate attention from medical experts.
Rizal Rural Health Unit and Narra Municipal Hospital
To help the financially challenged residents in the province, the local government established several public Palawan hospitals and health care facilities including the Rizal Rural Health Unit as well as Narra Municipal Hospital. These institutes provide free medical assistance and regular check-ups to individuals who cannot afford to pay the services offered by private medical establishments in the island province. The facilities in these places include lying-in rooms, small wards and emergency rooms.
Aborlan Medicare and Roxas Medicare
For patients who are looking for medical establishments that accept members as well as holders of Medicare cards, two of the institutions to be visited in the province of Palawan are Aborlan Medicare and Roxas Medicare. Some of the medical services available at Aborlan are dental, pediatrics and emergency. At Roxas Medicare, patients can seek assistance from professionals who have excellent knowledge on obstetrics and gynecology as well as surgery.
Brookes Point District Hospital
Finally, patients who want to seek medical help at secondary medical institutes in Palawan, they can always go to Brookes Point District Hospital. This establishment has 25-bed capacity so those who need immediate medical attention can be admitted in this place. To provide high quality services, the administration of this institution recruits excellent and licensed physicians, nurses as well as medical technologists. Lastly, the costs of services offered at this place are not as high as the medical costs at private hospitals in the area.
Palawan Hotel Guide
The Island of Palawan is one of the biggest and longest islands in the Philippines as well as a well visited destination spot in the Philippines. If this is your first time on this paradise island and even in the Philippines as a whole, then you have hit the right site because we are going to help you out find a place to stay with the Palawan Hotel Guide right here.
The first place we are taking you to with the Palawan Hotel Guide is one of the few five star hotels in the entire Philippines, Amanpulo. This hotel is something quite special not only because it is one of the few five star establishments in the Philippines, but because it is located on a private island that promises privacy and a feeling as if you have landed in an undisturbed paradise. The cost per night however seems just as overboard as the whole island idea with a staggering $990 a night, but for a five star hotel not bad at all.
The Palawan Hotel Guide would like to introduce the next establishment called Lagen Island Resort that is located in Philippines beautiful marine reserve called El Nido. This three star resort has a full package for you that does not only include your room and food but also adventure rides and outings. This resort is a little pricey but nature friendly.
The next place on the Palawan Hotel Guide takes us to one well known city of the Philippines, Puerto Princesa. This little hotel is cozy and comfortable and is called Niko’s Cabanas & Restaurant. Every room has its own refrigerator even which makes this place a very homely place to stay. This resort even offers package deals for a week stay including food. Take the chance and discover the generosity of the Philippines at Niko’s Cabanas & Restaurant.
The Palawan Hotel Guide is not done with providing you with the best the Philippines has to offer. Let us more to the El Nido Resort Miniloc Island which is a world class resort situated in the El Nido marine sanctuary. This resort is very Filipino styled and you will get to know a little bit more about the culture in the Philippine in this one. They offer scuba diving for the adventurous people and they take you around on personalized tours around the sanctuary.
The Palawan Hotel Guide could take you to so many more places in the paradise island of the Philippines, but we have to stop at some point don’t we? Pick one of these great hotels and enjoy your stay in the island of Palawan.
Palawan Restaurant Guide
Palawan attracts many tourists to the Philippines every year. The place has a natural wonder that helped increase the nation’s revenues by more tourists coming in to visit the big island. Eating in Palawan is not a problem at all because today there are many restaurants more than ever.
1.Ka Lui Restaurant – This is a restaurant in Puerto Princesa that is inspired by the natural wonder of the surroundings. The tourists can eat in this restaurant while they enjoy the nice landscape and small waterfalls. The restaurant is also filled with gardens. They offer seafood only. Guests can buy tuna, crabs and lobsters. The desserts in this restaurant are very native and most of them are made from coconut and rice like rice cakes. Guests will be asked to take off their shoes when they enter. The whole place is designed with bamboos giving the cool ambiance and serenity. The dishes here are very affordable ranging from one hundred pesos up to one hundred fifty pesos. The service is also excellent. They can be found along Rizal Avenue. You can call them and inquire more about their food and reservation through the telephone number 63-48-433-25-80.
2.Kamarikutan Kape and Galeri – This literally means Wilderness Cafe and Gallery. This is a good coffee shop which becomes the place where the artists of Palawan relax. This place promotes the talent of the local painters by featuring their works. Their best seller is their coffee blends and snacks. They also offer different Filipino dishes. They sell the art works of the artists and they help them promote their works. This is also another establishment along Rizal Avenue in the capital of Palawan. You can call them at 63-48-433-5182.
3.Kawayan Grill – Thi is a restaurant where you can enjoy grilled dishes. Their best seller is their version of the grilled chicken. Many locals also like ordering the dried fish. This is found in Coron. The dried fish in Coron is larger however it is really tasty. They also serve it with their own version of seaweed ensalada. They also serve ceviche served fresh and in huge portions. The ceviche are diced up and the vinegar is the marinade. This grill is known for their affordability so big groups like eating in this place.
4.Bistro Coron – This is probably the best coffee place in Coron. They also have one of the best tasting apple pies in the area. A french national owns this bistor and he makes the bread they serve. They aslo have gourmet dishes. The pizza is just like how the French do it. Other best sellers are their pork tenderloin, chicken with rosemary and other French meals.
5.Village Lodge – This is another restaurant in Coron where locals invite tourists to taste the best Bulalo which means beef stew. The ambiance of the place is conducive for family gatherings.
Palawan Government Sites
Experiencing the Island of Palawan
The Palawan Island is notable as one of the best tourist spots in the Philippines. The place was blessed with natural assets, thus the industry of Eco-Tourism is established. The best time to go to Palawan is within the months of October until May since the weather is defined by dry season and rain fall is atypical. Nonetheless, Palawan and its locals define happiness the whole year round trough various festivities. The following are some of the noted festivities that make Palawan’s culture more meaningful.
Paskuhan sa Kapitolyo
Commenced by the Regional Administration, it consists of a variety of bustles in blissful expectation of the Jesus Christ’s birth. Paskuhan concludes with the countdown upon entering the New Year plus a lot of fireworks display at the Capitol Grounds in Puerto Princesa City. The main draw of the Paskuhan is the huge Christmas display (that is animated) at the Capitol Park Square showing different subjects turning around the season of Christmas.
Pagdiwata
The Pagdiwata ceremony is a thanksgiving ritual and also calling on the gods of the forefathers for healing of sickness. It is a Tagbanua custom.
Kulambo Festival
Since Puerto Princesa City (main metropolis of Palawan) is considered to be a city within forests, extra precautions against insect bites, particularly against mosquitoes are emphasized by the local government. The ‘Kulambo’ (mosquito net) Festival is a sort of campaign to eradicate malaria in Palawan. The feast is highlighted by a parade or street dance with participants wearing get ups made of ‘kulambo’
Palay Festival
It is a festival that culminates the celebration of the Farm-Family Month.
Kasadyaan Festival
This is a feast in honor of San Agustin (Saint Augustine) and celebrated with sports events, cultural productions and related festive activities.
Founding Anniversary of Palawan Civil Government
It is the commemoration of the Palawan Civil administrations foundation. Extensive array of festive programs are initiated by the local government with involvement of government agencies and local units.
Palawan Island in a Nutshell
The island of Palawan definitely has a lot of festivals and merry-making related activities to offer tourists and visitors alike the whole year round. Consequently, the influx of the number tourists has been steadily growing. To have a glimpse of Palawan, one of the best sites to check is http://www.palawan.gov.ph/ which is the Palawan Islands official homepage. The said site is full of information a tourist could consider to be helpful for the travel and stay to Palawan and checking their web page is surely enticing.
Palawan Perssonal Blogs
Palawan: The place that made me realize that change is possible
I have been here in Manila since I was born. Occasionally though, I had some chances in having sometime in a province or two because we were very attached to our parents homeland or hometown. It is a reality here in Manila that change and progress are two inevitable factors sweeping everybody’s psyche. Unfortunately, these tides left unlikely ‘dents’ in Manila. It is really a sorry sight to see a sense of being not too organized and at the same time a lack of discipline. To say the least, the result has been extreme-either too good or not so good. That is the reason why the question that reoccurs in my mind is: can we do change and progress perfectly?
Palawan: One of the Best Place
During my freshman year in high school, part of our summer program was to do some camping out. My classmates and I were so excited because we had to travel through a big ferry ship. Once we were in the shores of Palawan, we saw an unusual sight: people had a luxury to swim by the port area! The water in the port area was so clean that swimming was considered safe.
When we were welcomed by the bishop and gave us a tour of Puerto Princesa, it was a real haven of order and discipline! It was a highly urbanized municipality but it was well taken cared of. I remembered reading one of the sign that spitting was prohibited, so as throwing small trashes all over the place.
Palawan: The wonder of its Natural Gifts
We camped out for almost a week at Mount St. Paul in Palawan. It was a baptism of fire for me because it was where I hiked two (2) to three (3) hours just to be at the campsite. It was very tiring and at the same time memorable. In Mount St. Paul as well, I was able to swim with the huge waves and enjoyed the experience a lot.
We have to trek the challenging and dangerous ‘Monkey Trail’ for hours to experience the beauty of the underground river of Palawan or the world-renowned Subterranean National Park. For the next few days, we were trained and encouraged to take an extra care toward Mother Nature. What thought echoed since our stay in Mount St. Paul was: ‘We are all brothers and sisters and we have one Mother- the planet Earth.’
Our experience in Palawan made me realize that taking care or preserving Mother Nature and at the same time riding the waves of progress and change is never a conflict at all. As humans, we have the greatest gift Mother Nature could provide and that is our ability to rationalize or to think. Since we have this faculty, we have the authority to take care of the environment and not just utilize it for selfish motives. My experience in Palawan was indeed priceless. It had left a dent in my being to be in a way an advocate of Mother Nature in my own means.
Puerto Princesa Travel Guide
One of the rapidly developing cities in the island of Palawan, Philippines, Puerto Princesa offers interesting and fun places for tourists and travelers to visit. To provide nice places to stay to everyone, the city plays home to several hospitality service providers that feature well-maintained amenities, as well as reasonable accommodations. Aside from this, the place also features dining places that offer delicious meals and dishes with affordable prices. In this regard, to make sure that they will experience a worry-free vacation in the city, they can always look at Puerto Princesa travel guides to have ideas about the best places to visit in the area.
Tourist Spots
Puerto Princesa is one of the cities in the Philippines that feature attractive spots and destinations for tourists and foreigners. To know the exact location and special features of these tourist attractions, people can refer to Puerto Princesa travel guides. Most of these guides provide detailed information on the famous tourist spots, namely Salvacion View Deck, Santa Monica Heights, and Vietnamese Village. Hence, vacationers in the city can also visit manmade attractions like Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Enchanted Garden, and The Provincial Capitol City Coliseum and Freedom Park.
Restaurants
Besides tourist destinations, travelers can also rely on Puerto Princesa travel guides for special information about restaurants and other dining places in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. For travelers who crave for seafood dishes, they can dine at Badjao Seafront, Kinabuch, and KaLui. Meanwhile, for those who like to dine in restaurants that have relaxing atmosphere and cozy ambiance, many Puerto Princesa travel guides offer menus and specialties of the following dining places; Kamarikutan, Casa Linda Inn Restaurant, and Tom Tom Club and Music Bar.
Hotels, Lodges, and Inns
Another special feature of Puerto Princesa travel guides is the section wherein the hospitality service providers in the city are featured. For those who want to stay in elegant, luxurious and attractive hotels, they can make advance reservations at Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island, The Legend Palawan, and Miniloc Island Resort. On the other hand, to help tourists who are on tight budget, Puerto Princesa travel guides provide information on lodges and inns in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, that offer affordable accommodations, which include D’Lucky Garden Inn and Suites, Celica Lodge, and Bambua Lodge and Restaurant. With the attractive sections in Puerto Princesa travel guides, people can surely have a worry-free, safe, and remarkable visit to the beautiful city of Puerto Princesa, Philippines.
Puerto Galera Sightseeing and Activities
Puerto Galera in Mindoro is blessed with pristine seawater, white sand beaches and lush vegetation. It has many destinations for different kinds of activities or just for sightseeing.
For the beach bodies, Puerto Galera has several white sand beaches. White Beach and Sabang Beach are the most popular destinations. One can just lounge in the shade and drink a cool glass of refreshments. Bars and restaurant line the coastline of these beaches. Water activities such as jet skiing and banana boat riding are also popular in these destinations. These beaches turn into a lively night spots as bars lining the shore start blaring party music.
The waters off Big and Small Lalaguna, Talipanan, Aninuan, Haligue, Long Beach, Dulangan (Bulabod), Boquete and Villaflor offer a visitor to go under water and scuba dive. Magnificent natural coral formations and exotic colorful fishes await the diver.
Coral formations and exotic fishes are available not only to divers. While on board a motor boat, one can visit several destinations near and around Puerto Galera. Medio Island, Minolo Paradise, Sabang Plateau, San Antonio Point and Tangalan Point are excellent sites for this activity.
The flora and fauna of Puerto Galera are points of interest for naturalists. Once can visit the Mangrove Forest Park to see and appreciate the trees in this mangrove park. For the animal lovers, Paradise Zoo is the place to visit. Over 1,000 different species of animals are showcased in this zoo.
The more active traveler will be happy to know that there are several adventures available to them in Puerto Galera. Aninuan Falls, Tamaraw Falls and Talipanan Falls can be reached by easy to moderate hiking. Those who want to thread the unbeaten path will be happy to see to cascading waters of these falls and swim in its cool waters.
For the history buffs, the Excavation Museum is a place of interest. This museum contains several artifacts and antiques unique only in the area. A visit to this museum will help one realize the importance of Puerto Galera during pre-Spanish time as one sees many Chinese and Siamese potteries. The Cross at Muelle in the town proper is another good destination. A visit to the Baclaran Mangyan Settlement makes tourist appreciate the culture of the Mangyans, an ethnic tribe found only in Mindoro.
Island hopping is another good activity for tourist in Puerto Galera. Nature lovers will enjoy Alibatan Island because it is a breading site for seagulls and turtles. For those who want to go deep see fishing, the waters off Buyayao Island are an excellent destination.
Honda Bay – A Philippine Beach Paradise in Palawan
One of the best holiday destinations in the Philippines is Palawan. The island has retained its natural beauty and has kept most of it untouched by man. A great welcome to any visitor of Palawan is the majestic Honda Bay.
The Honday Bay frames the fascinating coastline of Puerto Princesa City, the capital of Palawan. The many islands and beaches will guarantee a lot of pleasurable experiences to the visitors of Honda Bay. Clear water snorkeling, picnicking in the fine white sand, and island hopping are just some of wonderful activities that refreshes the heart of the guests at Honda Bay, Palawan.
Honda Bay is an ideal place for snorkelers, offering great spots like Bat Island, Starfish Island, and Cannon Island. These islets at the Honda Bay all have coral reefs that break into white sand beaches mostly untouched by human development. These are only a few of the 1,770 islands that can be explored in Honda Bay. Visitors can hire pump boats to get to these islands, and some of them even have accommodations for an overnight stay.
Other than being a perfect place for sun seekers and snorkelers, Honda Bay also has been known to have some of the best dive spots in the Philippines. Honda Bay has become a much-loved destination of swimmers, divers, local vacationers, and foreign tourists due to the beautiful setting of the islets with shallow reefs that border many wonderful beaches.
Here are some of the well recommended must see places at the Honda Bay, Philippines. On top of the list are the Cowrie and Bat Islands As you might have guessed the names come from the species of large fruit bats found on the islands.
Next in the list of premiere Honda Bay sites is Snake Island. No, there are no huge man-eating snakes here. The name is derived from the shape of the island — like a long curvaceous snake.
Other must see islands in Honda Bay are Canon, Pandan, Starfish, and Lu-li (an island that is visible only during low tide), Senorita (lapu-lapu fish breeding site), Arreceffi Island (location of the luxurious Dos Palmas Resort), and Meara Marina. Most of the islands of Honda Bay are thirty minutes away by pump boat from Puerto Princesa City.
To get to Honda Bay visitors travel from Puerto Princesa City to Sta. Lourdes Tagbanua, that’s about a 12 kilometer distance. It’s about 25 minutes away to get to the Sta. Lourdes wharf. From there you can go by boat to any island of your choice at the Honda Bay.
Another way is go island hopping in Honda Bay is to go to the boat station at the city, and rent a boat for a day or two. The boat station is about half an hour away from the city proper.
Hotel room rates at the Honda Bay would cost about an average of US$ 62 to US$ 507 (includes taxes and service charges). The flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa is at Php 2,835, it’s an hour long trip with flights scheduled daily.
Visit the Honda Bay, a premiere vacation area in Palawan, Philippines. You’ll even be treated to a reception in paradise and have an experience to touch your soul for a lifetime.
[Tags]Palawan, Philippines, Diving, Snorkeling, Scuba, Resort,Honda Bay, Travel, Tourist Sight, Snake Island, Puerto Princesa[/Tags]
Palawan Restaurants
There are so many wonderful things about Palawan. It would not be called an island paradise for nothing, right? Well, Palawan is truly a vacation haven with many must-see sights and must-do activities in store. A favorite activity in Palawan for local and foreign tourists alike is eating out. Why, Palawan restaurants have so much to offer. Aside from good food, there are the spectacular views of the beach front and the fresh breeze ambience.
There are lots of Palawan restaurants to choose from. All you need to do is to establish your craving and find that one restaurant that define what you want to eat.
Ka Lui’s – This is located very near the Puerto Princesa airport and a lot of people who have been to Palawan think it is senseless to go on an exploration of the province without stopping over this food hub first. The sisig is a must-try as well as the Tuna Cordon Bleu. Ka Lui’s showcases unique recipes that you’d love to savor any mealtime. [Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; (6348) 433 2580]
Vietville Restaurant – This offers Vietnamese and French cuisine ate their finest. You would love the Kimchi and the French bred served with other recipes cooked just right to satisfy your cravings. People coming out of Vietville just love to be filled in. [nitchie530@yahoo.com; Bgy Sta. Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; (639)27 364 4399]
Tribu Café – If you like continental flavors, this is the place to go. Aside from the elaborate menu, Tribu Café also boasts of a stunning outdoor view that you would toi be accompanied with while having your delectable breakfast. Tribu also offers eat-all-you-can eggs. [Malvar Street Puerto Princesa City, Palawan]
Cafe Arturo – Seafood is a common food fare in this café. It is cooked in so many ways that you will have lots of choices to satisfy your cravings. Lobsters and crabs are the bestsellers, no matter which way they were cooked. [cafe_arturo@yahoo.com; Mahogany Drive, San Jose, Puerto Princesa, Palawan; (6348) 433 4146, (639)21 612 1808]
Badjao Seafront Restaurant – Seafood is the common ingredient in the restaurant food fare. Not only because the province has an abundant supply of seafood but also because the restaurant keeps a hefty stable of tasty seafood dishes. The romantic ambience brought about by the view of the beachfront is an added plus any diner would not mind to have along with their meals. [Abueg Road, Puerto Princesa, Palawan; (6348) 433 9912]