Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
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.
Palawan Destination Guides
Overview
The island of Palawan is known all over the world as an ideal vacation getaway because of the many beautiful places to see here and the multitude of activities that can be done by people of all ages. While on this island, it’s a good idea to know what to expect and have an idea of the highly recommended Palawan destinations that one should not miss out on.
Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary
Palawan’s biggest revenue generating industry is ecotourism and hence it’s not a surprise that the local government takes a lot of measures to protect their natural wonders. The Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary is a Palawan destination that provides a one of a kind fun for every member of the family.
The Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary provides an educational experience for both children and adults with the many different species of animals that have been brought here, some originating from Africa. This Palawan destination is a preservation site for many animals that are under threat of extinction.
There are also many animals at the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary that can be found only on the island of Palawan such as rare bird species. Animals such as zebras, gazelles, elands and giraffes roam at will within the safe premises of this Palawan destination.
The Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary has as much as possible recreated the natural environment of these species and for the rare animals found here, once they are able to breed in sufficient numbers, they will be released back in the wild. A tourist guide await at the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary to take one on a tour of this Palawan destination and explain a little bit about the behavior patterns of these animals.
El Nido Marine Reserve
For those who have been to Palawan before and even for those who haven’t, surely we’ve all heard about the island of El Nido which is a part of Palawan. The El Nido Marine Reserve is where a diverse flora and fauna thrive. The El Nido Marine Reserve however particularly brags about its marine life and this Palawan destination offers many activities that will allow the visitor to see these and be amazed.
Activities that can be done while at the El Nido Marine Reserve are diving and snorkeling to name a few. There are also great resorts at this Palawan destination and if one looks around, one will surely find accommodation that will fit one’s budget. The El Nido Marine Reserve is a great place to go to if one wants to get in touch with nature. The El Nido Marine Reserve is also highly recommended for groups of friends travelling together or for families.
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.
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]
Palawan Hotels and Resorts
Overview
No matter what time of year and no matter what season, Palawan is a favorite destination of locals and tourists because of its white sand beaches, lush forests and exceptional best value Palawan hotels. Depending on how one’s vacation has been planned, there are Palawan hotels that will surely exceed one’s expectation when it comes to accommodation.
Asturias Hotel Palawan
Asturias Hotel Palawan is proud of its homegrown hospitality and world class facilities. Made up of 60 rooms, this 4 star Palawan hotel is affordable with rates starting at US$ 65 per night. Among the facilities of the Asturias Hotel Palawan are a swimming pool for adults and a wading pool for children, equipment for one’s audio visual needs in case one is attending or facilitating a conference, a sundry shop, business center and table tennis. Power interruptions are never a problem at the Asturias Hotel Palawan because it has a Caterpillar generator on standby 24 hours a day. If one has brought a car or rented one while in Palawan, this Palawan hotel has a big parking lot with security.
Services offered by Asturias Hotel Palawan include mail, massage, airport transfers, laundry, tour arrangements and they even go as far as attending to one’s flight booking needs. When it comes to dining at this Palawan hotel, the Pescados Restaurant serves excellent Filipino dishes and is open until 11pm at night. The Asturias Hotel Palawan also has a bar, with a state of the art sound system where one can grab a quick drink before turning in.
Lagen Island Resort
If El Nido is one’s destination in Palawan, a good Palawan hotel to stay at there would be Lagen Island Resort. What makes Lagen Island Resort a good getaway is its secluded location surrounded by tropical forests and the beautiful El Nido Bay rich in marine life. Lagen Island Resort is a 5 star Palawan hotel that accommodates requests for wildlife observation. This Palawan hotel also has several tour packages where one can visit limestone caves or go trekking in the jungle. Several water sports can be done while at the Lagen Island Resort and they include diving, snorkeling, jet skiing and kayaking. This Palawan hotel has elegantly furnished suites that are fully air conditioned with more than the basic amenities. Lagen Island Resort is perfect for those who are on their honeymoon or for individuals who just want to be in touch with nature.
Palawan Travel Guide
A famous and attractive tourist destination in the southern part of the Philippines, Palawan takes pride in its pristine beaches as well as majestic sightseeing spots. Since many travelers visit the province throughout the year, it features various hotels, restaurants, and beaches, where people can relax, enjoy and have fun. Hence, for those who are new to traveling to Palawan, Philippines, it is important that they look at Palawan travel guides to ensure that they will have a worry-free vacation in the place.
Dining
Dining is one of the essential features of Palawan travel guides. In this special section, travel guides feature famous restaurants in the island of Palawan, Philippines. As an example, for people who are in search for dining places that offer affordable meals, many Palawan travel guides include information on menus and price ranges of dishes at Taraw Vista Lodge and Restaurant, as well as Ka Luie’s. Additionally, travelers can also look at the specialties of famous Palawan restaurants, including Artcafe and The Lotus Garden.
Accommodations
Regarding accommodations, tourists can always refer to Palawan travel guides for the list of hospitality service providers in Palawan, Philippines. For travelers who prefer to stay in hotels that have special recreational and dining facilities, they can always or make advance reservations at Lagen Island Resort, Niko’s Cabanas and Restaurant, as well as El Nido Resort Miniloc Island. Hence, Palawan travel guides also feature hospitality service providers in the province that offer affordable accommodations like Hotel Fleuris, Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort, and Kawayanan Resort.
Beaches
In terms of recreation and leisure, Palawan travel guides allot sections wherein travelers can look at information and details about the famous beaches in Palawan, Philippines. One of the beaches that are commonly features in Palawan travel guides is El Nido. Another beach that people can visit in the province if they want to do some activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling is Coron Beach. Palawan travel guides provide information on the location of these beaches, so tourists can easily find or locate them.
Tourist Attractions
Above all, Palawan travel guides feature cultural and historical tourist attractions that people can see in Palawan, Philippines. Three of the most attractive and popular tourist destinations in the province are Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, Tubbattaha Reefs, and El Nido Marine Reserve. Travelers to the island can easily find these spots since Palawan travel guides offer instructions on how to get to the tourist attractions in Palawan, Philippines.
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 Education
Palawan is a progressive province in the southern region of the Philippines, which plays home to universities and colleges that feature informative and extensive academic programs to students in the tertiary level. Aside from promoting high quality education, these institutions also help enhance the Palawan education system by featuring modern teaching facilities. Furthermore, most of these schools offer scholarships to top high school graduates as well as to financially challenge and intelligent students. Below are the most accessible and inviting schools in the province that are popular for the competitive curriculums and degree programs that the institutions offer.
Palawan State University
Considered as the top performing public school in the area, Palawan State University takes pride on different outstanding degree programs that the establishment offers including Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Aside from these, the other baccalaureate degrees available at this establishment are Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science as well as Bachelor of Science in Tourism. To accommodate and help the individuals who want to have graduate degrees, this educational institution features academic programs like Master of Arts and Master of Education.
Western Philippines University
One of the Palawan educational institutions that are known for featuring excellent academic programs on agriculture, Western Philippines University aims to develop competitive, creative and resourceful professionals in the future. Some of the associate and short courses that this school offers are the Certificate in Poultry Production and Management, Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology, Certificate in Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Automotive/Diesel Mechanic Course. When it comes to four-year academic programs, the university features numerous courses including Bachelor of Science in Rural Development Management and Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. Above all, this institution has a graduate college that features various courses like the Master of Science in Agricultural Education and Master in Public Management.
Fullbright College
Fullbright College is a private school situated in the heart of Puerto Princesa City. This educational institution employs competitive and outstanding faculty members. The degree programs offered at this school are limited. Some of the courses available are Bachelor of Science in Criminology, Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering as well as Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. Other degrees offered are Bachelor of Science in Education and Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. The tuition fees at this college are cheaper than the enrollment fees at other universities in the province of Palawan.
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 Travel Agents
Cradle of Civilization in the Philippines
In the early 1960’s, an American anthropologist, Dr. Robert B. Fox, and his team stumbled upon fossilized remains in Tabon Cave, Palawan. These fossilized remains were of one of the first settlers or early humans in Palawan known as the Tabon Man. The remains were carbon dated and it could be traces way back 22000 years ago. These scientists, researchers or anthropologists also found out remnants of ancient tools and devices signifying civilization in the place. Thus, Palawan had been considered as the Philippines’ Cradle of Civilization.
Reasons to be at Palawan
The Island of Palawan has been showered by Mother Nature’s blessings. Puerto Princesa, the island’s main city, has been a proof of the beauty of Palawan Island. For this reason, the natives or locals of Palawan held different types of festivities with diverse themes as forms of thanksgiving for the blessings bestowed on them. Balagyong Festival, Kaniyogan Festival, Pagdiwata Arts Festival, Panalamin Festival, Manunggul Festival, Kalabukay Festival, Baratagan Festival, Malagnang Festival, Purongitan Festival, Kasadyaan Festival, Palay Festival, Kulambo Festival and Paskuhan sa Kapitolyo are colorful festivities commemorated and celebrated annually in Palawan.
These feasts, though they have different themes, are promoting Palawan’s Eco-Tourism. Some best spots in Palawan are the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park or the underground river of Palawan and Tubbataha Reef Marine Park. These two sites are also considered as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Palawan Island is certainly a haven of relaxing with nature’s wonders.
Trip to Palawan Island
The technicalities of traveling and touring may have a tendency to hamper or hinder some excitement the island of Palawan could offer. Therefore, planning out vacation and leisure trip is one way of having a hassle-free trip. JD Travel and Tours is one of the travel agencies based in Palawan Island, specifically in Puerto Princesa. Their area of expertise is the inbound tours. They also provide travel and tours packages which include accommodations and itineraries.
Their agency’s office is at Room G, 2nd floor, Moraga Building Rizal Avenue (Beside Capitol Compound) Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Travel agencies, like JD Travel and Tours, have vital role in promoting and endorsing the Eco-Tourism in Palawan Island. Tourism is also an economic drive for Palawan Island that is why the local government of Palawan gives their full effort in maintaining and exploring the wonders and marvels of the place. Palawan Island is certainly a haven of a true nature lover!
