Learn to Love Nature in Puerto Princesa

Posted on July 19th, 2008 in Palawan by Philippines Insider - Kim

Palawan is one of the biggest islands in the Philippines. It is located at the west of mainland Luzon, and at the east of the South China Sea. Palawan comprises of tiny islands near its mainland. Its pristine blue coasts, white sand beaches are among the reasons why Palawan is a main tourist destination. The capital of Palawan is Puerto Princesa.

Puerto Princesa is located at the mid-section of mainland Palawan. The city used to be named as “Puerto de la Princesa”, meaning “port of the princess”, referring to Princess Eulalia of Spain. Its key position as a seaport used to serve as a port area for Spanish ships during the Spanish regime. Centuries later, Puerto Princesa bloomed into a city, thriving mostly on the prosperous tourism industry.

To reach the city, there are domestic airlines and charter planes that offer direct flights. Ships are also a viable option, but cruise ships are better choices because the sea voyage takes 20 hours.

The city of Puerto Princesa in Palawan offers the beauty of “eco-tourism”. Tourist spots in the capital, and in mostly Palawan, offer an array of nature activities, simply because the beauty of the city is simply natural. Its main attractions comprise of national parks, caves and underground rivers.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River is a river underneath the St. Paul Mountain. The river empties westward to the South China Sea. As they enter the mouth of the cave, visitors are greeted with different geologic formations underneath the mountain. Visitors can also take pleasure in bird watching, trekking and hiking.

The St. Paul Mountain does not only show its geologic history through the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, but through its different caves as well. There are three main caves in the mountain—the Lion’s Cave, the Cawili Cave and the Daylight Hole. The Lion’s Cave is known for its lion-shaped statue on its entrance, when in fact the statue is a natural rock formation. The Cawili Caves offers spectacular limestone patterns. Lastly, the Daylight Hole is a cave that houses a pitch-black underground river with only the rays of sunlight guiding the rower the exit to the underground river. Basically, the natural highlights of Puerto Princesa are dependent on Palawan’s fantastic geological history, since Palawan is one of the oldest islands in the Philippine Archipelago.

Hiking and trekking are the most popular activities in the capital of Palawan. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park offers forest tours for the family of nature-lovers. Lush green trees, cold streams and strenuous treks are available on the northeastern edge of Puerto Princesa. For those who plan to relax on the beach, boats and island hopping tools are available. Also, do not forget to check out the diving sites when hopping—as Palawan waters shelter the most wonderful marine creatures in the world!

Puerto Princesa is truly a haven for those who appreciate nature’s beauty. What the city boasts of is that its splendor is simply natural—a rare gift that should forever be preserved. Visitors in Puerto Princesa are always reminded of how truly magnificent and precious our nature really is.

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Honda Bay - A Philippine Beach Paradise in Palawan

Posted on July 9th, 2007 in Palawan by Philippines Insider - Kim

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.

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