<p>The Palawan Project from Discover Palawan on Vimeo.</p>

Locations:

Coron, Busuanga Island

Culion Island, Calamines

Street Fair, Puerto Princessa City

On a banca boat in Coron.

Once a remote island used primarily as a leper colony, Culion is a place with a historical background. We were lucky to have met someone in Coron who knew a local, who offered to guide us around town for a day. So we decided to take a day trip to visit present Culion and learn a little about it's facsinating past. We took a banca boat approx. 2500-3000Php from Coron to Culion.

We also visited the Leperosy Musem (Culion Sanitarium) and learned about all the medical advances that helped cure the disease and how life was inside the colony. The museum contains rare artifacts from the early 1900's that were used with patients. We also watched a short film about the history of the island. We found out that there are still people living next door in the hospital that were once leper patients, but have since been cured of the disease. Museum cost is 250Php for foreigners, 50Php for locals.

We realized that depiste some limited tourist resources, Culion is a very special place with a lot of growth potential, simply a gem waiting to be discovered.

View of the pier at sunset in Coron, Palawan.

Kelly enjoying a nice stroll on the beach during our island hopping in El Nido.

After a few days of exploring the caves and white sand beaches of El Nido, it was time to head north and seek out our next adventure. We bought a ferry ticket on The Princess Welia for 2,200 pesos (Approx. $48 USD) and took the 7 hour ride to the town of Coron on Busuanga Island. Coron is a quaint costal town with remnants of Spanish-European influence in the layout and architecture. To divers, it's known for the twelve WWII Japanese ship wrecks that sunk around the islands near Busuanga. When we arrived, the Princess Welia pulled right up to the front steps of Seadive Resort, where we easily booked a room for the next few days. (A cool tip: One of the staff moved us to room #209 upstairs where we had an outdoor patio that overlooked the port. It was one of the most comfortable places we stayed in on our trip. The staff member also mentioned to us that it was her favorite room.)

Day One: We took our cameras and hiked up to Mt. Tapyas, where the most prominent landmark The Cross, is displayed in Coron. However, we soon realized that climbing the 717 cement steps to the top is no easy feat! So we recommend bringing plenty of water and allowing a good 30 to 45 minutes before sunset to reaching the top. Once you're there, you'll realize your sore leg muscles are a small price to pay for the spectacular sunset view. Remember to stretch and rest well for the next day's journey ahead! 

Day Two: We decided to book a diving day with Coron Divers to explore the famous diving in the area. The first dive of the day started in Barracuda Lake, a hot thermal lake actually located inside a Volcano crater. The lake is a mix of freshwater/saltwater with a thermocline, and tempertures can soar between 30-38 degrees Celsius. No dive suit needed! To get to the lake, we needed to climb some wooden steps (with all our dive gear) between the limestone formations. Though the visibility underwater was somewhat darker than expected (as opposed to the surface), you can see saltwater creatures that somehow survive the water's high temperatures. Legend has it that the lake is named after a particularly large barracuda living in the vicinity. Despite not seeing any barracudas along the way, it was definitely one of the most fascinating dives we have ever encountered.

Next stop...Culion! Stay tuned for more...

The road leading to top of Mount Tapyas, Coron, Palawan.

We saw this bull grazing on the side of the road near the Iwahig Penal Colony and jumped out of the motorcar for a few quick shots. 

After a day of touring the islands in El Nido, it became obvious to us why this is one of the most popular destinations in Palawan. For starters, it has an endless array of cascading limestone cliffs, a truly impressive site. The captivating view from the main beachfront is just a glimpse to what lies beyond. From secret lagoons to white sand beaches and majestic caves (see our previous post) El Nido is a place full of mystery and enchantment.

Island Hopping Tours are an all-day excursion (9am-4pm) and advertise for about 500-700 pesos (approx $11-$15 USD) per person, depending on the destinations in the package. By arrranging a tour through a local banca-boat driver (next to Rico's Cottages where we stayed,) we got a deal for about 400 pesos per person for Tour A & 500 pesos for Tour B (in a group of four.) Fresh grilled fish, salad, and fruit are all included. Just bring your own water and beverages of choice. If you're yearning for a little more adventure and a day tour is just not enough for you, overnight packages are also available.

We suggest a hearty breakfast on the beach to start. Several restaurants offer breakfast with eggs, toast, and fresh-brewed coffee. You'll need the energy for a day of island hopping. Now away we go!

7 Commando Beach is usually the last stop on tour A.  The only island with a relaxing small refreshment stand, it's the perfect place to enjoy a Buko (Coconut) juice after a day of island hopping. Included in the 50 pesos ($1.25 USD) the woman at the stand can also open up the Buko after your last sip and make a spoon for you to scoop the remains of the creamy flesh. Now that's a taste of paradise!

A floating fishing hut near a sandbar in Port Barton.

We visited the endangered Philippine crocodiles at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center in Puerto Princessa City. Experts believe there may be less than 100 remaining in the wild today. The Wildlife Center maintains a crocodile farm, where the reptiles are bred and protected. We recommend a visit here to also see the baby crocs, and other exotic wildlife such as the bearded pig and Palawan porcupine.

We were lucky to spot an egret wading by a pond close to the Iwahig Penal Colony in Puerto Princessa City. Palawan is known as a birdwatcher's paradise with it's variety of tropical birds.

Local kids playing on the beach in Port Barton.

The cross on Mount Tapyas, Coron, Palawan.

Kids hanging out on the corner store in Culion Island, Busuanga, Palawan.

Fishermen on the water at sunset in Port Barton.

Misty rain and sunset view over Coron, Palawan. Climbing over 700 steps to Mt. Tapyas, it was absolutely worth it to see the breathtaking view.

Is a most mysterious and intriguing place...Accesible only through a small opening, we had to awkwardly maneuver ourselves and our cameras to get to the other side. Feeling a little like Alice going through the rabbit hole, suddenly we felt overwhelmingly small next to the elevated ceilings and chiseled interiors. Shafts of light filtered down and illuminated the amorphous walls. Organic and sculptural, it is a work of art from all angles. We were inspired by the creative possibilities at this location and could have spent hours experimenting with our cameras. Here are a couple examples:

Naturally formed from millions of years of erosion, there is still uncertainty as to what the caves were used for. Archeological evidence suggests that it could have been a Neolithical burial place, because bones were found at the site. Located on the mainland of Palawan, the cave is definitely one of the highlights of "Tour B" in El Nido. 

The busiest corner on Barangay Street in Coron, Palawan.

We took a 10 minute tricycle ride around the corner of El Nido town to Corong-Corong, known for it's impressive sunset views. Unfortunately, as we arrived the clouds had quickly rolled in, making the sky overcast and dull. Instead, we met Voy and his twin sons just as they were coming in from their afternoon of fishing. After asking the name of the two photogenic boys, Voy jokingly replied, "Uno and Dos." Later he explained that their real names were Allan and Allen. Yes....you read that correctly, same name, spelled differently. 

The boys definitely made an impression on us and we couldn't help featuring them on our blog. We enjoy meeting local personalities along the way and will feature more "local life stories" in posts to come!

Local banca boat driver Dan-Dan on a small limestone cliff in El Nido.

•In El Nido there are several island hopping tours grouped in categories A, B, C, & D. We took tours A & B on two separate days. There are also options for overnight camping trips available.

•Tour packages are available all around town, however we booked ours right next to Rico's with Dan Dan. He gave us a great package...1600pesos for tour A and 1800pesos for tour B. Both included a fresh grilled fish lunch with fruit and salad. We went in a group of four, however the average rate per person is around 500-700 depending on the tour.

•Tour A includes Big and Small Lagoons on Miniloc Island, Secret Lagoon, Simizu Beach, and Seven Commando

•Tour B includes Panglasian Island, Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave, Pinagbuyatan Island, and Cathedral Island

•There is a 200peso per person environmental fee that is good for 10days in El Nido.

•El Nido lodging and food tends to be a little more expensive than the rest of Palawan. Bring plenty of cash as there are no ATM's in town. Art Cafe does accept credit cards for food, but most other places do not.

Here is a fun video we put together from our day at the ostrich farm. This was the first place we visited after arriving in Port Barton, marking the beginning of our trip. Hope you'll find it as amusing as we do!

<p>Ostrich Farm Video from Discover Palawan on Vimeo.</p>

A local San Vicente farmer with his son and Water Buffalo.

Reflections of people walking down pier in Coron, Palawan. 

Kids playing on Paradise Island, Port Barton, Palawan

<p>Snorkeling Video in Palawan from Discover Palawan on Vimeo.</p>

Being two dive enthusiasts, we usually choose diving over snorkeling anyday, however we took the word from locals that snorkeling is comparable to diving in El Nido. We were pleasantly surprised by the corals thriving within 5-10 feet underwater and the creatures that inhabited the reef. Here's some snapshots from our snorkeling session by Panglasian Island.

Authentic Filipino Flippers! Courtesy of our banca boat driver Dan-Dan, we were able to try on a pair of these cleverly constructed flippers. Resembling wooden ping-pong paddles with foot straps, we were amazed by the efficiency of the flippers depsite their simple construction.