Discover Palawan

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.

The next two dives we did were Japanese wrecks: the Tangat & Olympia Maru. We did not bring our underwater camera gear with us (as it requires extensive lighting & equipment) but to get an idea of wreck diving, you can view some images on this informative dive site link: http://www.divesitedirectory.co.uk/dive_site_philippines_palawan_coron_wreck_... We can definitely support the fact that Coron has some spectacular wreck diving. For those not interested in wreck diving because they think may be dismal compared to colorful marine life, the wreck sites in Coron will prove critics wrong. There is such an abundance of coral and marine life growing on and around the ships. From the thousands of fish we encountered, the smallest seaworm, nudebranch, clownfish, to the large tropical lionfish, these dives were nothing short of amazing. The silhouettes of the wrecks also added a certain mystique to the dive, as light filtered through the cargo rooms and crevices to the outer surface of the ship. Every passage we went through had it's own mystery and wonder. We do advise that you are an experienced diver before attempting a wreck dive, as it requires steady buoyancy to pass through narrow entrances. However, if you make it here, you may agree that it tops our list as the best aquatic adventure in Palawan! 

At the end of the day, we had an engine failure on our banca boat from Coron Divers and our divemaster Dino had to call another boat to get us. Here is our rescue boat arriving. We were not particularly worried, but after several boats passed us within an hour, we were very happy to finally see our rescue boat arrive! Hooray, just in the nick of time before sunset!

We had also heard about the Makinit Hot Springs, located just a 20 minute tricyicle ride from town. So after dinner, we headed to the Hot Springs to take a theraputic dip in the water. It was the perfect way to soothe and rejuvinate our tired muscles after a long day of diving. We highly recommend this diving + spa itinerery!

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

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.

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>

Ever watch The Swiss Family Robinson and was curious to see how an ostrich runs in real life? Well in San Vicente, you might just get the opportunity to if you just ask Andy. Andy Caratao is the caretaker at the local Ostrich Farm and knows how to get these birds into action. Mysterious and almost mythical, ostriches are a fascinating paradox to witness, with their long limbs, tall stature, and large, feathery bodies. When we first arrived, we visited the Brooder House, home of the 1 month old baby ostrich chicks. What an adorable sight! The chicks have ample room to run around and interact with us as we were introduced into their playpen. It was an experience we will never forget! Afterwards we ventured on to feed the adult ostriches and watched how these birds of a very peculiar feather run at astonishing speeds. Check out the Ostrich Farm when you're in San Vicente, and it will be a highly entertaining afternoon, spend it with the largest and possibly most amusing birds on the planet!

Today we took a banca boat from Port Barton to nearby San Vicente and decided to visit the local Dairy Farm. What an adventure it was! We hired two motorcycle guides, strapped our gear to the bikes, and took off on the rocky terrain. It was an exihilerating 45 minute ride on a gritty, dirt road. Whizzing past forests, rice fields and even an ocean view, we finally arrived at the 420 hectares (over 1,037 acres) of cow pasture. The panoramic landscape is a breathtaking sight, with pastures that stretch out as far as the eye can see. With just over 130 cows, the animals have ample space to roam and graze.

Here they produce the signature San Vincente milk. The cows are herded in shifts for the daily feeding and milk pumping. After witnessing the process, we were invited to taste the fresh milk. We were not disappointed, it was one of the most flavorful and creamiest glasses of milk we've ever tasted. It was definitely worth the trip and we highly recommend this for those who love adventure and want to explore some local culture. 

On our way back one of our motorbikes had a flat tire. Luckily, we were close enough to the farm that the tire was fixed within an hour and we made it back to our boat by sundown.