During my travels in the Philippines, it was brought to my attention that I should stop by Palawan. Although I have heard of the beautiful beaches, I have never felt obliged to go in the past years. However, that changed this summer when I flew to Puerto Princesa and explored the island! Reflecting back, visiting Palawan was a huge highlight during my trip in the country, and it was worth every single penny.
Right when I landed, I went straight to the Underground River. Some of the things I learned from my tour guide was that the Underground River was considered the newest addition to the 7 Wonders of Nature in 2012. The name of the tour spot is misleading since there is no river underneath the ground, but rather, a river inside a cave. The area is also home to exotic types of animals, such as the monkeys, eagles, and insects that are only found within the island. I really felt like I was inside of a travel channel show as I was sitting down in my tour boat waiting for the tour to begin.
The entrance of the cave similarly resembles icicles inside of a snow cave, and as my audio tour recording mentioned bats, a huge one flew by right passed my face! What amazed me was how the centuries of rock growth and water pressure have formed rock formations into shapes of food, animals, people, and monuments. When I finished the end of the tour, I realized why it was part of the world wonders of nature.
That same night, I traveled to El Nido for an island hopping adventure. The 6 hour van ride was not pleasant since the roads were narrow, bumpy, and winding (if you get motion sickness, please bring some medicine). However, I knew I couldn’t leave the country without taking a visit to El Nido’s beautiful beaches. As a result, I took a much needed rest for the following morning. I was so lucky that my hotel was located near a pharmacy that was walking distance, and I got a chance to take medicine and eat a hearty breakfast before the tour. There were many choices of island tour packages, but I decided to choose the “Tour A” package that consisted of the Seven Commando Beach, Blue Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, and Shimizu Island. I was so excited to finally see the beaches I have googled image searched for so long! To keep this blog post short, the entire experience was absolutely life changing. I told my family and friends that the island views were “Beyonce level,” and that every time I took a glance at the beaches, I felt like I stepped inside a National Geographic magazine. I had such an amazing trip, and the people that were a part of the boat tour also made it enjoyable as well.
As always, I couldn’t end this post without sharing never before seen photos from my Palawan trip! If you have any specific questions about Palawan or my travel experience there, feel free to comment down below! To get the latest highlights from my trip to the Philippines, be sure to follow me on Instagram at @reesarei. My Philippine trip is not over, and it keeps getting better. Until next time!
