A Solo and Survival Travels turn you to a Fearless Human | Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Traveling is one of the achievements that will not fade and you can bring it until the last of your breath, just face and conquer your fear, lets the life more adventurous and meaningful, today you are a listener and tomorrow be a storyteller.

I prebooked my onward ticket to at least save money. I afraid to leave because of my finances, I don’t have choice but to push through this travel to satisfy myself.

           

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

My flight from Iloilo to manila is 11:00 am with Cebgo, I did not purchase a baggage allowance instead I hand carry my heavy backpack and to avoid checking in the counter I use the web check in and print out the boarding pass. When I arrived in NAIA Terminal 4, 3 hours before my next flight I enlist my name to the MIAA for a free transfer, because my connecting flight is in Terminal 3, this time I use Kiosk or Self Service Check in fn Cebu Pacific it just located in the entrance of the check in counter and redirect to the pre-departure area. I ate only biscuits for lunch because the airport food is too much expensive I can’t afford to buy. 

When my flight is already announce for boarding I sit down in the front of the designated boarding gate and wait for further instruction, all the passengers is already in line, but still I did not move on my seat, the staff of the airline is calling my name for how many times, but I don’t care intentionally for the reason of falling in line and to avoid crowd hahaha. But of course when the final call for boarding is announce, I stand up and give my boarding pass to the staff and I saw the reaction of those people in charge I think they get angry with me. The big bus is waiting for me and I’m only their passenger.

I arrived in Puerto Princesa airport around 4:30pm and the rainfall is very heavy, thankfully that Gohotel have their free shuttle, I stayed there for the first night but don’t worry if you think I spend much for this, no! I booked through online and got the 288/ night rate. I went to Robinson for dinner, then went back to my room and lights off.

Sabang Beach, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

I woke up around 7:00am and go to church for 8am mass to hear the gospel of Lord first thing before heading to Sabang beach. I went to my hotel after mass to pack all my things before eat my brunch. I buy quarter part of the chicken with unlimited rice of mang inasal in Robinson to at least satisfy my hungry tummy. I checked out exactly 11am and headed to the San Jose terminal to catch 1pm trip, luckily there are few available seats left, the schedule of van from San Jose terminal to Sabang is not frequent, you need to text or give them a call at least a day before your trip and have a seat reservation because there's possibility  to fully booked. I arrived at Sabang 3:45pm and enlist my name to Lexus Van for seat reservation on my return.  I headed to Sunbird Cottage to check in and  the rate is 450/night thru Agoda.

SITIO SABANG

Sitio Sabang doesn't  have electricity, every resort has their own generator set, of course, if you stay in a basic cottage like mine there is no electricity by day only by night start at 6 to 10pm unlike the high class resort they have 24 hours standby generator. I take some rest for a while and went outside to find some cheap food for dinner, I only saw that time is pork barbecue I grab it with a cup of rice and water I spend only P30 for dinner.

SABANG BEACH

6 in the evening is like just ghost town, but it's nice because you can relax and you can feel what they called vacation. I went back to sundbird before it's dark and I sleep as early 8pm so that I can wake up before 7 to get a permit for Underground River Tour. Lights off!

Sitio Sabang, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

My third day in Puerto Princesa is unproductive, I woke up early to get a permit unfortunately the coast guard canceled the tour because of bad weather, so I don’t have a choice instead I eat my brunch,and brought some chocolate at the small sari sari store, I open up about the Sitio Sabang to an old lady in the store and listen to her story about Sitio Sabang, sorry I forgot to ask her name, but she tells the full story of Sitio and her love life also, it's so interesting. Almost 2 hours when I decided to go back at sunbird because the rain is approaching. I can’t do the waterfall and all activities of Sabang because of very bad weather. I sleep around 8pm and hoping that tomorrow the weather  will turn it to good. Lights off

Underground River Tour, Puerto Princesa, Palawan

When my last day in Sabang, around 12mn when sabang experiencing a heavy rainfall  , I'm thinking that the underground tour will cancel again, I woke around 6:30am fix myself  hoping a chance to get a permit. I went to the underground river office to check if  they have an operation today, luckily the coast guard allowed to sail, I fall in line at the main door and I was in number 4. There's a lot of tour guides in line for their guest. When they issue me a permit I pay 175 + 40 for environmental fee. 

My Tour mate Mr&Mrs Pingol 

WAITING AREA

I went to the Lexus van terminal to cancel my seat reservation and back to the basketball court to fall in line again for  a pump boat going to underground river drop off point on the other side, Because I'm alone I join with another group so that the price will not hurt my pocket. I paid P200 instead of P700 because we are  3 passengers in pump boat not bad. Mr. Eduardo with her wife is my tour mate, we enjoyed the tour despite a huge wave while crossing in other side of the island, We're so lucky because we are the 1st group to visit the Underground River so no crowd of tourist, they are a couple based in Singapore and Palawan is one of their travel list to explore, they invite to come and join them in their service van going to the Puerto Princesa city proper after our tour, the driver agree that I will hitch and I give him a tip instead.

UNDERGROUND TOUR

We all tired, so we fall sleep all the way to the city proper of Puerto Princesa, manong Jo the driver drop me off at go hotel, I booked online for 288/night, thanks to them, I checked in and take naps for a while, around 6:30pm I went to Bonas Chaolongan because your visit in Puerto Princesa will not be completed if you did not try their original Chaolong. It’s a Vietnamese noodle soup very delicious at P65. I walk going to Baywalk after bonas and back at go hotel at 8:30pm as usual social life and packed my things for tomorrow departure. Lights off

BONAS CHAOLONG

I leave Puerto Princesa City the next at 12:40pm  on my flight bound to manila for continuation of my travel.


Expenses for my 5 days 4 nights excluding of Plane Ticket

Go hotel for 2 nights       -  P 576.00
Van going to Sabang         -  P 280.00RT
Extra Fare                  -  P 100.00
Sunbird Cottage for 2 night -  P 900.00
Food and personal needs     -  P 700.00
Underground Tour            -  P 415.00

                             _____________

Total                       -  P 2,971.00