It was my first time to visit Puerto Princessa, Palawan. I heard lot of beautiful stories and experiences about Palawan. So, it is time to experience it. We had an early book for a flight bound to Palawan. It was early July 2010 when we booked our flight bound to Puerto Princessa, Palawan. It was a seat sale when we bought our ticket.
After we booked and paid our air fare ticket, I looked for an accommodation in Palawan. To be honest, I do not have any idea when we are going to stay there. So, I asked my officemate, where did they stay in Palawan? She recommended to me Ysabelle Mansion.
According to the receptionist, it was a big house. And the owner, decided to convert into an inn. The said inn has a different tour packages. We choose a 4 days and 3 night’s tour package. However, we re-booked our flight and do some necessary amendments in our tour package. Instead a 4d and 3n tour, we re-booked it to 3d and 2n, definitely we did not experienced an island hopping in Honda bay and Snake Island. It is supposed to be my first time to experience island hopping. But I’m hoping that I will return to Palawan.
It was a sunny morning when we departed NAIA terminal 3 bound to Puerto Princessa, Palawan via Airphil Express. We were 8 in the group. Some of our companions were there first time to ride in plane. It was also my first time to travel in plane by day. Most of my flights were night. Though I appreciate the day flight, but it causes me a headache.
Our flight was not delayed; we arrived in PPR at approximate 01:30pm. Our van was waiting outside the airport.
We did not take our lunch, so we were starving, but then, we have to push through our city tour as according to Schedule.
Using a Toyota Grandia our group started the city tour. A short visit to the Puerto Princesa City Baywalk is part of our city tour itinerary. The development of the area may be still incomplete but it is a lovely place to stroll around. Our guide told us that the peacock is the symbol of Puerto Princesa City which is a part of the city’s official seal. The symbol was probably chosen because of the Palawan Peacock Pheasant which is an endangered specimen and is endemic to Palawan.
Our next stop is Plaza Cuartel. It was once a fortress used in World War II. In this place around 150 American were burned alive by the Japanese. Some were escaped by jumping to the sea, and some were died. Today, the plaza was turned as one of the tourist spot in PPR. A memorial marker in the middle that bore the names of its survivors who swam to Iwahig. The other side of the plaza, is the Immaculate Church, we had a short reflection inside it.
We had short souvenir shopping in PPR, it was the free time for us to buy some stuff there, and the price is very affordable.
Next stop, we headed for the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm which is about 30 minutes drive from the city center. Iwahig is a very unique maximum security prison. Our guide told us that the prisoners there are color coded as orange, brown, and blue. Life in Iwahig is like any other prisons where inmates are counted every day, have no contact to their families. But the difference there, each prisoner is tasked to lean the rice fields, do handicrafts, or take care of the farms.
Not very far from Iwahig Prison is our next destination Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, formerly the Crocodile Farm and Nature Park. When we arrived, there were a number of tourist vans on site and with about 40 or 50 tourists a park guide led us around the vicinity. We took pictures with the crocodile, after a couple of minutes we are next to take a tour inside. The main attraction of the park is of course the crocodiles and the tour started with present the skeleton and skin of the largest salt water crocodile that was captured. We were also brought to the hatchery where hundreds of baby crocodiles of different sizes are housed in basins. Then we walked over a crocodile pen, we saw Valentino, a large crocodile that was captured in Bataraza, Palawan. He is huge, and I was able to lay myself in the pen and took a picture. We did not saw Valentina, because this girl crocodile is in stressed and she is very harmful to the tourists.
Then we drove to one of famous landmark in the city, which is Mitra’s Ranch. The Mitra Family is one of the oldest family of PPR. Mitra’s ranch is nestled at the top of the hill in which you could see the view of Honda Bay Island. We enjoyed taking our jump shots there.
And then nearby we made a stop Baker's Hill. Baker's Hill started as a shop of breads and later the owners have built a park within its premises and now it has become a local destination. Included in our city tour package is a snack. Our guide bought variance of flavors of Hopia there. And the taste is so delicious and very affordable.
We requested our driver to drop us in a restaurant so that we could have our dinner. We had our dinner in Bilao at Palayok. The place has very good ambiance and we love the food, sea foods were really fresh and tasty.
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