Photos of The Philippines-2011
Each of the 4 photos below is the cover of a photo album. You double click on the link below the photo and it takes you to that album. If you are also interested in reading about the trip, it begins after the photos with 7100 Islands - The Philippines.
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7100 Islands - The Philippines
Intro
I always wanted to visit the Philippines, a remote curiosity in the middle of nowhere. It grabbed my attention when The Marcos fled and left behind Imelda’s obscene shoe collection of 2700 pair. I noted the islands again when I ran across a story about the jeepney, synonymous with cheap public transport in the Philippines. Originally jeeps from World War II were recycled and modified with benches and a roof, looking somewhat like a can of sardines. Owners would personalize them using outrageous ornamentation and color paintings. Today they are still very popular as we were soon to discover.
Manila To Palawan Island
The tour groups were small, ranging from 2 to 6 people. They were quite fun as you had the opportunity to share other Philippine adventures and make new friends. What I didn’t enjoy was upon arrival at a snorkeling location there might be 5 or 6 other boats. Thus unless you were the first to an area you were bound to be disappointed with the diving as any schools of fish would have left, opting for more serene feeding grounds. Okay, I’m a tad jaded after many exceptional adventures visiting unspoiled locations. Finding a place no longer sleepy or villagers less friendly focusing only on your economic worth, or skyrocketing costs tourist-driven, or the quality of travelers now full of demands and impatience. This is a portrait of the ugly traveler everywhere when someone has little vacation and lots of money. They have unrealistically high expectations. They have little compassion and understanding of local customs and are rude to the locals. They care little about the environment and are often heavy drinkers and unimaginably loud. I do my best to avoid places where such people frequent. Thankfully they are a minority, but like one child acting out the ambience of the classroom for all the other students can be destroyed.
Pollution controls are also helping to create a healthier community for locals. El Nido now has fines for trash, and also for smoke exhaust issues. There is now an anti-belching edict but village noise is still unmonitored. When a neighbor decides to play pounding rock music, there is no law to silence him no matter the hour. This is one good reason not to stay in the town of El Nido itself where there are several bars that play loud music. Sound carries easily over the bay, destroying the otherwise peaceful ambience of the waterfront.
The Philippines never seemed to be promoted much as a travel destination and its visa policy is certainly not tourist friendly. You are only allowed a 21 day visa.Thus for many years I was content to fly over them to other nearby destinations in SE Asia. Also many of these other countries offer islands, beautiful beaches, as well as more exotic cultures.
Recently I came across a cheap flight to the Philippines. I wondered whether its seemingly low profile might translate into fewer tourists. Over the years it has been getting harder and harder to find idyllic locations without hordes of people and an unappealing tourist infrastructure. You only have to visit the beaches of Mexico, India, and Thailand, for example, to understand my point of reference. Belize, Honduras, and Costa Rica were unspoiled in the early eighties. However, once a place is discovered, it's understandable that everyone wants to have that experience. Locals build accommodation, restaurants, and organize tours to capitalize on a frequent turnover of short-term visitors. Often the construction is done in haste without reference to building code safety standards. The character of a once quaint village quickly deteriorates with flimflam housing. A lack of water and a sewer infrastructure translates into Cola for breakfast and a variety of unnecessary illness.
In addition local tour operators take divers to the best reefs without limiting their harvesting of fish. Many operators are unfamiliar with practices to avoid damage to the coral because it never was an issue until so many people visited the area. Before it was only a few fishermen. This ignorance and often just plan profit-driven carelessness can be just as devastating as dynamite fishing. The thinking is too short range, discounting future generations. Villagers need to focus on the sustainability of their culture and environment, the reasons tourists choose to visit in the first place. It wouldn’t hurt for local governments to get involved and offer direction.
The sheer mass of people, arriving via roundtrip charter flights can’t help but alter the ambiance of a sleepy beach town. Take Goa, for example. It must have truly been paradise 20 years ago. To think there was a time when you could walk the beaches of Goa with only a handful of locals. Now there are hundreds of vendors and thousands of tourists. The beaches are crowded, dirty, and full of noisy, disrespectful party goers. How pleasurable is that?
Usually when it’s harder to reach a destination, where the infrastructure is severely lacking, there is a greater likelihood that things will still be unspoiled. Maybe just maybe, you’ll get to experience the beauty and serenity of an unforgettable place. Having sipped the potion of paradise, all my thoughts began to focus on the Philippines and what delight they might offer. Perhaps now was the time to explore them.
With a quick Google search, I found my interest further peaked. There are over 7100 Islands in the Philippines. This fact translates into hundreds of isolated white, sandy beaches, lined with palm trees, and blue water. The odds were in our favor of finding a bit of paradise so I talked it over with Sara and we committed with the purchase of nonrefundable airline tickets.
I’m a water person and so is Sara. I love to dive, swim, forage the shoreline, collecting shells, and otherwise pass endless hours below drifting, puffy clouds. Sara does too and she was excitedly curious to learn snorkeling technique, a portal to the underwater world of coral, colorful fish, and silence. We looked forward to a savory adventure, experiencing places where tourism has had minimal impact, eating an abundance of fish, and island hopping with abandon. I’m chuckling as the dream and reality are never quite the same.
Manila
Our point of entry was Manila International Airport. To make matters confusing it is actually 3 airports, so you really have to do your homework when flying in or out domestic or internationally. Our flight arrived around midnight, probably the worst time to arrive. As expected, we are granted a visa of 21 days that honestly is not enough time to explore many places. It turns out that one can easily pay a fee and extend your stay, but nowhere was this information readily available online or in Lonely Planet.
Our point of entry was Manila International Airport. To make matters confusing it is actually 3 airports, so you really have to do your homework when flying in or out domestic or internationally. Our flight arrived around midnight, probably the worst time to arrive. As expected, we are granted a visa of 21 days that honestly is not enough time to explore many places. It turns out that one can easily pay a fee and extend your stay, but nowhere was this information readily available online or in Lonely Planet.
The thought of navigating Manila for a visa extension, and likely losing 2 or 3 days in waiting, was such a turn off that we decided to explore other options for the remainder of our 2-month trip. We settled on a heavily discounted fare to Saigon before we even left Buenos Aires. It was an uncomplicated process getting a Vietnam visa. That is the benefit of living in a large metro area as almost all countries have embassy or consulate representation here. In Portland, Oregon I usually had to go to San Francisco or pay an expense visa service fee.
We were surprised at the many cheap air options that originated from Manila. Besides Vietnam, there were other choices such as China, Borneo, and Indonesia. I was hoping that the Philippines might offer affordable airfares to the Sulu Archipelago, but that turned out to be surprisingly expensive. In addition I discovered that it was not presently a safe region to travel. That adventure would have to wait.
Every region has its moments of calm and turmoil. There are even parts of the Philippines where only a fool would dare visit at the moment. There are no bragging rights for surviving a kidnapping when you failed to heed persistent warnings.
Manila is supposedly the most densely populated city in the world, largely Catholic, with a population of nearly 20 million including the surrounding metro areas. There is nothing terribly romantic about the place, other than the abundant jeepney art as poverty is rampant with a middle class nearly known existent. Still, the city deserves a few days to experience the cultural intensity of Filipino Life.
The city boasts easy access to the sea, though it suffers from horrible pollution. And the people are kind, helpful, and family-oriented with most speaking English. Overtly friendly thieves and prostitutes remind you, however, to be on guard and watch your drinks and food. Your dinner spiked with a sleeping medication could turn out to be a costly lesson.
From the minute you climb into your first taxi, you best be on your guard, verifying charges and insisting on meter usage. As we left the airport I loudly, demandingly told the driver to turn on the meter. Sara says I was grumpy. Maybe she was right as I was tired from our long flight from the US. I spent the next 20 minutes being gracious and friendly.
At the hotel the meter suddenly doubled showing 1154 pesos, for a trip that seconds before showed half that amount. The driver got nervous when I confront him and invite him to speak with our hotel receptionist. He quickly settles on 600 or 15 US.
This devious scam was written up on the web. I said that I'd give him 600 pesos only because he had kids. He genuinely wanted to shake my hand and quickly helped us with our bags. Welcome to Manila.
We learned later from a local that it was best to offer a few extra pesos to encourage the driver to take us directly rather than give us an unwanted city tour that always took longer and cost more.
Like the airport, there is no central bus station. There are clusters of companies, destination-oriented. Each offers a regular bus or deluxe bus with aircon. There was little to distinguish between the more expensive and less expensive ride.
Jeepneys And Tricycles
The jeepney and the tricycle are the cultural icons of the Philippines. Jeepneys are everywhere and offer an option to the local bus and taxi at a good price. You jump into a jeepney heading in your direction, share the cheap ride, and leave the chaotic driving to others. They are not comfortable by any means, but they are very competitive, plentiful, and drivers are courteous.
Jeepneys are typically individually owned. Routes are not monopolized like in other developed countries. Thus competition meets demand where needed. In Manila, a car would be a nuisance given the sheer abundance and options of public transport.
And then there’s the tricycle. They are the rickshaws of the Philippines. Basically it’s a motorcycle with a sidecar. Under its low profile metal roof, there are 2 benches that can seat 4 to 6 people. Although locals might be able to sit upright I literally had to fold at the waist in the confined space until my elbows were resting on my thighs.
Yes, they are generally loud, often smoke, and are terrible for going up hills. They are however a great way to cover small distances as they are smaller and more maneuverable than a bus or van. They are perfect for short trips and heavily congested areas.
Personally I enjoy the ride, catching a glimpse of city life as we zip in, out, and around a river of traffic. The best part is the visual delight a tricycle can bring to your day. As with a Jeepney, owners express their personality through their tricycle art. What is not to love about a cheap ride that is artistically decorated with found objects, often religious, and painted in exuberant, cheerful colors. It makes me smile just to remember them.
The Philippine government recognizes the importance of the tricycle as a transport vehicle. There are nearly 3.5 million of them scattered throughout the Philippines. The government also recognizes that vehicle emissions represent 80% of Manila’s pollution, the worst offenders being public buses, jeepneys, and tricycles. Thus the government recently committed to replacing some of these gas-guzzling polluters, beginning with 20,000 electric tricycles. It's an ambitious project but could reduce foreign gas consumption dramatically. The carbon footprint of these new e-trikes is less than 25% of petro-fueled tricycles. The government is also targeting public utility vehicles proposing alternative fuels. I look forward to cleaner air and quieter transportation on my next trip to Manila. Perhaps one day these e-trikes, fabricated in the Philippines, will become popular in other countries as well.
Languages - Tagalog English Spanish
There are as many as 120 languages spoken in the Philippines. Spanish predominated for several centuries until the US came to the islands. Now English is spoken everywhere. In fact, Tagalog the predominant Filipino language and English are both considered the official languages taught in the schools.
There are many Spanish words and phrases in the Tagalog language, but many people aren’t aware that the words are of Spanish origin. The currency of the Philippines is the peso, for example, a Spanish word.
I love the T-shirts that the girls wear. It’s cool for them to sport a T-shirt with English words. Some are hysterical like, Juicy Girl Next Store or I’m No Good For U!
There is minimal tourist infrastructure in the Philippines. With so many islands the main modes of transport are either airplanes or boats. Flights and ferries are both weather dependent and service can be infrequent because of limited demand. Island transport between towns is usually limited to a local bus or passenger vans. Both can take hours on an unpaved dirt track with creative names like “abortion road”, “back massage road”, or “miracle bridge”.
It can take 6 to 8 hours of dodging potholes to go 150 km. Yes, it is often quicker by boat, but the seas don’t always favor calm passage. We left one village for another just after sunrise to avoid afternoon winds. The skipper phoned ahead to our destination and the bay in Port Barton was mirror-like. The boat jettisoned smoothly until late morning when the calm gave way to white caps cresting steeper and steeper waves. The bow would bury itself into approaching wave and spray water well over our heads and gear. Even with some past ocean experience, I was starting to worry. The boat hardly moved forward at full throttle. I collected passports, credit cards, and some money placing them in a fanny pack that I could easily swim with. I wasn’t concerned about drowning as we had lift vests, the water was warm, and several islands were visible a 2 hour swim away. These were the items that, if lost, could delay us for weeks. Clothes, cameras, and books could be replaced. Fortunately I never had to abandon my old socks and underwear.
Had the waves been a tad steeper the expertise of the skipper wouldn’t have helped us. He plowed through the waves safely, even though I sensed some apprehension over this unexpected development. Just as violent as the sea had momentarily become, we reached the leeward side of a nearby island and were able to avoid the full blast of the wind, allowing us to maneuver safely to our destination.
We later heard a story of a couple of travelers like us, but with a valuable camera and scuba gear worth several thousand dollars. They lost everything when their boat capsized on a similarly sunny due to unexpected high winds. Passengers and crew were in the water for over 8 hours until rescued. A healthy respect for nature is mandatory if intending to visit remote islands by small boat. These boats were designed with outriggers made of bamboo for added stability. I wouldn’t hesitate to trust a Filipino boat in good condition piloted by a conscientious, experienced skipper. There are risks in everything we do.
With each change in destination, you could expect to add 2 to 3 transitional days. Most places required a return flight to Manila and a waiting period before boarding a connecting flight headed to our next destination. Thus given the irregularity of transport services, we streamlined our trip. We would forgo the more popular locations, like the beach of Boracay with its casino and bars, and concentrate on those destinations more remote, using saved days to explore them fully.
Off To The Rice Terraces
We combed over our list of must visit Philippine destinations. We choose the century-old rice fields, a world heritage site called Banaue, in the higher island elevations. From there we would spend the rest of our time exploring the remote offerings of Palawan Island from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. It was a good decision. We were not only able to experience typical island life but to visit many uninhabited pristine islands that were nearby.
We escaped the pollution of Manila by deluxe bus. It turned out to be a freezer on wheels. Manila is extremely hot and humid. Thus it made sense to travel deluxe, yet no one on the bus had appropriate clothing for the cold air blasting from the air con system. We were climbing from sea level and with increasing altitude, the inner bus temperature would drop a centigrade or two. I mention this incident as it is always the unexpected that grabs your attention and refuses to be forgotten. The temperature dropped to about 6 degrees Celsius. Our supposed 4-hour journey was turning into 7 long freezing hours of winding bumpy road. It might as well have been a ride across the Altiplano in Bolivia. This was not the summer camp adventure we signed up for.
At one of the infrequent bus breaks, half-frozen we disembarked to be enveloped by fresh mountain air and the unexpected sound of country-western music. It turns out that the Filipinos in Northern Luzon are passionate about C+W and play it all day long. I myself love dancing Country 2-step and was inspired to have a go, but Sara calmly reminded me that we were not in Oregon. There was no way that she would join me so I settled for some serious toe-tapping under a lone, bare light bulb that cast an eerie glow over our tropical surroundings. Shortly thereafter I settled into a discussion on the best of Johnny Cash with a hillside local.
Banaue
We finally arrive at the mountain village of Banaue. It is located in Northern Luzon on the same island as Manila. The rice terraces extend above and below the town in a very dramatic cascade of terraces. When you view them, they appear as if artistically carved following the natural contours of the hills. Indeed they are a testament to man’s creative ingenuity.
These terraces are over 2000 years old and locals are still cultivating them. Their uniqueness is their altitude of nearly 1500 meters and the steepness of the slopes, some nearly 70 degrees. The irrigation system is impressive as are the 2 to 4 meter terrace walls. More common in rice terraces are pond separation walls of less than a half meter.
When you see the expansiveness of the terraces, your first thought is that they must produce so much rice that they export a large portion of their crop. With locals consuming rice dishes at least twice a day, these terraces can only meet the demand of a small village population. Rice in the restaurants in the village was imported.
Badad
On a rainy day, we hiked the rice terraces of Badad. We found 3 other travelers who were interested in having an adventure and split the cost of a 4wheel drive over an almost impassable muddy road to the top of the terraces. We hired a local guide, not because we needed one, as the trail was obvious, but she filled us in on all kinds of interesting details about the terraces and village life that added much to the enjoyment of our trek.
It was a steep, muddy, challenging trail that only made you appreciate more, the hard work of maintaining the paddies. Locals ascend the hills at a consistent gait and cover vast distances in a short time, often in bare feet or flip-flops. Not us. Fortunately Sara had rented a walking stick that helped her maintain balance on the slippery trail and crossing of streams. Yes, there is a rental business in walking sticks, yet I doubt the vendor is getting rich. I think there could be a market for raincoats as well. I probably looked a bit ridiculous wearing a modified garbage bag, but it kept me a tad drier and warmer given the weather and higher elevation.
Islands And The Sea
Islands! They don’t all look alike. Some have jagged shorelines, while others are wrapped in a ribbon of white. Some contain secret lagoons; others are awash with coconut-laden palms. To bare your feet to warm, aquamarine water is a treasure of its own.
Some days are perfect. There is a clear sky with billowy clouds on the horizon. The seas are calm and reflective with hardly a breeze to fill a sail. This particular morning after a colorful sunrise we venture out to some nearby islands by boat. The color of the sand is whiter than white, a mix of finely ground shell and coral. It’s even cool to walk on during the heat of midday. And it sticks to you like a fine powder without the need for glue.
If one complains about anything, it might be the sound of the sea lapping on the shoreline. It seems louder at night and keeps some people awake. I try to envelop myself in its movement and not resist its tugging forces, its rush and retreat to the shoreline. With the body over 90 % saltwater, I sense my fluidity and have nothing to complain about.
I love to free dive. Tiny brightly colored fish dart in and out of coral antlers. Larger fish lay just out of sight on the slopes to deeper water.
I can hold my breath for a short time to a depth of 40 feet. In that underwater world you see large sponges and schools of fish. You notice tiny bright-colored fish darting in and out of coral antlers. Larger fish lay just out of sight on the slopes to deeper water.
Sometimes I don’t realize how deep I’ve gone. The water is crystal clear and it seems to take a lifetime to return to the surface. You are always surprised at how many bubbles pass your lips. Just when you think your lungs are empty, there is more air to come. On the surface you gasp for air. You recover your breath control, breathe in, and down you go again. Things instantly become still and quiet. You marvel at this special world, full of adventure and unimaginable sights.
Sara was cautious at first. She had never used a mask and snorkel. She was in awe of the show that nature provided, yet had difficulty using the snorkel. In frustration and after swallowing a mouthful of seawater or two, she said that she didn’t want to use the snorkel as it only got in the way. Thus she enjoyed herself with mask only, floating above the reef and observing the world below. I, of course, would do silly things to impress her with underwater acrobatic twists and flips that land would not allow.
Later while reminiscing about all the wondrous moments of the day, she asked me to explain the secret again of how I use the snorkel to breath underwater. Her bewilderment of my uncanny skill gave me a superpower moment. I imagined myself diving even deeper, hundreds of feet, breathing without hesitation. For the moment I would keep her in suspense, as it would be some time before I would again reach so many leagues beneath the sea.
I used to scuba dive too. True you can hover and explore the minutest of detail, but the equipment is cumbersome and you are limited in your water time. With freediving I can splish-splash for hours limited only by my ability to hold my breath, clear my ears, and break the surface tension with a duck-like flip.
Scuba diving is still enticing and many jump at the chance to try it without lessons. I was shocked to see instructors strapping tanks on the backs of novices and literally pushing their heads under water to get them to experience scuba. It took me many lessons to learn to dive safely. It isn’t that in every moment you are in danger, but one must learn how to avoid danger and respond to it. It could simply be a possible panic situation, a lost mask or a faulty gauge that leaves you with an unexpected empty tank. To dramatize what happens to a scuba diver’s lungs should he panic and rush to the surface holding his breath, we filled a balloon with air from a scuba tank on the bottom of an 8 ft. deep pool. At 4 ft. the balloon had doubled in sized. At 2 ft. it doubled in size again. At only 1 ft. from the surface the balloon exploded. How can an experienced diver, even for money, take an untrained novice out in the ocean and force his head underwater? This is a real problem in unregulated countries where the instructors have no fear of recourse and where one or two accidents quietly slip away with the outgoing tide.
Puerto Princesa is located midway between the bottom and top of Palawan. It is also home to the island’s main airport. As there is extremely poor infrastructure below Puerto Princesa, travel is not recommended. However, the charm and isolation of the villages and beaches that meander up the coast to the top of Palawan and the town of El Nido are full of memorable moments.
We decided to leave for El Nido the same day we arrived on Palawan. El Nido is the gateway to the Bacuit Archipelago where we planned to spend several days exploring them. We landed about 8am in Puerto Princesa, made a decision on how many days to allow our selves for Palawan and booked a return flight.
There are several daily flights between Manila and Puerto Princesa, but the planes book up quickly. Availability and flight cancellations are as common as the weather is unpredictable. On the day that we arrived, the wind was blowing at gale force and all outgoing flights were canceled.
Again this is one of the potential problems of traveling in the Philippines. You need to plan flights well in advance. It takes away a lot of the spontaneity that I’ve come to enjoy in travels to other countries. I don’t like being so organized that you lose the opportunity to take a must-do side trip. Or if the weather turns foul, to savor an extra, unplanned day when the sun returns.
We decided that we would cover the 150 miles between the towns in one go. We left the airport by tricycle and caught a jeepney to the bus terminal. We waited an hour until there was a commitment from 8 other people to take the van to El Nido. Of course the number of riders increased as we left Puerto Princesa until comfort was becoming an issue. We told the driver no more room. He must have been pushing his luck with us because he didn’t argue, refusing a couple of potential passengers.
We seemed to stop with frequency picking up little packages and dropping them off. These vans were important for the many isolated villages and their families.
It took us until nearly sunset to get to El Nido. The first hour was rather quick as the road was paved. Then the bumpy, slow poky, dusty adventure began lasting hour after hour.
El Nido
El Nido was supposed to be laid back, but it had also been discovered. We arrived 3 years too late. It is rapidly becoming a destination as it is the jumping-off point for exploring the 45 islands that comprise the Bacuit Archipelago. There were many newer hotels, bars, and restaurants. As it was impossible to get a room on the bay with a view of the South China Sea, we headed out of town by tricycle.
We ended up staying near the local market. It was about a 15 minute, easy walk to town. Fortunately you are never that far from the sea, and we had access only a block away. It was a perfect location, absent of other travelers, and away from El Nido noise, yet with prime access to a palm-lined beach with gorgeous sunsets. There was also a local fishing village full of small children excitedly wanting to interact with me, patiently posing in front my camera. We had a great room with hot shower. We had warm, friendly staff to interact with. We had light and aircon from sunset until dawn. We had fresh fruit from the market. We were happy.
The Bacuit Archipelago
The most economical way to explore the archipelago is by boat tours that have been organized to meet the ever-increasing demand. El Nido Agents have put together 4 tours, A-B-C-D which include lunch, snorkeling 2 or 3 different islands, and exploring some natural wonder like hidden lagoons only accessible by swimming into them, sometimes underwater.
The Filipinos are fishermen, and until recently, were dynamite fishing the area. This stuns or kills the fish that float to the surface and are easy to collect. The problem is that the blasting was destroying everything else, including the beautiful coral beds. Recognizing that Palawan Island is a crown jewel, the government of the Philippines has created protected island zones where tourists are now not allowed to visit and locals are banned from using such destructive fishing methods. Logging was also banned on the island. The government is beginning the education of locals on the benefits of environmentally friendly practices.
El Nido has its charm and locals still enjoy verbal interaction with passersby. One afternoon we stopped to view the work of a local artist. His paintings are engaging and I attempt conversation with him. As his English is not so good, I try simplifying my sentences and vocabulary.
There is a painting of some Filipino folk dancers. Instead of saying we like to dance I say we are dancers too. He looks at us with disbelief, as we are not sculpted like the dancers in his painting. Sara glances at me with a grin. I realize what I've said. We burst into laughter.
One of our boat trips took us to Snake Island, a long, thin sand bar about 40 minutes from El Nido. The day started out sunny with calm seas. We hunted for shells ad walked the length of the island to where it entered the mangroves. By the time we returned lunch was ready. The crew had barbequed baba fish and made a fresh salad.
Without warning the sky momentarily darkened and it began to rain heavily. It was as if you were standing under a waterfall. I kept eating my fish which was delicious and I was hungry, but it appeared to begin to float on the plate.
Without warning the sky momentarily darkened and it began to rain heavily. It was as if you were standing under a waterfall. I kept eating my fish which was delicious and I was hungry, but it appeared to begin to float on the plate.
It was a warm rain with the ocean even warmer, but there was no shelter for the downpour except on the boat. We all abandon our half-finished lunches and headed for the boat. I was lucky to have brought along a heavy-duty garbage bag which kept my camera and clothes dry. Others were not so fortunate.
Just as suddenly as the rain came, it stopped. We were already underway to another island. The sky was still a foreboding black with everything looking a muddy grey in every direction. Perhaps we should head back to El Nido. But just as we approached the island, sun begins to pour through a rip in the sky, illuminating the island as if it were a portal to another world. There was no sun anywhere else but in front of us. It was breathtaking. We pulled the boat up to the beach and enjoyed the snorkeling. Occasionally it would drizzle. It would wisp across the glassy sea moved by a slight wind. The water near shore was an aqua blue. The island vegetation was rich in hues of vibrant, yet subtle shades of yellow and green. Rocks on the shore appeared freshly glossed deep black by the drizzle and you could see red veins of iron oxide running through them.
My Birthday-El Nido Style
Sara asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday which was about a week away. I decided that we should find an island where no one goes and get dropped off for the day. It sounded so romantic and idyllic. It was the Philippines I wanted to experience, but then a few days past. We had done a couple of boat trips and lots of snorkeling. The idea now of being marooned on an island with only a small stretch of tropical perfection was bordering on boredom. Let’s spend the day touring a more remote area, maybe with new friends and maybe not. We would visit several islands, but absent of the crowds.
We booked the most unpopular tour, tour D. It was more expensive. So most people opted for Tour A and Tour B and then moved on to other places.
It was a good decision. We ended up with a boat all to ourselves, a private birthday party tour. We visited idyllic islands, bays, sunny lagoons, and submerged coral gardens. The captain and his son barbequed a fish lunch for us complete with fresh salad and fruit for dessert. We saw only one or two boats all day, but always in the distance. My dream and reality had finally merged. It was a perfect day. It was my birthday. It was one that I’ll always remember.
What Locals Don't Tell You
We must be tasty to jellyfish and other stinging organisms because they keep coming back for seconds. Or maybe it’s a territorial thing. We may be bigger but ….ouch!
The experience of being bitten is unpleasant but is quickly layered over with incredible adventures and forgotten. It’s like the blood-sucking leeches of Nepal. There is nothing glamorous to share about them and remembering the experience tends to take the shine off an otherwise brilliant trip.
The locals don’t mention them either. No one would go snorkeling the Philippines or trekking Nepal if they did. But stinging sea creatures deserve a few words as they are part of the grander Philippine adventure that by now you know is not always pleasant.
Unlike the jellyfish that you can see, It turns out that the culprit could be jellyfish larvae, sea lice, or stinging plankton. All are nearly invisible to the eye, some looking like pink ribbons. For their size, they sting with the ferocity of a bee though its usually several rather than a loner. They penetrate your flesh, leaving behind a toxin that can cause a painful reaction. The burning sensation can linger for some time.
The problem was most apparent in calmer waters. I mentioned that locals living on the Islands of Belize use urine to calm the sting of jellyfish. No one seemed interested in this proven remedy. Lime or vinegar would also have helped but there was none on board. Of course the stings that we experienced weren’t life-threatening, but it reminded you that the sea though it looks inviting, might not always be. Someone could easily suffer an allergic reaction and require medical attention.
I've never experienced stinking plankton before. I was lucky to avoid the jellyfish, while others were not. They are nearly transparent and you need to keep a watchful eye where you are swimming. Some of the lagoons containing warm, still water were perfect habitats for them. I also did a brief search of similar encounters and apparently with increasing water temperatures our experience has become more common in other parts of the world as well.
Although some coral and shellfish have spines that if touched can cause extreme pain, they are easier to avoid. And to see someone in anguish after being jabbed by the barbed tail of a stingray is enough to keep you out of the water for a while. Thankfully there were no sea snakes or sharks to worry about.
There was little wildlife on the islands. I saw no monkeys on any of the islands and few birds; however, I did encounter 2 black ravens in the strangest of circumstances. Although locals in El Nido knew nothing about them, they said that they weren’t indigenous specie to the islands. If indeed I saw what I said I saw, then they were probably the pets of some seafaring person who released them.
We stopped for lunch at a religious retreat center that was all but abandoned except for religious holidays. We were told that throngs of Catholics would descend on this tiny island, 40 minutes by boat from El Nido. I followed the crowing of the birds to the back of the center. The ravens saw me and crowed even more loudly. They then flew to a window and began pecking the glass. It was a startling thing to witness. I thought of an old wife’s tale where if someone close to you dies, a blackbird will come to your window bringing a message of death. This was really freaking me out. I quickly tried to lose that thought and hurried back to the safety of the beach and the stinging plankton.
El Nido was giving us many fond memories, but it also felt like time to move on. Our attention was gravitating toward Port Barton that was 9 hours or more by bad road or a 4-hour boat ride. The weather reports were good at both ends so we left at the crack of dawn.
Port Barton
Port Barton is halfway between El Nido and Puerto Princess. It has generator-produced electricity and the dirt road to and from the main road can be impassable at times. It sounded like the perfect place to explore. We were thinking of inconvenience and discomfort, but there was one or two places to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, There were also several restaurants offering delicious seafood dishes.
Not only did we find a delightful beach bungalow to stay at, but the village itself was celebrating with a local beauty contest, a high school drama and dance, complete with vendors of food, festive goods, and games of chance. The children loved the roulette wheel and dice games that drew them in like baby bears to a pot of honey.
We did a snorkeling trip to close by islands that offered some of the best coral that we had seen. Between the sun, snorkeling, and swimming, the lazy days drifted by like billowy clouds. When it comes to island life I think the photos tell the story best.
Sabang
Sabang was our next stop. It was impossible to travel on our day of departure by boat because of very high seas. We got lucky, however, and hired a four-wheel drive that was headed empty to Puerto Princesa after delivering some clients to Port Barton. The only other options were to take an overcrowded local bus that could take 8 hours or more or wait a few days for the weather to change.
The 4-wheel drive was worth every peso. The road was the worst of the worst. Even with good shocks, our bodies were tossed in every direction. Fortunately the journey was interesting with beautiful vistas. We road to the peak of mountains where you could view clusters of islands below, a backdrop to the jungle foliage and occasional roadside huts. Though we saw hardly any adults, we did encounter school children that walked several kilometers to school daily. Transport was infrequent along the road and a ride to school was an appreciated adventure.
At a river crossing, we stopped and indulged in a meal of rice and barbequed fish. This was typical fare with little else being offered away from the villages. Stretching our legs a tad, wandering briefly the dusty road, you readily sensed the isolation of the place. It was dead quiet except for a few birds. No other vehicles appeared; only a few passing canoes and a young man riding a water buffalo.
Several hours more past and we finally climbed out of the vehicle for the last time. We had arrived in Sabang. The small village sat on the ocean and was actually quite charming. There is subterranean river there that brings hordes of tourists from Puerto Princesa, but the greater majority left by late afternoon and the village and beach afforded us another little pocket of paradise.
The Underground River
The underground river, like the rice fields, had been given world heritage site status. This recognition brought hordes of tourists, who like us, filled small boats to brave open, rough sea to get to the river's entrance about 30 minutes from town. There we waited for even smaller boats to take us up and into the underground river.
The mouth of the cave was situated on a river that flowed into the ocean. It was as if you entered the throat of a dragon with bad breath from the stench of bat dung. At the mouth itself, we were greeted by bats, darting in and out of the opening. They should have been sleeping of course, but this was not possible with the boat guide barking facts through a megaphone. We wore helmets to deflect bat pee and poop and shined a powerful 12 volt light across the ceiling and crevices of the underground cave. Inside there were literally thousands of bats and when disturbed would dart by our heads full speed.
Some of the rooms were as high as 4 stories inside. There were many examples of stalactites and stalagmites of varying sizes. And there were many water etched shapes and forms that were given a personality or name. Many of the forms seemed to have religious connotations, something that you might expect in a predominantly Catholic country.
Puerto Princesa
Our next destination was a short half-day trip by local bus. You could sit on the roof or pile in on long boards that could sit 6 or 7 abreast. Once the bus had filled, maybe 40 people inside, with a half dozen on the roof, we left Sabang for Puerto Princesa. The value of a window seat soon became apparent, offering some reward and reprieve from the muggy humid air. However, when someone needed to get off the bus, it usually meant crawling over you and out the open window. This is all part of the adventure of course. You keep your calm and are thankful that you didn’t have to deal with local transportation on a daily basis.
Once in Puerto Princesa we spent a day exploring the city while we waited for our flight back to Manila. From Manila we were booked to Saigon. We had booked our flight off Palawan allowing for a bad weather day to discover that the day before are flight, no planes were able to leave the island. We were lucky. Our plane left as scheduled on a fully booked flight with several disappointed standby passengers.
We would be leaving on a return flight to Oregon from Manila so we planned 2 extra nights on our return trip from Vietnam. Again we allowed for a bad weather day. As the weather and the airlines were cooperating we had an extra day to explore the island outside of the city of Manila. We decided to visit a highly recommended volcanic area nearby.
Taal Lake & Volcano
About 2 hours out of Manila is a beautiful lake up in the mountains where the air is much cooler and less polluted. On the lake are a couple of volcanic craters one of which is situated on an island about 20 minutes from the shore by boat. The volcano’s crater contained another lake and near one edge it was active. Sulfurous gas rose out of the crater while water in close proximity came to a rolling boil.
When you stood on the ridge above the active volcano you could see that you were overlooking a volcano with its own lake on an island in the crater of another volcano that formed its own lake. This larger volcano sat on an island surrounded by ocean. This entire zone was part of the active volcanic area known as the ring of fire. It was unsettling to contemplate how quickly these peaceful conditions might change with a sudden eruption. Many people were raising families in the area and dependent upon lake resources for their livelihood.
Rather than take a hundred dollar tour from Manila, we elected to go by local bus to Tagaytay, tricycle down to Taal Lake, and boat out to crater lake, bargaining our way to the active volcano’s ridge.
At the base of the active volcano we paid an entry fee to climb it. Immediately we were surrounded by a swarm of guides, offering to take us by horse to the top. The trail was very visible with much of the surrounding slope denuded of timber. It would be unusually easy to follow for even the most inexperienced hiker. What we didn’t expect was what a dust bowl the trail had become. It was like walking through 4 inches of fine earthen powder,well trodden by horses carrying tourists up and down the 2 kilometer path.
A new business had sprung up. White Dusk Masks were being sold. You felt that you were walking in some horrific environmental disaster area. When the horses weren’t walking by you, raising dust, there was the persistent guide with his horses nose nearly up your butt, loudly hawking, over and over, to take you up the mountain. I’m certain that many hikers finally gave in as these trail guides would not take a friendly no as an answer. It required stronger gestures to finally get them to back off and attach themselves to someone else.
It was mid-week, yet here were well over a hundred local horsemen competing for your services. The trek was disappointing and I would probably not recommend it to others. Locals have degraded the ambience and special place that the lake and volcanoes represented.
Once on the ridge, you were able to walk a tad higher along the edge of the cone to other vistas. No one but Sara and I seemed interested in doing so. The horses were corralled just below the ridge and their riders only peeked over the edge before descending again. Thus at these higher lookouts, you were quite alone absent of noise. Undistracted you could fully appreciate the magnitude and beauty of what lay below you. It was breathtaking. Reluctantly we began our descent. We were thoroughly covered with dust by the time we reach the shore of the lake.
Our boat and driver were waiting for us. We pulled up anchor and sped off taking a direct route back to our point of entry. As we were motoring directly into the wind, water sprayed off the bow, drenching us completely. Thankfully the sun came out and within half an hour, we were dry and free of dust, ready to head back up the hill to the bus stop for Manila.
We had only a short 6 km trek to the main road. It cost 25 cents going down the hill by Tricycle, but drivers were asking 8 dollars to go back up. It seemed like extortion, yet it was such an absurd increase that our circumstance became laughable. The hill was extremely steep and walking was really not an option. So with a chuckle and a smile I tried to bargain in a hopeless situation.
Unless we were lucky to find a shared jeepney or willing to hire one as a private taxi, we realized that we would be here for hours or maybe overnight. The triker could name his price and we were lucky to get any discount. Interestingly the guy that I negotiated with received a commission for every ride that he arranged. We were quickly handed over to another triker.
The hill was unusually steep and for a couple of kilometers Sara was asked to sit with her back to the front keeping the trike from flipping on the exaggerated curves. She clutched on for dear life doing a great job of keeping the wheel on the road. At the top we were dropped off at the crossroads where we hired yet another tricycle to take us to the bus stop in Tagaytay. It was a relief to be back on the bus. We talked about the unexpected and the adventure-filled day we had. The sun was setting by the time we arrived in Manila. People were on their way home and the traffic was intense. In a few hours we would be on an airplane bound for home.
