Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Brooke's Point
, there are hardly any buses and few jeepneys, but if you do make it
here you'll find unspoilt countryside, quiet barangays and deserted, palm-fringed
beaches backed by craggy mountains.
Narra and around
The small town of
NARRA
, about two hours by bus and 92km south of Puerto
Princesa, makes a good introduction to southern Palawan, with several empty
beaches in the area and
Rasa Island
, 3km offshore, the only place in the wild where
you can see the endangered
Philippine cockatoo
. Around 250 of the estimated wild
population of only one thousand reside here, although their habitat is threatened by
plans for a 15MW coal-fired power plant less than 1km from the island. The island
is a thirty-minute boat trip from the village of Panacan, a short tricycle ride from
Narra. Further offshore, the
Isla Arena Marine Turtle Sanctuary
is a major nesting
site for green turtles, where the tiny hatchlings are protected before being released
into the wild.
Inland, the most rewarding excursion is to the
Estrella Waterfalls
, around 15km from
Narra on the road back to Puerto Princesa. The water is wonderfully fresh and pure
(you can swim here), and the falls are surrounded by lush jungle inhabited by monkeys.
7
ACCOMMODATION
NARRA AND AROUND
Crystal Paradise Resort
Sea Road, Antipuluan
T
048
723 0952,
W
crystalparadiseresort.com.
On the edge of
Narra, this resort has good rooms and luxurious villas with
their own pools (from P11,000). There's als
o a spa
and staff
can arrange trips to the nearby attractions.
P3500
Tabon Caves and around
It was inside the
Tabon Caves
in 1962 that archeologists discovered a fragment of the
skull dubbed “
Tabon Man
”, dating back 22,000 years, which made it the oldest known
human relic from the archipelago at the time. Crude tools and evidence of cooking
fires going back some fifty thousand years have been unearthed in the caves, along with
fossils and a large quantity of Chinese pottery dating back to the fifth century BC.
Most of these artefacts have been transferred to the National Museum in Manila for
preservation, though some are on display in the caves. It's still intriguing to wander
through the damp caverns and tunnels, which may have been a kind of Neolithic
workshop for making stone tools; researchers are still working here and are happy to
show visitors the latest finds.
The caves are accessible from
QUEZON
, a fishing village consisting mainly of wooden
houses on stilts, around 150km from Puerto Princesa. Before visiting the caves, stop
first at the
National Museum
(Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; free) near Quezon wharf for
orientation and information. There are actually more than two hundred
caves
in the
area, but only 29 have been fully explored and of those only three are
open
to the
public (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
TABON CAVES AND AROUND
Tours
Hotels and travel agents in Puerto Princesa organize
day-trips to the Tabon
Caves for around P1200/person.
By bus and bangka
You can catch a bus from Puerto
Princesa to Quezon (4hr). At Quezon wharf, bangkas can
be chartered for P800 for the 30min ride to the caves
and back.
ACCOMMODATION
Tabon Village Resort
Tabon
T
0910 239 8381.
The
best place to stay near the caves, with simple cottage-style
accommodation with fans and pri
vate b
athrooms right on
the water, plus a good restaurant.
P450
Villa Esperanza Resort
Tabon
T
0935 103 2820.
Cheap resort with simple fan and a/c rooms set a
round
a
beachside garden. There's also a decent restaurant.
P250
