When the Screensaver Comes to Life in the Philippines…
The Philippines were our very first stop and it was an incredible experience. We landed in Puerto Princesa where we proceeded to figure out how to get to Sabang, our first destination. There was very little information on how to do this. We arrived at a “bus terminal,” which was essentially several huts next to each other, each with a 10 passenger van parked in front. We talked to a few people who all pointed us in the direction of the same place, telling us that the van would leave from there at 11am.
We waited two hours for the ten passenger van to fill up. We ended up departing with 19 people inside and three on the roof. You read that correctly… on the roof 🤣
After our 2.5 hour journey to Sabang, and a total of 40 hours of travel door to door, we spent a day exploring and taking a tour of the Puerto Princesa Underground River. This underground river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to see it. The underground river is over 8 kilometers long and runs through a series of underground caves and tunnels. The tour took us through some of the most beautiful and majestic parts of the underground river, and we were in awe of how quiet and peaceful it was inside.
There were thousands of bats flying around in the cave, and some really incredible stalagmites and stalactites (shout out Ms. Smaha’s sixth grade science class) that adorned the walls.
We only stayed in Sabang one night and our hotel was right on the water. The only downsides were that there was no hot water and there were lots of ants. The ants were only an issue for Britt. Justin could care less.
When we initially looked for lodging here, it was slim pickings so we counted ourselves lucky that we were able to find a place! A lot of other people take day trips from Puerto Princesa (where we originally flew into) but we wanted to avoid the crowds and long lines by staying locally and doing the tour first thing in the morning. This worked out really well, as by the time we were leaving the underground river, there were lines of people waiting to go in.
After our quick stay in Sabang, we made our way to El Nido, where we spent a few days exploring the stunning beaches and taking an island tour. The island tour was one of the highlights, as it took us to some of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the area. We were able to swim in crystal clear waters, relax on white sandy beaches, and explore some of the breathtaking lagoons and coves that the area is known for. Our favorite was Helicopter Island, although it had a crazy rip current that made it a bit sketchy to swim onto the island and back from the boat.
One of the other highlights of our time in El Nido was our night at Nacpan Beach. We decided to try something a little different and opted for a beach glamping experience, and it was absolutely amazing. The tents were set up right on the beach, and we were able to fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. It was such a unique and special way to experience the beauty of Nacpan Beach, and we would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
After El Nido, we headed to Coron. There are two ways to get to Coron from El Nido - ferry and prop plane. We wanted to ferry since it was cheaper, but it’s currently only running every other day and the timing didn’t work out. However, we’re glad we flew because we were talking to some people we met who said the ferry was miserable and it also gets canceled regularly due to weather. Flying was the right choice - there were some incredible views from the sky.
In Coron, we spent a few days exploring the stunning island and we took another island tour. It was just as amazing as the one in El Nido, and it took us to some of the most beautiful and secluded spots on the island. We were able to snorkel in and explore the breathtaking Twin Lagoon and Kayangan Lake.
One of the things that we were most excited about during our time in the Philippines was the opportunity to try local Filipino food. Unfortunately, we found it a bit difficult to find, as many of the restaurants in the area were serving more western foods. This was a bit of a bummer, as we were really looking forward to trying some of the delicious and unique dishes that the Philippines is known for. We learned that everyone loves potatoes, burgers, and fried chicken! However, we did find some amazing Lumpia on the side of the road while we were just strolling through the residential area.
Overall, our trip to the Philippines was an absolutely incredible experience, and we would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful destination to visit. The country is made up of around 7600 islands, which can make transiting between locations a bit logistically complex. However, the stunning islands and the friendly and hospitable locals more than make up for any logistical challenges. The Philippines was a great place to kick off our travels!
Now, let’s Cruz Together to Thailand!
