Hi mga sis,
Me and my family was in Puerto Princesa last March 24 to 28. Here is my share of experience and everything here is highly recommended =)
We checked in at the Purple Fountain Courtyard Inn. This is a new place, mga 1 year old lang yata and they only have 8 rooms so I reserve through Ella by email. She is friendly and well informed. Halos lahat yata ng pension houses and hotels needs a deposit so we are reluctant coz we are 10 adults and 2 toddlers and 2 kids so overall payment namin for accommodation and tour package is over P88,000++ so we deposited 1st P5,000 and called Ella if she receive it then we deposited the other half of the payment. By the way here’s the website:
http://purplefountain.weebly.com/We opted for the package D with front porch. They charge us P6,720 per pax in a room with 1 king size bed and 2 single beds so kasya kameng 4 adults. Not bad coz all in na to including a set breakfast na you can choose from tocilog and all the logs =) at may American and continental breakfast pa.
Package D is:
Day 1 – City Tour at Plaza Cuartel,Crocodile Farm, Mitra's Ranch, Baker's Hill, Cathedral, Baywalk, Tiangge2. Then in the evening we went to Iwahig firefly watching. Then dinner at Ugong Rock.
The hotel fetch us from the airport with their van and wala pang 1 minute nasa hotel na kame =) The place is very cozy and we always have breakfast at the outside porch so alfresco style =)
Yung city tour normal lang sya sa akin pero yung firefly watching, amazing talaga coz 4pax lang kyo sa paddle boat including the banker then you idadaan kyo sa buong river. Nakakatakot sya coz brackish yung water at syempre baka may lumabas na anaconda or crocodile dyaan =) pero safe naman daw. Nawala lang yung takot ko nung pinatingin kame sa mga puno and mangroves to see the firefly. Ang ganda nila coz they are illuminating at parang Christmas lights =) Syempre natakot ulit ako at baka may lumabas na snake or monkey dun or something but the banker assured us na its totally safe =) Well verse sya and pinagse-seminar pa raw sila ng government to enhance their skills.
Yung buffet dinner naman naming, ang sarap and ok din.
Day 2 – Underground River Tour. From our hotel to Sabang its almost 2 hours drive with 1st stopover at a store which we ate fresh buko and 2nd stopover sa Buena Vista view deck (overlooking). After we reach the Sabang area, we had our buffet lunch and naghintay pa kame ng turn naming after that and we bought halo halo =) Yung motorised boat mga 30 minutes sya then we finally reach our destination. Beach sya then may forest sa loob then mga 10 mins or less walking you reach the UGR na. Nung nakita ng baby (22 months old) ko yung water, ayun nagtampisaw na at mega iyak na nung inalis naming sa water =( tapos yung baby rin ng sis in law ko (2 yr old) umiyak din. As in sabay sila at ayaw magpaawat =( As in nung sumakay na kame sa Bangka mega iyak parin sila na lahat ng tao nakatingin sa amin at pinagchichismisan na iyak ng iyak ang mga anak namin eh what more kung nasa loob na ng cave. Pero we still tried. So ayun yung nasa loob kame ng cave my baby settled down and was amazed on the rock formations at kumakain pa sya take note ha. Nagmeryenda pa ng skyflakes =) Tapos yung isang bata natulog all the way sa 45 min cave tour. Kaya after ng tour namin sikat baby ko coz iyak ng iyak then tumahan din =)
Btw babala pala coz may lizards and monkeys sa forest and don’t ever bring plastic bags coz the monkeys will take them. Ito ang warning sa amin ng tour guide which I forgot coz after the tour binigyan ko ng food baby ko from the zip lock at may sumigaw so ayun the monkey tried to steal my baby’s food =) buti na lamang ang bilis ko at di nya nakuha pero katakot parin coz he will remember you =) So di nya nakuha pero yung plastic ng sis in law ko eh nakuha kahit ang laman nun is wet clothes ng pamangkin ko. As in inakyat sa puno and when binuksan nya na walang pagkain, hinulog nya lahat ng damit. Buti na lamang at walang used diaper doon =)
This tour is so worth it and I’m so proud to say na nakasama tyo sa 7 wonders of nature. I recommend na all Filipino to try and see for yourself. Our dslr cannot give justice on the wonders inside the cage. Kahit brackish ang water, mawawala ang takot mo coz ang dami ninyo and sabi nga ni bangkero, its completely safe =)
Day 3 – Honda Bay Island Hopping
Pandan Island – mga 30 mins away ito from our hotel and I believe we reach the island ng mga 8am then tambay all the way and we also had lunch here.
We stayed at our cabana. White beach sya na may konting corals pero di sya masakit sa paa. Ang kagandahan ditto is that mas exotic and mas konting tao compared sa Boracay. Mababaw palang eh you can see na the starfish and colored fishes. As in nandun lang sila swimming with you so don’t forget to bring bread for feeding. At ang tubig, grabe sa linaw =)
Nagchill lang kame dito, got our henna tattoo. Puede ding magvolleyball. Our tour guide Kuya Rich assisted us to all our guided tours and pick us up in a van. Dala na ni Kuya Rich and mga bangkeros yung food namin then they cook it for us. Galing nga eh at over-all sya. He is our tour guide, chef and water guide and sanay sa bata. Sya ang nakipag-usap sa UGR na payagan yung mga anak naming pumasok kahit na umiiyak sila =)
Buffet lunch is good pero nag-order parin ang father in law ko ng pusit, isda and para syang snails. Ang mura kase and ang fresh pa.
Yung bangkero naming ang daming alam na camera tricks at ang galing kumuha ng photos =)
Ang hassle lang dito sa island is that walang basurahan. Kaya bring your own supot and basura.
Pambato Island – actually this is not a land island. The boat will stop at the middle of the vast water and you will walk sa mga wooden planks at may malaking wooden plank sya sa gitna and ayun dun ka magsnosnorkel. Ang dami daw coral reefs and protected area din ito. I didn’t manage to swim so I just took photos of my family.
Luli Island – last island. “lulubog” “lilitaw” na island. Letter C shape sya na island and sabi ni Kuya Rich. Sometimes nandyan and sometimes wala dyan =) This place is perfect for sun tanning.
This is the hottest island ever coz ang layo ng cabana sa beach area at tirik na ang araw coz hapon na ito. May maliit na silong lang that we shared with the other people. Ang highlight nito is the diving spot na may 15 to 20 feet deep. Miski yung mga bata na 8 years old kinaya sa pagtalon =) May nagbebenta dito ng buko salad na ice candy na ubod sa sarap =) And they have this vast empty space na puros mangroves ang likod at yung bangkero namin nag offer ulit ng camera tricks. Grabe ang talon ko at ang galing ni kuya =) Kala ko tuloy photoshop lang yun. Yun pala totoong tumatalon yung mga models and yung backdrop and ganda. Ang taas ng talon ko. Feeling ko nasa America’s Next Top Model hehe =) hirap mag pose pero worth it, pang profile picture ika nga =)
By the way, yung baby ko sobrang tan na at gusto paring magtampisaw sa tubig =)
Nung bumalik na kame sa van ang daming nagbebenta ng perlas. Yung perlas earrings nga ng friend ko she bought 7 pairs for P50 only =)
By 4pm plus nakabalik na kame sa hotel and pahinga na waiting for our Kalui dinner that we have reserved yesterday. We paid P100 per pax for the reservation na you can offset from your total bill.
Kalui Restaurant – 10 to 15 minutes tricycle from the hotel. P20 each pax. Homey sya and ang daming paintings and nakapaa ka. Their floor is wooden floor and lahat native works. My baby kept playing dun sa mga bamboo sticks coz when you touch the rest of the bamboo sticks they will create a sound kaya ayun pati yung mga other babies nagjoin narin =)
Food wise – worth it sya. Everyday daw they have a different set of menu. We paid P3,000++ so para sa akin worth it sya and ang dami pang photo ops. Yung comfort room, parang bahay sa loob =)
Day 4 – Free and Easy so we went to Robinsons Place. Laki ng mall nila and super bago pa =)
Day 5 – Check out na
Feedback – overall experience is amazing and affordable na. Next time kung malaki na ang mga kids we will try Coron or El Nido.
PM me if you want to know our tour guide details, Kuya Rich who is with us for 3 days.
Ang maganda rin sa PPS is the people. They are friendly and the tour guides are supported by the government that they even go to seminars pa to enhance their skills. Lahat ng tour guides namin is top notch.
I am happy to answer all your questions to help all our travellers out there =)
Top notch din pala yung Purple Fountain, downside lang nga is mahina yung internet access and sabon safeguard lang ang provided. Pero other than this, everything is perfect =)
