Palawan - Puerto Princesa: Day 2 - Buena Vista View Deck, Underground River, Sabang Zip Line and El Nido Road Trip

     It was a beautiful morning that day. We had our breakfast at home which is included in the package. I was dismayed by the food that was served. I did not feel I ate after the breakfast. The serving was too small even for a petite female. Tinipid. That did not ruin our day though. While waiting for all the rest of our friends who will be arriving in Palawan at 9:00 in the morning, we went to the souvenir shops.

They sell their souvenirs at a very cheap price. Key chains cost only Php 10.00 each. I bought my mom a bag and key chains to my office mates. I loved shopping from these shops. However, we had to cut the shopping experience when Nathan called and said they already arrived and they were waiting in the house for us. We rushed back to the house and had the tour started. 

First Stop: Buena Vista View Deck

This was just a stop over on the way to Sabang going to the Underground River. The Ugong Rock is also part of our trip however, due to time constraints we were not able to get there. Sad. 

It was almost lunch time. Buffet meal is included in the package but on top of that, what I want to try is their local aphrodisiac, "Tamilok". We had our lunch at Robert's Restaurant.

Caught on cam: Ericka's reaction when I had this shot of Tamilok.

It's hard to describe how it tastes. It was more like a rubber texture that I had difficulty swallowing because it kept on sticking to my brackets. It was a fun experience though. 

Before heading towards the "New Seven Wonders of the World", we had to make reservation to this newest attraction in Palawan, the Sabang Zip Line. This is the second longest zip line in the Philippines running 800 meters, next to the one in Danao, Bohol. What makes it breathtaking is the view. The zip line runs across the sea, making it truly worth trying.

The Mangrove Paddle Boat tour is also included in my short list of the places I wanted to visit however again due to lack of time we were not able to experience it. Sabang Zip line costs Php 550.00 per person. It included an ATV which brought us back to the wharf. After we purchased our tickets to the Zip Line, our driver guided us to the pump boats which would bring us to the Underground River. I was so excited. Our group was divided in to two. Us, who will go straight to where the zip line is and the the other group who opt not to try the zip line rather, will go back to the wharf. Finally, we were there. We were able to see the things we had only been seeing on TV and in textbooks.

     The odor of the bats' urine near the cave's opening is quite strong. It was pungent to the point I had a bit of headache. But those are all part of it's "natural beauty". From the drop off point, we had to register our names prior to riding a small paddle boat that goes inside the cave. It was just a short trail towards the underground river from the entry point. They advised people not to bring food as this would attract the monkeys who inhabit the forest that surrounds it. I must admit, it was a little bit boring inside. The tour guide who also paddled the boat cracked jokes that kept us interested with the sights inside the cave. In fairness, he was funny. It took us around 30 minutes inside the cave. Ron and I sat in front, where I held the light which is the only source of light inside the cave. I followed where the tour guide wanted me to flash the light at. 

     After the underground river tour, we rode the boat again, this time going to the Sabang Zip Line. When we reached the drop off point, we still had to trek and walk uphill. It was fun but tiring. It took us approximately 10 to 20 minutes to get to the top. We were covered with sweat by the time we get the top but then again, that is why we went to Palawan - to experience adventure.

 ATV ride back to the wharf where our friends waited for us

    It was 5:00 in the afternoon and part of our plan is to travel to El Nido. This I guess was one of the most memorable part of the trip, the road trip. We thought we would never get there. It was a long 6 hours of travel from Sabang and more than 2 hours of that 6 hours road trip we experienced was on a bumpy dirt road. We passed by so many short bridges that we almost joked on being on a bad spell. It was indeed memorable. Our sleep was never enough to cover the entire 6 hours. Some would throw jokes to keep us all laughing while patiently waiting to finally get to our destination. It was a good choice to go there in big group.

     We arrived at Casa El Nido past 11:00 in the evening. We were welcomed by an old lady who gave me the keys and prepared our rooms. We had not eaten yet so we looked for a nearby restaurant to have our dinner. The place feels safe. We went to Sea Slugs Restaurant just 5 minutes walk away from Casa El Nido. There were foreigners in the restaurant bar who were still up. Prices are very much affordable and each serving is good for 2 persons already. After having our dinner, we took a bath and slept. 

This ends our Day 2 in Palawan :)