Sabang Beach, Palawan

Travel date: 23-24 January 2019

Sabang Beach is located two hours northeast of Puerto Princesa City. It is best known as the jump-off point to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, as visitors arrive in vans and right away take a boat to the subterranean river park. However, for those looking for a yet undeveloped beach destination in Palawan (think El Nido 10 years ago), it may be worth staying in Sabang Beach for a night or two.

Although near and accessible enough via well-paved roads from "Puerto" (a nickname for the city and not to be confused with "Puerto Galera" in Mindoro), Sabang somehow missed out on the tourism boom that transformed Coron, El Nido, and most recently, Port Barton. Hotel and restaurant options remain largely local and basic, while electricity remains limited to a few hours after sunset. Evenings are quiet as the couple of bars close up at midnight, along with everything else, and mornings are more so...But mobile signal is strong, and so is the sea breeze and the tropic sun.

From Puerto, I caught the shuttle van to Sabang, as a last escapade in Palawan before moving to Cebu City. My goal was not to see the underground river park but to explore the beach itself, including the mangrove river tour that I just read about.

Sabang beach: brown sugar sand sprinkled with pebbles and seaweed.

Sabang beach doesn't have white powdery sand and swimming isn't safe either. One more thing that it doesn't have though are...crowds and noise.

It helps to mark and to cordon off sea turtle nests for monitoring and fending off dogs and other predators. 

Olive ridley sea turtles are among the 5 species (out of 7) of sea turtles that can be seen in the Philippines. They are much less common than Green and Hawksbill sea turtles and are similarly threatened to become extinct. Protecting their hatching sites helps increase their chances of survival.

Boats anchor off-shore to avoid the crashing waves, though some still set sail depending on need and courage.

When winds are too strong and waves too rough, boat trips get cancelled and so do the underground river tours. On such days, tourist vans don't arrive and tourist boats remain anchored, which might mean a lost payday for some.

Celestino Santander is among the lead guides who also offers "how to paddle for beginners" tours.

About a kilometer away from the tourist landing area, is a century-old mangrove forest and a river running through it. Trained local guides paddle a boat-load of tourists for 20 or so minutes while telling mangrove stories and obligatory semi-relevant jokes.

Paddle Boat Tours cost Php350/pax. Paddle Boat Learning Tours also cost Php350/pax plus a new life skill. They also offer Birdwatching Tours for Php350/pax which starts at 6:30am.

Centuries-old mangrove trees contend for space along the river. Some are male, while some are female. I can't tell which.

Mangroves are extremely valuable and useful but are unfortunately not sexy or exciting enough. I think I first encountered them in the same area during a family trip to the underground river. I remember being curious about their roots that stick out above the water because other trees are not like that.

Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

4-5 December 2016

Brgy. Pundaquit is a small fishing village in San Antonio in Zambales that is more popularly known as the jump-off point to camping destinations Anawangin Cove and Capones Island. Although normally overlooked in favor of uninhabited coves and a century-old lighthouse, Pundaquit features a soft mix of rural living among the fishermen and of touristy escapades with the arriving tourists that is set in its own sunset-facing semi-cove.

Typical fishing boats line the beach in the morning as some fisherman prepare their nets [far right] while others sort out the previous night's catch [middle center].

 Two fishermen aboard "07 Rhea Mhey" lay down their nets just in front of the shore while the first group of tourists boat away to their destination [background center].

Even from the other side of the cove, tourists can be identified by their mandatory neon orange life vests. This group left at 7am on a Monday.

Passenger boats and fishing boats anchor alongside each other as boatmen either wait for new passengers to arrive or for the mid-afternoon to pass.

From one side of the cove, Camara Island overlays against Capones Island, offering a nice gradient of islets under the mid-day sun. A female holiday-maker documents her trip in the foreground.

Nipa huts equipped with bamboo tables & seating and karaoke sets line the path from the parking area to the beach and are mostly popular among day-trippers and locals.

Lying along the Zambales coastline, Pundaquit also offers seasonal surfing and features left-handed waves, after which the Look Left community resort was named. Capones Island can be seen in the distance.

Lastly, Pundaquit lies at the foot of the Zambales Mountain Range and offers views of both the mountains and the sea, including some islets and a sunset.

Bonus: 

A 15-minute tricycle ride from the beach is the town center of San Antonio where a local fair reminiscent of childhood 20-peso thrill rides, which threaten to fall apart anytime, are setup on occasions.

Canggu, Kuta Utara, Bali

15-25 October 2016

Stand up!

Surrounded yet alone except for a furry companion

A family of five

Better than kissing under a mistletoe

Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte

The Boardwalk @ Cloud 9

A three-story wooden structure extending a few hundred meters into the sea, the boardwalk is frequented by tourists and locals alike for different purposes. While tourists watch surfers tackle the waves, locals watch the waves that they can potentially tackle.

Boulevard @ General Luna. Taken by Joseph B. Ouano.

An expansive stretch of sandy road facing the sea, the boulevard serves as a scenic setting to watch tourists depart for and arrive from boat trips. On hot afternoons when people prefer to stay inside and hide from the sun, I go out and bike in circles while singing to myself and eating ice cream.

Approach to Mam-On Island

An hour away from Siargao Island through towering waves and blue-green waters, Mam-On Island represents a typical island-paradise with its white sand beach, palm trees, clear cool waters, and small idyllic community. It proposes a more than worthwhile break from tackling the unceasing surf.

Karaoke @ Boulevard

As tourists head home to prepare for another night of partying at Jungle, locals head out to the Boulevard and sit down in front of a bottle (or three) of Tanduay, some serving of barbeque, and a song book for Karaoke

Low-tide hour @ Secret Spot

With no road signs to identify it and a 5-minute trek through forested lands to access it, Secret Spot is a well-known secret among locals that offers both frequent gentle waves for beginners and occasional intermediate swells for the experienced.

Lamyerda sa Maynila

Ilang beses na rin akong pabalik-balik sa Maynila. At sa bawat bisita, may bago akong nakikita at natututunan. Subalit hindi ko pa rin talaga kayang sabihin na kilala ko na ang siyudad na aking sinilangan.

Kasama ng Smokey Tours, nakulayan ng kwento ang dating gala at masid lang. Ang mga manghuhula, mga mataong eskinita, at mga makukulay na kakanin, may sariling salaysay rin pala. Akala ko alam ko na, hindi pa pala.

"Akala ko alam ko na ang lahat
Ng dapat kong malaman ngunit
Mali na naman, pero ok lang yan...

Wag kang matakot na baka magkamali
Walang mapapala kung di ka magbabakasakali
Dahl lumilipas ang oras, baka ka maiwananan
Kung hindi mo susubukan...

Wag kang matakot na sumikotsikot ka
Sa ganda ng Maynilang araw-araw nakikita
Dahil sulit dito ang oras, baka may mahanap ka
Ba't 'd mo ulit subukan..."

Akala mo totoo, iba pala yung hula

Akala mo gayuma, para pala sa Nazareno

Akala mo Little India, may Muslim Town pala

Akala mo hopeless, may hopia pa pala

Akala mo kasoy, yun pala ay nga-nga

Akala mo madungis, may makikita din naman pala

Akala mo sa Italia, yun pala sa Maynila

Akala mo agahan, pati pala meryenda

Akala mo jeepyney, yun pala ay bus

Akala mo gala lang, yun pala may tours

Sibuyan Island, Romblon

Cantingas River Resort: a popular R&R destination among locals

Kids normally jump from the three-story high platform

We walked on dried up river beds to get to a site with cascading waterfalls which is again popular withe locals

This is one of seven (?) pools that you can swim in as you go up and further the waterfall trail

Funny kid climbing on and playing around the rocks as her sisters munch on their green mango lunch

Biked 20kms across dusty and rough roads with some views of the ocean or of the forest

Liwliwa, Zambales

The turn-off point to watch out for just before Bobulon Elementary School

Quiet sunset watch 

A couple of surfers amidst a ruby red sunset

The trademark cubes of Liwliwa

On days with small waves, weekend surfers pass the time and the heat by drinking on the beach. This guy lost a bet and had to walk the couple hundred meters under the heat to refill their bottles

Batanes

All raw photos taken by yelmalab

Bunker's Cafe @ Naidi Hills, Opens at 6pm just as soon as the sun goes down

Tiptoeing across the Vayang rolling hills

Strong waves and heavy cloud shadows @ Valugan boulder beach

Sunset from Naidi Hills amidst the echo of cows

Aged farmer with his obedient helpers

Stormy day atop Marlboro Country