Nine Andres
Unique Palawan Experience in 48 hours
I chose Palawan, given that I’ve never been there; all I want to know is what the fuss is about and if the best island in the world title holds true. Let’s find out in 48 hours or less. P.S. I have skipped the usual beach and cave exploration given the limited time. This one’s for the weekend warrior in all of us:
The Superior Room (At par with usual European 3-star rooms
1. Check in to a wonderful hotel and explore the food
We checked into Hotel Centro, a quaint mid-range hotel established in 2011. Located 10 minutes away from the airport, it’s convenient, not crowded, and has excellent shuttle service. They also have buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Hotel Centro
Where: San Pedro National Highway, 5300 Puerto Princesa City
Rates: P4200-P4500/room, good for 2 with breakfast buffet and airport pickup
2. Food Hunting
We went to this charming seafood resto called Badjao Seafront. Where everything is breathtaking! From the view through the Mangrove-laden pathway, to the sea overlooking the Iwahig sanctuary from the other side. It is picturesque, and the food is just superb!
Badjao Seafront Restaurant
Where: A.M. Abueg Road, Puerto Princesa. It may be far out from the city, so make sure you have transportation waiting for you if you don’t mind walking a bit and waiting at the side of the road for a trike back to the city.
Rates: P300-P500 per head for meals, best if you’re in a group.
3. Try Go Karting!
Yes, it has exclamations because, man, this activity is just exciting. We tried hands-on go-karting at the Palawan International Circuit owned by Mr. Johnny Tan. The rain didn’t hamper us; we were just asked to be careful and avoid puddles on the tracks if any. The track can hold at least 12 carts in a row, plus more if guests bring them in. The standard cart runs at a max of 60 km/h, so keep those face shields down if you don’t want to eat dust or mud in our case. They have regular racing tourneys with different sponsors, and you can even use your own kart and park it there for the next use. It’s a definite alternative activity for the adrenaline junkies.
Palawan International Circuit
Where: 8 B.M. Road, Brgy. San Manuel, Puerto Princesa City
Rates: For P500/ 8 laps, it’s a steal! If you fancy this as a regular activity, you sign up as a member. They say it’s around 10-15K, which means thousands in savings. Encouraging!
4. Visit a brewery
Not just any beer distillery but a pioneer in the biz – Palaweno Brewery. Homegrown with girl power, this is founded by Aya and Malu Lauengco, who are among the pioneers of craft beer-making in the Philippines. They make exquisite, artisanal beers for you to discover and experience yourself! They have informational tours too, so that you can get your nerd on with beer. Check out their funny yard posters, too. The venue is perfect for just chilling out or listening to spoken poetry in the evenings. If ever you’re there, tell them Jen sent you so you get the strongest pint. Cheers!
Palaweno Brewery
Where: 82 Manalo St., Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Rate: P160 or $3.50 per bottle
5. Attend an Expo
The best thing about short trips is when they’re packed with purpose! This trip was made possible through the awesome organization and hard work of the Department of Tourism (DOT) – MIMAROPA, particularly Director Minerva Morada and Mr. Domenic Contreras. We’ve also met the wonderful team from the tourism offices of Palawan, namely Ms. Maribel Buni from the Provincial and Ms. Isay Dacanay from the City Tourism Office.
We were able to attend the opening of the Palawan: World’s Best Island Tourism & Trade Expo 2016, and boy was it grand! We especially liked the Palawan Dance Ensemble, the Provincial Capital Choral, and their provincial acoustic band (which I’ve researched is named Korales). They were just world-class, and we really felt we ought to pay for that kind of viewing experience. I’ve uploaded their performances that day to my YouTube channel here. To boot, there were a lot of travel and tour companies, hotels, and local crafts and food merchants in the expo, so you can take the best of Palawan at a bargain. This happened over the weekend of the 29th-30th of July. Be sure to mark your calendars and fly off to Palawan next time to make sure you catch this extravagant affair.
Photos from some of the exhibitors and our distinguished guests:
6. Shop for seafood
No need to be too early at the wet market; all you need is a local to guide you, and you’re all set to get the freshest, succulent sea critters to take home with you. You can even take them home alive. The best part here is that the wet market has a packaging facility that knows how to pack your seafood in the freshest, most acceptable way for any airport. Talk about bringing home something exotic and filling!
Puerto Princesa Public Market
Where: Malvar Road, Puerto Princesa
Price: Varies. Lobster: P600-P900/kilo, depending on size; Curacha: P600/kilo; Fresh Danggit: P200/kilo. Professional packaging starts at P270 /3kilos of seafood + gratuity (treat them well, they are hardworking)
There you have it, the best of Palawan without the beaches or caves in 48 hours or less. Exciting, vibrant, sumptuous, and exhilarating, proving that it is definitely the best island in the world! It is imperative that I go back and explore more. I hope you do too. See you!
Puerto Princesa Travel Tour Packages You Should Try
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Read:
- The Hidden Reasons Why Puerto Princesa Keeps Calling Me Back
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- Top 15 Best Things to Do in Puerto Princesa City
- HOTEL REVIEW: Wanderlust Bed & Breakfast in Puerto Princesa
- Where to Eat in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
- Puerto Princesa City Is Lovelier The Second Time Around
