The Places I've Been so far

Today I have done the lakbayan test, Its a test about the places you have been or passed by. Suprisingly you'll never know how many places you have not visited until you've seen it like this.

As you can see there is still many white spot in my map, which means there are so many places for me to visit here in the Philippines.

I have a C- grade, and I will improve this and i refuse to be a foreigner on my own country.

Honda Bay Palawan (Snake Island)

Our trip to Palawan last June 14 -17 includes a lot of places and memories to remember, but the one that really made a trip something to remember is our Island hopping at Honda Bay.

The trip will start with catching a boat ride that will take you island hopping. The cost will depends on how many islands you are planning to visit. There are at least 7 islands at this coast but only some of them are advisable to disembark.

We spend most of our time in snake island, we arrived there around 11 am and it was on high tide thus making few available sand for us to play or goof around. It is at around 2 in the afternoon that you will see the beauty of this place while the sand slowly emerges when the tide switches.

The trip will take you the whole day so please be reminded that it is better to bring food and drinks. It is also advisable to do your shopping at the local market to have a very reasonable price. Plus the captain of the ship and his companion are the one who will do the cooking for you. On our part we tried the crabs and some tuna, It’s like eating in an eat all you can restaurant with crabs as the main course. There goes my high blood and diet.

Underground River Palawan (June 16, 2007)

Well this is definitely one of the best place that I've ever been, and being a nature lover all I can say is please let's preserve places like this.

It is believe to be one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world which features cathedral-like caverns and domes. The stalactites and stalagmites formation resembles like religious images, fruits, human and birds. Truly, an admirable underworld that project the omnipotence of the Creator over human hands.

It is located in the West Coast of Palawan, 81 km north of Puerto Princesa City. To get there you need only to catch a ride going to Sabang from Puerto Princesa, but if you want a more comfortable way to get there it is much advisable to hire a van to go there and if you got numbers in your group it is better para marami ang maghahati-hati para cheaper.
A motorized bangka is needed to go to the beach front of the underground river, from the beach front , you will only need to walk for 5 minutes through the forest, but dont worry there is a man made wooden path for tourist for easier walking.

The land form in the park are associated with rocky mountains ( of marble and limestone) running from north to south. Two-thirds of the area is covered by lush tropical rainforest from the shoreline to the highest peak, and one-third is thinly vegetated karst limestone. The vegetation types include lowland forest (often with 35 m. canopy), coastal forest and karst forest.

This National Park is currently a popular destination for visiting bird-watchers, and most of the threatened and restricted range birds of the Palawan Endemic Bird Area have been recorded here. It is also a sanctuary for philippine apes (unggoy) and monitor lizards (bayawak). During our visit there is this one ape that keeps on coming to the waiting area and keeps grabing food, and it was a suprise for me when we finally on our way to the beach front, we were greeted by a bunch of monkeys.

The Beachfront is now a marine reserve and people are not allowed to swim.

Bilao at Palayok Restaurant (Palawan)

June 14, 2007
Its was my first time to set foot at Palawan and if I'm not mistaken we arrived there around 10:00 in the morning. After fixing our accomodation at Audissey Penthouse, me and my companions started to feel the anger of our stomachs. We asked our guide Mang Dante if there is a place he can recommend to us and he said try eating at BILAO and PALAYOK ( im thinking ohhh a local version of Kawali't Kaldero sa Maynila).

When we finally reach Bilao & Palayok, I was amazed on the set-up of the place, it reminds me of the place in quezon called (Kinabuhayan Cafe). But this time it was bigger and much much more of a restaurant type of a thing. It is a native and seafood restaurant and believe me masarap ang kanilang bulalo and even if bulalo will activate my gout, well . . what the heck its my favorite.

The location of the place is just nera the airport and the exact address is: 353 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City so may i suggest pls pass by Bilao and Palayok have lunch or dinner there.
here are some pictures

Kubli Springs, Dolores Quezon

Our trip to kubli springs is the idea of a fellow thetribe member, and all I can say is that I'm glad we did go to this place. The place is located near a mining facility and it's been said that its privately owned.

The place is ideal for picnics, and summer fun activities, with it's clear flowing water, it will be hard for someone to resist dipping in it, specially during summer. It also has a potable water source that is made possible by bamboo sticks.

After several minutes of playing with water and photo ops, our guide decided to call us to eat lunch within the springs. The table is set down at the the flowing spring water and we literally ate in the water, coz some of us is siting in the springs while some of us look for a comfortable rock to sit, but i manage to sit in a rock underneath the water. So i got the comfort of sitting and the luxury of the flowing water on my body.

All I can say is I love the food i love the place and if i had a chance to go back here, I won't have

second thoughts.

Kinabuhayan Cafe ( Dolores Quezon )

June 2 - 3, 2007

Masarap dito, impressive ang set-up nila. okay yung food at higit sa lahat malapit sa nature, aside from the fact na malapit ka talaga sa kabundukan. Ibang klase ang konsepto ng lugar na ito, masasabi ko na jungle mix with civilization ang dating.

The food is nicely presented and the rooms has a taste of exotic and uniqueness. Pati yung treehouse enjoy masarap gawing tambayan, yun nga lang wala masyado time to explore more and use all the facilitites. Pero okay na rin nakapag laro namin kami ng bilyar nung gabi.

Madali lang din pumunta dito mga 2 to 3 hours ang biyahe mula Manila. Pero pagdating mo naman sigurado na marerelax ka. Salamat sa kaibigan ko at nakarating ako rito.