Palawan Blog | The City In The Forest

5 Top Places for Snorkeling in Puerto Princesa, Palawan

December 21, 2013 By // by Jerome Aaron Leave a Comment

Snorkeling in Puerto Princesa and other areas in Palawan Island is one memorable experience. The island is blessed with a variety of colorful, interesting and intriguing life forms, which include fishes, sponges and corals. The island is known for many other things but of course the star of the show would be the pristine waters that are perfect for snorkeling. Snorkeling in Puerto Princesa is an experience that water enthusiasts, adventurers, and tourists should not miss.

There is no actual snorkeling in Puerto Princesa, the capital city. The place is an idyllic but fast-growing city with major shops, restaurants, hotels and other business establishments. Puerto Princesa is easily honored as the cleanest city in the Philippines and was the first to strictly implement anti-littering and anti-smoking laws. Snorkelers, divers and beach bums all pass by this city en route their final destinations elsewhere in the island. …

Eating and Drinking in Puerto Princesa is a Treat

December 21, 2013 By // by Jerome Aaron Leave a Comment

Puerto Princesa is the capital city of Palawan, Philippines. Filipinos all over the islands regard this city as the cleanest city in the country and long to visit it at least once in their lifetime. Although Palawan is known for its many amazing natural treasures, most of them are hours away from the capital city. But Puerto Princesa will not disappoint. This idyllic Philippine town is booming with tourism, which is why eating and drinking in Puerto Princesa is quite an experience, even away from Palawan’s vaunted beaches.

Eating and Drinking in Puerto-Princesa — Jollibee in Puerto-Princesa – Philippines

The most popular (and maybe the most expensive) restaurant in Puerto Princesa is Ka-Lui. It is conveniently located just a few meters from the City Hall going to the airport. Although it is in the city proper, Ka-lui’s ambiance is that of a Philippine coconut hut in the middle of a picturesque rice field or along the beach. …

Diving in Puerto Princesa, One of the Best in the World

December 21, 2013 By // by Jerome Aaron Leave a Comment

Palawan is known for so many things and one of them is as a world famous diving destination. On the Philippine map, Palawan is that long “arm-like” island on the western border of the country, stretching from Luzon and down to Mindanao. The capital city is Puerto Princesa, which is considered the cleanest and most orderly city in the Philippines. All tour packages going to several exciting places in the island begin in the capital city. Diving in Puerto Princesa is the jump-off point to several world-renowned dive spots beginning with Red Cliff.

Just 10 minutes away from the Puerto Princesa Bay by tricycle or “multi-cab” jeepney, Red Cliff is most ideal for beginners. This is usually where open-water dive training sessions are conducted. The wall is only about 20 feet deep and a newbie does not need to dive very deep to see colorful corals, reef fishes and turtles swimming around them. As one goes deeper, one gets a better chance of seeing manta rays, whale sharks, and hammerhead sharks. Another nearby dive spot and similar to Red Cliff is White Beach. …

Baker’s Hill: Best Place to Enjoy Home-baked Goodies

December 21, 2013 By // by Jerome Aaron Leave a Comment

The island of Palawan is clearly the Last Frontier of the Philippines. It is known for amazing white sand beaches such as El Nido, Honda Bay and the Amanpulo luxury beach, as well as two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Underground River Park and Tubbataha Reef Marine Park. These wonders of Nature truly are among the best in the world, but they are many kilometers away from Puerto Princesa, the capital city and mostly accessible only on board hired vehicles. Is there a tourist destination right inside the city? There is one: Baker’s Hill.

Bakers Hill in Puerto Princesa – Philippines

Baker’s Hill is exactly what its name says. It is a place on top of a hill where a number of bakers and bakeries work together to cook deliciously baked goodies for tourists and visitors. Together they form a baker-based theme park that is complete with Disney character sculptures made from fiberglass. The place exudes a Disneyland-type feeling but without the rides. There is also a playground for kids while Mom and Dad go through the many choices of bread. The most popular items are chocolate crinkles, brownies, and hopia or bean filled pastry (specifically purple yam flavor). A box of purple yam hopia with 10 pieces costs PHP35 (US$0.79). A number of visitors bother to come all the way just to buy a box of hopia. …

The Historic and Enigmatic Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Cathedral

December 21, 2013 By // by Jerome Aaron Leave a Comment

Palawan is one of the most popular provinces in the Philippines for so many natural and cultural resources. The two leading natural treasures are the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, which are both in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites and nominees for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. On the other hand, a leading cultural treasure is the famed Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church.

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception in Puerto Princesa – Philippines

The Philippines is the only Catholic Christian nation in Asia. When Spain took control of the country in 1521, they brought along Catholicism and used religion to control the local masses. For 300 years, the Spanish Crown ruled with the Sword and the Cross, and until today the country is predominantly Roman Catholic: as a matter of fact, about 81% of the total population. …

Up Close with Crocodiles inside the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center

December 21, 2013 By // by Jerome Aaron Leave a Comment

One of the most frequently visited tourist spots in Puerto Princesa, Palawan is the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, formerly called and still more commonly referred to as the Crocodile Farming Institute. Ask any local where “Crocodile Farm” is and he would know where to point. However, not many local Palaweños know that this popular tourist attraction is also a research institute. Here are a few more things about the conservation center and why more foreign tourists should come check it out.

First, the conservation center has everything one needs to know and experience about Philippine crocodiles. It is the biggest and most popular crocodile conservation area in the entire country. The 8-acre facility is home to about 4,000 crocodiles, and where these amazing reptiles can grow, thrive and reproduce. It is primarily concerned with two crocodile species: C. porosus and C. mindorensis. Recently constructed is a special room for baby crocodiles. What’s really inviting about this room is that visitors can pet the baby predators, with supervision from their handlers, of course. The bigger crocodiles but not over 5 feet are kept behind the building, while those over 5 feet are in an open pond outside for tourists to see and take pictures of. Visitors can also feed them from a bridge. Official feeding time is Monday and Thursday afternoons. …