I almost forgot to write about our recent trip to Palawan. I might have subconsciously rejected any memory related to this trip since it wasn't exactly what I'd call "relaxing." It was quite the opposite, in fact...
Going to Palawan was once again my ma's idea. She has been nudging me to book for us for the longest time, but since I found it so exhausting to even lift a finger these days, she did the dirty job herself. This time, we were a party of five with yours truly, ma, her college friends Tita Feng and Tita Aida, and Tita Aida's daughter, Aizel.
Now for the 1st mishap. A month before our flight schedule, we reserved a room at JAMP PENSION HOUSE for a 4d3n stay (P1,500 per night, max of 5 pax). It was the only pension house that could accommodate 5 people at the time, as the rest were already fully booked for Halloween. I called the number from their website and was able to speak with Ms. Joy, the receptionist. After a few Q&As, we were booked. At the same time, I asked if we could arrange a tour to the Underground River with them, and Ms. Joy diligently explained the new booking procedure. Apparently, since the Underground River is now one of the 7 Wonders of the World, visitors will need to secure a permit from the City Coliseum. Application for the permit should be at least a month before the scheduled tour and a 50% downpayment (P750 per head) was also required for them to start working on our permit. We immediately complied, since this was supposed to be the highlight of our trip. And there was no way...NO WAY that ma and company are going to Puerto Princesa without seeing the Underground River. NO WAY. Ms. Joy referred me to the owner, Mr. Arniel Pacaldo for the tour, so I sent him a text as soon as I've deposited the fee. Mr. Pacaldo acknowledged, and that was it.
About 2 weeks after, and 2 weeks before our flight, I got a text from Ms. Joy asking for our full names and ages, as these were required for the permit. I sent her the details and asked if our preferred schedule was okay (wondering why she's only asking this now when she should have filed the application 2 weeks ago). She then replied asking for another deposit.
Huh? Another?!
"On top pa ba to sa fee na dineposit ko a few weeks ago?" I responded through text. Well, as it turned out, Ms. Joy wasn't informed that we had already paid the downpayment, and was only able to confirm with Mr. Pacaldo that day. Okay, so obviously, they were not aligned. But I insisted that we be booked for Nov. 2 or 3, since it wasn't our fault they had to apply late for the permit anyway. Ms. Joy then assured me that we'll get in. And our conversation ended with her gaining back my trust.
November 1. We arrived at the pension house about lunch time. We were greeted by Ms. Joy...and the exciting news that we don't have permits for the Underground River tour. Awesome. A walk-in application could have been an option, but it was a non-working holiday. Meh. But the worst thing was, she was blaming me for texting the names late. Wow, mehn.
We just went on the city tour to grant us some time to cool our heads. The city tour costs P600 per head, inclusive of van and driver. We spent about 5 hours rounding the city, and our driver accommodated our requests to go certain places (more on him later). We were on our way back to Jamp when the driver received a text from Joy, asking him to remind us that the P600 fee was only for 3 hours, and that an additional P100 was charged for every extra hour. Oh, Ms. Joy, Ms. Joy...she wants to get on our nerves so badly, does she? Shouldn't this info be given before the tour? If we learned about it first we would've compressed our tour to 3 hrs. Though we wouldn't mind paying extra if we exceeded...if only we were properly informed.
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| Baker's Hill |
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| Tita Feng on fake horsie |
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| Tita Feng on real horsie :) |
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| Baywalk |
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| Plaza Cuartel |
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| Immaculate Conception Cathedral |
November 2. We eventually decided to go to El Nido, since the Underground River was a no-go anyway. We made a separate transaction with our van driver and agreed to pay P14,000 for a round trip from P.Princesa to El Nido, and for him to drive us to ANYWHERE around El Nido. We were supposed to leave early in the morning but our driver was an hour late. Already, mishap #2. Moreover, we asked Mr. Pacaldo (yes, we talk to him directly now) the night before if it was possible to get our breakfasts before 6AM, and he said yes. Of course, when Tita Feng went to the dining area in the morning, the cook had just woken up and was even irritated at how early we were. So as it turned out, we had breakfast somewhere else.
Finally we were on our way to El Nido. Fresh start, good vibes. Now, with our not-so-cheap P14,000 fee, our driver promised that he'll find us a hotel at El Nido, since we didn't really have time to make bookings. When we arrived...well...let's just say we spent a little more time than expected walking around carrying our bags, looking for vacant rooms. We finally checked in at NIDO BAY INN, which was a pretty decent inn at an affordable price. As soon as we were settled, we went to explore the town proper of El Nido. Since we only arrived at mid-afternoon, there wasn't much to do. A local suggested we go to a waterfall that's a few kilometers from the area, so we asked Driver if he could take us there. But then he says it's a 30-min ride, and we will need to pay extra for that. Oh god, they're at it again. Never mind then. We refused to let Driver suck on our good vibes for the day, so we decided to just walk around to look for souvenirs and have dinner.
November 3. With the series of unfortunate events we've been experiencing, this was the best day of the whole trip, ever. It was island-hopping day, and for once we got kindhearted people as tour guides. They ensured our safety, cooked really good seafood for lunch, and made sure we got the most out of our tour. Hard to believe they were acquainted with our driver. :-/ Anyway, I'm especially thankful to them since they encouraged me and Aizel (the tita's were very firm about their fear of deep waters) to explore the Secret Beach and the cave within the Big Lagoon. To reach the Secret Beach we had to swim towards an opening and under, which was no easy task if you see that you're swimming over an abyss. Meanwhile, the cave in the Big Lagoon was located at the middle, so you'll have to swim through what seemed like a habitat for Lochness monsters in order to see it. Nonetheless, thanks to our guides' unwavering trust in our swimming skills (and life vests), Aizel and I were able to brave these obstacles for the rare experience. :)
- Read about the procedures of getting a permit for the Underground River. You never know when a "Ms. Joy" will strike.
- When you make a deal with a hotel staff, driver, or anyone for that matter, ENUMERATE everything that's included in your payment. If possible, get it in writing. You'll look silly waving a contract at them but it'll save you from major headaches in the future.
- During island-hopping, wear proper swimming gear--aqua shoes, rash guards, etc. Some islands have rocky shores. Treading to the Hidden Beach was a fun experience but it left me balancing on one leg for the rest of the trip.
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| Oh, what a tragedy! :) |
That's all, thank you. :)
EDIT:
By the way here's the contact number of our island-hopping guide at El Nido:
Kuya Homer - 0920-509-0101
You can negotiate tour combos with him as long as there are at least 5 pax in your group. Thought I'd at least promote him here as an act of gratitude. That grilled squid he prepared for lunch was a work of art.
