off the beaten path: Palawan Escapade

This epic trip started with a well-deserved sabbatical from the hectic world that is TV commercial production...An invitation and chaperone duties by an Uncle to accompany my nephew to Puerto Princesa opened numerous possibilities for me.

So the trip began with an early morning flight to puerto princesa...upon arrival and getting settled in, we checked out my Uncle's new business venture - a vietnamese-style open air garden resto serving grilled food as well as authentic vietnamese dishes.

Sweet Ambet's in Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Day 2 started by meeting a local couch surfer, Sharon Salazar as she took me to her friend, Cynthia's place which was a quaint house in the middle of a sprawling property which she turned into a local community / day care centre for underprivileged kids in the rural area. More info on the Book Bridge can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebookbridgelibrary?fref=ts

The Book Bridge

Newfound-friend and tour guide Ken

My Uncle Bobby was nice enough to lend me his motorbike to get around Puerto Princesa since it had been six years since I was last there....Being lost is part of the journey and the adventures takes place when there are no plans and you veer off the regular tourist trails.

My Sweet Ride

Sheridan Resort & Spa

On the plane over, bumped into Directors Kerwin Go and Matt Rosen and they were headed to Sabang where the underground rivers were to do a commercial shoot... so i decided to rent a motorbike and follow to Sabang since I had never been there before...upon arrival, the lines and number of people just there for the underground river renewed my distaste for tourist traps...although it being good in giving the local guides business, it turned out people were being shunned away since there was not enough tours to handle the number of tourists it being the end of summer. There was even a 3-month waiting list to see the underground rivers.

Good friends from DM9, Alex Syfu and Carla Dado were also around to represent the Agency for the shoot, so after a massage at The Sheridan (5-star resort) and drinks with friends, found a nice cottage for Php 800 for the night, hung out and chatted with a sweet couple from the Netherlands then headed off before dawn towards Port Barton.

Viet Ville Puerto Princesa

Viet Ville, i would definitely recommend to travellers as it is as authentic to Vietnam as it gets... complete with Vietnamese running the local community making handicrafts and tourist souvenirs.

Next stop, was Port Barton, which was a good four (4) hours away...passed by Cooper's Beach for breakfast on the way which was an off the beat resort about 1.5 kms from the highway en route to port barton.