0700 - Woke up and had the bread and coffee as breakfast. After well prepared, we took a tricycle to San Jose Terminal (PHP100/trip). This driver stopped us at the Lexxus Shuttle which I tried to contact yesterday. Then a lady approach us and asked us to sit and wait for the van. The shuttle van to the sabang terminal from San Jose terminal cost PHP140/person. The lady said the cost for van pick up from the hotel in Puerto Princesa to the Sabang terminal is PHP200/person. Then we saved PHP10/person from here. If can take jeepney to this terminal, it will save more.
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| Vans in San Jose Terminal |
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| At the Lexxus Shuttle |
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| Interesting places in Palawan |
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| Time schedule of Lexxes Shuttle Van |
0830 - Got on the van and I slept. The driver drove almost at a constant speed on curvy but not bumpy road. Hence, it is quite hard to sleep well.
1100 – Reached Sabang Terminal which only have a simple
booth. After bought some snack to eat, we headed to the tourist information
center. In this center, We presented the permit to the counter person and we
paid there PHP735/person (Entrance fee PHP500, Environmental Fee PHP150 and
Audio Guide PHP85). For the boat, we have to go to the counter at the
dispatching area which is not few meters from the tourist center. The lady in
the boat counter said that we had to wait for other people to fill up for 6
people boat. After around 10 minutes of waiting, we were called by the lady
that we will joined with other group of people. We only met the tour guide at
the counter. This tour guide also had to ask the his group of people first
before we can join them. After the tour guide allowed us to join them. Both of
us had to paid PHP200/person since that tour guide told us that we joined
another 3 people with total of 5 person in the 6 persons boat and split the
fee.
I feel something weird that the fee for 6 person boat with 6
person is PHP1120/6=PHP187 while the fee for 6 person boat with 5 person should
be PHP1120/5=PHP224. After meet that group of people, we just knew that they
were 9 people excluding the tour guide. Therefore, two 6 persons boat divided
by 11 person is PHP2240/11=PHP204. Hence, the tour guide may ride the free
boat. That we just ignored since we don’t want to wait for another group of
people. But the tour guide seem like good to us that asking whether we have
some lunch and whether my bag want to put in the plastic bag as it may get wet.
After that, we were following this tour guide as he was holding our permit. By
the way, the 9 people are a group of people from catholic group which mostly
are priest. Each of them come from different nation which have Indonesia, Hong
Kong, India, Slovakia, Brazil, Philippines and etc.
After half hour, we were called to get onto the boat. After
wore the life jacket, the boat departed. The engine sound of the boat is very
loud that we couldn’t chat with each other. After around 15 minutes boat ride,
we reached a beach. When getting down from the boat, the legs below the knee
level was totally get wet as the boat didn’t stop near the beach. With that
group of people, they will so excited to take photo, help us take photo and
take photo together. After finished taking photo on the beach, we walked few
minutes to the audio guide collection point. That tour guide took the audio
device for their group of people and move on. We had to take ourselves. At the
another boat dispatching area, we took the helmets ourselves and wait for the
boat. This is another small boat which look like sampan that only can sit 11
persons include the boatman. The tour guide arranged us the boat with another group
of people since they are 9 persons.
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| Have some snack before registered. Each stick cost PHP15 |
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| The tourist information |
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| Rates and fee |
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| The boat to the entrance of the underground river. |
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| At the entrance |
At the starting of the boat ride, the audio device was
started with the wireless device control by the guide. They also helped us to
adjust the sound level. Then we started the underground river boat ride. Into
the cave, the cave was totally in darkness. We can only see the cave or
limestone with the boatman’s torchlight. While taking some photo of the cave
with my phone, I was also busy to listen to the audio device since there are
some many shapes describe in the audio. The boat ride is around 45 minutes
which the boat will u-turn at a large chamber. This cave is really amazing that
there are many kind of shape of limestone, stalagmite and stalactite which like
chicken breast, a girl, mushroom, cabbage etc.
After getting out of the cave, we walked back to the beach
and meet there as told by the tour guide. After taking some photo on the beach,
we will arranged back to sit the boat back to the Sabang port.
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| Small boat into the river cave |
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| Audio Device available with either English, Tagalog, Chinese, Korean or Japanese. |
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| Into the underground river cave |
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| Like chicken breast? |
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| Bats! |
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| Information of Underground river cave which is below a mountain. |
1400 – Reached the Sabang Port, we say goodbye with that
group of people. Then we walked around there to find any food to eat since the
next van back to the Puerto Princesa is 4:30pm. We also saw that there a lot of
stall selling burger but only beef burger! Finally, we had our lunch in the
restaurant near the Sabang Terminal. After that, we sit and waited near the
tourist center as it was raining. The wave was getting stronger too. Around
3pm, all the staff of underground river tour are off from work. They look so
exciting.
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| At the Sabang Port |
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| Shanghai rice good for two people, PHP110 with tax. |
1630 - Got onto the van and I slept all the way back to
Puerto Princesa.
1830 – Reached the San Jose Terminal. So many tricyclemen
approach us for the ride. But we went to find the jeepney which only cost
PHP13/person to go back to town center. We got off at the Jolibee near the NCCC
mall. We had dinner in the Jolibee. After that, we went back to the hostel and
prepared for the next journey.
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| Jolibee fried chicken set, PHP89 |
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| There is Zumba in NCCC mall |
The total cost per person of DIY tour to underground river:
Tricycle to San Jose Terminal :
PHP50 (PHP100/trip)
Shuttle Van Roundtrip to Sabang :
PHP280
Entrance Fee :
PHP500
Environmental Fee :
PHP150
Audio Guide :
PHP85
Boat :
PHP200
Jeepney back to Hostel :
PHP13
TOTAL :
PHP1278
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