When we booked our flight to Busuanga via Cebu Pacific a few months ago, we weren't really thinking. It was one of those crazy seat sales where you purchase a ticket before you ask your boss for a leave of absence. Since the fares are so low, you don't lose as much when something comes up and you end up missing the trip months later. It's a risk worth taking, especially when you feel like you're near your breaking point and in need of something to look forward to. A trip like this is the perfect distraction/refresher; you come back anew, with memories of the places you saw and the amazing people you spent those couple of days with.
It definitely helped that the weather cooperated with our schedule. It wasn't raining much the days leading to our vacation, so we didn't have to worry about our flight getting canceled. We left Manila as scheduled and arrived in Palawan an hour later.
From the airport, it took us another 25 minutes by van (P150/person) to get to the town. After settling down at Mommita's Lodge, we headed out for a late lunch.
We stopped at the first restaurant we saw - Big Mama's - and immediately ordered some sisig!
After getting our fill, we walked around town a bit then got ready for our first activity - climbing Mt. Tapyas.
It took us a long while to go up the 700+ steps and reach the top, but we made it.
Check out that view ;)
Was the climb worth it? Hmm I haven't really decided yet, but my body definitely needed the exercise. :P
Taking a picture of my boyfriend taking my picture. Lol.
Thanks for this photo, Mike! <3
Watching these kids run around made me feel happy. There's so much open space here, you can do anything and no one would bother you. You can dance and sing out loud without caring about what anyone thinks.
It's a nice place to have a picnic, too. Feels like you're on top of the world.
After a few more shots, we went down the mountain and back to our tricycle which took us to our next destination - Maquinit Hot Springs. There is about thirty minutes of rough roads between the town and the hot springs, but it's definitely worth the trip. Before heading there though, we took a little detour to leave our cameras and phones back in the lodge as suggested by Mommy Esther (our host). Thanks to her advice, we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the experience and enjoy each other's company while lounging in the salty hot waters of Maquinit Hot Springs. I found it extremely relaxing, especially after that long trek up Mt. Tapyas. Just don't jump into the water - it goes from 30 to 40 degrees Celsius in there, so best to dip your feet up to your ankles first, then slowly, the rest of your body. Remember to take breaks every now and then so you don't faint from the heat. It was really beautiful (romantic, even) to see the moon up close, with its reflections in the water. Sigh, when I think about it, I regret not bringing my camera with me. Then again, if I had, I would've taken photos the entire time and totally missed the whole point of being there - to relax. Once our tummies told us it was time to eat, we packed our stuff and headed back to our lodge for a wonderful seafood dinner.
If you're looking for a place to stay in Coron, do check out Mommita's Lodge. They give such warm welcome in their home and they prepare you a feast every meal.
That's it for our first day in Coron! Read part two of my trip here. :)
