HAPPINESS IS....=)

Being able to sleep peacefully.....

....next to the people you love. =)

Shhhhhhh.... =)

DOS PALMAS TWICE OVER / 2006 & 2009 =)

I fell in love with Puerto Princesa the first time I went there. I suppose it had a lot to do with the fact that I was starry-eyed-looking-at-love-through-rose-colored-glasses-in-love the first time I went there.

It was soon after Hubby Sweet and I got married, back in 2006. Having separately travelled to different places with other people during our individual Wander Years, we had decided to go someplace neither of us had been to before. Given time and budget constraints back then, it was quite serendipitous that we discovered Dos Palmas.

The resort was, at that time, reeling from a series of unfortunate (high-profile) incidents. With the Abu Sayyaf and Rico Yan fresh on everybody’s minds, Dos Palmas, I suppose, was bent on dispelling the jinx image that had been seared onto everyone’s minds. Php 12,000 per person, inclusive of airfare, transfers, use of facilities, accommodations and full-board meals for 4D/3N. We checked out the website. Nice. =)

Hubby and I discussed it, and decided that we were not really superstitious people. Still we had a good laugh over whether we should stay in one of the Bay Cottages (where the folks kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf stayed) or in one of the Garden Villas (where Rico Yan unexpectedly died). In the end, we decided that the probability of a second Abu Sayyaf outing is likely much less than the probability of a moomoo sighting. Bay cottage, it is then! Haha. =)

Dos Palmas is not for the impatient. After landing in Puerto Princesa, one needs to take a 30-minute road trip to the port, after which (depending on the speed of your assigned boat), one needs to take an hour to 1-1/2 hour trip to the island. It was so remote, it was easy to understand how bandits could speed away with a horde of tourists without the authorities managing to catch up. Legend has it that the Abu Sayyaf were actually targeting the posh island of Amanpulo, but took a wrong turn and ended up in Dos Palmas instead.

Times have changed.

Since then, Honda Bay security has been beefed up, and on one morning during which Hubby Sweet and I woke up particularly early, we walked out of the cottage and realized that the super friendly security staff were actually Marines-in-disguise. (Truth be told, when we first got on the island, we both thought that their security was much more fit and disciplined—despite their amiable personalities and their perpetual smiles—than the average Manong Guard. =))

That said, the security details are masked and actually blend well with the resort feel of the island. Dos Palmas is all about relaxation and being in a world far removed from the urban jungle.

It is all about spending quality time with the people you’re with.

You can have long conversations while stuffing yourself silly at their fabulous buffets. You can lounge around by the pool. You can go snorkeling. You can hike. You can bike. You can play billiards or pingpong. You can sing your lungs out at the videoke room.

If you think you have either the stamina or the courage for it, you can even kayak through the mangroves and row around (yes, around) the island. Hubby Sweet and I actually tried it, and it goes down in our personal history as our first-ever-fight ever as a married couple. Halfway through, I had a panic attack and wanted to turn back. He, on the other hand, reasoned we would row the same distance back as we would if we just kept going forward! I, of course, retorted that if we turned around, we would be going through a route that we already know. Usually, I'm the more adventurous one between the two of us, except when it comes to anything that involves deep water. Naku, stalemate in the middle of Honday Bay. Hahaha! We ended up going forward only because I realized that I cannot row all the way back by myself, whereas he can actually move the kayak forward without any help from me. Haha. Ngyah. =D)

That said, what you cannot do on Dos Palmas is watch TV. There are none—at least not in the rooms. The lone concession is the TV hanging over the bar (which actually has a complete set of free TV and cable channels), but you sit there only if you happen to like the TV taste of the first person who asked the bartender to put it on. Haha!

GARDEN OR BAY: WHERE TO STAY

Back in 2006, we stayed at one of the the Bay Cottages where most couples usually stay. I suppose there’s something to be said about having the bay as your view and about sitting out on your veranda to find schools of multi-colored and multi-sized schools of fish below. We even had sightings of baby stingrays (or were they manta-rays?).

The Bay Cottages were meant to provide more privacy, being situated away from the “main island” where most of the activities are.

In 2009, I had wanted to book the Bay Cottages (never mind that we were a group/family), but every single one was taken. Besides, the beds were not enough to fit all of us. Haha.

So we decided to stay in the newly-renovated Garden Villas instead.

Not bad, really. Not bad at all. =)

WHAT TO DO

There are enough activities to go by if you’re not expecting the vibe of Boracay. One can actually choose to be marooned on the island and not leave its premises during the entire stay. However, if you decide that you want to explore the world beyond the island, the resort can actually arrange for other “Puerto Princesa” activities.

Honda Bay Island Hopping would always be tops for me. When you arrange it with Dos Palmas, the trip usually starts with lunch at Isla Puting Buhangin (or is it Isla Puting Bato? I forget. Haha).

There’s something to be said about having lunch on a sandbar in the middle of a tranquil bay.

Oh, that, and feasting on a buffet of freshly grilled fish, liempo, shellfish, along with servings of manggang hilaw with bagoong. Down it with ice-cold softdrinks and you’re pretty much set for an afternoon of swimming around, running after (or, in some cases, running from) schools of fish of different shapes, sizes and territorial temperaments.

I’ve been to many snorkeling spots and the diversity of the types of fish one can see on Honda Bay is impressive. I won’t elaborate further. I did write about it in a previous blog though (during a different trip to Puerto Princesa). Read about it here na lang. =)

When you get tired of snorkeling, the island hopping trip ends with fishing. Now, Dos Palmas is a marine sanctuary so fishing would have to be done a good distance away.

Now, I’ve never fished in my entire life prior to Dos Palmas. Come to think of it, I’ve only attempted fishing in Dos Palmas. I say “attempt” because, whether in 2006 or in 2009, I did not actually catch a single fish. Still, there is something quaint, I suppose, about being able to say “I tried fishing”. Haha. (The picture below is with Manong Security Detail who actually reeled in the fish while I was sitting next to him so I decided it...uh...counts. Haha.)

When you do catch a fish, if it’s too small, you have to throw it back. If it’s big enough (and I use the term “big” loosely here, haha), you can actually choose to throw it back OR bring it back to the resort and have it cooked. Manage your expectations though. Both times, we’ve only managed to catch “bisugo” which I know only as the kind of fish you make paksiw. Haha. ;p

While it is not practical, Dos Palmas can also arrange for trips to the now-famous St. Paul Subterranean River Park (more popularly known as the Underground River). I say it is not practical because one would have to take the 1-1/2 hour boat trip back to the mainland, then take another 2-1/2 to 3 hour road trip to another port, after which you take another 30-minute banca ride to the island where the Underground River is. Now imagine that you have to do the same thing to get back to the island. Naku!

This was “manageable” back in 2006 (it just means you kill practically an entire day travelling to ride through the Underground River for 30 minutes), but after the site zoomed to the top of the updated list of Seven Wonders of the World, I’ve been told the lines and the waits have increased to box-office proportions. (As one of my officemates once said, albeit she said it about the long lines during an S&R sale, “Hindi Titanic ang katapat. Pang-Avatar ang level!” Haha.) For perspective, my other officemate, last December, had to wait 5 hours just to hop onto a banca that would take them to the island where the Underground River is!

That said, if your primary intention for going to Puerto Princesa is to go to the Underground River, it would be best to just stay in one of the city hotels instead of staying in Dos Palmas. (Two more tips: First, be careful of the "monkey snatchers". You'll know what I mean once you get on the island. Second, if you do manage to get to the Underground River, maneuver your way to the front seat of the kayak. That way, you get to hold the floodlight that will allow everyone to see inside the cave. After all, he who holds the lamp gets to focus it on whatever he wants. Haha! ;p)

THE FOOD

The food is what makes Dos Palmas—more than anything—worth it. Usually, if it’s a full-board meal, I have learned not to expect much. At Dos Palmas, “much and much more” is what they give! I suppose they realize that with no other option to go to, they better give their guests good food, lest they grumble and complain for 3-4 days. Haha!

The breakfast buffet usually has a Filipino station (with the usual tapa, tocino, longganisa, danggit, fried rice, egg, etc., etc.). On the side, there would either be a vat of lugaw (with the usual condiments of fried garlic, spring onions, calamansi, etc.) or mami. For the foreigners, they also have an American breakfast station (with the usual ham, bacon, sausages, eggs, French toast or pancakes, cereals, dried fruits, etc., etc.). A separate table would contain native kakanins for dessert in addition to the fresh fruit platters. That said, on a daily basis, we would have a Filipino AND an American breakfast with kakanins AND fresh fruit for dessert. Haha! The usual joke after one comes back to the table with a heaping plate is, “Hindi ka naka-decide kung ano gusto mo?” *Insert sheepish grin here. =D*

The lunch buffet is decidedly much simpler as most guests opt to do their off-resort activities. Still, the buffet would have a good mix of native salads (sometimes lato or seaweeds with tomatoes and onions, dipped either in calamansi or vinegar or diced manggang hilaw with bagoong), grilled fish and meat and a soup viand (sinigang or nilaga, etc.).

The dinner buffet, however, is something else. It could be set within the usual café or on the beach with sulos providing light or by the pool with a small band playing. The dinner buffet is usually themed. One night, it was Japanese. Another night, it was Mongolian. Usually, if there’s a big group leaving the next day, the dinner buffet even has different stations. On our final night during our last trip, there was a steak grilling station, there was a Japanese station, there was an Italian Station, there was a Mongolian Station. That dinner, di din kami naka-decide. Haha! ;D

OVER-ALL

Staying at Dos Palmas provides good value for money. Actually, that’s a wrong statement as it makes staying Dos Palmas seem like ”it’s pwede na for the amount that you pay for it”, when what I meant to say is that, “you actually get much, much more than what you pay for”.

What is not worth it, though, is for you to go on a Day Trip to Dos Palmas (I found out that such is actually included in the day tour packages of some of the city hotels).

To truly appreciate Dos Palmas, you have to stay in it. So that, for a good 3-4 days, you can forget that the hurried life you lead in the urban jungle is, technically, only a boat ride and a plane-hop away.

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You can arrange for the plane trip and the resort stay separately, but both times, I found that PALakbayan actually provides a simpler option (book everything once) at good value. Click on the link for more details.

P.S. - The photos are a mix of pics from my 2006 trip (with Hubby Sweet) & my 2009 trip (with Mother, Father, Tita Doy, Rhae, Dooders and MJ). This would explain why, in some pictures, I'm payat (yey!), while in some pictures, I'm...uh...pleasantly plump.

Haha! =D

BEACHED WITH FATHER AND MOTHER / BORACAY, SEPTEMBER 2009 =)

This post is one year delayed. I know because Cousin Dooders and Special Girl MJ celebrated their first wedding anniversary yesterday (which reminds me, today, Banzo has officially been with us one year). Yey for both occasions!

Still, I know this post is a year delayed because it was soon after their wedding that I chaperoned my parents, Tita Doy and Cousin Rhae (the latter being Cousin Dooder’s mom and sis who can home for the wedding).

Now, cousin Rhae hasn’t been on Philippine soil since they migrated to the U.S. in the mid-80’s when she was three. Over the years, as Dooders flew to Manila for different weddings, she has had to live with his photos in Boracay, Palawan, etc., etc. She therefore came home with a mission. To see as much of the Philippine beaches as possible.

Thing is, September is NOT really the best time to go to the beach. It is, after all, typhoon season—which also means that all the parties and events that happen regularly on the Boracay shores are practically non-existent. She will not be deterred. Haha.

That said, we can only do so much for this visit and so the choices were narrowed down to Boracay (required) and Puerto Princesa (which, if statistics continue to hold, has never been hit by a major typhoon in decades).

The last time I went to the beach with Mother and Father was way back in 2001, soon after the wedding of Sister Pusjing and G-Genius. Both Ate Babs and Dooders had come home to Manila (one from Canada, the other from LA) so an out-of-town family trip seemed to be in order. We stayed at Pink Patio then--which was perfect for me—never mind, that it wasn’t right on the beach. At that time, I was passionate about wall-climbing and Pink Patio not only had its own pool (a rarity for a Boracay hotel at that time), it also had the only “wall” on the island. Beyond the hotel amenities, however, what I do remember most from that trip was the joy of walking barefoot on the sand, wind on our faces and sitting on the shore, sipping fruit shakes from Jonah’s when it was nothing but a small, makeshift stall on the far end of the shore. As adults, we used to go a lot on out-of-town trips with friends. I suppose when you're in your early/mid-20’s, it never really occurs to you that going on an out-of-town trip with your parents could also be just as fun. That was the first time such a realization hit me.

“This is the life,” I remember Father murmuring, a Cheshire cat grin planted on his face as he sat on a lounge chair facing the ocean. It was their first time on the shores of Boracay.

Fast-forward to almost a decade later. Times have changed. The wall has since been transferred to D’Mall (which has since replaced the talipapa as the “eating and shopping destination of choice”). Jonah’s is no longer a makeshift stall, but a full-fledged restaurant. Hotels along the beach have since been upgraded from nipa huts to concrete structures—each with their own pool / bar / restaurant.

We arrived in Boracay mid-afternoon, having had to take the road trip/sea trip route from Kalibo after flights to the more convenient Caticlan airport were temporarily prohibited. Earlier in the month, two planes overshot the runway and authorities were still investigating whether the planes are too big for the runway or whether the runway is too short for the planes. Haaaaaaaayyyyyy...So it cost us half-a-day. Whatever. After a protracted route, we were finally on the island.

For this trip, I thought maybe it would be good if we can stay in a reasonably-priced beachfront hotel. At the PALakbayan site, they gave several options, and I stupidly chose La Carmela. I had often heard of it on TV being thanked by all those artistas, haha. I figured, Boy Abunda may be showbiz, but he does have expensive taste, so it couldn’t be that bad. (*Cringe, I know. =D*)

What I did not realize, of course, was that there was that La Carmela had an “executive wing” where they all probably stayed, while the rooms at the PALakbayan site referred to the rooms on the regular wing. As soon as we entered the hotel lobby, I realized, “This is not a hotel. It's a dorm!” Gr. Haha. Think youth hostel as opposed to a real hotel. It was good enough, I suppose, if you were on an out-of-town trip with your barkada, but I always adhered to the idea that for an out-of-town trip with the family, a higher level should be called for. Still, it has been pre-booked and pre-paid so we had no choice but to live with it. Ngyar. (Sorry, guys! Next time, we're staying at the Regency. =D)

We left the sunshine in Manila and arrived on the island to texts from Sister Pusjing and Tito Bie checking if we were OK and asking us to be careful. Apparently, it was announced on TV that there was a tropical depression headed our way. Yay! Haha. Oh, well. Worst case, I figured, I’d get to experience my first typhoon on the beach. Naku! =S

So the winds were strong (clear indication was that bamboo windbreakers have been set up along the shoreline, and all the kiteboarders have transferred to White Beach from the kiteboarding site on the other side of the island).

So the waves were huge (big enough to cause an accident at the far end of the beach with one fatality).

So it rained incessantly.

So what the heck.

We swam anyway.

We lounged by the shore.

We walked to both the talipapa and D'Mall in heavy downpour, keeping our purchases in water-proof plastic sando bags (very effective kahit di sosyal, haha).

We ate.

We talked.

We enjoyed Boracay anyway--despite the rains and the gloomy skies.

Still, more than the activities, what I would remember most from this trip would be the smiles and the peace that came with temporarily being away from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila (or of L.A., in the case of Tita Doy and Rhae). Being on opposite ends of the globe is not easy; the trip also gave us the opportunity to catch up on each other's lives.

“This is the life,” Father once said--on these same shores, almost a decade ago.

Except for the La Carmela booboo, I suppose, it, indeed, is. =)

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Dos Palmas, next! =)