We arrived in Puerto Princesa by plane from Manila. The runway, flat as a table and paved with concrete, was trapped in low, wet clouds. In a convulsion, the plane broke through the rain clouds, thudded onto the runway, bounced a couple of times, and, slowing down, docked at the parking area. There is no actual airport building here. Instead, there is a canopy under which we sheltered from the tropical downpour and collected our luggage.
The western Philippine province of Palawan consists of 1,769 islands. Geologically, Palawan is considered a continuation of the island of Kalimantan, which belongs to Malaysia and Indonesia. Its flora and fauna differ from the nature of the Philippine archipelago islands in their uniqueness and diversity. The climate here is tropical, transitioning to sub-equatorial in the south. The average annual temperature is 25-29 degrees Celsius. Palawan, along with its islets, blissfully lies in the embrace of two tropical seas. There are no volcanoes here, but there is a real mountain range that rises from sea level to a height of 2,050 meters.
The city of Puerto Princesa seemed quite small, without a distinct center. Many side streets are small markets where one can buy fruits and roasted pigs.
The city is named after Princess Eulalia de Bourbon, daughter of Isabella II of Spain, during the 1872 expedition that founded the city on the island of Paragua (also known as Palawan).
There seemed to be nothing to see in the main city of Palawan. The best attraction is our hotel "Laguna" with a beautiful garden, an indoor pool, and cozy rooms.
From Puerto Princesa to Sabang National Park is 75 kilometers. Leaving the city in the morning, we head northeast along the only road that winds through the mountains and tropical forest. We are going to visit the famous Philippine attraction - the underground river of Saint Paul.
It took almost two hours to reach Sabang. The road turned out to be exceptionally interesting. Around us were pristine jungles, sometimes divided by rice fields and coconut palm plantations. Often, the vibrant island landscape featured grazing buffalo and farmers under wide-brimmed hats. The limestone outcrops in pillar form and whimsical shapes added a special charm to the landscape.
The road ended on the western coast, washed by the South China Sea. On a "bangka" boat, known in Indonesia as "jukung," we traveled along the shores of Palawan. Philippine boats, thanks to their narrow hulls, are quite maneuverable and very stable due to their outriggers.
The waves today are substantial. We are tossed up and down like on a roller coaster.
The panorama opening from the sea is simply magnificent - steep stone shores, eroded by tropical rains, jut sharply above the sea cliffs and are inaccessible.
Such relief, as became clear later, is characteristic of Palawan everywhere.
