Travelling the Pacific

Countryside, with rice fields and (waay back) the Sulu sea

Shuttling to the underground river site

Entrance to the river, with Di in the much welcomed shade

The "Crocodile Farm"

Charles on the beach

Our hosts arranged for us to play tourist on a three-day holiday weekend. The islands of Palawan are the southwestern part of the country—a relatively untouched paradise where development vs. conservation is a big issue. The island claims the most diverse ecosystem in the country, much of it threatened.

I'm not sure where our modest excursion fits into that spectrum, but it was a delight to get out of the city and into the green. And what green! Dense rain forest, mangrove swamps, palm-fringed beaches, and ripening rice fields. Guides escorted us around by van and outrigger boat with an affable group of yuppies from Manila to see the sights.

First day: the town of Puerto Princessa and the countryside around it. By area it's the largest Philippine municipality and includes islands, ocean and rural areas. We passed small rice farms with traditional thatched houses, cows, and working water buffalo. First stop was the wildlife conservation center devoted to preserving an endangered crocodile species. Then off to a weaving workshop, tourist shops, and (Lost in Translation #4) a model prison farm.

Day two: West across the island to Sabang and the subterranean river. It flows through a vast limestone cave filled with birds, bats, and dramatic rock formations. We were shuttled there by motorized outrigger, waded onto a beach, got to see forest and monkeys up close, then donned helmets and life vests and headed upriver in a small boat with large flashlights. Even the guide's corny spiel couldn't undermine the drama and wierdness of the place.

Day three: Island hopping around Honda Bay. By outrigger again, this time out to a raft for snorkeling in your live vest above a coral reef (Was the guide's "don't touch" enough to protect it?). Charles had a great time and so did I, once this water-resistant gal convinced the guide that "vegging out" was a legitimate way to have fun. Then on to another island for swimming and lunch, then to another for more swimming as fishermen waded in with nets and pulled out gallons of tiny silvery fish. (Museum alert: these beaches are exact replicas of those in Travelling the Pacific.)