Poyt's Palawan Experience Day Two

Underground River

We spent our first night at Palawan drinking Red Horse and Sprite, using hopia baboy from Baker's Hill as pulutan. Yes, hopia baboy and beer is weird - don't try it at home, kids. That, however, prevented us from being too intoxicated so I woke up a happy camper the next day.

We were forewarned that the travel to the Underground River was extremely stressful. 'Extremely' is an understatement.

Rocks + zigzagging road = HAGGARD

We were like 10 fat (just me LOL) sausages sitting in a pan. Coy was sitting beside me so he was the only reason why I'm not getting thrown towards the other end of the van. This lasted for about two hours. My record for the longest time asleep is about 5 minutes. I was still a bit groggy when we got to Sabang Wharf to ride a boat going to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.


Outside the Underground River


The Palawan Gang: U-D, L-R: Jherlie, Kring, Coy, Poyt, Rick

After putting on a helmet and a life vest, we got into a ten-man boat and started becoming amazed by a facade of ROCKS. I mean - how many times in a lifetime can you be so much impressed with rocks?

Like clouds, rocks can also form strange formations. Look at these photos.


Jeebus, Mary and Joseph!


Uh, cancerous growth?


Phallic symbol much?

You shouldn't miss the Underground River when you're in Palawan. It is even one of the bets for the New Seven Wonders of Nature alongside the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park, which is also found in Palawan.


The Bat Cave


Jumpshot outside the Park Sign

Taraw Beach

After feeding our visual need, we boarded a boat to have lunch at Taraw beach to feed our tummies. The whole island is so small it just runs on its own generator. No big hotels here, just cottages and the sand.


Taraw Beach.. awesome..

The water is glorious, but the waves kept coming at us at two freakin' undulations per second. Makes it really hard to pose for pictures.


Jherlie, Kring and Poyt after swimming

Sidetrip: Viet Vill

Before going back to the hotel, we had a quick stop at Viet Vill (Vietnamese Village). I was expecting a lot of Vietnamese offering us Viet cloth or something but the village was apparently abandoned by its Viet residents two years ago to migrate to the US. They even have a Catholic church – it was pretty eerie knowing that as we rang the church bell, not one Vietnamese would come to church (maybe because it was a Monday?).


Rick does peace sign under church bell LOL

Kinabuch’s: Encounter with the Tamilok

Eating tamilok occupied my mind the entire time when we got to Kinabuch's. Tamilok is a wood worm found inside a rotting mangrove. Sounds yummy, eh? I’m very experimental with food tasting, so anything that is weird, wormy or slimy is fantastic. After eating prawns, shrimps and other sorts of wonderful seafood, we finally got to see what the exotic tamilok looked like. Yes, it is slimy and it looked like a bunch of worms stuffed on a plate.


The Tamilok

The verdict? Well, it doesn't taste bad - like an extra slimy and long oyster. The thing is that tamilok is famous for being an aphrodisiac. So, if you're in Palawan and you want to bang someone or you just want to get a taste of this much talked about exotic dish, make sure you order it ahead because the tamilok tends to be elusive depending on the tides.


Kinabuch's bar and restaurant

Looking at Kinabuch's menu gives me the hibbie jibbies.


Ano kaya ang lasa ng alindog ni Arch?

The part where the tamilok is supposed to be an aphrodisiac – I leave up to you to decide after you try it. J

More photos here.