Life Is A Real Beach in Sabang
Puerto Princesa City, or PPC, is one huge city. It will take some six hours to go from one end to the opposite end of the city (that’s without traffic). But this giant city beats with the heart of a small town. The “city proper” is only a few blocks. Outside the urban center, it has a very quiet, provincial setting. This is most evident in Sabang located in the northern part of the city.
Sabang is a barangay set on the fringe of a beautiful white beach. A village that sits on the edge of paradise. The travel time From Puerto Princesa City proper to Sabang is about three to four hours depending on the intensity of your driver’s death wish.
At the time I was there the road is mostly dirt and rough with more than enough twists and turns to bring on massive motion sickness. If you are prone to vertigo don’t forget to bring over-the-counter medication with you. That, or at least bring lots of barf bags.
There are two ways to get there. The “nice” way would be via the aircon vans (usually part of tour packages offered by hotels). If you’re more adventurous (or a masochist) you can take the jeepneys. The trip is pretty dusty during the dry season so asthmatics should take necessary precautions. Keep you eyes open for an occasional glimpse of wild monkeys, monitor lizards and exotic birds along the road.
Above: Clean cottages offering basic comforts are available for rent or you can bring your own tent and set it up on the beach.
There are a number of cottages (good for two to four people) available in Sabang. Most of them are typically sparse and far from luxurious. But given the drop-dead gorgeous beach, particularly at sundown or during clear nights who would want to spend anytime inside? In fact many prefer bring tents and sleep on the beach.
Sabang is the gateway to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Park. The park’s name has several variations but “St. Paul” or “Underground River” will get you there. This inductee to the U.N Heritage Site is about 20-minutes away by pump boat from Sabang’s port.
Above: A vine assumes a position worthy of a circus contortionist.
You can also reach the park through a wilderness trail. By the way you can’t go to the park without making reservations at the park’s office in the city proper. There is a procedure to follow before going to the park because they are trying to control the number of tourists. Previously, unregulated tourism almost ruined the park.
There used to be a picnic area within the park but park authorities closed it because tourists kept disregarding the “Don’t Feed the Animals” rule. As a result of constantly feeding the animals, a troop of monkeys have become bold enough to actually raid picnic tables and steal food from the hands of unsuspecting and distracted victims. After all, why forage for food when some misguided tourists are more than glad to share their fried chicken, adobo, and junk food.
Monkeys addicted to picnic food still haunt what used to be the picnic ground. On the surface they appear like docile animals at a petting zoo looking to be cuddled. Make no mistake, these monkeys are wild and they will bite so leave them alone.
Above: One of the two giant monitor lizards on the park that has lost its fear of humans now act as unofficial greeters.
Other fearless picnic table-hoppers are the two monstrous bayawaks (monitor lizards about five feet long and built like cattle!). They are even brassier than the monkeys and it’s up to you to maintain a safe distance between you and these dinosaurs.
Above: The park’s version of the gondola that takes tourists deep into the cave.
Paddle boats equipped with battery-powered light takes tourists to the underground cave. The boat ride inside the cave is about 45 minutes long. It’s quite eerie but not at all boring. The boatmen also act as guides and they have a well-prepared spiel that’s very witty, not a scholarly, bookish discourse on how stalagmites or stalagmites are formed. They even have a punch line for every rock formation found inside the cave.
Above: Weird but interesting rock formation hanging from the cave ceiling like a prehistoric chandelier.
A standard part of the trip is when the guide turns off the spot light for a few seconds to show the world of darkness inside the cave. The darkness is so overwhelming. It is as if the transparent air suddenly acquires an opaque black color. You can put your hand so close to your face you can smell it and feel its heat but still wouldn’t be able to see it.
Above: The cave’s ceiling doubles as condos for bats waiting for the darkness to cover the outside world.
Although devoid of light this Netherworld is teeming with life. There are bats clinging to the wall waiting for the sun to set. There are swifts flying all over the domed airspace. And there are pythons hoping to snag a bat or swift for dinner.
You’d think the cave would be as quiet as it is dark but the swifts create quite a racket with their constant squeaking. Like bats, swifts navigate through the total darkness using sonic waves. The swifts have the habit of dropping their digested meals on the boat passengers so our boatman kept reminding us to close our mouths every time we look up at stalactites.
Above: The park’s monkey trail.
Aside from the underground river, the park also features a Monkey Trail. It is a path made of wood planks and ladders that lead up to limestone cliffs. We were told that in case we encounter monkeys (they don’t call it Monkey Trail for nothing) we should not look them directly in the eyes. They will take this as a challenge and might provoke an attack from them. They maybe smaller but they have sharper teeth. In times of drought, park authorities close down the trail for fear of some tourist setting dried leaves on fire with a carelessly discarded cigarette butt.
If you prefer to wander off the tourist path you can take the overland route to the underground river and end up on top of, rather than inside the cave. To get there you need a guide and a 30-minute hike through picturesque rice fields.
Above: Another section of the monkey trail.
All rice fields look alike but not this one. It’s the only rice field I have seen peppered with huge pillars of limestone emerging abruptly from the ground as if some giant being placed them there on a whim. You know you have reached your destinations when you come upon big boulders piled on top of each other and where the different creeks seem to disappear into the ground under them. Actually, the water from the creeks feed into what is known as the underground river.
The place to see here is the Daylight Hole. You have to climb a limestone cliff maybe four or five stories high to see this place. The climb is steep, almost like scaling a vertical wall, but it is not very hard and requires no special equipment. There are plenty of hand and foot holds that even a total amateur like me made it up without any problems. The ascent takes about thirty minutes
Above: More monkey trail.
To avoid cuts, it’s advisable to wear thick pants and maybe wear leather gloves because the limestone can be quite sharp. Rubber shoes will also make the climb a lot easier.
Daylight Hole got its name from a circular opening in an overhanging cliff that looks like a gigantic roof with a hole. But it’s really what’s beneath you that will take your breath away. It’s an enormous grotto complete with mini waterfalls, ferns and trees of various sizes growing on limestone rocks. The place has a very strong spiritual vibe like a cathedral and the trees make you forget that you are actually standing high above the ground.
If you are more daring, you can climb even higher to the very top of the cave. The best time to visit Daylight Hole is in the summer when the creeks you have cross are shallow. Be wary of sudden rainstorm, though. The placid creeks and streams can quickly turn rough and quite impassable.
Above: And one more shot of the monkey trail.
While Sabang is not famous for its nightlife people do love to hang out on the beach, sometimes until the wee hours of the morning. And when you are with great company and the stars are out and every conversation is accompanied by the placid sound of the surf what else do you need?
