A friend once told me that there are certain songs that resonate to our consciousness and hold our hearts captured and then there are places that don't only capture the heart but also the mind and the soul, don't only resonate to our consciousness but linger to our being for a lifetime. These places can only be....PARADISE!
A chance to spend three days in Palawan is an invitation that will make you shout with joy, but an assignment that will take you around Palawan for a whole two weeks and half, is one that you would not exchange for the world even if it means spending Christmas and New Year away from the rest of the world. So without thinking about the revelry that is the Holiday Season, we packed our bags, our cameras and our laptops, along with some good books and the excitement bursting in our hearts, to discover what is called the Philippine's Last Frontier. And in this issue, we will give you not just glimpses of what paradise looks like, but also the experience of being in paradise.
Palawan is the largest province in the country in terms of land area measuring 14,896.3 km². Stretching from the South China Sea to the Sulu Sea, Palawan is endowed with sprawling beaches from all corners. Its relative distance from its neighbouring islands, nearest of which is Mindoro, makes Palawan a sanctuary for all kinds of flora and fauna, shielded from the chaos of excessive population. It's nearness from Borneo meanwhile, makes its biodiversity more similar to Borneo than to the rest of the country. With the abundance of wildlife and fish that can only be found in Palawan, and not to mention its scientific importance especially in the continuous study of the marine life, the whole province was declared a Fish and Wildlife Sanctuary in 1967. Considered one of the cleanest provinces in the Philippines because of stringent implementations by the local government, Palawan is the one among the top three tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous not only with foreign tourists but flocked by locals as well.
Puerto Princesa: Gateway to Paradise
Puerto Princesa, the province's capital, will be the least favourite among the places in Palawan. Not only is it congested with vehicles during the daytime, but it almost looks like the Metro Manila cities, minus the garbage and the squatters. Most vacationers opt for the rustic, country destinations especially hard working professionals who can only get a couple of weeks to unwind. Undoubtedly though, Puerto Princesa offers a diverse selection of good food that you would not find in the corners of El Nido or Sabang especially if you are craving for quality variety at a lower cost. As the most common drop off point for tourists because of the Puerto Princesa Domestic Airport, Puerto Princesa also enjoys visits of tourists only on a shorter period. But there are those who stayed and opened up restaurants and bars for both local and foreign customers. So whether you are craving for an Italian, Filipino or exotic dish, Puerto Princesa surely has it.
Dining
Moana Hotel and Restaurant
Owned and operated by a true blooded Italian, Moana Hotel and Restaurant offers genuine Italian cuisine under the strict supervision of Eduardo Zanella and his wife.
Our hunger for a good cup of coffee or a shot of espresso (which is quiet hard to find in the city) led our feet to Moana on our first night in Puerto Princesa. And good espresso was what we had for a surprisingly low price of P30 and served by one of its owners Jorge. After a shot, we decided to study the menu and we just couldn't stop ourselves from ordering. Some favourites are Risotto Alla Pescatora, Lasagne and Penne Al Pesto. The prices range from P120 to P300 per dish but you are assured of really delicious, to say the least, Italian fare. When we went back to the place for our last day, the good owner treated us to a plate of Italian delicacies but with more variety than what is in the menu. We had the best serving of Artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, bacon strips with herbs straight from the Italian mountains, montadella, salami from duck, Gorgonzola, Valser, and other different cheeses and meat strips which I tasted for the first time. According to Eduardo, they have to import some of their ingredients from Italy to give their customers a real Italian dining experience. Even the wines are imported from his country and other parts of the globe, so when you decide to have either a red or a white wine to pair with your dessert, you will not be disappointed. And the pool view of the restaurant makes dining at Moana a great gastronomic treat.
