They say that typhoons never visit Palawan but when we arrived the overcast sky suggests of an impending rain. The weather forecast says that there would be no wet Christmas in the Philippines this year, but rain always falls on Christmas day so the anticipated. It was the day before the big Catholic celebration.
It took us three hours to reach Sabang, riding on the roof of an overloaded jeepney with chickens, palay, three bicycles, ice blocks, mats and cartoons and cartoons of vinegar and gin and as much people on the roof as it is in the inside. It's a wonder how this local vehicle managed to carry as much load and passengers. Every now and then, the jeepney will stop, usually on store fronts to unload the commodities from the roof.
The road to Sabang is a terrain of cemented, rocky, muddy and rather bumpy but riding on top of the jeepney offers a diverse view of the distant islands of Honda Bay, lush forests abundant with ironwood trees that look anaemic from afar, rows of other sturdy trees, the magnificent panorama of the Sulu Sea and the local villages with their rusting roofs and cogon huts. The little town of Sabang is said to be the gateway to the Subterranean River. This is where the Central Park Station of the Subterranean River National Park is located.
We arrived exactly 6 in the evening and the first guy to approach us led us into the second farthest cottage from the pier via a carabao ride. Mary's Cottage, just like the other lodging places you can find in Sabang has a number of nipa huts situated at the beach front. Accommodation in these cottages ranges from P300 for communal bathroom and P500 with a private shower and toilet but don't expect hot and cold shower because the bathroom is really so modest. If you opt for a sit down toilet, big airy windows and much bigger balconies and single cottages, you can also try Taraw Lodge for P550. Just make sure to check the ceiling. One of our friends got his clothes and things soaked because of the leaking ceiling.
Tired as we are from the bumpy ride, we immediately had our dinner of chicken barbeque, pancit canton and rice right after we put down our things. Mary's Cottages offers one of the best chicken barbeque in Sabang and it is very affordable. A sound sleep should precede a hearty dinner and a long trip but since it was the night of the full moon, we decided to stay in the beach's hammock and watch the moon until the morning. The seclusion of our cottage is a big advantage since we rarely get other tourists walking in front of the beach or noisy dogs barking at anyone that passes by. It was a very quite night, with the moon peeking through dark big clouds and towering coconut and acacia trees. It was a sight straight out of a horror movie, with the stillness of the night, the breaking of the waves in the rock and some distant dog howls, but I was far from feeling afraid. Serenity like this can rarely, or not all experienced in the city, so I took advantage of the night.
Aside from moon watching during its fullest and eating barbeque chicken at Mary's, there are a number of activities that Sabang has to offer. So whether you are on vacation there for the beach, the river of the swamp, Sabang takes you to a journey to the waters of Palawan in any way that you like it. Below are some of the activities that should be enjoyed while you are staying in Sabang:
Cruising the Subterranean River
Of course you don't want your friends to give you that I-cant-believe-it sarcastic look when you brag about going to Sabang and missing what it is famous for, so before going to any place or activities listed here, first book a bangka ride to the Subterranean National River, said to be the longest navigable underground river.
All tour permits can be acquired from the Tourist Information and Assistance Centre near the pier of Sabang. Permits costs Php150 for local tourists and P200 for foreigner but it already include the boat ride inside the river. After getting your permits, hire a boat from the nearby booking center for Php700 pesos. The boat can load up to six persons so if you are travelling only with your partner, better look for other tourists to ride with you. The booking centre can also arrange that for you but during peak season, you cannot rely on their efforts. The boat ride from the pier to the National Park takes about 15-20 minutes depending on the current. The boat ride offers a spectacular view of rock formations, blue green waters and rocky beaches with waves breaking into the rocks. During rainy months, the waves are much bigger and the chances of getting drenched in the boat are higher. To save precious pictures and expensive equipment, put your cameras in waterproof bags or plastic containers. The boat will drop you off in the beach around 5 minutes walk from the mouth of the river and will wait for you there. During that walk, you'll be lucky to see monitor lizards walking around the trail with you or nasty monkeys snatching your food bags. For people who always needs to go to the comfort room, don't expect a clean fragrant toilet or clean water if you need to take a leek because the toilets in the park is far from clean and decent. Before jumping in the boat which fits 9 people, don't forget to wear the helmets and life jackets given by the boatmen slash care takers slash tour guides of the river.
