MAY 2013 Visit

Named after a Japanese diver who died in an underwater tunnel in this island, Shimizu has long been considered as one of the nice snorkeling sites in El Nido's Tour A packages.

This was our second to the last stop during our combination tour of tours A and C.Our boat didn't dock at the shore of the island, the boat just stayed at an area in front of the island where most of the fishes are. We snorkeled and just enjoyed our time with the fishes. This island is my top 3 favorite among the 9 islands that I've visited.

According to our boatman, there is an underwater tunnel in the side of the Island, i just don't know if it's still open for diving because there was a Japanese diver who died in there long time ago.

(Snorkeling at Shimizu Island)

(My snorkeling buddies)

(Lots of different fishes at Shimizu Island, EL NIDO, Palawan Philippines)

One of the nearest islands in the town of El Nido is the Dilumacad Island, also known as The Helicopter Island.

It is one of my favorite islands in El Nido because of its beautiful underwater landscape and corals; there are also lots of different fishes that you can see here.

It's a wonderful site, perfect for snorkeling. I really enjoyed our stay in this island, the underwater view is EPIC!

(Helicopter Island--May 2013)

The Maoyon River Cruise and Rafting is one of the new attractions in the City of Puerto Princesa. It is a 45-minute river cruise which includes a scrumptious Lunch and a stopover at a century old giant tree.
This new tourist attraction is a Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Project, which aims to give livelihood opportunities to the residents of baranggay Maoyon.

Baranggay Maoyon is more or less an hour away from the city proper of Puerto Princesa. If you have a trip going to the northern part of Palawan, why not consider a side trip to the Maoyon River Cruise? :)

(The kids at Maoyon who will welcome you with a nice dance.)

(Welcome to Maoyon River Cruise)

The Maoyon River Cruise is actually based from the Loboc River Cruise in Bohol.

One of my favorite sea foods is the sea grapes.

Locally known as Lato, this type of seaweeds is a common food found on the tables of most Palawenyo families. This plant is named sea grapes because, one it looks like small grapes, and two it's found in the sea, so when you put 'em together you'll get SEA GRAPES! :) Lato is long and plump, and it's also very slimy.

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Looks awful right? But don't be deceived by your sight, 'cause this thing here... tastes wonderful!




These are Sea Urchins! Yes, they're edible and DELICIOUS! :)




Inside these scary shells hide a gastronomic surprise! You need to crack it open to be able to get the edible part.

It’s funny to recall how the three of us (me, and two of my friends Joana and Fudgee) got to an epic place. Let me narrate to you the story of how JAFUJO came to discover an unfrequented resto in Batangas.

After our finals exam last school year, we went to Batangas with some of our classmates for an outing (it’s something like a sembreak starter escapade which I’ll blog about next time), we planned for an overnight stay in Batangas but after the outing, our so-called overnight stay was extended and extended ‘till we’ve been there for one week.  Our Batangas escapade was extended due to the bad weather and also because we wanted to explore Batangas more. Bitin kaya kung overnight lang. Even though I asked permission for just an overnight stay, when I asked my parents again if I could stay there for like 3 more days , they said yes.. Yay!! 

We stayed in one of my best bud’s house in Liyan Batangas...  Ever since we arrived, I’ve been bugging my friend Joana to take me to the location of the taping of Kristine Series somewhere in Batangas. She said that she’ll ask her dad about it, but sadly they didn’t know where the location was.  One afternoon, a day before we go back to Manila, we became bored. So we went out of the house, rode a jeep (was that a jeep? I don’t have any idea on what to call it basta it’s a vehicle, jeepney like hehe) and then the next thing i knew is that we’re off to another municipality in Batangas. Yay!  Joana took us to a beach.  We  went to the seashore, took a lot of photos and just sat there and enjoyed the sea breeze.  Joana then recalled that one of her friends had his photo taken with Rafael Rosell, so she texted her friend to ask where the location was. Her friend immediately replied that it’s in Zabarte Farm, a place which is not that far from where we were. So me, the so-called “mastermind” in the search for the shooting location of where my baby (haha) Rafael Rosell is at, initiated that we go to Zabarte Farm immediately. So off we go!

It’s a long ride going there. But it’s okay because we get to enjoy the beauty of the sugarcane fields and the breath of fresh air. After that long ride, finally we arrived in ZABARTE FAAARM! I was toooo anxious and nervous at the same time with the thought in my mind that finaaaallly, the long wait is ooover I now have the chance to see Rafael Rosell in person yay!! (inlababo girl mode)... on our way in the farm, we saw a mini chapel... and  a little more walk and we saw a cottage and an old house, since there’s no one around we decided to go inside the cottage to ask about the shooting. To our surprise the cottage was a resto/café pala! Cool huh? I was so amazed with what we’ve discovered.  But wait, we also discovered that the shooting there was long over and it took place for just a day. Me and my friends were expecting that the Zabarte farm is  (if you watched Kristine) the Villa Kristine where the mansion of the Fortalejo’s is located, but noooo there’s no mansion to be found, hindi pala un. Eeeek wrong location... L sad! Pero okay lang at least productive naman ang araw na yun dahil may nadiscover kaming cute na resto. Paglabas namin ng establishment nakita namin ung sign na La Tienda de Tuy,  yun pala ang name ng resto. 

                                                    (photo grabbed from fb page of La Tienda de Tuy)

Last August 13, Saturday, me and my friend Dana checked out a cute resto located in the so-called Maginhawa strip in QC.

(My friend Dana and  I. photo taken: August 13, 2011)

To those of you who's planning to visit Palawan any time soon, this chart of our transportation rates (which came from the official website of the provincial government of Palawan) might be of great use to you, specially to the first time visitors of the province.. :)

http://www.palawan.gov.ph/docs/PDF/palawan/PDF_v3/TRANSPORTATION_RATES.pdf

(just click on the link to view the chart) 

"La Estrella Del Norte", or "The star of the North" when translated in English, aptly describes the Municipality of Taytay. 

La Estrella del Norte signage embedded at the fence of the town's municipal hall

It is one of the twenty three (23) municipalities of Palawan. Aside from being one of the province’s oldest municipalities, Taytay is also the first ever capital city of the province.

(The hollywood-like signage of the Municipality as viewed from the Fuerza de Sta. Isabel Plaza)

Taytay is to be found in the northern part of Palawan. It has gained its title as "The Star of the North", since it is the first capital city of the province of Palawan. This town is rich in historical, cultural and environmental value. It was founded in the year 1623 during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. The word Taytay means bridge in the local dialect. Its name was derived from the word "Talaytayan", a native word for a few pieces of bamboo or wood arranged together to form a bridge.

The Map of Taytay

In addition to spectacular sun, sea and tropical landscape, the Island of Palawan is home to some of the finest beaches in the Philippines. 

And in a nation of countless historic natural wonders, PALAWAN has always stood out. It almost seems unfair for one place to have so much! Beyond the pristine beaches and crystal clear waters of Palawan, you'll find  a history and a culture that captivates the mind and rejuvenates the soul.

Come and see for yourself why it's a prime destination for vacationers, honeymooners, scuba divers, beach and nature lovers, researchers and everyone else in between.

See for yourself why IT IS MORE FUN IN PALAWAN! :)

(EPIC Sandbar in Manamoc Island)

(Palawan has one of the most luxurious private island resorts in the Philippines--Amanpulo, Palawan)

Palawan is composed of a total of twenty three municipalities namely, Aborlan, Agutaya, Araceli, Balabac, Bataraza, Brooke’s Point, Busuanga, Caganyancillo, Coron, Culion, Cuyo, Dumaran, El Nido, Kalayaan, Linapacan, Narra, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Rizal, Roxas, San Vicente, Sofronio Española and Taytay.

Palawan is the Philippines' LAST FRONTIER, it is the largest province in the country in terms of total land area. The province is also very rich in historical value, it is also known as the Cradle of the Philippine Civilization. Palawan is also very rich in terms of biodiversity, there are a lot of  endemic and endangered species to be found in its different islands. The Island of Palawan is one of the country's greatest prides!

I AM PROUD TO GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF OUR PARADISE, ONE OF THE CLEANEST AND GREENEST PROVINCES IN THE COUNTRY, THE PHILIPPINES' LAST FRONTIER.. THIS.. IS PALAWAN! :)

Renowned for its beautiful beaches, sumptuous resorts and relaxed friendly vibe, EL NIDO is one of the Province's most alluring destinations.

(Had fun swimming in the waters of the Bacuit Bay)

Aaaaaand as promised, we went back to La Tienda de Tuy. And this time we're back with the "Ni" in JaNiFuJo, Nicole.

      (photo taken last February 2012 at La Tienda de Tuy----Tuy Batangas Philippines)

          

In the photo are my friends, (L-R) FUdge, JOana and NIcole.

If you've read my old posts, you'll know that this is our second time to visit La Tienda de Tuy. In the Adventures of JaNiFuJo part one, we promised that we will go back to this place to try their unique dishes, so here we are! We're back at La Tienda de Tuy.

(To know more about our adventure and how we discovered La Tienda de Tuy, you can read it here:)

La Tienda de Tuy is a restaurant that offers a new experience in healthy eating. While checking out their menu, we discovered that they indeed have a variety of healthy dishes to choose from.

It is a unique place that has a very relaxing ambiance and it will surely spur your curiosity. With all the green plants and tall trees that surround the resto', you'll surely have a breath of fresh air that will welcome you as you enter the Hacienda Zabarte Farm. As you enter the restaurant, you will feel its homey atmosphere, it's like welcoming you into your home.

(My picture just outside the resto.)