palawan: eco-tourism done right

my sister and i are the DIY type when it comes to travel.
there is nothing like freely exploring a new place on your own,
armed with a map and googled travel tips.
and best of all,  it helps keep budget to a minimum.

planning for the family vacation to puerto princesa and el nido though was a different case.
after realising that the tour packages pricing is controlled and it means not having to trouble ourselves with contracting transportation on our own, we figured, why not, chocnut : )
surely, we can just auto-tune the incessant chatter of a tourist guide.

the first stop on the itinerary was el nido. just glorious el nido.
with its different hued, crystal clear waters.
with its hidden and secretly tucked beaches.
with its fresh and oh so delicious food!
with its friendly and smiling locals.
the 5 hour travel from puerto princesa and back on a mix of asphalted and rough roads
is just too little a price to pay.

a city tour of clean and green puerto princesa was next on the list.
puerto princesa is as proud of its rich history and culture as it is of the success it is reaping in terms of ensuring their natural resources are properly utilised.

revisiting one of the 7 Wonders of the World   – the Underground River still left in awe.
while it still makes my jaw drop, i had to heed the advice of the boatman guide to keep my mouth close lest i end up digesting something unsavoury.
our boatman guide may have memorised his spiel for the entire tour, it was nevertheless so entertainingly delivered.
the trip to and back was equally informative as well, with our guide just spewing out details upon details of the areas we were passing through. our guide illustrated that it does pay to know your history and geography. 🙂

there is nothing better than having a community realize that there is money in valuing their locale’s natural resources.
that making money out of natural resources does not necessarily mean utilising nature’s resources until it runs out.
that progress does not necessarily mean cutting down all trees and converting arable land to develop shopping malls and housing subdivisions and villages.

whether the people of puerto princesa and palawan as a whole can continue with their single goal of being the cleanest and greenest in the philippines and being the poster county for eco-tourism, this still remains to be seen.

from what i am seeing, they are on the right track.
hopefully, the political will of the people keeps them there. that no (ruling) man will derail them from their path due to personal ambition.

and yes, palawan is eco-tourism done right. 🙂