MY TRAVEL PLAN PHILIPPINES PALAUI ISLAND

Source: www.cebu-philippines.net  or images.search.yahoo.com

MY TRAVEL PLAN:  PALAUI ISLAND

By:  Henry Libo-on 

In this edition of Touristang Pobre, I would like to introduce a concept that may not be new but something that will aid me and my readers on what to do if you plan to travel to a certain destination.  I would like to call it simply as MY TRAVEL PLAN.   

Once I did my actual travel, I will write my Blog where I will discuss my experiences about the place, my evaluation of its facilities like accommodations, restaurants which will include food and drinks, transportation services, tourist attractions, tourist guides, internet connection, money exchange, peace and order, and other relevant pluses and minuses that make Tourists like the place and want to return. 

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Spring has just sprung this 2022.  Specifically, March 20 is the official date that signifies the start of Spring.  In the U.S. where I am now based, Spring is always welcome with great enthusiasm because it is not only the moment of respite from the chills of the Winter season but also the time to do the things that we are unable to do during Winter and one of these is Travel.  I find it difficult to move from place to place during Winter.  It is nice to move around, travel around during Spring, Summer, and Fall.  

Spring is also the time when I begin to plan the places that I would like to go to.  This plan will be implemented the moment I have the free time to do it and may extend until the Summer or even Fall. 

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This month, I am preparing my Plan to have a Cagayan Adventure.  Cagayan is a province located in Northern Luzon.  The province is composed of 28 Municipalities and one city, the City of Tuguegarao which is also the capital of the Province.  Famous towns in Cagayan includes Aparri, which is mentioned in the song of "Eat Bulaga", a noon-time television show in the Philippines. "Mula Aparri hangang Jolo."  So, it seems that Aparri is the "starting point" when referring to the Northern Tip most part of the Philippines. Please look at this map shown below. 

Source:  Wikipedia - Topic Title:  Cagayan. 

Specifically, I plan to explore the beautiful island of Palaui.  CNN listed Palaui Island as Number 10 among the World's 100 Best Beaches. (Mad Monkey Hostels article about Palaui.) According to this article, Palaui is 2,439 hectares.  From the different pictures that I saw on the internet, I learned that the island has verdant forest and vegetation, beautiful white sand beaches, mangroves, verdant hills, and vales, among others. 

Interior of Palaui Island.

Source:  Wikipedia.  Topic: Palaui Island PL& S. 

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SURVIVOR U.S.A. Season 27 and 28 at Palaui Island

What? After the Caramoan Islands for its Season 25 and 26, SURVIVOR U.S.A. was not ready to leave the Philippines.  In 2013, its Season 27, Blood vs. Water was held on Palaui Islands in the northernmost town of Cagayan Province, the Township of Santa Ana. (Melo Villareal, Out Of Town Blog Dot Com). The winner this Season was Tyson Apostol.  The next Season, 28, the winner was Tony Vlachos. (www.globaltv.com).  These episodes of SURVIVOR, U.S.A. were part of the Reality Television Show viewed at CBS in the U.S.  

Knowing this, it made me realize that something unique or outstanding must be in Palaui Island that made the SURVIVOR U.S.A. decide to make Palaui as the "setting" of their world-famous television reality series. 

WHY IS PALAUI  ISLAND  A "DELICIOUS" TRAVEL DESTINATION? 

At first, I was adamant to use the word delicious to describe Palaui Island. There are so many adjectives used to describe Palaui but delicious is not one of them until I discovered that the word delicious could also mean many things to other people and to travelers who love eating, delicious could mean that there is, indeed, delicious food waiting for the travelers at Palaui Island. 

To some who consider English as their second language, they use the word delicious to mean that they are happy, feel healthy, or just love the whole experience of seeing, feeling, touching, experiencing the beach, the sea, and the sand, for example. 

One day, I asked my classmate who was not fluent in the English Language, the question, "How do you feel today?" His quick reply was, "Hmm, I am not delicious today." I clarified by asking him, why?  He replied that he felt like he was sick, like he was wasted, and lacked the energy to attend our class.  That was the moment that I realized that "delicious" could mean many things to some people. By the way, we were foreign students attending a short course at the University of Canberra, Australia. 

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Mark Weins of Marriott BonVoy Traveler wrote about Istanbul as one of the most Delicious Travel Destinations in the world by presenting so many restaurants that offer international cuisine as well as exotic food very popular in Istanbul.  This story of Weins encouraged me to use "delicious" to describe Palaui Island with just a little twist.  

Palaui Island must be "delicious", and it must be good in every sense of the word - the forest, the hills, and vales, the islets, the beaches, the Banca and the friendly Boatman or "Banquero", the turquoise blue waters, the flora, and fauna, the mangroves, the old Lighthouse, the seafood, the "Bahay Kubo", and most of all the friendly and industrious locals.  But, literally, Palaui could be delicious because there is an abundance of Seafood that travelers can savor but you have to make an arrangement before you arrive on the island. 

So, I hope we now agree on why Palaui Island could be a Delicious Travel Destination. 

Source: Wikipedia.  Topic:  Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape.

Itinerary of Travel and Activities:

1.  Departure from my point of origin for Manila Domestic Airport.

2.  Arrival in Manila.  Board my flight for Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. 

3.  Arrival at Tuguegarao Airport

4.  Ride the Van for Hire, together with the rest of the tourists, for the Town of Santa Ana. 

5.  Arrival at Santa Ana.  Visit the Tourism Office and ask assistance to tour the Island of Palaui.

6.  Buy food and drinks to be brought to Palaui Island.

7.  Go to San Vicente Port to arrange for the Outrigger Boat with the Santa Ana Motorized Boat Association, Inc. Finalize the cost of boat rental (Round Trip), and other services you want for this trip such as a) arrangement of a place to stay overnight like Homestay or Camping, the Catering of Meals, and the services of a Guide for Trail Hiking or Island Hopping. Finalize your Date and Time of Departure from the Port of San Vicente and the Date and Time of Departure from Palaui Island for the Port of San Vicente or the mainland. 

8.  Arrival on the Island of Palaui.  Billeting through the help of your Boatman. 

9.  After freshening up, swimming, walking the beach or familiarization of the surrounding area of your Homestay or Camping Ground, decide to start your first tour of the Island's Tourist Spots with the help of your Guide, the Boatman.  The guided tour is limited to 5 people at a time.  If the group is more than 5, request for another Guide or you can increase the Tour Guide Fee from P300 to P500.  Make the final arrangement with your Boatman/Guide. 

10. Time to Snack.  Bring your own snack.

11.  Dinner Time.

12.  Fellowship around the camp or in your Homestay. 

13.  Arrange the time of your Breakfast if you plan to leave the island early in the morning. 

14.  Other activities may include a visit to Anguib Beach and Nangaramoan White Sand Beach. 

Traveler's Tip:  The Van For Hire leaves Santa Ana for Tuguegarao City Airport almost every hour.  Please confirm this with the Driver of your Van on your way to Santa Ana, which is Day One in Santa Ana. 

Some Van For Hire waits at the Airport of Tuguegarao.  Just inquire from the Airport Personnel for more information.

The photo was taken from Google Earth. 

How Can I Get There? 

There were some Bloggers who said that Palaui Island is about an hour boat ride from the Port of San Vicente.  However, there were also Travel Bloggers who mentioned in their Blogs that the travel time to the island is about 30 minutes. I will know about the correct travel time once I visited the place and I will share it with you.  The Boat will "dock" or stop on the beach of the first stop on Palaui Island.  From there, the tourists can proceed to their next destination with the help of their Guide. The island hopping can last for a day. Some Bloggers, however, recommend for an overnight stay to give travelers a time to experience the island life. 

The next thing that I will do is to check how much is the cost of Fare from the Port to the Island.  If there is a possibility of an island hopping, how much would it cost me to do this island hopping?  

The next to check is the tourist facilities available on the island.  Are there hotels, inns, homestays, and restaurants, among others? If there is no overnight accommodation is there a need for me to bring a Tent or rent the same from the Islanders? If I have all the questions answered then I might as well prepare my Itinerary of travel. 

 (Photo Credit - Supermanslash, 18 September 2012 at Wikimedia Commons.  This is the photo of the Cape Engano Lighthouse.  The spot is overlooking the Dos Hermanas Islands and the North Pacific Ocean.)

The Lighthouse at Cape Engano (Enganyo).  

Source:  Wikipedia.  Topic:  Palaui Island PL&S. 

The Port of San Vicente

It is best to coordinate your trip to Palaui Island with the local Tourism Office and the Santa Ana Boat Association.  You can find them or their representatives at the Port of San Vicente. 

The Port of San Vicente as viewed from Google Maps. 

The Port Terminal at San Vicente Port.  Source: Google Earth. 

From the Port of San Vicente, there are several Outrigger Boats that service Palaui Island and other tourist spots in Santa Ana, for example, the Anguib Beach and Nangaramoan White Sand Beach which is located on the North-West side of San Vicente. 

For me, going to Palaui Island as a solo backpacker can be expensive.  It would be better if you are in a group of 5 or more at least the cost of boat rental can be shared among the members of your group. 

For example, a Day Tour of the island may cost you from P500.00 to P3,000.00 depending on your itinerary.  A tour of the nearest island may cost you P500 and P3,000 maximum if you wish to visit all the popular tourist spots. 

To have a well-planned island adventure, it would be better to ask the assistance of the tourism officer of the town as well as the San Vicente Motorized Boat Association. Their contact number is listed herein. 

Traveler's Tip:  

Bring your own food and drinks because these are scarce on the island.  If you want a catered breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can arrange this with your Boatman or with the Tourism Office.  Inform your  Boatman or the Tourism Officer of this request a day before you go to the island. 

What To Do On Palaui Island and Santa Ana? 

1. Island Hopping (make an arrangement with the Boatman)
2. Trek to Cape Engano Lighthouse (Enganyo)
3. Cross the Hanging Bridge

Source:  Palaui Island by Google Earth.

4. Explore the Mangroves
5. Beach Bumming 
6. Snorkeling
7. Explore the verdant hills, vales, and forest or visit the Nature Village on the island. 
8. Camp at Punta Verde and enjoy the white sand beach. 
9. Savor the delicious seafood prepared by the Locals.

        

Seafood is abundant on Palaui Island. The locals are willing to cook food for tourists but they should be informed in advance. The Boatman and the Tour Guide can help you arrange for this. Just be ready with what food to order.  Both you and the caterer should agree on the price of the food, the drinks or other "inclusions" you want. 

(The photos shown above were sourced from Youtube and posted by numutv (left), and www.lakadpilipinas.com (right))

Other things to do in Santa Ana. 
9.  Explore the Pugo Muro, Snake Island, and Puzorubo. 
10. Enjoy the white sand and crystal clear water at Anguib Beach and if you still have the time, explore Nangaramoan White Sand Beach. 

  Punta Verde at Palaui Island by Google Earth.

TOUR GUIDE?   Your Boatman can also be your guide to the islands for free.  If you want a Guide to, for example, the Lighthouse or to do a Trek from one point to another point within the island, the Guide Fee is P300.  

Accommodations on Palaui Island:

The best accommodation available on the island is the Homestay and Pitching a Tent.  A few of these Homestays include:  Ate Elsa's Home Stay (+63 - 905 283 2559) and Laddaran's Homestay (095-283-2559)

Images of Homestays in Palaui Island: 

The homestay will cost you from P250 per night.  You can also pitch a Tent in the open space near your Homestay or the most common area is one located at Punta Verde.  

These photos of Homestays on Palaui Island were sourced from Google Earth. 

 Ate Elsa's Homestay.

All preceding photos used here have been sourced from Google Earth. 

For Outrigger Boat rental ask the assistance of:

Santa Ana Motorized Boat Association, Inc. 
www.facebook.com/SAMOBAInc
samobainc@gmail.com
0966-3791-811

Boat Rental:

1.  Cape Engano Lighthouse - - - - - - - - P1,800.00 

2.  Punta Verde - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - P   750.00 

3.  Crocodile Island - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - P   500.00 

This is a video of different Seafood that is available in Santa Ana and UPON REQUEST OR RESERVATION on Palaui Island Adventure.  Please coordinate with the local Tourism Office and the Motorized Banca Association for food catering, or ordering your food in advance.  This video also shows the departure from San Vicente Port to other island destinations to Palaui and the surrounding islands. 

Source:  youtube by numutv published on May 31, 2017.  Thanks, numutv. 

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There are other places to explore around Santa Ana.  For example, there is Anguib Beach and Nangaramoan White Sand Beach and nearby is Pozo Robo Beach, and Pugo Muro Island, among others. 

There are Traveler Inns in the town proper of Santa Ana as well as in the Port Area of San Vicente. 

Jotay Resort.  Source: Google Earth.

Accommodations at the Santa Ana Town Proper:

* Jotay Resort at Dugo-San Vicente Road

* North East Lodge located adjacent to Dugo-San Vicente Road. 

* Eden's Lodging House is a few distances from North East Lodge.

* Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort

* Binching Hotel and Restaurant

* Balay Cagayano

* Gunter's Inn

Accommodations at the Port Area of San Vicente: 

*  Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort

*  E. F. Costales Lodge 

*  Katkat Lodge 

*  Lugano Bed & Breakfast

Jotay Resort. Source: Google Earth.

The Municipal Building of Santa Ana, Cagayan Province. Santa Ana is the town that is near the famous Aparri Town, Cagayan. 

Santa Ana Commercial Center.  
Source:  Google Earth.

An aerial photo of San Vicente showing the Port.  

Photo sourced from Google Earth. 

From Google Earth, this how Santa Ana is like.  It is a town and at the Northern tip of Cagayan Province.  At the end of the tip of the road network is the Port of San Vicente.  Next to the Port is the Island of Palaui, one of CNN's top 10 islands among the list of 100 islands all over the world. 

For added information, the Town of Santa Ana is about two-hours travel to Pagudpud which is also near Laoag and going down south is Vigan City.  The photo is sourced from Google Earth. 

TO RIDE THE BUS OR THE AIRPLANE?

If you will be traveling from Manila, Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao areas, your initial port of entry will be the Domestic Airport of Manila.  

From the Domestic Airport, you can take another flight to Tuguegarao City. From Tuguegarao Airport there are Van for Hire that will take the Tourists to Santa Ana Town or straight to San Vicente Port.  Just make an arrangement with the Drivers upon your arrival at the Airport. 

Aircraft that service the Manila - Tuguegarao flights are Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.  Please check with your local travel agency regarding their schedules. 

I initially think that there are flights from the Clark International Airport to Tuguegarao City but later I checked again, there is none.  So, I have to fly from my point of origin to Manila which is good for me since I can make use of my time being there to probably decide whether or not to tour the Corregidor Island or visit  Bataan. 

In Manila, specifically at Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, there are buses that ply the Manila-Tuguegarao routes.  From Tuguegarao, there are Vans for hire that will take the tourists to Santa Ana, Cagayan or direct to San Vicente Town.  Please check with the Driver about his last stop in Santa Ana. 

The Buses that service the Manila - Tuguegarao City routes are Baliguag Transit (Cubao); Dalin Transit (Manila); Deltra Bus Transit (Manila); GV Florida Bus Manila; and Victory Liner at Kamias, Manila, Pasay, and Caloocan. 

ARRIVAL AT SANTA ANA TOWNSHIP

The next thing that I will probably do is visit the Tourism Office of the town and ask for more information and assistance in going to Palaui Island including information about the services of the Outrigger Boats, and their rental. 

Cagayan Airport, Tuguegarao City. Source: Google Earth.

Source: primer.com.ph  or The Philippines Primer For Expats. 

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With this information, I think  I can now start saving money for my Palaui Island Adventure.  

So, if you think you like My Travel Plan and you think this is helpful to you and your friends, please LIKE my Facebook Page and SHARE this with your friends.  Thank you. 

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Updated May 23, 2019. 
Updated December 17,2019. 

Reviewed on April 12, 2021.

Reviewed on April 2, 2022.

Reviewed on May 5, 2024.