07/08/2013
Busuanga Airport – Beautiful Scenery – Lost Wallet – Tricycles – Maquinit Hot Springs – Milky Way
An island of Palawan from my flight to Coron
Having woke early, Tita Vida drove us to Terminal 3 of Manila Airport for our flight to Coron. Internal flights in the Philippines do not require your passport, however it is advised for foreign nationals. As the plane was very small, we were each required to stand on a large weighing scale, resulting in a fear of separation to balance the weight across the Plane. However, these concerns were not realised and we all sat together for our flight.
A few of the local landscape from the runway of Busuanga airport
Coron, the eastern half of Busuanga Island (a province of Palawan) takes less than an hour to fly from Manila. From the plane, many small habited islands exist, justifying the Philippines category of an Archipelago. Busuanga airport was absolutely amazing; landing was like arriving on some remote African plane, with a dirt track runway and a mountainous backdrop. Arriving there felt like a true adventure. The airport itself was tiny and made me feel as though I’d journeyed in the 1940’s, with no security restrictions and all luggage hand delivered to a small holding bay.
As we exited the airport, a small minibus arrived to take us to our destination. The drive was phenomenal; I genuinely felt as though I was on an expedition through Jurassic Park.
A few of the Coron terrain from our Minibus
The scenery was stunning and the terrain spectacular. We drove past several native Filipino’s, living subsistence lives by harvesting goats, chickens and other crops. There was also a distinct smell of Marijuana in the air, but whether this was for personal use or for harvesting I have no idea.
As we arrived at the home of a family friend, serenity turned in to panic as Ralph discovered he had lost his wallet. After several phone calls, a relative of our hosts chased after the minibus from his motorbike and returned with the wallet. I couldn’t believe it! Prior to arriving in the Philippines, I had been warned about how much theft and pickpocketing exists. Many people (including the minibus driver) had the opportunity to take the wallet and its contents, but honesty prevailed and it was returned to a relieved Ralph.
Later that evening, we took a tricycle to the hot springs in Coron. Tricycles are the main form of public transport within small towns. They are an incredibly cheap but uncomfortable mode of transport, however the experience of riding in one far outweighs the lack of comfort. All three of us managed to sit in the side and rear car of the tricycle and we giggled our way to the destination.
A view from our tricycle of other Filipino’s and another tricycle
Many locals stopped to wave at the two Caucasian tourists hanging out of the vehicle. The journey itself was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, hobbling through pot-holed roads and steep gradients. It was such a thrill!
A picture of me at the Maquinit Hot Springs
We arrived at the Maquinit Hot Springs, a gorgeous location with several pools and seating areas. Before relaxing in the salty water, we walked around the perimeter of the Hot Springs, taking in the stunning views and surrounding landscape, marvelling in its beauty. Ralph and Laura could only manage the sheer heat of the Hot Springs for several minutes, however I remained for over half an hour. I am used to taking a hot bath at home, but I have never experienced a soak in such high temperatures before. Be careful not to dehydrate as you perspire without realising. There is a shop nearby selling water, but make sure that you take some with you.
Ralph and Laura basking in the boiling water of the Hot Springs
Me, relaxing in a Hammock
My experience at the Maquinit Hot Springs provided me with the first opportunity to truly relax on this holiday. The salt water felt soothing to my skin, whilst the cool breeze across my face and slow-setting sun provided an experience not to be missed.
As we took the Tricycle back to our home for the night, I accidentally glanced upwards at the sky and froze in astonishment. I was paralysed with awe at the sheer beauty and depth of the night sky. This was the most amazing thing I have ever visualised with my own eyes. The lack of light pollution and proximity to the equator provided a phenomenal view of the stars and Milky Way. Ralph even lost his hat looking up. I was grateful for this as the Tricycle stopped to return it, providing me with an opportunity to bask in the magnificence of the Universe. Prior to bed, we had dinner at a local restaurant with Hammocks on the top floor. I slept peacefully that night, overjoyed with my experience.
08/08/2013
Fiesta – Market – Island Hopping – Snorkelling – Kayangan Lake – Box Jellyfish Sting – La Sireneta Restaurant – Beautiful Sunset
We woke up at 6.30am, which also happened to be the latest that anyone in all of Coron woke up (it appeared). Soon after, we took a tricycle in to town and witnessed a fiesta carnival of live musicians.
As a musician myself, this was a fantastic opportunity – it was amazing that school children were playing instruments whilst performing a choreographed march. They demonstrated a lot of work, effort and commitment to rehearsals. There were times when the pulse and rhythm was out, however the overall performance and experience was fantastic.
The boat we rented for our trip
Ralph informed us that to experience the beauty of Palawan, the best option is to rent a boat with a crew for Island Hopping. This was an incredibly cheap and fantastic experience – I would recommend it to anyone who visits. For less than £6 per person, you have access to a boat and two crew members who sail you to various islands and attractions. In addition to this, they even cook you food whilst you’re busy exploring.
The Market in Coron where we bought our lunch
Once we had arranged to rent a boat and crew, we arrived at a local market to purchase our food for the day, in which our crew would cook later. In total, we purchased 2kg of Tuna, 1kg of pork, rice, tomatoes and eggs, all for the equivalent of £5. The food was very fresh, having only arrived at the market that day.
The Island where we Snorkelled for the first time
We climbed aboard the boat at 9am, and already the sun was boiling hot. After a short boat ride, we arrived at a small but beautiful island where they lay anchor and we had the opportunity to snorkel amongst schools’ of fish. This was the first time I have ever snorkelled in such clear and open water – I was mesmerised by the sheer colours and patterns of all sea life, including the coral.
I felt entirely safe with the boatmen observing us throughout. They also provided lots of advice prior to entering the water, and guided us to the various hotspots of marine activity.
Ralph, chilling on the Boat
They further encouraged our experience by throwing food near to us, where much to my surprise an army of fish attacked the bread closest to me.
Me at the viewing point at the top of the Ascent in Kayangan Lake
After some time, our boat crew took us to a dock at Kayangan Bay, where one of the biggest tourist attractions in Coron and the Philippines exists. After a climb of roughly 150 steps, we arrived at the most beautiful view point. You only need to search Coron on Google, and the majority of the images are of this viewpoint.
The crystal clear and deep waters of Kayangan Lake
For anyone visiting Coron, you have to go here – the best facebook profile photo is to be had.
After a descent of roughly 150 steps on the opposite side, we arrived at the tourist attraction, Kayangan lake. Dubbed as the cleanest lake in Asia, Kayangan lake is crystal clear and provides a fantastic snorkelling opportunity. Having travelled there during the Rainy Season, the most spontaneous and heavy rainfall surprised us during our swim in the lake. However, with the humidity and fact we were already submerged in water, we embraced the monsoon.
The small but secluded Beach where we had Lunch and I got stung
The beautiful lunch prepared for us by our boat crew
Once we had ascended and descended the steep incline, we discovered that our boatmen had already been preparing our food and after a short boat journey, we arrived at a small but secluded island. Once disembarked, we enjoyed a beautiful lunch, refuelling our energy for further snorkelling ahead. Ralph, Laura and I followed the rocks around the bay, mesmerised by the fish beneath us. As the tide became less predictable and the waves smashed harder against the rocks, I decided to return back to the beach where drama struck.
The caretaker of the island, rubbing leaves to ease the stinging
I remember this experience vividly, as though it happened yesterday. I swam gracefully but slowly towards the beach, and must have been roughly 30 feet away from the shore. However, as I put my foot down to attempt to stand and walk the remainder of the way, I felt a sudden brush of something against my foot. At first, I assumed it was some form of plant, but within seconds, a sensation grew within my right foot. Initially, it felt as though I had brushed against a ‘stingy nettle’, causing a mild and irritating burning sensation, however as the pain intensified and my movements became restricted, I started to fear the worse.
An image of the Box Jellyfish that stung me
Somehow, I managed to lift my foot above the water where my fears were realised. The remains of several purple tentacles were wrapped around my right foot, and I knew immediately that a jellyfish had stung me. At the time, I did not know that the Jellyfish was a Box, the world’s most venomous creature. As its venom surged its way through my foot and lower body, my movements became somewhat restricted. I would not describe it as a paralysis, but there is no way that I could have swam to the shore. I am so lucky that I was close enough to the shore that I could stand; I hopped my way towards the beach and shouted for help.
After an hour, the jellyfish venom settling under my skin
An image of the jellyfish venom around my ankle
An immediate panic surfaced amongst the crewmen and the beach caretaker. All three men looked absolutely terrified, which made me slightly concerned. However, not knowing at the time that it was a Box Jellyfish that had stung me, I remained entirely oblivious to the potential threat to my life. The caretaker dived in to the water towards the jellyfish, whilst the boatmen ran towards me and dragged me on to the sand. I was so grateful for their help. By this point, the pain in my foot had become excruciating. I can honestly say that I have never experienced pain like it; the burning sensation was so painful that it wouldn’t have surprised me to find my foot on fire. If there had been something sharp near, I would have sacrificed my foot to avoid the pain.
The burn left from the tentacles
As the boatmen surrounded me, Ralph arrived wondering what on earth was going on. He soon understood as I was writhing in agony upon the sand. Somehow, I didn’t cry or scream in pain, I remained calm in order for the men to help. It was clear to me that the tentacles were still attached to my foot, and for all the effort of the men, they could not be removed. They poured water over the tentacles, and even smothered it in a local leaf, but the tentacles would not loosen their grip. The Box Jellyfish have harpoon like tentacles, where upon adhesion, barbs restrict the tentacles from release in order to maintain a constant flow of venom in to its prey. What I found most difficult was that I did not understand the men as they spoke so fast in their native tongue. I looked to Ralph for reassurance, but he could not understand their local dialect either. It appeared to me as though they were panicking.
After some time, one of the men approached me to explain that they had to remove the tentacles from me, otherwise I could become very ill. He clarified how they were going to do it, but it would be very painful. I didn’t care – I wanted the tentacles off me. They packed and covered my entire foot with sand, and with the force of two men began to scrub so intensely at my foot. This was undoubtedly painful, but nowhere near as painful as the venom that was coursing through my veins. Thankfully, this experiment had worked – there were no visible tentacles left on my foot. The men advised burying my foot in the sand to avoid the breeze irritating the sting, and later, the caretaker lay there patiently massaging ice on my foot. They were absolutely amazing.
Swelling in my foot that night
After roughly 3 hours of excruciating pain of which I had never experienced before, it started to subside. The red colour had begun to disperse, and in its place were yellow shapes that contoured the tentacles of the jellyfish. At this point in time, my foot felt mildly paralysed with only some movement possible. The captain of the boat later told me that they were initially panicking because most people die of a box jellyfish sting. He informed me that I must have a strong heart as the venom kills people within five minutes, and that the worst was over. I can’t say that this did much to ease my shock, but I was grateful for the information.
After several hours, we took the boat back to the main port and came home. Strangely, a picking sensation still remained. Upon researching the Box Jellyfish, it became apparent that there were still venom pods attached to my skin. Each venom pod is microscopic and thus invisible to the naked eye. Ralph grabbed a credit card from his wallet and scraped across all of the tentacle marks, after which he applied a modest amount of vinegar. Thankfully we had access to the Internet as this advice was available online.
Gorgeous sunset – last night in Coron
How I continued with the evening I will never know, but after a short rest at home, we arrived in Coron town for dinner at La Sireneta. It was a brilliant meal, and after drinking 4 Busuanga Sunrise cocktails, the pain in my foot had reduced. The swelling had become worse however, and it was incredibly difficult to walk due to the tightness in the skin. After an absolutely stunning sunset, we decided to head home. Our first attempt failed, after the tricycle’s tire burst. This was inevitable with two men sat on the bike, a 10 year old boy on the side car, and Ralph, Laura, a young girl and myself sat in the rear car. Crazy!
My swollen foot at Coron Airport, with clear tentacle scars and intense swelling
Swollen Foot – Filipino Hospitality – Korean Man
My foot was still incredibly swollen the next day, and I had concerns of infection. Our minibus arrived half an hour early and so we had to rush. Nevertheless, our hosts for our stay prepared a beautiful breakfast before we left. It proved once again how brilliant Filipino hospitality is.
On the bus, Laura sat next to a very strange Korean guy who rubbed mouthwash on his face, consistently bashed his head against the window, kept breathing on to his phone, snorting, and sat with his legs wide open – invading her personal space. We all saw the funny side of it though! Once we had arrived at the airport, we flew an even smaller propeller plane to Puerta Princessa, which marked the end of our Coron adventure.
Philippines Travel Blog - Summer 2013 