Day 2: We've set this day at Coron to visit Calauit Island. It's an island located northwest of Busuanga Island. It's known to be the home of African animals imported in 1976 during the Marcos era. With a pre-arranged van, we got ready by 4am to travel to Calauit Island to visit the Calauit Safari Park. While on transit, I got an unknown sunblock lotion brand recommended by a friend where he bought from a flee market. I shared it with a someone else in the group. After a while, I thought that she overdid herself. I told her that there's too much lotion she applied as she resembles like a ghost in a horror flick B movie. It turns out I have the same outcome as friends were laughing their hearts out at us. I'm not that vain but I think the lotion product is a knock-off of the original. I don't know it's effectiveness to protect oneself from the sun but it's definitely not absorbing to our skin; as if I put flour on my face! I'm not saying that all items in the bazaar are like this but one should be careful in pick
ing the right product especially if it concerns your health or diet. Anyhow, we arrived there by 7am after a long speedy and bumpy ride. We also took a short 10-minute boat ride to finally land to our destination. By the way, I also heard that you can take a boat from Coron town but it'll take you 4 hours to arrive in Calauit Island as an alternative route but you get to see scenic places of the outskirts of Busuanga Island.
Entrance fee at the safari park is at P200/person and there's also a touring truck rental fee of P1,000/group good for about 25 people. We had a short walk and for our first glimpse, we excitedly saw mouse deers grazing within close distance from us. Then, from afar, we were all the more exhilarated to see the zebras and the giraffes. We had the opportunity to feed them for breakfast. The tour guide says that these are third generations of zebras and giraffes since their grandparents were imported from Africa in 1976. Unlike our local animals, these creatures are very sensitive. Since the caretakers do not have the authority to inject tranquilizers or any pacifying agents, they have to improvise
to give treatment whenever they have infections and diseases. They usually cover their heads to ease the tension as they may die due to severe stress of being temporary captives for treatments. Somehow, I'm glad these animals have adopted to the local weather conditions and food supply they need to propagate their kind. The safari is under the jurisdiction and care of the provincial government of Palawan. There were also other animals like a small herd to antelopes, a pair of porcupines, a bearcat, endemic chickens, boars and crocodiles... and that's it. Oh well, I was anticipating that there will be more kinds of animals in this vast island where they can roam free. Overall, the highlight was the giraffes... (period).
By 9:00 am, our tour was done and we were eating our packed lunch. Hahahaha... Talk about bursting our bubble.We went back to our resort in Coron town with another 3 hours to reconvene what we can do for the rest of the afternoon. We were hoping to go island hopping again but the weather was not favorable so we decided to take a nap while the rain was pouring. Late in the afternoon, we went shopping to get some souvenirs and pasalubong. Everybody in town knows Lita Escardas' Coron Harvest who makes cashew products near the port. (P50 for the small bag for about 50g & P100 for big bag for about 100g.) You can also buy 'fresh' dried fish and squid at the town market.
If there's something worth going back to Coron apart from the paradise islands, it's the food at Coron Bistro.
They're known for their great rectangular pizza (P386 large for 12 slices, yum!), pastas, sausages (Hungarian, Italian or French with potatoes for P175) and other interesting & elaborate items in the menu. I guarantee that it will take you awhile to choose what you want to eat. The owner actually prepares the meals for everyone. To cap the night, we went to a shabby videoke place in a local cafeteria and hooked up with some locals singing videoke. I hope we didn't disturb the neighbors as we were singing our hearts out. It was fun and funny but I'm not sure I was happy with my singing. I hope the neighbors were able to sleep that night. =PQuick travel tips:
1. Bring a reputable sunblock lotion brand that would protect your skin from the sun and its elements.
2. Travelling with a group is great but consider how you can manage them especially the time and the arrangements.
"While on transit, I got an unknown sunblock lotion brand recommended by a friend where he bought from a flee market."
ReplyDeleteFLEE market, I like that... I guess people will really be tempted to flee when they see floured-up looking faces, hahaha! :P
I also enjoyed the zebras in Calauit! It's amazing to note that their coat of hair is actually short (despite the black & white pattern that looks like it could be long & part of a floor rug). Zebras are actually very horse-like, even to the description that they would buck and kick when you get too near. :)