“The sea has this ability; it returns everything after a while, especially memories.” C.R. Zafon
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Itinerary in summary (4D3N)
- Day 0: Arrival in Puerto Princesa
- Day 1: Transfer Puerto Princesa-Balabac, Canimeran and Patawan
- Day 2: Nasubata reef, Onuk Island, Candaraman Island and Starfish sandbar
- Day 3: Canibungan Island, Mansalangan sandbar and Manta sandbar
- Day 4: Transfer to Puerto Princesa
- Conclusions
Introduction
The Philippines have recently become a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. Considering that it is a country consisting of more than 7000 islands, you will understand that it is not easy to choose the best ones to visit. However, among the most attractive ones, Palawan is always (or almost always) included, being regarded by many tourism industry rankings as the most beautiful island in the world. Although I am not a fan of those who compare places in the world that are completely different from each other, moreover by questionable parameters, a reason for describing Palawan in such an uplifting way is supposed to exist as well. That reason is sought by the majority of travelers/tourists in the most attractive spots of El Nido and Coron, wonderful places known not only for their picture-postcard beaches but also for the presence of lakes and lagoons of incredible colors. Now, while these two locations are indeed stunning (as I will tell in other articles), I actually found that aforementioned reason in Balabac, an archipelago far from mass tourism, located at the opposite end of the island from El Nido and Coron (i.e., in the south).
Doing a bit of research before we left, I had read about Balabac as one of the most pristine, most beautiful, and least touristy places in the world, and I had also heard from many travelers who thought it was the most enchanting place they had ever visited, so our expectations were very high. We did not imagine that such expectations would even be far exceeded!
The reason why Balabac is still an under-visited place has to do with the fact that it is a complex of remote islands, to visit which requires good adaptability, as I will explain more in details in the next paragraphs. In addition, it seems that that is an area where there are non-isolated incidents of piracy, which still discourages visitors. In summary, not exactly the destination my wife had always dreamed of for her honeymoon (in fact, the Philippines was the destination we chose for our honeymoon)!
The excursion to Balabac was the only one within our trip to the Philippines that we booked from Italy, moreover well in advance before departure, as there are not so many agencies one can rely on (one cannot go independently), plus places are limited. Before booking we had made a comparison among the few local agencies we found, and in the end we selected Lagum Adventure, booking directly from their site, paying a small deposit. Among the other agencies we consulted, we should mention “The Wander Walkers” (the most popular, in fact the places with them were finished), “Kilometer Zero Ph” and “Palawander Travel and tours.” Almost all agencies allow a choice between 4D3N, or 3D2N excursion. Among those mentioned, Kilometer Zero Ph also organizes 2D1N excursions, but given the complexity to get there and the beauty of the place I would not suggest this option. In fact, we chose the 4D3N tour so as to include all the sandbars, which would not have been possible by cutting one day.
The cost of the excursion varies little among different agencies. We spent a total of PHP 15000 per person (about €250) to participate in a scheduled group tour, including pick up and drop off in Puerto Princesa, all meals, excursions, and overnight stay in tents. The tour can also be done privately, with the costs naturally rising. Personally, unless you are like the Slovenian guy I met in Danakil depression, according to whom “one person one problem, ten people ten problems,” I would recommend the group tour, considering that the groups are small, there is no chance of finding crowds, and the average age of the participants will tend to be low, given the spirit of adaptation needed (in our case, at least, this was the case).
Itinerary in summary (4D3N)
The best time to visit Balabac is from mid-February through the first half of May. Consistent with this assumption, we departed in the second half of April 2024, which is also an excellent time for the other islands we included in our overall itinerary. The details of the Balabac itinerary are summarized in the table below:
| Day | Itinerary | Attractions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Transfer to Puerto Princesa | – | Overnight in Puerto Princesa |
| 1 | Balabac | Canimeran, Patawan, Sicsican | Overnight in Sicsican Island |
| 2 | Balabac | Onuk, Candaraman, Starfish sandbar | Overnight in Sicsican Island |
| 3 | Balabac | Canibungan, Mansalangan sandbar, Manta sandbar | Overnight in Sicsican Island |
| 4 | Transfer Balabac – Puerto Princesa | Puerto Princesa town | Overnight in Puerto Princesa |
Day 0: Arrival in Puerto Princesa
All Balabac tours start from Puerto Princesa, leaving very early in the morning, so it is important to arrive there at least the night before departure. A few days before leaving, the agency creates a WhatsApp group in which it communicates some arrangements and in which you can interact with other members of the group. I make this point to note that it is strongly recommended that you have a data connection, so if you have not purchased a local SIM card, I highly recommend that you stay in a place that has a WiFi connection. Speaking of lodging, it is important that this be “in town” (i.e., not outside Puerto Princesa), because otherwise the agency will not agree to pick you up.
To get to Puerto Princesa, you can take a domestic flight from Manila or Cebu. If you are arriving from northern Palawan, such as El Nido or Port Barton, the best option is to opt for a shared van, costing around the equivalent of €10 per person, which you can generally book from your hotel at the place of departure. The transfer from El Nido, the location from which we departed, to Puerto Princesa takes about 5 hours. It usually leaves around lunchtime, and then arrives at the destination around dinnertime. We stayed at the Villa Skanderberg Guest House, a fairly basic and functional place, but a bit far from the clubs and restaurants (we took a tuk-tuk to dine, having not arrived in time to take advantage of their service). One convenience of the Guest House is that the managers allow you to leave your large luggage for the duration of the Balabac tour, a service we took advantage of (and I recommend you do the same).
Day 1: Transfer Puerto Princesa-Balabac, Canimeran and Patawan
Pick up for departure is scheduled between 3 and 4 a.m., as it takes about 5h to get to Buliluyan port, from where the boats depart. Our adventure begins with our van getting longed for, arriving over 30 min late. Delay due to the fact that, for reasons still incomprehensible to me, the pick up was not organized in a way to minimize travel (thus picking up the various tour participants according to their location), but according to the order in which each one was booked. In the end we are a total of about ten people traveling wedged somehow in between the luggage, along with a driver who keeps Schumacher mode on the whole time, with the small detail that the roads traveled are not exactly paved like F1 tracks. As mentioned, we had also been very smart to bring only a small backpack, leaving the larger suitcases in Puerto Princesa (where you have to return to at the end of the tour anyway), but let’s just say that not everyone was as smart.
So we arrive with the ill of everything at the port of Bulyluyan, and after the usual bureaucracy at the tourist office we board a cramped boat full of crowded people. On the way, we move offshore with our group to a smaller boat, which we will use for all the following days. This is how the first day’s excursion begins, with a castaway rescue-style transshipment and without having a wink of sleep at all due to the uncomfortable travel conditions. However, already the first stop makes our eyelids wide open, foreshadowing the spectacle we would witness in those days. It is Canimeran Island, a largely private island located in the middle of nowhere, with crystal-clear water and fine white sand that forms dunes visible even from a distance. The stop lasts an hour or so, we still have time to swim and relax, as well as take some photos.
Although the colors of the sea are beautiful, the island is still very similar to what we have seen in other locations in the Philippines, such as Siargao or Malapascua. Instead, the level starts to rise sharply with the second stop, on Patawan Island. The island is also called Dolphin Island, as from an aerial view it appears to take the shape of a dolphin. The colors are fabulous; in photos they don’t even begin to render. We stay a little longer on Patawan than on Canimeran, partly because this is where our lunch break is scheduled.
After Patawan Island, very satisfied with the day despite being tired, we arrive on Sicsican Island, which is the one where we will be staying for all 3 nights. The island itself does not particularly entice swimming, both because it is not special in terms of scenery and because upon our arrival (and beyond) the tide is very low. However, the sunset that can be enjoyed is something spectacular. The photos you see are, as always, unfiltered.
We end the day with a dinner of rice, meat and fish, a menu that will be repeated cyclically at every meal, eaten with the entire company.
I take advantage at this point to tell something about our accommodation, which as anticipated is very Spartan. We sleep in tents (or in huts, for the lucky ones, but still on the ground), there is no electricity except at certain prearranged evening times, there is no running water, we wash with basins of rainwater taken directly from a well on the island, which is also used to flush the toilet, common to all guests (which in any case are not many). There is a small store on the island where you can buy water, juice, cookies, fruit or other such basic things. There is also the possibility of connecting to a not-so-functional wireless network for a nominal fee. There is nothing else, apart from a few stray dogs that shredded a couple of towels for us.
Day 2: Nasubata reef, Onuk Island, Candaraman Island and Starfish sandbar
It is the most anticipated moment of the trip, not only with regard to Balabac but relative to the entire trip to the Philippines: the visit to Onuk Island. We get up at a decent hour after a night in a tent plagued by wind, which thankfully, however, blows away every speck of cloud, heading first to Nasubata reef for some snorkeling, honestly not unmissable, and then directly to Onuk island, which will instead prove to be among the most breathtaking places we have ever seen during our lifetime (and fortunately, we have seen many). But let’s go in order.
As I said, the snorkeling at Nasubata reef is not compelling; we see a few scattered corals but nothing significant. On the other hand, the water is unbelievably blue and the visibility underwater is fabulous, in fact we see even at relatively significant distances a few fish of the transparent kind, the name of which one cannot ask an ignorant person on the subject like yours truly. And that’s all I have to say about this matter, as Forrest Gump would say.
The snorkeling stop lasts half an hour, at the end of which we head to Onuk Island. The day is almost entirely devoted to visiting this island, where we also stop for lunch. As we get closer by boat, the colors become more and more intense. The island is small, one would walk around it in a few minutes, if it were not for the jaw-dropping astonishment that makes one petrified after every inch of sand, and the consequent desire to take pictures from every corner. The hues of the colors are incredible shades, the water is so clear that I can catch a glimpse of a blue manta ray about 30 meters away from the shore (I am not exaggerating), plus the sea is full of turtles, which can be seen very well even from a dock carved out on the beach. The sand is white and soft as flour. If paradise exists, we can say we have seen it and been more alive than ever!
In the early afternoon we leave Onuk Island, and head for Candaraman Island, where we stop for a few minutes. We have just enough time to take a few photos and take a short walk, the beach being only passing through.
Adjacent to Candaraman Island is in fact Starfish sandbar. As its name suggests, this sandbar features countless starfish, which are easily seen at low tide, thanks in part to the complete transparency of the water. The sandbar is small but very distinctive indeed. Here we enjoy the show for an hour or so, interspersing a few dips with a few walks on the water. To feel omnipotent, all I need at that moment is my hair.
After the stop in Starfish sandbar, we head back to base camp, closing with another spectacular sunset and dinner, same as the previous days.
Day 3: Canibungan Island, Mansalangan sandbar and Manta sandbar
Day three begins with a beautiful sunrise on Sicsican Island (from the island you can see both sunrise and sunset), after which we head to Canibungan Island, a small island where we spend the entire morning until lunch. The island is yet another Balabac gem, beautiful colors, soft white sand, palm trees everywhere. We are cheered by several children who come up to play, which we more than willingly do, despite the severe heat.
We wait until early afternoon to allow the tide to recede so that we can best visit the two sandbars on this day. The first is Mansalangan sandbar, the largest in the area. The spectacle is absolutely incredible, in addition there is only our group to enjoy such a marvel, and there is enough time to appreciate every corner. The colors are fabulous.
The second pit stop was supposed to be at Punta Sebaring (as is generally the case with both Lagum Adventure and the other agencies), however due to a swell a few days earlier the area is not easily accessible, and also considering that it is a rather distant place from the rest of the other destinations of interest, the agency team decides to opt for Manta sandbar, so named because of its shape visible from above. Although I really wanted to see Punta Sebaring, let’s just say that Plan B worked out great. I let the photos do the talking, which do not render anyway.
We reluctantly return to our base camp, still in disbelief of what we have seen over the past few days.
Day 4: Transfer to Puerto Princesa
The fourth and final day of the Balabac package is devoted solely to the transfer to Puerto Princesa, which is done as on the outward journey, so by boat to Buliluyan (this time without transshipment at sea from one boat to another) and then by van to the town center. We arrive in Puerto Princesa in the afternoon without any particular excitement, having woken up very early for departure. We then spend the night in the same bnb as on the outward journey, which had kindly stored our larger suitcases for us, and leave again the next morning, destination Siargao. But that is another story.
Conclusions
On our trip to the Philippines, which also included Malapascua, El Nido, Coron, and Siargao, the Balabac tour was the most exciting moment. Far from mass tourism, dream beaches, it is truly paradise on earth. If Palawan is considered the most beautiful island in the world by several rankings, I found the reason there. Onuk Island in particular is among the most beautiful things conceived by the Almighty, to date on the top list of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. However, not a destination for everyone, as it requires good adaptation skills due to the very spartan accommodations and the several hours of travel, which however are definitely repaid by the spectacle that nature offers. Having to rank my top highlights, I would say:
- Onuk Island, undoubtedly the most enchanting place visited not only in Balabac and throughout the Philippines, but also among the most beautiful places seen in the rest of the world.
- Manta Sandbar, a destination that started as a fallback but turned out to be a wonderful surprise.
- Mansalangan Sandbar, the largest sandbar in Balabac, stunning.
Since this is a place as beautiful as it is remote, I am glad I opted for 4D3N tour (which I also highly recommend to you), I just regret not being kidnapped by pirates so I could stay there for life.
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