The travel thrills of San Vicente

As travel restrictions are being eased once again and a number of our islands are reopening to local travelers, many are beginning to cook up plans to take that much desired break from the city.

So, where are you headed?

One up and coming choice tourist destination is San Vicente in Palawan. If Boracay’s White Beach has a 4-km stretch of the world’s finest, whitest sand, San Vicente’s Long Beach has more than thrice of that. Its unspoiled, pristine beach spans more than 14 km, with nothing but endless rows of lush forests, coconut trees and the West Philippine Sea surrounding it.

Now, what does one do while vacationing—or workcationing—in this emerging tourism hot spot of San Vicente?

1. Hang out. Because really, what better way to enjoy that seemingly endless stretch of powdery white sand facing the magnificent blue West Philippine Sea than to spend hours on it? At 14 km, Long Beach has enough room for everyone so you won’t have to worry about crowds. Scattered around are a few restaurants and cafés that offer both local and international cuisines if you find yourself starving from all that lounging and hanging out.

—JIMAGGRO VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

2. Explore. If you’re the adventurous type, explore Port Barton, a more laidback and smaller version of El Nido. It is quite popular with backpackers and adventure-seekers looking for that rural, quiet feel of a beachside village. Trek—or rent a motorcycle—to visit Port Barton’s two enchanting waterfalls, Pamuayan Falls and Bigaho Falls.

3 Snorkel. With its clear waters and unspoilt marine life, San Vicente’s many coves and coral reefs will surely make all you waterbabies swoon. You can take your pick from Daplac Cove, Capari Cove Coral Reefs, Naparay Coral Reefs and Exotic Island, just to name a few.

4 Kayak. The only activities those arms have been doing for the past 19 months is lifting that bag of chips and reaching for that TV remote. Give yourself a good workout by renting a paddle boat or a kayak and paddle your way along Inandeng River, Decala Mangrove or Tugdunan Mangrove.

—SANVICENTEPALAWAN.GOV.PH

5 Swim with the turtles. We’re not talking about the crime-fighting, pizza-eating kind of turtles, we’re referring to real, actual turtles. Head over to Inaladelan Island where you can swim with sea turtles. If you’re really lucky, you might even get to witness baby sea turtles as they hatch and make their way to the sea.

Sources: Inquirer Archives, Guidetothephilippines.ph