Palaui Island is located off the northeastern tip of the mainland Luzon. It is a part of the municipality of Santa Ana, Cagayan, Cagayan Valley. It lies between the Babuyan Channel and the Pacific Ocean. Among its panoramic landscapes are Siwangag Cove, Cape Engaño Lighthouse, Anguib Beach, Dos Hermanos Island, Crocodile Island, Baratubut Falls and a lot more. Its beauty was even more highlighted when The Survivor US shoot its Season 27 (Survivor: Blood vs Water) and Season 28 (Survivor: Cagayan) last 2013 in Palaui- increasing the popularity of the island.
Fact:
Palaui Island’s major environmental group, the Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA), for the award during the ASEAN Tourism Forum held January 18, 2019 in Halong City, Vietnam. PEPA is a community-based sustainable tourism group of Palaui assisted by Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).
Why PALAUI?
I personally wanted to go to somewhere new, to a place away from the urban jungle, and to where I can fully enjoy solitude. Traveling to a secluded place such as Palaui Island fulfills the longing of my soul.
Here’s our simple itinerary:
Day 0: Travel Time
Clark to Tuguegarao
Tuguegarao to Santa Ana, Cagayan
Overnight Stay at Santa Ana, Cagayan
Day 1
San Vicente Port
Engaño Light House
Anguib Beach
Punta Verde
Baratubut Falls
Overnight Stay at Punta Verde
Day 2
Crocodile Island
Back to San Vicente Port
Santa Ana to Tuguegarao
J-Rens Panciteria
Callao Cave
Tuguegarao to Cauayan, Isabela
Day 3
Cauayan, Isabela to Manila
Manila to Cotabato
Prior to our Palaui Tour, I already have researched what to see and expect in the island. Google just gave me a few pictures so I really don’t expect that much from the island. But when we got there, I must say that I’m in awe seeing an unsung paradise just in front of me. Expectation versus reality, the latter is way better than how I expected it to be.
Another factor that made it a perfect trip is the beautiful sunny weather. The best time to visit the island is on summer and on a sunny day, otherwise your trip might be cancelled or you’ll sail towards the island being battered by strong winds and huge waves.
A day before and right after our trip, it actually rained in the island. I fervently prayed for a clear blue sky and for the sun to come out. I feel so blessed that the Almighty one allowed us to visit such awe-inspiring beauty of nature under a good weather condition.
Overall, it was such an astounding trip going to an unsung place I’ve never been before.
What to see in Palaui?
CAPE ENGAÑO LIGHT HOUSE
(FARO DE CABO ENGAÑO)
It is situated on top of a hill, 92 meters above sea level. It is one of the four lighthouses built by Engineer Magin Pers Y Pers during the Spanish Era, which served as a guide for the ships. The three other lighthouses were Cape Bojeador, Faro de Punta Capones, and Faro de la Isla Cabra.
It will take you a 10-20 minutes trek from the beach towards the summit of the hill. All you have to do is to climb up the stairs and natural trail, and Voila! You can finally see the incredible view from the top. It provides a 360 degree view featuring the Camiguin Island of the Babuyan Group of Islands, the Dos Hermanas Island, the Philippine Sea, Pacific Ocean, a Batanes-Like terrain and the Engaño Cove.
This is the main attraction of the Palaui Island. Feeling the breeze from the Pacific and appreciating such magnificent view is worth the two flights, 3 hours land trip and an hour boat ride. I must say that staying here for a few hours staring and admiring its beauty won’t hurt your itinerary.
DOS HERMANAS ISLAND
Dos Hermanas literally means two sisters. It is a rocky islet that lies off the northeastern coast of Palaui. It is one of the breathtaking views you can see from the Cape Engaño.
We weren’t able to take even a step in the island because it is a rock island where boats cannot dock.
ANGUIB BEACH
It is hailed as the Boracay of the North because of its pristine blue waters and white shoreline. We sailed across the wavy seas from Cape Engaño to Anguib beach, but according to our boat captain, there is nothing to worry about because the waves are normal under a good weather condition. Good thing, we arrived there safely. Contrary to the waves we encountered, the water in the cove of Anguib Beach is calm. Its curve shape hides it from the waves of the open seas.
PUNTA VERDE
It is located in the southeastern part of the Palaui Island, where you can find the residential area/ community in the island. This is also where tourists can stay for a night, either homestay or camp. It is also the endpoint of the trail from Cape Engaño, whether you take the Leonardo Trail (around 5.5km) or Lagunzad Trail (around 7km). The Leonardo’s Trail is more challenging hike than the latter because you will trek across steep rolling sections, and mini forests. One of the sites you will come across when you take this trail is the Baratubut Falls and the Mangrove Sanctuary. The Lagunzad Trail is farther than the Leonardo’s but you will be walking along a 7km shoreline of Palaui Island, where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
According to our our guide, the tour guides of Cape Engaño resides in Punta Verde. Every morning, they walk 7km (via Lagunzad Trail) to reach the lighthouse and hikes another 7km way back home. While for those who have boats, they take a boat ride instead.
BARATUBUT FALLS
This is the last part of our first day itinerary. It is a stream of cold mountain water flowing through the huge rocks. We took a 30-minute hike away from the shore of Punta Verde. We took a dip, sat down under the curtains of water and let it refresh our exhaustion from the whole day tour.
CROCODILE ISLAND
This is another rocky islet off the southeastern coast of Palaui. It is officially named as Manidad Island, but others call it Crocodile Island because it resembles the shape that of a crocodile. It has a soft unstable rocks, with a bark-like or crocodile skin-like. All we did was enjoy the view of Santa Ana, climbed and ran across the rocky islet.
After that, we finally went back to San Vicente Port.
How to get to PALAUI?
1. By plane: The most convenient way to reach the island is to book a flight to Tuguegarao City.
-Cebu Pacific Air (Manila to Tuguegarao)
2 Flights per day daily, travel time is 1 Hour and 10 Minutes
(08:55AM- 10:10AM and 12:50PM- 2:00PM)
-Philippine Airlines (Clark to Tuguegarao)
4 Flights a week, travel time is 45Minutes
(Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday)
(In my case, I flew from Cotabato to Manila for only P413 via Cebu Pacific Air, took a bus ride from NAIA to Clark Airport (P380 via P2P Bus) and flew again from Clark to Tuguegarao for only P238 via Philippine Airlines.)
2. From Tuguegarao Airport, ride a tricycle going to the van terminal. (Travel time is 5-10 minutes. Fare P100, good for 3 persons.)
3. Take a van going to Santa Ana, Cagayan. (Travel Time is 3-4 Hours, delays are due on the loading and unloading of passengers along the way. Fare: P250.00)
If you are travelling in group, you can rent the entire van from Tuguegarao Airport to Santa Ana for P3,000- P3,500.
4. Rent a Boat and choose your desired trip. (Each boat can accommodate 8 passengers.)
You can directly go to the Palaui- San Vicente Motor Boat Association or the PASAMOBA office near the port for you to pay the exact rate of boat rental. Of course, expect a higher rate when you talk to a travel agent. Make sure you have contacted them ahead of time because there is no guarantee that you can still hire an available boat when you get there.
For reservations, I recommend you to contact Mr. Fernando Cabutin or Kuya Nanding, the President/ authorized boatman of PASAMOBA. You can reach him thru facebook or text him at 09359966744 (Posting his number with his permission of course). He is very accommodating and easy to contact with since he has a fast response rate. Ask advises from him when travelling to Palaui, he knows better than your research.
(We took the special trip and paid an additional P300 because we opt to stay for a night in the island. Such amount is the payment for the next days’ trip back to the San Vicente Port.)
Where to Stay:
On our first night, we stayed at EF Costales Lodge, which cost us P1,200 per room, good for 4 persons. Alternate to that, you can also consider some of the inns and lodges around like Rovilyn’s Lodge, KatKat Lodge, Jotay’s Lodge, Balai Cagayano, and others. If you are planning to take a day tour only, you may also stay here for another night.
After our island hopping, we had an overnight stay in Palaui Island. There are no hotels in the island so we had two options to consider, home stay or camp in Punta Verde. Whatever you choose, you’ll still pay P250/ night. We opted to stay at Ate Gloria’s Homestay, it’s a usual wooden house (not far from our house in the province.)
There is no electricity in the island. Their power sources are solar panels during daytime and generator at night. To save energy, they only use the generator up to 11:00PM, after that, the entire island is lights off. Make sure to bring powerbanks with you to sufficiently recharge your gadgets.
Where to Eat?
During our first night, we don’t know where to eat. There are no fast food chains and restaurants in the area. Good thing, there is a burger stand just a few steps away from EF Costales Lounge. On the following day, before going to our Palaui Island Tour, we were advised by our boat captain to buy foods from the JNASH CODY Store and Refreshment (it is just walking distance from the San Vicente Port). It’s breakfast meal includes 1 Cup of Rice, 2 Hotdogs and Egg costs P50. We also decided to buy food for our lunch. A cup of rice costs P10, and viands costs P50 per serving.
If you are staying in the island, you can request Ate Gloria to cook meals for you. Just inform her ahead of time so that she can prepare a sumptuous meal. In our case, we haven’t informed her ahead of time so we ended up buying instant goods from the sari-sari store near the beachfront.
SUMMARY OF RATES:
Environmental Fee P50
Eco Fee P20
Boat Rental (Good for 8 Persons) P3,500
Additional P300 for those who are staying for a night in the island
Guide to Cape Engaño Lighthouse P300 (1 Guide/ 4 Tourists)
Guide to Baratubut Falls P50
Homestay P250/ Person
Contact Person:
Kuya Nanding – 09359966744
Hope this will add thirst to your wanderlust!
Wander and Appreciate the beauty of the Philippines.
Comments