My nephew and I were swimming in the water a short distance away from our boat when a woman snorkeling not too far away from us suddenly surfaced and shrieked in terror. A whale shark was headed straight towards her, its faint outline gliding under the waves. I smiled knowing that whale sharks pose no threat to humans and feed almost exclusively on plankton. But when I dropped slightly underwater to snorkel and view the spectacle, I realized just how massive this animal is. No wonder that lady was frightened to death.

In our travels we’ve had various encounters with natural phenomena some by design, others by accident. Some of these encounters should be approached with caution. Most of these were with members of the animal kingdom but experiences with uncooperative weather made for some memorable circumstances as well.

In the past one of the things we always look forward to when visiting a beach or coastal destination is snorkeling and viewing colorful marine life. One of the prized sightings during these snorkeling adventures is that of a clownfish in its sea anemone habitat. However, we’ve learned not to get too close to them as it will immediately provoke an attack from these attractive but aggressive territorial fish. Clownfish will often bite your hand and though their teeth aren’t that sharp it can sometimes cause pain or even draw blood if the bite is deep.

On a visit to Antonia Beach in Gigantes Sur Island, Carles, Iloilo, we chanced upon an excellent snorkeling site. One of the fishes there was quite aggressive, chasing away other fish that ventured into its territory. It was probably protecting its nest of eggs and when we approached it attacked us. Its bite wasn’t painful – it actually felt more ticklish than painful – but we decided to just avoid it.

Some fish might not be aggressive but their bodies pack toxins that can do plenty of damage. We’ve read a lot about the colorful lionfish and its venom that can cause extreme pain, nausea, headache, dizziness and other troubling symptoms. It may even cause death to very young children, the elderly and those with allergies or weak immune systems. We never saw one when snorkeling but Leo saw one that was trapped in a tidal pool during a visit to a beach in Bolinao.

We’ve never encountered pufferfish or boxfish when snorkeling but did see some dead ones washed up on a beach and a live one that a fisherman just caught off Patar Beach in Bolinao. The guy said he would prepare it for dinner, ceviche-style. He should know how to do that because most pufferfish species are toxic and some are among the most poisonous vertebrates in the world. Although specially trained and licensed chefs in Japan – where it is a highly-priced delicacy – prepare it, a few people have died in the past decade from eating it. On a visit to the Igang Marine Station in Guimaras, we noticed some pufferfish inside a tank full of huge groupers. One of the staff members recalled the groupers swallowing the pufferfish only to spit them out in an instant.

The fish we encountered above was inside one of the fish cages at the Juag Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon, also swimming among huge groupers and giant trevally – some of the latter as long as 5 feet. The huge fish left them alone so we can only conclude it was poisonous. We’re not sure if this one is a pufferfish or a boxfish (most probably a pufferfish). The latter can release poisonous toxins from its body when stressed or threatened so it is best to leave them alone.

The jellyfish is another marine creature that we often encounter in Philippine waters. Although there are a few jellyfish species that are harmless most have stings that can cause anything from mild discomfort to serious injury and even death. The box jellyfish in particular has an extremely painful sting that can cause death especially to children.

On a trip to Padre Burgos in Quezon province we learned from locals that some kids in the area have died from jellyfish stings – most probably from box jellyfish. At Dampalitan Island, Leo absent-mindedly stepped outside a marked area where it was safe to swim. As a result, he got an itchy and painful sting in his left leg that left a long mark which a long jellyfish tentacle would normally cause. That mark took 2-3 years before disappearing. We’re not sure what caused it but it was probably a box jellyfish sting.

We’ve seen sea urchins several times when snorkeling. These prickly creatures would just lay on the sea bed, unmoving, so it’s relatively easy to avoid them. When someone unknowingly comes into contact with them, the best immediate remedy we’ve heard is to pee into the affected part of the body which we’ve seen a friend do during a trip to Puerto Galera. Years later we didn’t realize that you can actually hold them with your bare hands – if you know how to do it. But for us it’s better to just feast on these creatures.

Sea kraits are a species of snakes that can move on land and swim. They need to go to land to digest prey and lay eggs. They are also one of the most venomous snakes on the planet. Fortunately, we never encountered a live one in the water although these snakes are non-aggressive, shy and reclusive. Children in New Caledonia are known to play with them. The only live encounter we had with sea kraits was on a visit to Minalayo Island – more popularly known as Snake Island for appropriate reason – situated between Ticao and Masbate Islands. The island became a breeding ground for sea kraits and we were able to observe a number of them on land while remaining a safe distance away.

Another member of the animal kingdom that we always look forward to encountering when snorkeling, corals in tropical waters are often diverse in form and color. But don’t let these hard-skeleton marine invertebrates fool you because some species have razor-sharp edges that can cut you up or scrape you. Which is what happened to us on a few occasions. Barnacles can also cause cuts such as what happened to Leo during snorkeling at the entrance to Kayangan Lake in Coron, Palawan. Although the wound bled a bit at first it fortunately did not fester and healed in no time. Others might not be as fortunate as some of these wounds would sometimes take weeks to heal completely.

Inclement weather is another of mother nature’s harsh jokes that could pose a challenge to our travels. In December 2021, Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) slammed into northern Mindanao, parts of the Visayas and Palawan. In its deadly path were the famous tourist destinations of Siargao, Bohol and parts of Cebu. The lesser known Dinagat Islands/province was devastated. Tourists were left stranded in these regions as the typhoon cut off communications and inter-island travel. We often read a lot about weather forecasts well before leaving on a trip but were still caught off-guard on a few occasions.

During our return boat ride back to the Leyte main island from Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, we ran into a rain squall in the open sea. We had to ride the storm literally since we won’t be able to catch the last ride out of Palompon town to our hotel in Ormoc City. Because of the strong wind that came with the rain we were soaked to the bone although the waves were somewhat manageable.

It was the same on a boat ride to Sombrero Island in Tingloy, Batangas. Leo even considered wearing goggles on the boat so he could see through the strong swells that kept pulverizing the boat and drenching us. Everyone had to cover their eyes to protect them from the waves that smashed into our faces. The snorkeling site was incredible – nearby Anilao is recognized as on of the best dive sites in the world – but the strong waves kept pumping water into our snorkels so we could only snorkel for a limited time.

Many of our island-hopping tours in the past were done in small motorized outriggers and if the destination was in a remote, seldom-visited area chances are the boat crew will not provide life vests. But even with life vests the ride can still be nerve-racking. On our way to Bulog Dos, Banana Island and Malcapuya Island in the Calamianes, Palawan, we had to go through a scary roller-coaster of a ride through the rough seas. In fair, sunny weather. Our boat had to cut power time and again to avoid capsizing resulting in a longer-than-usual journey.

As we mentioned earlier, we do a lot of research on weather forecasts before making our trips. So on a hike to Aliw Falls in Luisiana, Laguna, we were pretty confident when most weather forecasts indicated a sunny day. What we didn’t plan for was a heavy downpour the previous night that turned the trail to the waterfalls into a quagmire of mud. What should have been a 15-minute walk turned into a muddy slog that took thrice that amount of time. Our group ended up covered in brown slush with Nina even losing her older pair of sandals as a result.

So on a recent hike to a waterfall in Siniloan, we had to abort when the trail up a steep hillside became too muddy… and too dangerous. Another unexpected obstacle we sometimes encounter during such hikes is dense jungle or forest growth. On a trek to Tulay na Bato Falls also in Siniloan, the trail we were using was overgrown with shrubs and vines. Leo cut his leg on a sharp twig while Nina got her hair entangled in a vine hanging from above. Fortunately, we were able to free her without too much difficulty. After that it was a steep ascent followed by a final descent through huge and slippery boulders.

Different countries have different travel problems due to the weather. During our 3-year stint in the U.S., we had the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon in late winter. It was snowing lightly when we got there very early in the morning but as the day wore on the sun came up and the snow melted. Our car didn’t have any problems negotiating the roads and we were planning to drive to Sedona, Arizona the following day. One of the hotel staff however, told us that it was snowing heavily on the way there and there was no way we could make it safely. There was no other choice but to drive back home the way we came.

These days the pandemic has made travel a lot more difficult as countries put in restrictive measures. Travel has changed a lot because of Covid and we can only hope and pray that things will be better this coming 2022.

For more stories from Leo Castillo, visit his website: ShoestringDiary.

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Such is one of the many highlights at the Dolphin Academy, one of several up-front-and-personal animal encounters available at the Sea Aquarium on the Caribbean island of Curacao.

Now I don’t usually like watching animals perform tricks that are alien to their DNA for the amusement of tourists, but at the Dolphin Academy, the residents are treated with such loving care, I swam alongside them with minimal guilt. According to trainer Yvette, the dolphins are the first priority. “They are on a very light work schedule and every day, it varies. Like humans, they react better when their life is not all that predictable. And if for any reason they don’t want to perform – perhaps they’re preoccupied with a personal family situation (I didn’t pursue that) – the program is called off.”

As if on cue, a participant related a past experience in which dolphins used to give rides to people holding on to their fins. Nope, not any more – although it doesn’t harm the dolphin (although some disagree), they got a lot of criticism in the past and clearly the dolphins didn’t like, it so it was stopped years ago. I nodded; point well taken… score one for the dolphins.

Prior to the snorkel, Yvette instructed us on how to proceed: be patient; let them come to you; stroke them along their flanks. She taught us how to encourage the dolphin to come alongside and then free dive in unison. Romeo and I shared a number of shallow dives together and in parting he gave me a kiss. Okay, so he did it because he got a fish but still I thought he was actually smiling at me at the time.

Dafne Greeven, a dive instructor from The Hague, Netherlands, said she had seen dolphin in the ocean, but had never interacted with them. “Most animal encounters are much more commercial,” she observed. “Snorkeling with them was a very special, personal experience. It was wonderful to see how well they treat the dolphins here and encourage us to be relaxed so that the dolphins will be.”

And it was only the start of my very personal connection with sea life in Curacao. My next encounter took me even further underwater.  I’ve been snorkeling before – but never in the past did the fish swarm to me rather than my having to swim out to them. But then again I don’t usually carry a supply of squiggly little sardines with me when I go, while at the same time making meaningful eye contact. Well, meaningful to me anyway.

But at the Dolphin Academy experience, getting up close and personal with a variety of denizens of the deep is the whole purpose. So there I was co-mingling with tarpon, common snook, French grunts, permit fish, horse-eyed jack and so many sting rays that I felt covered most of the time by a soft lightweight blanket caressing my body – only this blanket wanted to be fed fish which it ate with its underbelly.

I wasn’t really surprised to find the huge loggerhead turtles and sharks behind a Plexiglas shield and fed through small holes in the glass. Still, the shark didn’t look any less menacing for being behind protective covering. I carefully followed the instructions on when to feed them directly and when to take better care of my fingers. There’s not always a second chance to do that with a shark…

Ah so many fish, so little time – I fed as many as I could in the 35-minute feeding frenzy and came away with a new respect for the difference between just snorkeling – and actually swimming with the fishes…

Back on land, my next animal rendezvous was of a more playful nature. I got to meet and greet Snapper, the sea lion. I learned the difference between sea lions and seals and watched Snapper do a seal imitation as he flopped along on his belly. Sea lions are much more genteel when they move – they walk on all fours. Using flippers, of course, but still…

Snapper had a bit to say during our tete-a-tete  but his vocalization unfortunately resembled  a very loud, deep belch that tended to continue long after it was socially acceptable to do so. But still he was very cute – and, like Romeo, very affectionate. Yup, I got another kiss. Between the two, I got more action that weekend than I remember occurring at the height of my dating career.

And, of course, although all these activities are outside, all COVID protocols are being followed: mask wearing is required (the dolphins are exempt; not sure about Snapper….) and social distancing is maintained.

For more information visit Dolphin Academy.

Get more information about Curaçao Sea Aquarium.

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Palawan is not a small island by any means. Approximately 270 miles long but just 25 miles across at its widest point, the island province looks like an extension of the Philippine archipelago pointing southwest towards Borneo. Palawan the province actually includes 1,780 islands and islets in addition to the long and narrow Palawan main island. Which means there are a large number of destinations for the taking.

One of the more popular destinations is El Nido, a formerly quaint municipality located at the northern edge of the province. Today there is a large number of resorts in town but the real draws are the islands offshore in Bacuit Bay. Organized tours have grouped these island destinations into 4 – namely Tours A, B, C and D. Island-hopping tours may be booked at the resorts in El Nido or through any of the establishments in town. Tours A and C are the more popular of the 4 and includes the following attractions.

The lagoons formed by karst cliffs enclosing turquoise waters in the island of Miniloc are probably the most popular and most enthralling of El Nido’s gems. During high tide the Big Lagoon may be explored using tour boats with a shallow-enough draft but to get to the Small Lagoon we had to rent a kayak and paddle through a small opening. Once you’re inside any of these two lagoons be amazed at the stunning turquoise and emerald green waters and the huge surrounding limestone walls.

Reaching other lagoons and concealed beaches requires a little adventure. Miniloc Island also has the Secret Lagoon which could only be accessed by docking at a white sand beach on the island’s southern section, walking inland and finally squeezing through a narrow opening in a karst wall. Once inside we spotted swiftlets darting in and out of the surrounding limestone cliffs. The nests of these birds are highly sought for the expensive bird’s nest soup in Chinese cuisine and locals used to climb these cliffs to gather them. (The nests were called El Nido after which the town is named.) However, due to the influx of tourists in recent times many nest-gatherers abandoned their trade to become tour guides or boat operators.

The Secret Beach – actually another hidden lagoon – lies in nearby Matinloc Island. It’s even more difficult to reach as we had to swim through a hole among a line of the now-familiar karst walls. (The boatmen were a big help to the non-swimmers in our group, helping them to get across without much difficulty.) Once through the opening we were greeted by the primordial sight of a shallow, crystal-clear lagoon fringed by a white sand beach and soaring karst walls. It’s as if you opened a small door in a huge wall and found paradise on the other side. Alex Garland visited El Nido and Secret Beach years ago and locals here say the latter might have inspired him to write the book The Beach (the film was shot in Thailand). Matinloc also has the Hidden Beach, only accessible during our visit by wading and swimming from our boat which could not negotiate the narrow passageway between huge karst formations. But as you can see from the photo on the right boats can dock on this beach under the right sea conditions.

Karst landscape dominates much of the islands in El Nido’s Bacuit archipelago. From a vantage point in Matinloc, one can get a panoramic view of karst formations among adjacent islands. Shimizu Island has an interesting collection of karst rocks of various sizes and shapes set among a white sand beach. We were intrigued by its Japanese-sounding name and later learned that it was named after a Japanese diver who lost his life while exploring an underwater tunnel off the island. This island also offers several excellent snorkeling spots and is often used as a lunch stopover. (Lunch is provided by the boat operators as part of the tour package.)

When it comes to snorkeling El Nido has provided one of the better experiences we’ve had. Tour C is reputed to have the best snorkeling and it did not disappoint in this regard; El Nido and the whole of Palawan has a rich aquatic biodiversity. The best snorkeling experiences we’ve had were at Helicopter Island and the reef at Talisay Beach in Tapiutan Island.

Tours A and C are the best of the lot but the remaining B and D tours are no pushovers either according to other bloggers. We would have gone on these tours last March but for Covid19. We were looking forward to touring pristine Pinagbuyutan Island, exploring Cathedral and Cudugnon Caves, beach-bumming at Entalula Beach, exploring the remarkable turquoise-hued Cadlao Lagoon and wasting time at the 4 white sand beaches of Cadlao Island.

In recent years more gorgeous beaches have opened up north of El Nido town proper all the way to the edge of the main island of Palawan. The most stunning of these are probably the Twin Beaches of Nacpan and Calitang. The longer of the Twin Beaches, Nacpan is a 4-kilometer curving swath of fine, creamy white sand. You can get an impressive view of both beaches from a low hill at the end of Calitang Beach.

Beyond El Nido: Other Palawan Destinations

El Nido is just the tip of the tourism iceberg that is Palawan. The Calamian group of islands lies to the northeast of El Nido and includes the islands of Busuanga, Coron and Culion and the Linapacan group of islands with many more small islands and islets in between. Coron is probably just as popular as El Nido while the Linapacan Islands (also in our travel plans last March) is just gaining visibility on the tourism radar. Linapacan topped an unofficial online list of “clearest waters in the world to see before you die” a few years ago and piqued our interest so much we just had to see it but for this pandemic.

Puerto Princesa, the capital of the province is famous for the Underground River – actually the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, an 8.2 kilometer long subterranean river system that flows directly into the sea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park includes a rich forest ecosystem and spectacular karst landscape while the Underground River itself has remarkable rock formations.

Halfway up Palawan island between Puerto Princesa and El Nido is San Vicente town with the longest white sand beach in the country and the seaside village of Port Barton with its laid-back pace, lovely small islands and outstanding marine ecosystem. Snorkeling here is on par with that of El Nido and Coron with one major difference: we got to snorkel with sea turtles here.

Lastly, at the southern fringes of Palawan and just a short distance from the northern tip of Sabah, Malaysia, are the islands of Balabac, another dream destination. Blessed with fine white sand with the consistency of talcum powder, dreamy coconut palms and crystal-clear aquamarine and turquoise waters, Balabac like Linapacan is only getting its share of attention in the past 2 years or so.

Although we’ve been to Palawan numerous times, new, formerly “secret” destinations keep showing up forever adding to our bucket list. A major concern is the preservation of the mostly pristine nature of its islands and its diverse terrestrial and marine life which increased tourism is beginning to tax. With the province temporarily closed to tourists due to Covid19, nature in Palawan can at least enjoy a much-needed break.

The post El Nido, Palawan: Inside the Philippines’ Last Frontier appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Balicasag and Panglao are just two of the many destinations in Bohol, an island province in the center of the Philippine archipelago. Bohol is well-known for its cute, large-eyed tarsiers and the remarkable Chocolate Hills but there’s so much more to see and experience in this province. A large number of white sand beaches await sun worshippers while crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life beckon snorkelers and divers. Just inland are several waterfalls, caves, cave pools, rice terraces and historic churches waiting to be explored. Green, jungle-fringed rivers ideal for kayaking, paddle-boarding or – if you’re feeling less adventurous – touring in a large boat while leisurely enjoying lunch, are there for the taking.

We were therefore faced with a bewildering array of choices upon arriving at Panglao Island where we checked in at a seaside resort. Deciding to go with the popular spots first, we drove for the Chocolate Hills Complex at Carmen town in the central part of the island.

The Chocolate Hills are a collection of at least 1,268 – but perhaps as many as 1,700 plus – grass-carpeted limestone mounds. It was the start of the hot and dry season when we arrived here and the hills had already turned a yellowish green. Those colors would soon morph into brown at the height of the dry season resulting in a slight resemblance to chocolate kisses, hence the name. During the peak of the rainy season in August to September these hills take on a more verdant green hue.

Next on the itinerary was the diminutive and lemur-like Philippine tarsier. There are a number of wildlife sanctuaries in Bohol that accommodate a few of the nocturnal primates and we selected the one in Bilar town since it was along our route. Most of the tarsiers in this sanctuary were asleep when we arrived, clinging to trees along a path that snaked its way through a forested area. Some eventually woke up even as we silently trudged along the pathway, their disproportionately huge eyes casting a shy stare in our direction. Those large eyes provide tarsiers with excellent night vision for hunting their prey.

After our encounter with the tarsiers and on the way to our next destination we passed by the Manmade Mahogany Forest in the town of Bilar. After sweltering in the warm tropical surroundings in Carmen and Bilar we were soon relishing the crisp, cool air afforded by the thick canopy of the mahoganies. Carpets of fallen red and brown leaves cloaked the forest floor adding a colorful contrast to the thick green foliage of the mahogany trees that almost completely blocked out the sun.

A Bohol countryside tour allows one to have lunch on the fly while touring a scenic river. That’s exactly what we experienced on the popular Loboc River tour where lunch buffet is served on a wide-bodied boat while cruising down the jade-green body of water. This tour also allowed us to have a splendid view of everyday life in the typical Boholano barrio: locals at work in their backyards along the riverbank, others paddling around in small bancas and children jumping from tree branches into the waters below. A teenage show-off displayed his Tarzan-like skills, swinging on a long rope from a tree on the riverbank almost into our moving boat and practically kissing the people lined up on the starboard side. Dangerous for him perhaps but pretty impressive.

During the river tour a father-and-daughter team was serenading us with a wide range of songs from The Stylistics’ Betcha By Golly Wow to Dolores O’Riordan and The Cranberries’ Linger. Then, as our boat swung back for the return trip, our tour group was treated to a special dance and music cultural presentation by locals aboard a floating hut. Such is the Boholanos’ love for dance and music.

Caves and waterfalls abound in Bohol but we could only drop by the Hinagdanan Cave on Panglao Island which is connected to the main island via 2 causeways. Beautiful stalactites and stalagmites as well as a crystal-clear green pool with a depth of 10-12 feet greeted us as we descended into the cavern from an opening in the ground. The cave was is well-lit but there are no manmade lights here; all of the lighting is natural. Several holes high up on the cave’s ceiling let sunlight in which then bounces off the rugged rock and crystal formations to create interesting lighting effects.

Just like all of the provinces in the Visayas, the group of major islands in central Philippines, Bohol is home to several gorgeous beaches and colorful waters. We’ve already mentioned Balicasag Island which has been a favorite of divers for some time now. Panglao Island has a collection of white sand beaches including Alona Beach, Dumaluan and the adjoining Libaong Beach. Alona Beach is the most popular beach in Bohol and probably has the densest concentration of hotels, resorts and restaurants in the province.

Wanting to shun the crowds and resorts at Alona Beach on our penultimate day in Bohol, we booked an outrigger boat to take us to the aforementioned Balicasag Island and Pungtud Island, the latter more popularly known as Virgin Island. Unlike Balicasag and Panglao, Virgin Island has few activities to offer but makes up for it in terms of looks. We could bask all day in its long white sandbar and surrounding crystal-clear turquoise waters. The only problem was that dozens of other boatloads of tourists had the same idea and we were soon sharing a lagoon near the sandbar with several other visitors (see also top photo).

The attractions in Bohol aren’t all natural. Practically each town has it its own historic church – a throwback to more than 300 years of Spanish colonial rule beginning in the 1500s. Some of these churches have been proclaimed as Natural Cultural Treasures by the government. The most famous among them is the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary Parish Church in Baclayon town, often simply referred to as the Baclayon Church. First built in 1596, the present structure was reconstructed in 1727. A major earthquake in 2013 heavily damaged this building, with the portico and bell tower collapsing, but restoration works were completed in 2017.

We might have visited a wide variety of destinations in Bohol but looking back now we realized we’ve only scratched its surface. Our visit was confined to the western side of the island and a part of its central section. The rest of the province still contains a treasure trove of natural and manmade wonders including more beaches and coral reefs that rival those of Panglao in the coastal towns of Anda, Jagna and Dimiao; green and gold rice terraces, cobalt-colored cold springs and turquoise cave pools in Candijay and more caves and rice terraces in Jagna just to name some of them. And a large number of waterfalls scattered about the whole province. We definitely have to be back. Now if only this pandemic will end soon…

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