The unsung Philippines

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In the end, I chose the island of Busuanga, which is at the northern end of Palawan, about 300 kilometers south of Manila. Here in this place of beauty, where people live off the proceeds of fishing, cashew nuts and raising cattle, a domestic flight delivered me to Busuanga for a round trip fare of $115. A jeep sent by the Kalamayan Inn - in the small town of Coron - bore me across this verdant island to my temporary home. It was a comfortable refuge, a small place that sported a congenial bar, which attracted equally congenial locals to its happy hour. Importantly too was the dining room - the scene of good home cooked Philippine and western fare. My room, fully plumbed was pleasant, and my host apologized about recent rate increases that had upped the cost to $25 a day.

I had made a good decision, and the management plus fellow guests, saw to it that my island life was productive of festive, sometimes exhausting fun. Among them were a gathering of American divers who included me in their activities. While they dove in the translucent waters I snorkeled, snoozed on the boat or beach combed along white beaches at jungle's edge. There too I fell in with islanders who often appeared in the bar for "happy hour" and who invited me along on their outrigger boat for a picnic outing to a close by island, a verdant place complete with palm trees arching over a beach and a background of curious limestone hills. There, under the palms while the afternoon sun made its decline towards a colorful ending we restored ourselves with grilled reef fish, rice, lumpia (Philippine egg roll) papaya, drinking coconuts, plenty of San Mig beer, and ended the day with one final plunge into the gin clear water.

As to the town of Coron, it's right on the water, a leafy green community with a colorful market filled with the bounty of sea and shore. It has the necessary shops, a cinema and hordes of trishaws that provide transport to neighboring beaches and villages, Fares for a local run will be much less than a dollar.

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For those into diving, for which all of Palawan is famous, fees will be about $25 per dive. Boat included.

Eventually my vacation ended. I was back in Hong Kong, and while I continued to enjoy that splendid city, thoughts kept surfacing about the quiet beauty of the Philippines - at a distance from Manila - and how in these unsung islands it takes little skill to have glorious vacation for less than $100 a day.

Side Notes:

The exchange rate in the Philippines is about Pesos 27 to the US dollar
A good hotel, the Royal Palm, is at 1158 Mabini St. Manila
A lively hotel - the Swagman, is at 411 A Flores St. Ermita, Manila
The Kalmayan Inn is in Coron, Busuanga, Philippines
If you're a senior citizen, request the reduced fares domestic ships and airlines offer.

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