Saturday, May 28, 2011

In the Heart of Coron

I'm blogging about Ralph's Pension House in the town of Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan, not because the owner requested me to, but out of sheer satisfaction that I feel is worth sharing to anyone who reads this.

Despite the fact that we're celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary by going on this trip, Noy and I decided to stay practical. The search for a suitable place to stay ended when I stumbled upon Ralph's website. I was convinced by the testimonies at trip advisor, and attempted to make reservations five months prior to our trip. Here's downside #1 - their boxbe thingie can be a big headache. I cannot download and read their messages because of boxbe. Two weeks to the trip Noy made a call to Mr Oscar Gutierrez - Mang Jun - the owner, and our account was settled in two days. If you'd like to avoid downside #1 then, just call - it makes everything clear - fast.

For Php 9,800, Noy and I got:

  • to & from airport transfers
  • 3d/2n accommodations
  • meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner where applicable)
  • guided tour on days 1 & 2.
Airport Transfers and Other Transport Means

Ralph's hired a freelance driver to pick us up and other guests (staying in a different hotel) from the airport. We didn't mind the company at all - it was nice to travel with other people. The van was relatively old but it was clean and the airconditioning was sufficient.

For the afternoon tour on Day 1, we were brought to Mt Tapyas & Maquinit Hot Springs by a large, clean and colorful tricycle. For Day 2 tour, it was a banca that felt large because Noy and I were the only passengers. The bangkero, who brought his 8 year old son, also cooked our lunch on tour.

The van that brought us back to the airport was newer with more comfortable seats, but it was packed. It picked up a lot of people around town so it took almost an hour before we actually headed for the airport. I would have worried about the gates closing had I not known that the van driver worked for the airline company we booked our flight with.

Best thing #1 - Absolutely no ripoffs! Not a single driver asked for a fee.

The Pension House

The place is first and foremost...a house. We kept this in mind so we won't expect inappropriately - like room service and luxurious amenities. But the girls at Ralph's do try to be of service, and we appreciate it.

It used to be a house, it sits right in the middle of town near EVERYTHING (best thing #2), and it was obvious they have just recently expanded to accommodate more guests. We booked Kristian's room. It was on the third floor with a balcony offering the best view of Coron Bay in the entire house.


It was quite small and meant to provide just the basics - a large comfortable bed, cable TV, airconditioning & fan, and an appropriately sized bathroom. Water flow was less than adequate, but the water was clean. Here's downside #2 - not enough storage space. Our bags were on the floor and there was no place to hang our dry clothes. Hooks on the wall would have been okay just so our stuff won't get wet.

The entire house was clean. Hot and cold water was available 24/7 and anyone can make coffee anytime. Internet was okay - we had no problems. There was an hour-long power shutdown on our second night - the temperature was bearable but the mosquitoes were crazy! That's downside #3.

Mang Jun was a very hands-on business guy. He welcomed us, chatted a lot at meals, made us comfortable, asked a little about our lives in an attempt to practically know all of his guests. He's a guy who can and will talk about a lot of different things, which other people may find annoying. We didn't get that impression though. For us, he's simply doing what he can to satisfy his guests. That's best thing #3. Specifically, he personally brought us to his seafood suki so Noy & I could buy huge crabs for our families back home.

At the house, Roma and Angel happily volunteered to buy ice and pack our crabs for us. How's that for service?

Meals, Glorious Meals

I don't think I really need to expound on this. I've got pictures that will get you salivating in a bit -

However, here is downside #4: there was not enough rice on our first breakfast, so Noy had to buy some from the restaurant across the street. Other than that, we always had a little feast in the large and airy dining area.

The Tour

Best thing #4 would be Jordan - a freelance tour guide Mang Jun had booked for us. At 24, he's had quite an experience. He was very serious at first, but I guess no one ever resists our warm antics - he was like a friend in a matter of hours. He's very quick to offer a hand and take our pictures - he knew the best angles to take. He's a gentleman, and was very kind to just pull me by my life vest whenever I got tired of swimming. He insisted on setting the table for lunch even when told we won't really mind if he just placed the stack of food containers there.

On Day 2, we went to Siete Pecados, Twin Peaks, Kayangan Lake, Atyawan Beach, and Twin Lagoon. That's about the basics for first time travelers to Coron. We were done before 4 pm, so we stopped at another spot where there were a lot of fish to feed, so that was an extra 15 minutes or so of sheer thrill. Best thing #5: they make sure you enjoy!

We had a good time. There are a lot of other places to see, such as the shipwrecks and the other tiny islands, but that really depends on how long one intends to stay, not on the hotel or tour guide you'll be booking with. Will I come back to Coron? Definitely, hopefully with our families. Would I be staying in Ralph's still? Yes, because it's practical, comfortable, convenient, and I don't want to limit our families to commercial hotel food in "standard" portions. Will I recommend Ralph's to friends? Yes, but only to those who understand the differences between a hotel and a lodging house, and those who'd appreciate simple people and the simple things in life.




Monday, May 16, 2011

Something New


Today is the start of something new. No more stethoscopes, no more white coats, no more pap smears. I'm shedding the old stuff because I've decided to turn my passion into a bigger, more profitable and hopefully fulfilling achievement, without shedding my knowledge and experience.


I'm nervous and I'm having palpitations. But I'm not sweating because it's just too cold out here.

I hope I make a good impression.




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