Manila to Singapore Cruise: Puerto Princesa
In this third post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Puerto Princesa, Philippines on her Manila to Singapore Cruise on Crystal.
Today is the second full day on the ship. We visited Puerto Princesa, Philippines today…our last stop in the Philippines. I spent some time on another cultural immersion excursion today, which brought me to two different locations to experience the local culture and traditions. Follow along as I explore Puerto Princesa.
Manila to Singapore Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about Puerto Princesa. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- February 23-25: Manila, Philippines
- February 26: Boracay, Philippines
- February 27: Puerto Princesa, Philippines
- February 28: At sea
- March 1: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- March 2: Muara, Brunei
- March 3-4: At sea
- March 5-7: Singapore
- March 8: Hong Kong
Welcome to Puerto Princesa
We arrived into beautiful Puerto Princesa, Philippines on a warm and sunny morning. I enjoyed breakfast out on the back patio in The Marketplace restaurant. The pilot boat met us and guided our ship into the port.
Once we docked, we got another warm welcome! A small group performed some local song and dance to welcome us to Puerto Princesa. My excursion left a bit later than the others, so I missed the full performance, but I did see these dancers from the ship.
Cuyunon Village Experience
The first stop of my cultural immersion excursion was to the Cuyunon Village in Barangay Maruyugon. We were welcomed with a lively performance of traditional music and dances.
After enjoying the performance, we then got a demonstration of how to make two traditional desserts. The first was banana and jackfruit wrapped in a wonton-like wrapper and fried in caramelized sugar. The second was sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaf and boiled, which is eaten with a slice of fresh mango. After the demonstration we got to sample each, and everything was delicious!
A Local Lunch
After our visit to the Cuyunon Village, we then went to a luxury resort called Astoria Palawan. We enjoyed a delicious local lunch, served family style. There was a wonderful assortment of local specialities on the menu, and everything was delicious. After lunch there was a little time to walk around the resort and enjoy the views.
Batak Visitor Center
After lunch, we headed to the final stop of the excursion: the Batak Visitor Center. The Batak tribe is considered one of Palawan’s most ancient indigenous groups. We had a warm welcome by the tribe, with a performance of traditional song and dance.
The Batak tribe also gave us demonstrations of some of their other rituals, including target practice with bows and arrows and walking on stilts. We also saw demonstrations of their craftsmanship with various woven items available for purchase. It was a wonderful experience to learn more about the traditions of this tribe.
Another Enjoyable Evening
After the excursion, we headed back to the ship. I got to see another beautiful sunset as I headed to the Crystal Cove for a bit of bubbly and some nibbles. They offer entertainment here every afternoon and evening as well. A violin player, an acoustic guitar player, and a piano player rotated sessions throughout this cruise.
Tonight I returned to the main dining room, Waterside, for another delicious dinner.
- Appetizer: beef carpaccio
- Main course: lump crab cake with mashed potatoes
- Dessert: raspberry lemon parfait
Conclusion
My day in Puerto Princesa was another wonderful day on the cruise. The cultural immersion excursion brought me to two different locations to learn more about the history, life, and culture of this area. As with our first stop in Boracay, the local people here in Puerto Princesa were so very warm and welcoming. It was a delightful day in a beautiful part of the world.
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
Click the button below for more information about Crystal:
