It’s been a while since my last family vacation, so this trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan was such a treat.
Four days, three nights with my funny family?
Where do I sign up?

Best family trip to date in my book.

Where we stayed: Hibiscus Garden Inn.

Puerto Princesa is known as the City in a Forest, and our temporary home during the trip felt like an Inn in a Garden. Relaxation haven. Look at all those hammocks!

This shot was taken during our Half-Day City Tour.

We did too many tours, and all of them I liked, but my favorite was the Firefly Tour.

So this is basically what goes down in a Firefly Tour: You’ll get on a big motor boat (along with about 10 other people) and sail away from the shoreline. You’ll find out, thanks to your tour guide, that all the fireflies in the Philippines are of the yellow variant and only inhabit trees called “Pagatpat” trees. Then, smaller boats will come to take you to the mangroves, where the fireflies will be. Dinner will be served, and it will be delicious.

The view on the way to the Underground River.

By this time, you’ll be holding your breath. There are three things that will be forever etched in your memory:

(1) The night sky – teaming with stars.

These bright stars felt this close to me. And so my face probably looked exactly like Calvin’s.

(2) The firefly-lighted trees!

A firefly actually flew & landed on my brother. =)

(3) Glowing plankton!

This, but with your hands!

You may also see a shooting star, but that’s not guaranteed.

D’aww.

Travel has always been soul-enriching for me. And whenever I travel, I always bring a book.
For this trip, I brought Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist.

“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

I finished this book while on a hammock (I know, right?), and upon reading this paragraph, I was once again reminded that God knows exactly where I am in my life, and He’s going to take me where He wants me to be — I just have to obey.

“That’s why travel is so important, among other reasons: to get far enough away from our everyday lives to see those lives with new clarity. When you’re literally on the other side of the world, when you’re under the silent sea, watching a bright, silent world of fish and coral, when you’re staring up at a sky so bright and dense with stars it makes you gasp, it’s in those moments that you begin to see the fullness of your life, the possibility that still prevails, that always prevails.” – Bittersweet, page 79

So what’re you waiting for? Be an adventurer!
Take that trip (and don’t forget to bring a book!)

Have a happy day! ♥

Air travel from Manila to Puerto Princesa takes less than an hour and is available daily via Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Airways and Philippine Airlines.

Bittersweet is currently not being sold in local bookstores, but I would be more than happy to lend it to you if we know each other. =)