Two Filipino men decided to quite their jobs and start sailing around the Palawan islands. The beauty and the authenticity of their experience led them to conclude – rightly so – that visitors might enjoy this same journey. And so Tao Philippines was born. There are several offerings from their company, but I loved the 72-foot authentic sailing paraw they had built over two years by local craftsmen (complete with laundry hanging out to dry!):
so that’s what I signed up for.
We meet in the morning at their pier-side office and off we go to board the boat:
24 passengers and 8 crew. Other than Drew and I and two other men, the boat was filled with 30-somethings from all over the world: Sweden, Canada, Austria, New Zealand, England, the US, etc. You can see me in the photo with my day bag, which headed off the boat with me at night. All the larger bags stayed permanently on board, and I’d switch out my clothing, etc, during the day on the boat.
So lucky on the weather! After all of the pouring, pounding rain of the previous 10 days, the sun beamed down on us for the whole 5 days of the trip. Perfect timing! After breakfast on the boat, we’d anchor in a beautiful alcove for snorkeling/swimming
and first order of business was to lower the stairs, and the captain (a Jack Russell by the name of Ammo) would trot right down those stairs and onto the kayak to keep an eye on all the swimmers:
All meals were prepared on the boat,
and only dinner was served off the boat. In the late afternoon after inbibing the sunset cocktail (which I couldn’t have due to recuperation) we’d arrive at one of their own (basic) camps and the captain would show us to our hut:
And we’d get a folding cushion to lay on the elevated floor and then hang the mosquito net.
Who’s going to be first to the shower? Are there local women waiting to give massages by the water’s edge?
Dinnertime, chatter and laughs, then off to bed before another day of new adventures. On the penultimate night, we arrived at their most developed camp and a sumptuous meal was prepared as we looked on:
And so the days passed so relaxing and mellow…always some assortment of people chatting, napping, reading and hanging with the crew:
It was lovely to see the map of of our travels, with nightly updates:
Until we all parted company in Coron. The best part of the whole dang trip for me!!
A couple of rainy days (yes, it’s back, but who cares?) checking out Coron, then a gourmet dinner back in Manila
and homeward bound.