The wheels on the bus go...

It was time to depart the beautiful place of El Nido and just over a week till I wrap up this adventure. Now I wasn’t too keen on catching the van back to Puerto so I chose to catch the bus. I’ve used the bus system before in Palawan in my previous visit and from what I remembered I wasn’t squashed and the ride was actually smoother because of the heavy-duty suspension and larger wheels. Another good point taking the bus is that its cheaper, only P350. That’s more than half the price of the van though the only downside it’s a longer trip. Taking an average of seven hours I chose to catch the 5am bus. Packing my gear the night before I set my alarm on my phone and was set for a 4 o’clock wake up.

With a ten-minute walk from my accommodation I arrived to the bus on time. I find it funny but the way the bus driver informs anyone wanting to catch the bus, he continuously beeps his loud horn even though it’s around 4.40am and that the depot is located around residential homes and nearby hotels.

We eventually left; it was still dark so I got the chance to watch the sun rise behind the mountains. Just like a typical sunrise it’s was a beautiful thing to watch. My memories of the bus ride were spot on, I wasn’t squished, it was a smoother ride and it felt good being able to stick your head out the window as you pleased. If you really want to take in the views and feel a bit free, take my advice and use the bus in Palawan.

There were constant stops picking school kids and local travellers, but we eventually arrived to Puerto at around midday. The night before when I had dinner with the other tourists, I asked if they knew of a decent cheap place to stay for the remaining time in Puerto. Lola Itang the previous place I stayed when I arrived was just a bit too pricey for my budget so I had to find an alternative. They mentioned a hotel located on the main road in the center of the town called Garcellano Inn. Getting a tricycle from the bus depot I arrived to the hotel, it really was conveniently close to everything by walking distance compared to Lola Itang. It was only P320 a night for a fanned room; true Filipino price.