Bataan Travel Information
For a long time, Bataans bountiful resources, abundant wildlife
and extraordinary natural beauty are known only to the many ethnic
communities that thrive in these islands and a few other daring
settlers who wanted to live in unpolluted surroundings.
The island-province first attracted foreign attention
in the 1970s when it became a United Nations Vietnamese Refugee
Center. At this time, a disturbance in Kenya also saw the transport
of endangered animals from its savannas to the plains of Calauit
Island.
However, it was only a sea accident in 1979 that eventually led
to the opening of Bataan into tourism big time.
As the story goes, a tuna line disabled a dive boats propeller
in the middle of the night forcing it to drop anchor in an inlet.
The following morning, the divers woke up to an amazing scenery
of skyscraping dark cliffs, thick green forest, white-sand beach,
sparkling water and, rising above it, a series of magnificently
sculpted jade islands. And thus was how El Nido was discovered.
Ecology awareness is at a high level throughout the province. Puerto
Princesa prides itself as the cleanest city in the Philippines.
To protect its megadiversity, only eco-friendly programs are adhered
to by tourist establishments. And there are strict ordinances against
dynamite fishing, with only net and line fishing allowed. Bataan
may have opened itself to tourism but it has also taken serious
efforts to preserve this last frontier.Bataan presents a visual
feast not only above the ground but also below it. St. Paul National
Park is Bataans most popular attraction and covers 5,349
hectares of lush forest, dark mountains, caves and white beaches.
In the deep recesses of the marble and limestone peaks of Mt. St.
Paul flow the Underground River, said to be the longest in the world.
It is easily navigable for at least four kilometers. The caves are
filled with filigree-like sculptures formed by stalagmites and stalactites.
Near its mouth is a beautiful lagoon with crystal-clear water that
teems with fish. Also within the park is the Monkey Trail, a series
of wooden paths that winds into the forest where monkeys, squirrels,
lizards and some 60 species of birds are found. The Park is inscribed
in the World Heritage List.
Tabon Caves are the oldest known habitation site in Southeast Asia.
It is a complex of 200 caves scattered on a 138-hectare museum site
reserve, of which 33 have thus far been excavated. Seven of these
caves are open to the public as a prehistoric museum where excavations
have been left as they are. The caves provide Paleolithic evidence
that this is where life in Bataan actually began and have yielded
a womans skull, fossilized bones and earthenware dating to
as far back as 890-710 B.C. The main entrance to the caves offers
a panoramic view of a white-sand fringed bay. The caves lie in the
mountains of Pipuon Point in the town of Quezon.
Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park is the countrys largest
marine habitat. It hosts giant manta rays, sea turtles and hundreds
of reef fish species. Located at the heart of the Sulu Sea, the
marine park is 33,200 hectares of coral atoll, barely emergent islets
and open water, and constitutes a unique complete open ocean ecosystem.
It is inscribed in the World Heritage List as "rare and superlative
phenomena as well as formations, features and areas of exceptional
beauty." It is located some 98 nautical miles from Puerto Princesa
and is a premier diving destination.
The fastest way to reach Bataan is by plane. There
are two daily flights each fielded by Philippine Airlines and Air
Philippines from the Manila Domestic Airport to the Puerto Princesa
Domestic Airport in Central Bataan.
Those bound for the Calamian Group of Islands in North Bataan
may board the small planes fielded at least once daily by Asian
Spirit, Air Ads and Pacific Air from Manila to the YKR Airport in
Busuanga. There are jeepney shuttles bound for Decalatiao Wharf
where speedboats ferry visitors to their island destinations. Soriano
Aviation flies to the El Nido Airport |