In Concepcion in Busuanga West Coast time stands still

In the small town Concepcion on the island Busuanga westcoast, the province of Palawan’s northernmost island group Calamianes, time seems to stand still and the development is in a slow tempo.

In contrast to the island Busuanga main town Coron the tree-lined streets almost free of traffic and there is neither karaokesbars or commercial streets. Instead of rattling motorcycles rosters heard crowing, dogs barking, birds chirping and children’s voices.

Not much shown by green Concepcion from the bay.

One or other motor outrigger canoes with fishermen heard and a few excursion boats anchored off the shallow beach and mangrowes, ready for trips out among the nearby paradise islands with white beaches.

When I got off on the fully loaded bus on the little village street after one and a half hours ride from Coron main town, I knew no more about the place than there would be a Danish guy called “Mike- Tattoo “with some sort of boarding house.

After a short walk along the surprisingly fine concrete streets, I came down to the long, incomplete, pier and found Mike, who indeed was tattooed. He and his filipino wife runs a small holiday village and a bar with restaurant. When I thought there should be more information in Coron so that more people discovered it, said Mike “we do not want too many people so we can continue to have the quiet and peaceful here.”

In addition to Mike’s place is a beautiful little whitewashed hotel, with restaurant on the waterfront. Built on stilts by the Swedish Michael, also called “Pier House Mike”. The place is rented and is now run by some Hungarians, while Michael is investing hes energy and creates desire to invest in building an exceptionally beautiful restaurant by the beach nearby.

A third place to stay is the Conception Divers Lodge, a former diver-resort run by a filippine family with an American as boot has a few nice bambu “nipa-houses” and slightly less room for guests. Plus a piece of beach under the palm trees that are perfect to sit and watch the sunset over the islands to the west, with the great great Culion and Kaniki Island in the fund.

In addition to an even easier place with room for packpackers are no more tourist facilities in this peaceful and harmonious place that is probably just biding his time before the onslaught of tourists. It only takes an hour by air from Manila or Palawan capital of Puerto Princesa to Busuanga, the airport said to be expanded. It takes no more than 40 minutes by van to Concepcion and the road is already being improved – even if they appear to move slowly.

A piece from the pier, inside the mangrove forest is the fishermen’s neighborhood with simple houses on wooden piles above the waterline, which varies with the ebb and flow.

There is no beach fore swiming in Concepcion, but it’s just book a boat for at trip to some of the islands white beaches through the hotel hosts. Are you a few pieces so it does not cost as much per person. Food and drink and buy it by the landlord or one of the small kiosk-like shops and take away.

I made several daytours, either to snorkel at the beautiful and relatively unspoiled coral reef at Calumbyan Island, or stroll along the dazzling white beach around the small Pamalican Island and looked into the cave at Black Island. There are many more fabulously beautiful islands as  Kaniki, Calumbuyan, North  and  South  Kay, Pamalican, Panlaitan with fishermen and others to go to, plus the shipwrecks from World War II that are not deeper than they can be viewed at snorkeling.

The Black Islands cave is a small natural pool with fresh water to cool off in.

These islands can also be reached by excursion boat from Coron main town, which takes a little longer. Common to all is that you pay a visit fee of 100-200 pesos per person, money that should go to the inspection and cleaning.

Facts and relevant links, and more on this area and all of Busuanga, will be available within this Web site title Place /Palawan / Busuanga.