Rio Tuba Southern Palawan
Rio Tuba is at the far southern end of Palawan Island. It doesn’t draw many tourists but there has been rapid development in the area spurred on by the Rio Tinto nickle mining operation down there.
The sleepy fishing village has probably been there for thousands of years and the waterfront still has a rustic charm that will appeal to those that like to really get off the main tourist trail.
We went down there to catch a pumpboat to Balabac Island to have a look around. We were thinking of making a trip to the south end of the island and have a look at the Melville lighthouse but didn’t make it this trip.
This cutie could use a shave.
We had our own secret agent keeping an eye on the situation.
Cheryl – agent 007 licensed to kill.
It rains quite a bit down there so bring rain gear.
Rio Tuba Southern Palawan
Waiting out the rain.
Jean’s Mapag Kainan
Jean’s restaurant on the main highway has an outstanding tuna steak for 70 pesos. Pork ribs were 80 pesos.
Myra’s sing-a-long had rooms for 200 pesos for a single and 300 pesos for a triple. There were a few fights and the place has a wild west feel to it – but that is to be expected in a boom town a lot of miners needing to blow off some steam.
Myra’s
..vroom….vroom…leader of the pack.
Sunday morning market.
The main drag in Rio Tuba.
Rio Tuba – at the docks. I slept down there one night when my boat got canceled.
This is the only boat that I have ever taken where all the passengers must be wearing a life jacket before the boat leaves the dock. (not counting the underground river tour in Sabang)
We ran into a squall on the way over and my bike took a lot of salt water spray. That really bugs me because the corrosion is hard to stop once it starts.
It takes a little over 4 hours to get to Balabac – 350 pesos passenger and 350 for the bike. The boat stops at 2 places on the way including Bancalan Island. You arrive just before it gets dark.
Rio Tuba “home boys”.
One of the stops on the way to Balabac.
Palawan
Transport barges bring the raw material in heavy duty bags to carriers that can not enter the shallow water in the Rio Tuba Bay itself.
Pictures sent in by reader MG of Bancalaan Island – Palawan
Bancalaan Island Palawan
Bancalaan Island stop over on the way from Rio Tuba to Balabac Island Palawan
Palawan
Rio Tuba
Climbing Mount Apo
General Santos
Growing Orchids
Judy's Resto Bar
Logging with Motorcycles
Mount Mayon
Balabac Island
Biri Island
Calbiga Cave
Capul Island
Mangrove Swamp Palawan
Mikes's Resort
DP,
Got your Balabac Island photos down loaded and will email them to over the weekend ok.
MG
Thanks mate,
Do you remember the name of that one island that we stopped at on the way down there?
Did you have the pics of the crash with the dog?
dp
DP,
The name of that island is called “Bancalaan” i have since found out that it also has caves on it as well!
When we drove the motorbike in Balabac i though we are going south but in fact after looking at the map when i got home here in Australia we drove west across the island. Theres a road going south to the lighthouse just out of town shown on my map.
Yes got all the photos of my motorbike crash and i look like “crap” will email them to you soon…and write up the story about it ok!
Also got a photo of that “FORT” at Tay-Tay if you want to add it on to your story.
MG
MG,
Thanks, maybe you can print out that map of Balabac and we can give it another go next time you are here!
Barry reckoned it is a 7 hour drive each way and you still have to walk the last few kilometers. I think that he is probably the top authority on Balabac Island – at least the top foreign authority. He took me down to his place on the south end a few years ago and it really is a trip!
We had to use the back up boatman because the regular one was down with malaria.
Sure, I will add the photo of the fort at Tay Tay. I completely forgot about that.
I also will do a page for questions about southern Palawan and paste that bit you did from the forum to that page. Don’t forget that photo of you and that other guy wearing the same shirt there on Balabac!
Cheers mate – thanks for your help!
dp
i like your site..i have been there,so nice places…hopefully makabalik ako
thank you for having this site.. i really like it since i am away from my hometown.. thank you and thank you..keep it up!