Paradiso Palawan: Day 7 - More of Puerto Princesa City

 For our last full day in Puerto Princesa, we did a DIY Tour and again hired Tatay Rey to be our driver/ service for the day. He fetched us early and our first stop is the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm.

So what is it about this prison that makes it unique? Well Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm has a successful program that lets their inmates be"free" and work at the rice fields. Upon entering, you will see hectares of land planted with rice and other vegetables. Crops and produce that they harvest are used for their sustainability and they also sell them to visitors of the farm.

Iwahig Prison also has souvenir shop which also serves as a livelihood program for the inmates. Displayed here are handicrafts, artworks, souvenirs and other items that the inmates made themselves. Items here can be a bit pricey from the regular souvenir shop, but a portion of the sales enables the inmates to send money to their families or buy personal effects.

A very talented inmate who draws pictures on wood using a soldering rod.

After Iwahig Prison, our next stop is the Palawan Wildlife and Conservation Center or commonly known as Crocodile Farm. Although both Arby and I are not a fan of crocs, we hope to see them in action.

Crocodile Farm is open daily from 8:30 - 11:30AM and 1:00 - 4:30PM. Entrance is fee is Php 40.00, Php 30.00 and Php 20.00 for Adults, Senior Citizen and Children respectively. A tour guide is available and will explain to you the life and habitat of crocodiles.

Honestly, this is not my first time in a crocodile farm. I've been visiting one in Davao since I was a kid. Somehow I already have an idea on what to expect but still as we walk on the makeshift bridge, just above the crocodiles, I can't help but feel really scared.

I'm good with this :)

Next in our itinerary is the Butterfly Garden and Tribal Village.

Aside from the pretty butterflies, the place also houses a Palawan bearcat, some crocodiles, birds and other insects. A tour guide is also available and explains the qualities of each creature.

It was a nice surprise that this place also has another attraction which is the Tribal Village. Here they explain the daily life of the indigenous tribe Palaw'an; showcase their skills in handcraft making as well as in hunting.

Some members of the Palaw'an Tribe.

Across the road from the Butterfly Garden and Tribal Village is the road going to Mitras Ranch and Baker's Hill.

As the name suggests, Baker's Hill is famous for their baked goods. Entrance is totally free but food from outside is not allowed. There are few establishments inside the "park" which serve different food choices; from pizza and shakes to meriendas like turon (deep fried banana in spring roll) and pansit palabok.

The Unofficial Prenup Shoot of Arby and Van!

The Official Photographer and "Third Wheel" hehe J

We stayed a bit more in Baker's Hill. Took many many pictures because the place was beautifully landscaped and bought as many goodies as we can! 

So that's it for our last day in Puerto Princesa! I had such a blast from our whole stay in Palawan that I was feeling that kambak-kambak (come back, come back) they're talking about! But hey, no need to be sad because I am definitely coming back!