Has anyone traveled to palawan?

not comparable to the Philippines at all. Not even one tiny bit. Whole islands with as many as 150,000 or more people on them have basically no medical facilities at all, a 3 hour ferry ride away from the mainland, and guess what. There aren't any ambulances or anything, when they get there to convey them to a hospital that might even then, be another hour or two away. The medical infrastructure in the Philippines is shockingly appalling and there is no other way to honestly describe it. Not even all the big cities of 300,000-plus have a single decent hospital that would be up to UK standards, and in fact there is almost no even big cities that do. You've basically got Manila and Cebu and that is it.

I could tell you many stories of people who died in situations where in the UK or any other first-world country, it would have been relatively straightforward to treat them, and they would have lived. They just couldn't get to a decent medical facility in time, even though they lived in large communities. Places like Bantayan, Camotes, Siquijor, Camguin etc are not small. They're like the Isle of Wight. All have them have well over six figure plus populations. But not one of them has an even quarter-decent medical facility.

The medical infrastructure in the Philippines being so bad, is probably the biggest single reason - although it is far from being the only one - why tourist families with children rule the Philippines out as a destination, give it a wide berth, and you almost never see them ever.

He wasnt saying it was comparable to the Philippines,but yet again you want to move the thread to your own agenda and biased thoughts which is to continually bash the Philippines.

Why do you go to the Philippines that you berate the country, its people and everything else about it? Is it because they dont have ice cream vans?

sorry, that is in fact exactly what he did. "There are plenty of places in the UK where you can be a significant period of travel time away from the treatment you need and where the local facilities are not of the same standard."

there is no comparison at all. Just wait until you find yourself on a ferry in the Philippines where you see a big crowd gathered around somebody, in this case a 23 year old pregnant woman with complications, who was dying, and did in fact die, before it got into port, like I have. And that is not an unusual event. It happens pretty often.

they were trying to save her life by bringing her to the Cebu mainland after the so-called 'hospital' on the Camotes had basically admitted that they weren't a hospital at all and could do nothing for her.

I later found out that it was not a particularly critical or life-threatening case at all and would normally have been relatively straightforward to treat her if there had been any facilities or trained medical people.

Camotes is not a tiny desert island or anything. It has a large population of over 100,000. And yet there is no medical facilities there worthy of the name at all. And every year people die because of it.

some smaller islands with thousands of people on them, such as Malapascua, the last time I looked, they not only don't have a clinic of any description, but they don't even have a single doctor. There's probably about 30 priests. But no doctor.

how many communities in the UK are as large as 8,000 people but there isn't a single doctor to treat them? Have you got any idea what a ridiculous comparison it is to make?

I have never heard so much bullshit come out of 1 persons mouth as what comes out of yours on every post that you make.
Exactly why are you on this forum? You do nothing but berate the Philippines and the Filipino people, if you don’t like the Philippines why continue to stick your nose in on a forum about the Philippines and their people.

you are being unkind to bullshit!

Not been on this forum long but do wonder why peoples genuine requests for information threads end up about arguments on something the OP didnt ask about unless the OP is an active part of the thread drift.

This web article headed “Philippine Insider” written in 2016, gives an overview:

https://www.philippinesinsider.com/philippines-health/puerto-princesa-hospitals-and-health-care/

Of course we do not know how accurate this information is but somebody who has been to the region might be able to verify the content.

I also note that a new hospital was being built in 2017, in Puerto Princesa.

http://www.manilatimes.net/200-bed-hospital-built-puerto-princesa/326251/


The website “Philippine Insider” also covers other regions of the Philippines on the same topic.


Also, a company like Western Oriental might be worth a call on +44 (0)2031318322

They do package trips to the Philippines and that includes Palawan. I do not mean to book a holiday, though of course you could, but just for a quick chat that could answer a few questions on child friendliness and medical facilities etc.

Anyone got a clue to what website I can use to book transport from pp to el nido?? Thanks in advance

There are many tour operators in PP who offer transport to El Nido , even trike drivers will take you to an office to book it . We used a company called Lexxus but there are many more you can book online if you just search “getting from Puerto Princess to El Nido “ The cost varies , but if I remember right it was around 600-700 each way . On the return trip they will take you to the airport if you have a flight to catch .

Thanks for the info we’re doing a bit of a tour of Palawan so el nido first then coron and then pp looks like I’ll have to do a few more searches for transport

Good stuff. @Distance waterways When you get back could you give us a run down on your tour when you return?

Thanks

I will it’s not until the new year but at least I can start to get stuff organised

Why do you persist in spreading misinformation???

As someone who lives outside the UK, I think it's somewhat ironic for you to adversely compare Filipino hospitals with NHS ones. To my certain knowledge, patients in the Philippines aren't made to queue for six, eight hours or more waiting to be seen in A&E, they're not 'stored' on trolleys in corridors and aren't put in windowless cupboards overnight (Please note: this is not an invitation to debate the state of the NHS).

According to you, the only decent hospitals - that presumably meet your exacting standards - are to be found in Manila and Cebu. Ahah... What about the first class hospitals in Subic, Davao, IloIlo, Cagayan de Oro and elsewhere which are just as good as those in the UK for cities of equivalent sizes? Overlooked them, did you? And you claim that there are no hospitals on Bantayan, Camotes, Siquijor or Camiguin: yet again you are (almost) entirely wrong. A 100 bed hospital is being constructed on Bantayan and there are hospitals and medical centres on the other three islands. According to an Expat friend, Siguijor Provincial Hospital is very good indeed: his wife gave birth there twice.

As for families not visiting the Philippines, the country is far too far away from Europe but I have frequently encountered young Australians and New Zealanders with babies and young children in both Cebu and Davao - more in Davao than Cebu it has to be said, but nevertheless a constant stream.

I'll finish with an instruction, in Latin so as not to offend others: efutue!

Before this thread goes off course anymore where do people recommend to go ? I've never been before but I like the looks of the hidden beaches

Strange.

Perhaps it's true in the more 'rustic' parts of Palawan, but in the main touristic areas of the province, there are few (if any) issues with speaking Tagalog.

The tourism industry needs to cater to its customers, and domestic travellers from the Metro Manila area are obviously a much growing demographic in Palawan's tourist figures.

My partner (native Kapampangan speaker) had no difficulty whatsoever with tour guides, trike drivers, restaurants, vendors etc by using their shared Tagalog language (and neither did I with English). If she took a motorcycle 3 hours south of Coron to goodness knows where, then maybe your speculation would be true?

I do agree with you that the tourism infrastructure is terribly underdeveloped in the Philippines, but the language barrier for Tagalog speakers is pure fantasy.

@Davids I use Trip Advisor a lot. At least it is a start. For all sorts of trips and it seems it does include Palawan, to a degree at least.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Smart...nd_Palawan_Province_Mimaropa-Hotel-Deals.html

I also used last minute.com for our holiday to Paris and I notice they include Palawan:

https://www.lastminute.com.au/Palawan.d601955.Destination-Travel-Guides

That’s the Aussi version but it does give clues.

where will you be based?

I haven't been to El Nido. I just flew to Coron and did straightforward organised tours from there. I was with the gf, plus mother and Tita for whom it was the first time in a plane.

The only thing I'd be wary of with attractions named 'hidden beaches' is that they will feature on the standard itineraries of most tour operators. They will likely be packed with other visitors tucking into their grilled fish meal and coconut milk. Finding true secluded and quiet beaches will probably require a little bit of extra effort in sourcing a bangka operator with genuine local knowledge.

Thanks Adobo for some informative posts.