Not too long ago, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron came to town to share with us new developments in his city and why these should be of interest to potential investors. As a tourism stakeholder, I was more interested in finding out what other attractions there are in the city and in the province that we could package and offer to our domestic and international visitors, aside from the world-famous Puerto Princesa Underground River, El Nido, and Coron.
It was a day of revelations, as the good mayor showed on screen, much to our delight, attractive destinations that would certainly be a magnet for fun-loving leisure travelers and investors, places that none of us in the audience have ever heard of or known about.
Approximately an hour away from the city center is the Acacia Nature Park, an inspiring work of nature that evokes a sense of serenity and joy. The park has a beautiful Tree Tunnel, which is actually a 1.2-kilometer paved walkway lined on both sides by 50-year-old acacia trees, with its branches and leaves forming a verdant canopy over the walkway. The Mayor plans to put up glamping accommodations, restaurants, souvenir shops, trekking, bike trails, and a view deck at this new visitors’ attraction.
There is also the Tagbarungis Eco-Beach Park, also an hour away from downtown Puerto Princesa, which is a 52-hectare government property identified for multiple use. It has a 2-kilometer white sand beach entirely shaded by coconut trees. To match up with the growing popularity of this sun-sea-and-sand destination, Mayor Bayron envisions a medium-sized hotel in that location, offering sports and marine facilities and amenities that will further highlight the pristine, clear waters of the area.
At the heart of Puerto Princesa Bay is the City Baywalk, with a long promenade lined with palm trees and cycling lanes where one can have a breathtaking view of the golden sunset. This is adjacent to the Heritage Core District where the famous Plaza Cuartel, Governor’s Residence, and the Cathedral are located.
Another city-owned beach, the Tagkawayan Beach, is also approximately an hour away from downtown. Right now, the city government is not promoting this to the public, to preserve its quaint peace and tranquility, but its white sand beach and spectacular sunsets will certainly be tourist magnets once the area is developed. Investors might just want to put up cabañas and tent facilities in the area, to accommodate the expected surge of visitors once marketing promotions are made.
There are many other new developments in Puerto Princesa which, certainly, sparked the interest of the overflow crowd at Conrad Manila’s ballroom. Envisioned to become a new lifestyle urban destination in the city is the Cuyito Bayfront which will have a world-class cruise port towards making Puerto Princesa the Cruise Capital of the country. This 9.9-hectare site will have an 8-meter wide promenade with center islands for safe pedestrian flow and ease of traffic. It will also have a Biodiversity Museum, a 5000-capacity Convention Center, hotels, and al fresco dining, making it a must-see destination for any visitor to the city.
Of course, for business travelers to the city, there will soon be a modern Business Park behind the City Coliseum which will have corporate buildings, commercial spaces and multi-level street parking. The area’s proximity to the airport makes it convenient for business travelers who may have a busy schedule prior to their return to home base. There were many other sites that the good mayor showed us and those who are interested to know more about these may contact [email protected]
It was a very informative and inspiring forum on Puerto Princesa’s current and future attractions and business opportunities. I congratulate Mayor Lucilo Bayron for sharing with us the tourist gems of his city and his exciting plans on how to make the city even more attractive than it already is.
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YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:
GRAMMAR TEACHER: Do you know the importance of a period?
PUPIL: Yes, Ma’am. Once my sister said she missed one, Mom fainted, Dad had a heart attack, and our Driver ran away!
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For feedback, I’m at [email protected]
