LONG BEACH OF SAN VICENTE, PALAWAN: LONGEST IN THE PHILIPPINES


Feeling relaxed and ready for another adventure, by the strike of four in the morning, Carla and I rode the tricycle towards the bus terminal of Puerto Princesa City.  During the night before, we were told that the first air-conditioned van leaves at five in the morning bound for San Vicente, Palawan.  Unfortunately, the van just left in a matter of seconds as we arrived at the terminal.  Van schedule is indeed not fixed.  But a non air-conditioned bus was there to the rescue.


Along with a group of locals, a few tourists and even livestock on board, off we traveled the long journey towards the long beach of San Vicente, Palawan.  Travel time was approximately four hours.

We decided to explore the long beach on the second day of our stay at San Vicente, Palawan.  On one rainy morning, we walked for a distance from the Peace and Love Resort to reach the so-called Station 1 of the San Vicente Long Beach.  We decided to have our breakfast near the shores (if there is one open restaurant/resort) but to no avail.

the trail to the long beach on one rainy morning
a wet trail can be rewarding at times
Stepping into the first station of the Long Beach, I was honestly disappointed.  It was more of a fishing village and the sand was not that fine with sea weeds sprouting from every direction and a few traces of littering.  It was not the picture painted in my mind (at least for the day!).

the fisher folks at the first station
We moved back and walked towards the public market to have our breakfast.  Afterwards, with the great haggling and bargaining skills of Ma’am Carla, she exclaimed: “we’re going to the second station of the Long Beach”.  And a tricycle driver with a sound system enough to move the party goers became our tour guide at a very reasonable price.

station 2 of the Long Beach

the wave is calling for a swim!
The Long Beach of San Vicente is becoming a tourism hub, with reports on the completion of an airport anytime soon.  Even locals relayed that famous entertainment celebrities and politicians started to invest and purchase lands near the shores.  It has the potential of becoming another Boracay Island as they say.  Any commercialized white sand beach resorts will always be referenced to the famed Boracay Island.

The staff of the resort from where we are staying told us that there are three stations in the Long Beach of San Vicente, on the same division as that of Boracay, but the reverse is the description.  They said the best one is at the farthest end, Station 3.

It was a visit devoid of expectations for me since all I knew is the fact that the Philippine tourism office has marked the Long Beach of San Vicente as the longest white sand beach in the Philippines, spanning 14 kilometers.

We were lead to Station 2 of the Long Beach.  Our tricycle driver agreed to wait as we explore and dip into the shores of the San Vicente Beach.  A complete contrast from the first station, I saw a relatively clean and long shoreline with towering coconut trees that surround.  There were no corals and pebbles as we step on the shores and the sand was indeed fine.


The panoramic landscape of a beach is oftentimes revealed under a good weather condition.  A few drizzles welcomed us back then, yet, the raw beauty of the island and the infinite stretch of shoreline easily registered into our senses.


The Long Beach of San Vicente is a promising beach destination.  

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1 comments

  1. promising indeed. lalo na pag operational na airport sa san vicente. dadami lalo tourist sa el nido and port barton. lalayo nga lang sa balabac

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