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After two full weeks of rest and relaxation, I had to literally drag myself to work this morning.

Man, was it a struggle.

Memories of Palawan still linger. I had a blast down there. I have always been a Boracay baby but my Puerto Princesa adventures were really something else.

Instead of telling you the cool places in Palawan, I would rather warn you where not to go and who to avoid.

Ready?

1. Royal Oberoi Resort & Hotel - The pictures from its website were taken more than five years ago. So imagine our surprise when we first set foot on the hotel. Talk about false advertisement. Plus, they charged us for an extra night. We were there from 12-17March. Probably, they are not aware of the legal principle: In computing a period, the first day shall be excluded, and the last day included (Civil Code of the Philippines, Art. 13.3).

2. Pares Plaza –They have the most stomach turning goto (rice porridge) I have ever tasted. Not only was it totally bland, their goto was made of what I can only describe as extra sticky rice. In fact, it even stays glued to your spoon. Enough said.

3. Tricycle Drivers – The tricycle is Puerto Princesa’s most common mode of public transportation. Sadly, trike drivers tend to abuse tourists. They have a keen eye on separating the tourists from the local herd. When night time hits, expect their rates to triple. Avoid them like a plague. It would be wiser to rent a scooter.

4. Starfish Island – Most of the islands of Palawan are pure bliss. But this one in particular was a disappointment. Although Starfish Island is privately owned, it appears to have been neglected. Whatta pity.

5. Mosquitoes - Came back to Manila with several huge red spots all over my arms and legs. They itch like crazy and no amount of mosquito repellent has prevented these hellish buggers from attacking.

There you have it. You are now set for Palawan. Enjoy!