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Calauit Safari Park: A Taste of Africa in Busuanga, Palawan

Calauit Safari Park: A Taste of Africa in Busuanga, Palawan

On our third day in Coron, Palawan, my boyfie and I woke up early, got ready for our Calauit Safari tour and then left Coron Village Lodge at around 5.15 a.m. We decided to travel by boat since we planned to do some island hopping after our trip.

Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary (CGPWS) also known as the “Calauit Safari Park” is dubbed as the Philippines’ local version of the African Safari. The island has been declared as a game preserve and wildlife sanctuary by virtue of the Presidential Proclamation No. 1578 which was issued on August 31, 1976 during the Marcos regime. It has a total land area of approximately 3,760 hectares and is situated within Calauit Island in the northwest corner of Busuanga, the main island of the Calamianes, Northern Palawan.

According to history, last March 4, 1977, one hundred and four (104) African animals comprising of eight species arrived in Calauit, Busuanga, Palawan from Kenya, Africa via the MV Salvador ship. The animals that were transported to Calauit consist of the following:

  • 15 giraffes
  • 15 zebras
  • 18 impalas
  • 12 waterbucks
  • 11 gazelles
  • 11 elands
  • 10 topis
  • 12 bushbucks

As of September 2004, the current population of the animals in Calauit has been estimated at 481 heads, having the impalas with the highest number at 150. These African animals from Kenya co-exist with other endangered endemic Philippine animals such as the Palawan bearcats and mouse deer which roam freely around the island’s verdant hills and plains.

Welcome to Calauit Game Preserve and Widlife Sanctuary Bridge to Calauit Safari Park Mangroves around Calauit Safari Park
More Mangroves around Calauit Safari Park Short Trek to Calauit Safari Park Gazebo at Calauit Safari Park
Beehive at Calauit Safari Park Mission and Vision of Calauit Safari Park Calauit Safari Park Tour Truck

We arrived at the sanctuary past 9.30 a.m. We were a bit delayed and when we arrived, the tour truck had already left. We also found out that there were groups from Herbalife who were scheduled for safari tours that day so I got worried that they might not be able to attend to us since we made no appointment with them.

When the group from Herbalife arrived at the park’s office, the staff talked to the driver and the tour guide and asked if they can still accommodate us. The driver and the tour guide were kind-hearted enough and decided to take us both for another safari tour before they had their lunch.

Here are some of the animals that can be seen on the park:

Calamian Deer

Calamian Deer Signage - Calauit Safari Park Calamian Deer - Calauit Safari Park Calamian Deer - Calauit Safari Park

Calamian Deer, also known as the “Calamian Hog Deer,” is a specie of deer which can be found only in the Calamian Group of Islands of Palawan in the Philippines. It is one of three species of deer native to the Philippines.

Giraffes

Giraffes - Calauit Safari Park Giraffes - Calauit Safari Park Giraffes - Calauit Safari Park
Hermie - The Friendly Giraffe at Calauit Safari Park Feeding Hermie Giraffes - Calauit Safari Park

Giraffe is considered to be the tallest of all land-living animal species. Its coat is made up of large, irregular patches of yellow to black fur separated by white, off-white, or dark yellowish brown background. They usually stand about 13 to 18 feet tall with long neck and long legs.

Zebras

Zebra - Calauit Safari Park Zebras - Calauit Safari Park Zebras - Calauit Safari Park

Zebras are best known for their distinctive white and black stripes. Their bellies have a large white blotch for camouflage purposes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual.

Palawan Bearcats

Palawan Bearcat Signage - Calauit Safari Park Palawan Bearcat - Calauit Safari Park Palawan Bearcat sleeping on top of a tree - Calauit Safari Park

Palawan Bearcat is an endemic species and is one of the biggest land mammals in mainland Palawan, Philippines This mammal looks like a half-bear and a half-cat and has a coarse and thick black-brown fur.

Porcupines

Porcupine Signage - Calauit Safari Park Porcupine - Calauit Safari Park Porcupine - Calauit Safari Park

Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents with a coat of sharp spines that defend them from predators. They come in various shades of brown, grey, and the unusual white.

Wild Boars

Wild Boars - Calauit Safari Park Wild Boars - Calauit Safari Park Wild Boars - Calauit Safari Park

The wild boar, also called as wild hog, is a specie of a pig in the biological family Suidae and the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. Its body is compact, with large head and relatively short legs. Its fur consists of stiff bristles which usually varies from dark grey to black or brown.

After the tour, we thanked the staff of Calauit Safari Park, left the park at around 1.30 p.m., and then headed back to our boat. After eating our packed lunch on the boat, we headed to Calomboyan Island and then back to Coron town proper. We decided not to continue with our island hopping since the waves were big and the seas were rough. We arrived at Coron around 7.30 p.m.

Visiting Time

The advisable visiting time is between 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. in order to catch the animals in the open since most of these animals hide in the forest when it is hot to avoid the sun.

Getting There

Calauit Safari Park is accessible by a 3 to 4-hour boat ride from Coron town proper or by a 2 to 3 hours travel by land plus a 15-minute boat ride to the park.

Climate

The wet season in Busuanga usually starts from July and ends in October since the island is exposed to the southwest monsoon and rough seas during this period. Fair weather and calm seas usually prevail from March to June.

Expenses

  • Boat Rental – P6,000 or Van Rental – P5,500 + Boat Ride to the sanctuary – P400/boat
  • Entrance Fee – P250/pax for Filipinos (I think the entrance fee for a foreigner is a bit higher, I just forgot the exact amount.)
  • Tour Truck or Jeep – P1,000/truck
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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Palawan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Comments

102 responses to “Calauit Safari Park: A Taste of Africa in Busuanga, Palawan

  1. comment-53
    chewi
    comment-53

    😀 wow ang mahal,,at ang yaman mo talaga,,
    pero sulit nadin lalo na sa katulad mong nakakaappreciate ng mga gantong lugar ok na
    (L) me kasama ka ah hhmm hehe

  2. comment-56
    Wayne Post author
    comment-56

    Thanks Chewi! Onga eh, medyo pricey talaga lalo na kung konti kayo. Kaya mas advisable na marami kayo pag pupunta kayo dyan para mas makatipid ng malaki. 😀

    Worth it din naman yung punta namin nun eh. Kaya okay na rin. (Y)

  3. comment-64
    castanas
    comment-64

    bakit di mo ako inuwian ng isang giraffe? isa lang naman e. di nila mapapansin na nawawala yun. 😛
    ang gastos naman ng banca? ilan ang kasya dun?

  4. comment-65
    Wayne Post author
    comment-65

    Hi Al! Loko! Ako nga hindi nakapag-uwi ng giraffe para sa akin eh. Uuwian pa kita. 😛 Good for 2pax ung banca eh + 2 boatmen. 😀 Mura na yun no. Sobrang layo kaya ng Calauit from Coron. 😀

  5. comment-66
    Shaira
    comment-66

    Coolness! Ang cu-cute ng mga giraffes!!!!! Gusto ko ring makapunta dyan!!!! 😀

  6. comment-67
    Rio
    comment-67

    bkt parang ang dame pa giraffe sa inyo? nung samen nun ntatandaan ko apat lng.. :-/
    isa ung sumalubong samen na sobrang hayok na hayok sa halaman..ung isa c atheena .. tpos may dalawa na nakakulong..
    waaaa bkt sa inyo ang dame 🙁 hahahha bka d ko nakita sa sobrang laki nya C:-)

  7. comment-68
    Wayne Post author
    comment-68

    Hi Rio,

    Sa group na yan, 6 sila nung nakita namin. Then sa malayo, nakita naman namin si Athena at yung nanay nya ata. Baby pa si Athena nun. Ang liit liit nya. Pakita ko sayo yung pic nya saken na magkasama kami. Ngayon siguro malaki na sya. Hehehe! Then meron pang isang nakakulong nun dahil may sugat daw. So all in all, 9 yung giraffes na nakita namin. Hehehe! 😀

    Alam ko, buntis pa nga si Hermie nung nagpunta kami eh. So dapat mas marami na sila ngayon. Not unless marami ring namatay sa kanila. 🙁

  8. comment-70
    Wayne Post author
    comment-70

    Uu, malayo sya. Mga 3-4 hrs ang travel one way. Yung samin, inabot ng 5hrs kasi malakas yung alon nun. So mabagal yung andar ng bangka namin. Hehehe! Yung meals, bumili na lang kami sa palengke. Tas pinaluto namin sa bangkero. Libre na yung paluto namin nun. Hehehehe! 😀

  9. comment-80
    gilbert
    comment-80

    kahit di bisitahin yung park na yan… yung makarating lang sa Palawan, masaya nako… kaya nakakainggit yung nakakabasa ako ng mga ganito… hay… may giraffe pa pala dito sa Pilipinas…

  10. comment-81
    Wayne Post author
    comment-81

    Hi Gilbert,

    Kahit ako pinangarap ko talagang bumalik sa Palawan. (Dun kasi kami nakatira dati kaso baby pa ako nun.) It just so happened na biglang nag-boom ang Coron noon kaya instead na sa Puerto Princesa ang destination ko nun, napadpad tuloy ako sa Coron/Busuanga. Well, super worth it naman dahil sobrang ganda ng place. 😀

    Wala na bang giraffe sa Manila Zoo? =-O

  11. comment-102
    Crystal
    comment-102

    Ang mahal pala magboat… I’ve never tried it. I always took the public transpo (yellow jeepney) from Coron to Calauit. It took 6 hours one way, sometimes more coz the jeep would stop at every sitio, kelangan kse magbaba o magakyat ng mga paninda at supplies. So, madalas may ksama kaming baboy sa bubong ng jeep.

    I’ve been to the Game Preserve twice when I was there but I lived in the barrio on the other side of the island. I lived with the Tagbanuas who went back to Caluit after the EDSA revolution. Pinaalis kse sila ni Marcos when the animals came.

    Sayang I don’t have very good digital pictures from my time there.

  12. comment-108
    Wayne Post author
    comment-108

    Yup, sobrang mahal. Sabe ng ibang nakapunta ng Calauit na nagboat, mas mahal pa daw dyan ang rates na nakuha nila. Ranging from 8k to 10k ata. Not so sure though. Pero sobrang mahal talaga.

    Ang kulit naman nun, at talagang may mga baboy sa bubong. Haha!

    Sabe ng friend ko who was there last May, kokonti na raw ang giraffes. Parang 4 na lang daw yung nakita nya. I wonder what happened to the others. 🙁

  13. comment-110
    Crystal
    comment-110

    Talaga 4 nalang? Last year parang 10 pa ata sila. Pero 2 yung nakakulong kse injured (sumasabit kse sila sa mga fence, the farms on some parts of the island are fenced para di makapasok yung mga giraffes kse grabe sila kumain di ba? I think they can consume as much as 30kilos of tree leaves and twigs daily!), si Atong Ang at si Erap… yeah, those are the names of the giraffes… haha!

    Anyway, medyo complicated kse yung issue ng Calauit. The original settlers there, yung mga Tagbanua (Indigenous People) have been petitioning the gov’t to grant them the CADT or Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title. Di ko na alam kung nagrant na ba o hindi. So ngayon, if magrant yun, I don’t know what will happen. Kse kahit na malaki yung island 3,700 hectares siya e… mahihirapan magcoexist ang mga tao at yung mga free ranging animals. I do hope that they find a way to co-exist harmoniously and share what limited resources they have.

    Yung sa boat issue, it’s cheaper siguro if they hire a van then pahatid sila sa dulo ng Busunga island, or sa New Busuanga, then from there saka magrent ng boat. Matagtag lang yung biyahe kse rough road e.

  14. comment-118
    Wayne Post author
    comment-118

    Yup, sabe nung friend ko who recently went to Calauit, 4 na lang daw yung giraffes na nakita nya. Kaya nalungkot sya nung nakita nya yung pics ko kasi bakit ang dami daw ng giraffes nung nagpunta kami. Hehe! Hayyy, grabe! Sobrang lakas nila kumain ng dahon no. As in! Kinwento rin yun samin nung tour guide. Sayang lang kasi konti lang yung dala naming dahon nung nagtour kami kaya wala tuloy kaming mapakain. Haha! 😀

    Diba parang may residential area sa harap ng park? I remember may isa pa ngang store dun tas may mga bahay-bahay sa gilid. Then parang nasa middle area ata yung mga animals. Baka pwede naman silang magshare ng space diba? Malaki rin yata ang kinikita nung park eh. Sayang naman kung mawawala. Diba?

    Yup, it’s much much cheaper talaga kung magvavan. Sayang nga eh, sana nagvan na lang kami. Kasi sobrang ingay nung motor nung boat namin. Na parang tiniis namin yun for almost 4-5hrs! Imagine! Akala naman kasi namen enjoy yun, ayun, halos mabingi bingi tuloy kami pag uwi. Hehehe!

  15. comment-119
    Crystal
    comment-119

    Yeah may mga bahay sa gilid for employees and caretakers of the park and the animals. May quarters din for guests who want to stay overnyt kse yung park may generator – walang kuryente sa island e.

    Yeah, may sari2 store din na maraming sardinas na tinda!

    But outside of the designated park area may community na talagang nakatira doon. May barrio, where the school is with siguro around 50+ families. Tapos yung mga families na yun may mga taniman na scattered all over the island.

    Since I lived in the barrio – with the community – it takes around 21/2 hours of walking to get to the other side — yung park area where the animals are free range. Ironic nga kse my students (Grade5) have been living on that island all their lives pero they’ve never had a chance to be on a guided tour dun sa park, not until nagrequest ako na magfield trip kame for our Science class.

    I don’t know kung malaki ang kinikita nila kse kakaunti nalang yung mga employees dun e. And wala na silang in-house na vet unlike before na meron laging naka-assign na volunteers from UPLB VetMed.

    Ang hirap pala ng pinagdaanan niyo – 3-4 hours each by boat e di bale almost 8 hours ang biyahe! Kung nagvan kayo less than 2 hours nasa northernmost tip na kayo ng Busuanga. Tapos madadaanan nyo yung river na puro mangroves na ang ganda2 papunta dun sa park.

    😀

  16. comment-120
    Wayne Post author
    comment-120

    Ahh, para pala yun sa mga caretakers lang. So yung mga families na nakatira outside the park area eh nandun din pala mismo sa island kung saan andun yung park? So yung issue about that is gusto nung mga tao dun na ipatanggal na yung park mismo? Wagggg. Sayang naman. 🙁

    Sana alagaan nila yung mga animals. Para dumami. At para rin mas makilala at mas kumita pa sila. Sana rin yung government dun eh magfocus kung papano iiimprove yung tourism doon. Lalo pa ngayon na ang dami daming tourists na nagpupunta ng Coron. 😀

    Yung travel namin umabot pa ng 5hrs. Kasi maalon at that time. So hindi kami makaandar ng mabilis. Nakarating kami ng Coron town nun past 7pm na. Nakakatakot na tuloy kasi ang dilim dilim na nun. Parusa talaga. :-/

  17. comment-124
    Crystal
    comment-124

    Yes, parang ganun ang gusto nila mangyari before. Either them or the animals will stay, di pwede both.

    Pero ngayon I think they’re open to negotiations na. I hope they come to an agreement. Kse wala naman ibang lilipatan yung animals e. At sana nga dumami pa sila. Some of them, like the Palawan bearcat and the mousedeer – which are endemic species) are critically endangered e.

    Pero if that happens dapat din macontrol yung population ng tao doon sa island. Kse siyempre di naman pwedeng go forth and multiply forever… if you know what I mean. 😉

  18. comment-131
    Wayne Post author
    comment-131

    Buti naman open na sila for negotiations ngayon. Siguro narealized din nila na parang ang tagal na nilang pinaglalaban yun, pero parang walang nangyayari kaya siguro they came up with that decision.

    Para ngang hindi malabong maubos na talaga yung bearcat dun eh. Kasi isa na lang yata yung naiwan. I heard na namatay na raw yung isa. Sayang.

    Sana nga macontrol. Which I doubt. Hehe! 😀

  19. comment-152
    Cristel
    comment-152

    When did you go sa Calauit? We’ll be there this July 3-5. Do you have any suggestions or itinerary for us? I’ve planned to do Coron Loop Island Hopping (half-day on our first day) then Maquinit Hot Spring in the evening. On the second day, we’d visit the Safari tapos island hopping sa Black Beach in the afternoon. Third day, just go around the Coron Town before leaving in a plane. Let me know if you have better ideas. hahaha. Thanks.

  20. comment-153
    Wayne Post author
    comment-153

    Hi Cristel,

    I think your itinerary is fine. 1 day for Coron Island Tour and another day for Calauit Safari Trip. You can’t go to the other islands kasi malalayo na sila. Kukulangin na kayo sa oras pag nagkataon. Let’s just hope na hindi umulan para hindi masira yung plano. Goodluck! 🙂

  21. comment-170
    Wayne Post author
    comment-170

    Haha! Yeah, We ate at Bistro Coron. Yummy ang pizza! Pero hindi ko na-try yung Kawayan Grill. 🙁

  22. comment-179
    Wayne Post author
    comment-179

    Hi Shea!

    Wow, punta rin kayo dito ni boyfie? (L) Sige, sama nyo ‘to sa itinerary. Sobrang enjoy dyan kasi halos lahat ng animals pakalat kalat lang. Then you can feed the giraffes. 😀

  23. comment-344
    shea
    comment-344

    yay, 1000 na daw ang entrance fee.. TOINKS..

    need daw kasi for the maintenance… aw..

    ang laki pala dapat ng baon kong arep..

    baka di ko na to mapuntahan.. hai…

    di bale may next time pa naman eh..

  24. comment-345
    Wayne Post author
    comment-345

    Ganown?!!! Times 4 yun ah. Tsk tsk! Bakit biglaan? Buti na lang pala nakapunta nako bago mag mahal ang entrance. Hahaha! Oo nga, sabihin mo kay Papi, dalhin nya na lahat ng kayamanan nya para sulit na sulit ang trip nyo. 😀

  25. comment-348
    freda
    comment-348

    hello! sooper dooper nakakatulong tong site mo sa mga lakad ko.. hehe!

    hi shea! am going to coron this aug 18. and kasama sa iti namin ang calauit. talked to coron island travel and 250.00 pa rin daw ang entrance dun eh. san po kaya yang 1000 na yan? entrance or sa truck? curious din po kasi 250 lang talaga budget ko sa entrance! haha!

  26. comment-352
    Wayne Post author
    comment-352

    Hi Freda,

    Wow, it’s nice to know na nakakatulong kami sa ibang mga travelers. 😀 Good luck sa trip ninyo.

    RE: the entrance fee, baka nga 250 pa rin? Baka sa truck yung 1k na tinutukoy ni Shea? Di nga kaya? Hmmm… Uyyy, kwentuhan mo kami ha pagbalik mo. 😀 And also thanks for visiting our site. 😀

  27. comment-376
    freda
    comment-376

    hi wayne! oo nga, baka nga sa truck yung 1k.. nakapagcomment tuloy akong bigla dito, kasi 250 lang talaga ang budget namin sa entrance, wala ng pangdagdag! hahaha!

    sureness, kwentuhan kita! 🙂 thanks ha! post ka pa ng mga trips mo.. email mo ko if may questions ka sa mga next trips mo, baka i’ve been there na, ako naman ang magbigay ng info 🙂

  28. comment-382
    Wayne Post author
    comment-382

    Hehehe, nagulat nga din ako kasi times 4 agad un kung 1k/pax na ang entrance. Balikan mo kami kapag naconfirm mong 250 lang nga ha? 😀

    Sige, hintayin namin yung kwento mo, sana mag-enjoy ka rin katulad namin. 😀

    Yup, popost namin lahat ng ibang trips namin. Medyo mahirap lang magcreate ng entries kaya natatagalan kaming magpost. Hehehe! Sige, i will e-mail you in case may travel questions kami. Icey and I is off to Mindanao this September. We’ll be visiting Butuan, Surigao del Sur, Surigao City, Siargao then daan din kaming Cebu. Have you been there? Baka sakaling mabigyan mo kami ng tips. Hehehe!

  29. comment-392
    Tristan
    comment-392

    Hi,

    We are planning to go to caluit on Aug 14, bka meron me alam kung magkano rent ng jeep papuntang caluit from coron town, mahal kasi yung Van 5,550 to 6k, ang problem kaming 2 lang ng wifey ko, kung meron kayong alam contact no. ng jeep or vehicle kahit walang aircon, para makamura sa trip papuntang caluit, – tristansantiago@yahoo.com

    Thanks in advance 😉

  30. comment-393
    Wayne Post author
    comment-393

    Hi Tristan,

    Naku, sorry, wala din kaming alam na jeep. Usually kasi it’s either van or boat lang yung nakita kong options nung andun kami. Usually, ang ginagawa ng mga tourists, naghahanap sila ng ibang pupunta rin sa Calauit ng araw na yun then makikishare na lang sila sa bayad. Ganun na lang din ang gawin ninyo kasi expensive talaga pag kayong dalawa lang ng wife mo ang pupunta dun. Pero try mo na lang din magtanung-tanong dun kung meron mga jeep na for hire. Then kayo na lang ang bahalang makipagnegotiate kung papano at magkano. 🙂

  31. comment-406
    freda
    comment-406

    hi wayne!
    hahaha! hindi ko pa nabibisita yung mga pupuntahan mo eh.. 😀 cebu pa lang! nanakawan kami dun sa loob ng jeep! 🙁 kaya never na kami babalik sa cebu.. 🙁 sad! natrauma kami. hehe!

    hi tristan!
    punta kami calauit on aug 18. ganyan rin sana balak namin, magrent na lang ng van or jeep. pero wala daw marerent dun sabi nung mga kausap namin sa coron. if you want, magrent ka na lang ng buong boat. 1 day na yun, may island hopping pa on the side.. 😉 7k nga lang yung boat.. all in all, makaka-9k ka.. hmp! hehe!

  32. comment-415
    Wayne Post author
    comment-415

    Freda: Ganun????! Papano kayo nanakawan? Sad naman. Buti na lang last day naming pupuntahan yun. So kung mananakawan man kami dun, malamang wala na kaming pera nun. Hahahaha! 😛

  33. comment-434
    freda
    comment-434

    hi wayne! nung pasakay na kami sa jeep, may nanggitgit samin, ayun pagtingin nung kasama ko, wala na yung cellphone niya.. kala ko nga magkakagulo kami sa jeep eh! haha! haaay.. kahit saan talaga, may loko! hehe! ingat na lang kayo dun.. 😉

  34. comment-438
    Wayne Post author
    comment-438

    I see. Thanks! Kelangan ng doble ingat dun. Hehehe!

    Oo nga, kahit saan naman marami talagang mandurukot. Kaya dapat talagang laging mag-ingat. 😀

  35. comment-492
    reggie guevara
    comment-492

    Hi Wayne,

    Great pix & txt!

    Do you mind if I use your site to try to get in touch with Crystal? I’m not sure if her comment page at

    http://pinaybackpacker.com/contact/

    is working e. If you don’t mind:

    Hi, it’s Crystal, right? I got your name from your comment at

    http://www.pasyalera.com/featured/calauit-safari-park-a-taste-of-africa-in-busuanga-palawan/comment-page-1/#comment-102

    Actually, I’m here in Coron now, & I’m trying to find a cheap way to go to Calauit, & since I might not find any companions, your usual route taking public transpo might probably be my best bet. Would you mind detailing to me how to go about it, including staying overnight there, as it’s probably impossible to do a daytrip with the 6hr trip one-way? It’s Friday night now, & I’m hoping to go to Calauit Sunday, so I hope you can give me advice by tomorrow night.

    Regards,

    Reggie

  36. comment-495
    Crystal
    comment-495

    Wayne, can you give me his email address? I’ll just email him personally kse I don’t wanna post the contact numbers of my contacts not until I can ask permission that is.

    He has many options actually. Here they are:

    Option 1: Rent a motorcycle (if he is alone)
    From Coron pahatid siya sa Bgy. New Quezon that’s the last bgy on the northernmost tip of Busuanga island. I have some contacts there na pwede siya makitulog but he has to text them early.

    May jeep din na bumabiyahe dito kaya lang chambahan, walang schedule magtanong ka nlang sa palengke kung meron biyahe that day.

    Usually darating yan ng around 6-8am then aalis ulit before 12noon. kung wala masyadong sakay na bigas from NFA baka pwede ka makisiksik.

    From New Quezon madali na tumawid sa Calauit, the barrio itself is 5min away
    at yung Game Preserve naman is around 15 min away kse it’s on the other side.
    I can give you contact numbers if you choose this route.

    Kung maulan I suggest not to go this route kse rough road yung dadaanan niya.

    Option 2: Ride the bus or elf (truck na ginawang pampasahero, masakit sa pwet kse sa tabla ka lang uupo at walang mahahawakan) going to Bgy. Cheey (read as Chuy)

    This is the most reliable route in terms of transpo. kse may biyahe from Coron (terminal sa palengke) papunta dito araw-araw.

    Hindi lang pare-pareho ng oras. It can leave between 9am-11am. So dapat maaga siya makapagreserve ng seats kse marami ding nagaabang.

    May tinutulugan akong family jan before pero i don’t have their contact number as of now.
    From this bgy he can rent a boat to Calauit. Just look up Samuel Pabia, sila mayari ng elf
    na bumabiyahe jan 9alternate with the bus tho in some days sabay sila may biyahe).

    Maraming boats jan for hire kse the boat operators from Club Paradise taga jan.

    Option 4: Ride the bus going to Salvacion, the capital of Busuanga.
    May mga lodging house jan in case you want to stay the night. Wag ka lang maghanap ng aircon
    kse tho may electricity na, hindi laging may kuryente.
    I can give you the number of Tita Carol.

    From here 1 hour by boat pa ang Calauit. marami ka pwede irent na boats jan na pwede maghatid
    sa yo punta ka lang sa pantalan (pier). Di lang ako familiar how much ang rates.

    Option 5: Ride the jeep or bus (or elf) going to Bulwang.

    Dadaan din yugn sasakyan na ito sa Salvacion, Old Busuanga then New Busuanga (in that order). But Bulwang is the last stop.

    Lahat yang mag barangays na yan pwede ka bumaba anf magbangka na papuntang Calauit. Pero sa Bulwang kse yung iba ko pang contacts and yung kakilala ko may bangka din sila so pwede ka ihatid sa caluit (taga Calauit din family nila).

    Haay. sana di ka nalito. So many options but the bottom line is if you choose to ride these available public transpo, super tipid ka P150 max lang pamasahe, kung motorcycle magoffer ka na pagasulinahan na lang tapos dagdag ka 150-200). Pero it will take longer. Minimum 4 hours at least.
    vans will cost around 5-6k e.

  37. comment-504
    Isis
    comment-504

    No problem. Hehe I just reread my comment..dami typo errors madalian kse..sensya na po.

    I hope Reggie will have a safe trip, though it will definitely be a bumpy one. 😀

  38. comment-506
    Wayne Post author
    comment-506

    Isis: That’s ok. Para challenging. Hehe!

    Reggie: Super what? 😛 Hehehe! Have a safe trip. Enjoy! Pasalubong ha. Hehe! 😀

  39. comment-523
    tin
    comment-523

    @crystal

    very informative post..we will be in coron this weekend and we’r considering on calauit trip but constrained by budget..your post gave us more options now..hopefully, makarating kami ng calauit, kahit na through motorcycle, since my bf is an “expert” naman on motoring..

    @reggie

    please share some feedbacks on your trip..it will be a great help for us!! thnx

  40. comment-545
    Crystal
    comment-545

    @Tin You’re welcome! Just contact me if you need contacts in Calauit.

    @Wayne Di pa ta nakakuwi si reggie ahh…di na nagparamdam. Baka nakikipiyesta pa sa Coron kse Kasadyaan festival na. 😀

  41. comment-547
    tin
    comment-547

    @wayne – sure!!! cge balitaan ko kau pagnatuloy kami sa calauit..hopefully its doable!!!heheh

    @crystal – would you know wat time nag-oopen ang calauit sanctuary? pls. share some info..thnx..
    kc, we’re planning to leave early in going to calauit (motorcycle tour)..as early as 4am or 5am? safe naman cguro,wat do you think? we’ve done same thing when we were in camotes island,cebu.btw, will be in coron 30aug-2sept..here’s my no. pla. 09276307434..

  42. comment-548
    Wayne Post author
    comment-548

    @Crystal: Mukha nga, or baka pagod pa kaya wala pang time mag-online. Hehehe! Nice, fiesta pala sa kanila. Haven’t tried going somewhere na may fiesta. Sana makasubok din ako ng ganun.

    @Tin: Sige, we’ll wait for your updates. Good luck and take care. 😀

  43. comment-567
    Crystal
    comment-567

    @Tin – text nlang po kita. Yeah I did that in Camotes island also when i went there last year. Safe naman po basta di lang mualan masyado kse unpaved roads ang dadaanan niyo.

  44. comment-569
    Wayne Post author
    comment-569

    Yeah, in the future. Kelangan lang paghandaan ng husto. Plus kelangan magaling na akong magshoot by that time para naman hindi masayang yung moments. Hehe! 😀

  45. comment-684
    lyka
    comment-684

    ahm…….
    maganda talaga dyan xa calauit wildlife…
    kc nka punta ndn aq dyan.. fieldtrip namen…………
    hahaha
    taga busuanga palawan kc aq…………
    yes..subrang proud aq…
    punta nah kau d2..marami pang mga2ndang beach

    hahaha..tnx poh :o)

  46. comment-688
    Wayne Post author
    comment-688

    Hehehe! Swerte mo naman Lyka kasi taga dyan ka. Natural na maganda yung lugar ninyo. Sana dumami pa ang mga turista sa inyo. 😀

  47. comment-755
    Owen Ferrer
    comment-755

    if i may suggest, make a joining group… either on your own or with a tour organizer… i think that is the cheapest way to get there.

    there are local public transpo to busuanga municipality but it only travels once a day… and being a tourist, time or day is precious… it also costs one day of our salary (if you spend one day more)…

    renting a motorcycle is possible… i have seen foreigners did it… but you have to be careful, very careful because you will pass some river or creek crossing… it means passing through the waters… then after that be ready to be “powderized” in case you meet an incoming vehicle.

    the boat rent of coron to calauit (6000) is cheap… maybe it was quoted for 2pax…. but the tariff rate is 9000… the travel time (based on my experience) is 5 hours average, under normal wave condition…. take note of normal wave condition…. you have to be aware of the habagat and amihan season.

    and the best time to see the animals in calauit is 5-6am or 5-6pm. I know because I have seen it.

    the entrance fee is still 250/person… foreigner is 350 i think…
    tour truck is 1000/10pax… then add 100 for every additional person.

    the difficulty in getting to one place is sometimes a blessing.

    depending on the general plan of the province, the coron-calauit route by land can be improved… but the route there is still rough, especially when it rains… you don’t pass over the bridge along the way there… you pass under the bridge.

    i do arrange a trip in coron… and in calauit also… i am not promoting my site here… that’s why i mentioned at the start that you can do it on your own…. i just can’t help reply… being a blogger that i am… and knowing Coron and Calauit that much.

    you see if there will be bulk visitors to calauit, at 12pax, you will only have to pay 1450/person (arranged tour)… the capacity can be stretched to 14pax, but i don’t want to full load the capacity of the van for safety reason…. on your own, it could cost 1400/person… by the way that includes food on a decent amount…

    should i learn other feasible and cheaper way of going to calauit, i will let you know.

    hope this helps.

    one of the commenter here looks familiar, they may had inquired with me before.

    until then
    owen

  48. comment-759
    Wayne Post author
    comment-759

    Hi Owen,

    Thanks for all the info. I have also inquired with you before. You were also the one who gave us our bangkero during our trip to Coron last year. 😀

  49. comment-877
    Wayne Post author
    comment-877

    Hi Mi,

    Oo nga. Sa amin nga yan. May mga nanghihingi ng permissions saken na gamitin yung pics namin dito. Pero hindi ko maalalang humingi ng permission yung site na yan na gamitin yung pictures namin. Hmmm.

  50. comment-899
    Lois
    comment-899

    Very informative site 😀 Question po, lahat ng options that you mentioned papuntang calauit… same din mga transpo ang sasakyan pabalik? might go there this holiday season eh… checking din of a budget friendly trip… thanks:D

  51. comment-924
    newbielakwatsera
    comment-924

    thanks to your post nakapag overnight kami sa calauit nung december. from coron… we took the elf/jeep/bus going to new quezon… makikita siya sa leftmost side ng palengke… 2 yung bumibyahe pero yung 1 lang ang everyday… yung isa, MWF lang ata or every other day… around 6 to 7 ang dating nila sa palengke… so gising kami early tapos nagpareserve muna kami… tapos natulog muna sa hotel, late breakfast at bumalik na lang around 1040am sa palengke… nakaalis kami ng 1130am.. 100 lang ang pamasahe… pero syempre libre ang alikabok/powder pag may nakasabay sa kalsada na ibang sasakyan saka mainit… so magdala na lang ng pangtakip na towel… 3 to 4 hrs travel rough road… di naman masyado rough pero maalikabok… from new quezon, naghanap ng bangka…di namin sure if may transpo pabalik so sabi namin sa bangka, balikan kami ng aroung 10pm… 1200 ang rent namin sa bangka kasi babalik pa siya… meron part dun sa new quezon na 10minute boatride to calauit pero inde dumadaan dun ang sinakyan namin… dun ata daanan ng mga private na vans na narerent… mas ok din daw kung bulwang yung sinakyan namin kasi lapit na boat ride na lang… anyway since dun kami sa malayong part ng new quezon napadpad, nakapagtour pa kami tuloy sa mangroves.. ganda pero hirap daw daan dun pag lowtide… pag dating namin calauit, naconvince kami ni ate dolly(wife ng manager dun) magovernight… nagdecide na rin kami to stay kasi lasog lasog na sa byahe…saka cute na makita nakatambay lang malapit rooms namin yung mga zebras… hehe… binayaran na lang namin ng buo yung bangka para di dyahe nung dumating siya… ang nagastos namin overnight… 250 per person lang… tapos yung food mura din lang around 150-200 pesos per person dinner and breakfast na yun with mineral water, bottled soda and coffee… sa buong stay namin sa coron… yung meal pa namin sa calauit ang pinakasulit kasi mura at masarap… tapos pauwi… nakisabay kami sa isang van na nagtour… nakiusap kami sa mga pasahero if ok lang sa kanila… 500 per person ang pinabayad sa amin ng driver… sobrang nakamura kami kaysa nagrent ng van 😀 yung punta sa caluit sulit na kung happy ka na makakita ng madaming zebras, giraffes at deer na malapitan… sa zebra ako natuwa… para silang moving stuffed toys… hahaha… mas tipid talaga pag inde arranged ang tours… ok din yun pag adventurous ka at di ka mabilis maaburido… 😀

  52. comment-925
    newbielakwatsera
    comment-925

    i forgot to add sa expenses yung 1k na bayad sa truck saka entrance fee na 250 per person… parang di sulit bayad 1k sa truck… mas ok ata kung sasama na lang sa feeding ng animals sa umaga 6 to 7am… wala naman ibang makikita pag umikot sakay ng truck kung inde yung caged animals… di ko nga lang sure if pwede yun or kung may bayad pa yun… 😀

  53. comment-927
    Wayne Post author
    comment-927

    Hi newbielakwatsera,

    Nice! Buti naman kung ganun. Thanks for posting this info here. For sure, makakatulong ‘to sa mga gusto ring magpunta ng Calauit. 😀

    Hi Michi,

    Hindi ko nirerecommend yung bangkero namin kasi nung one time na nirecommend ko sya sa friend ko, parang nagkaroon sila ng bad experience with the bangkero kaya as much as possible, ayoko na lang irecommend yung bangkero namin dati. :o)

  54. comment-931
    michi
    comment-931

    ok cge po..may makukuha nman po cguro kami kung andun na kami sa coron?? by the way, etong post mo at comments ng iba ay very helpful.. binabasa ko na nga din yun iba mo pang posts. :o)

  55. comment-932
    michi
    comment-932

    hi wayne, i forgot to ask how to contact crystal?read her comments,at ok din yun public transpo, mas mura.. :o) baka kasi may contact sya nun LYSON family jeep sa coron, it will be very helpful..thanks!

  56. comment-938
    Wayne Post author
    comment-938

    Thanks Michi! 🙂 Yup, maraming bangkero dun. Kaya marami kayong choices. Hehehehe! With regards to Crystal, you can click her username, it will lead you to her website. From there, pwede mo na syang ma-contact directly. 😀

  57. comment-951
    reyven15
    comment-951

    hello po,

    kung ang dating namin sa busuanga airport is 2.35pm kaya pa kaya kung magka-Calauit kami?
    anong possible way na pinakamabilis? 11 persons kmi lahat

  58. comment-952
    Wayne Post author
    comment-952

    Hi reyven, naku masyado ng late yun. Kahit siguro mag-van kayo, baka abutin din kayo ng dilim sa daan. Sayang lang yung punta ninyo pag ganun kasi baka wala na rin kayong makitang animals. I suggest, umaga kayo pumunta para mas maenjoy ninyo. 🙂

  59. comment-1004
    Abigail T.
    comment-1004

    Was there in the safari park with friends this March 2010. We were so happy seeing the animals. We were met by Max the giraffe who ate all the branches of leaves we offered. What a lovely creature. Meanwhile, one of the zebras is preggy. awesome. Pls. let us preserve this sanctuary ….

  60. comment-1062
    Angela
    comment-1062

    Thank you for the very nice informative post 🙂 We’re planning to go to Coron on September, 2 lang kame tas DIY hehe 🙂 Gusto ko sana mag-Caluit, kaso parang kelangan ata talaga sumama kame sa isang group, mahirap ba mag-on the spot maki-join sa ibang group doon? :-S

  61. comment-1065
    Wayne Post author
    comment-1065

    Abigail: (Y)

    Angela: Kung pupunta kayo ng Calauit then doon kayo maghahanap ng group, parang medyo mahirap yun. Kasi hindi mo masasabi kung kelan may mag-tu-tour, not unless makokontak mo sila beforehand at makakapag inquire ka sa kanila kung kelan may mga nakaschedule na magtour. Usually, yung ibang tourists, sa Coron pa lang naghahanap na sila ng makakasabay papuntang Calauit. Malayo kasi yung Calauit sa Coron and mahal yung rent ng sasakyan papunta dun kaya mas okay talaga na may ka-share kayo para hindi masyadong mahal ang gastos. 🙂

  62. comment-1070
    alona
    comment-1070

    Thanks to your post : :-$ , nagkaroon ako ng idea pano pumunta sa calauit safari…. Im going to Coron with my husband and 2 kids. I’m planning na mag rent ng van on april 30 papunta sa calauit safari, baka naman may gustong mag join para makatipid. Kasi 4 lang naman kami, kaya mas maganda kung may ka share kami sa van pati na sa tour truck. :o)

  63. comment-1088
    louise
    comment-1088

    hi! from gateway hotel to calauit, ilan hours ang travel by land? kaya ba half day yun tour if we will leave the hote at 6am going to calauit. makakabalik ba kami lunchtime sa hotel (gateway)? i will be with my husband and 9yr old kid, sana may makasabay din kami para may maka share sa rent ng van. thanks a lot!

  64. comment-1089
    louise
    comment-1089

    yun date ng tour is may 23. forgot to mention:-D …. sana may makasabay din kami na family..

  65. comment-1095
    Wayne Post author
    comment-1095

    Hi louise, where is gateway hotel located? Not sure where it is, baka wala pa sya nun when I visited Coron. Anyway, coming from Coron Town proper, it is 2 to 3 hours travel by land plus a 15-minute boat ride to the park. Yung tour, kaya sya in 1.5 to 2 hours. Depende na rin sa inyo kung gusto ninyong magstay ng matagal pa sa park. With regards sa makakashare ninyo, pwede kayong magtanong sa hotel na pagsstayan ninyo kung meron silang guests who also plan to visit Calauit then makicoordinate na lang kayo para may makashare kayo sa van rental. 🙂

  66. comment-1110
    jonathan
    comment-1110

    punta kayo lahat dito para makita ninyo yong mga hayop na sobrang cu-cute talaga, taga rito ako sa palawan marami mga hayop dito sobra (&)

  67. comment-1112
    itche
    comment-1112

    Hi. we’re planning to go in Caluit this June 18 and 2 lang kmi..is there any chance na matuloy kmi? can u give us any contacts na pde naming lapitan to help us organize this trip? We’re staying at Majika Resort. Thanks in advance…If we can have an option, we will try if it’s possible kc gs2 tlga namin mkapunta ng calauit. 🙂

  68. comment-1119
    che-che
    comment-1119

    Hello, we are going to corn this july 2nd week and we are planning to visit calait, island.. my bf and i have no idea on palawan. we dont even have a cheap but nice place to stay for 3 days. all we have is plane tickets 🙁

    could you please help us? and i read the post of owen and crystal i think i need their advice badly…

    thanks so much

  69. comment-1155
    noya
    comment-1155

    owen, we plan to go to Calauit first week of oct. & according to a trvl agent in MNL, the roads are not passable? do u have a contact number of a bangkero and/or van rental? thank u! 😀

  70. comment-1175
    Liza
    comment-1175

    Hi! May contact number ka ba ng Calauit Safari. Ive called several tour agencies pero walang joining grp on our preferred date. Nag DIY/boat rental na lang ba kayo? Open kaya sila pag Saturday? Nag sidetrip ba kayo to Black Island?

  71. comment-1213
    Bob
    comment-1213

    Hi everyone,

    My 1 yr old kid, wife, and myself are planning to go to coron this june with side trip to calauit. We really prefer going there (calauit) on our own, meaning not book in any kind of tour. General info says it is doable. Can somebody please confirm this with basic updated details how to go there (time and expenses etc etc). Really appreciate the assistance in advance. Are target date is on 18 – 22 June. Kindly respond guys 🙂

  72. comment-1223
    Janis
    comment-1223

    I went to Calauit Safari Park just last week. We left the hotel at 3:45am, got to the boat by almost 4am. Just in time for the itinerary. The other passengers were the cause of delay, we left the town proper at 5am. The boat ride from Coron to Calauit is (still) P6000; We arrived at the Safari at 8:30am. Entrance fee at the park, I think, is P200/person. And then another fee for the ride inside the park.
    Getting to Calauit by land is possible, yes. Renting a van is also an option, but there won’t be side trips to different islands on the way back. I prefer the boat ride. Because there are side trips such as snorkeling at the coral reefs, shipwrecks, black island, twin peaks, etc. There’s also Maquinit hot springs if anyone’s interested.
    The keeper at the safari said there are 20 giraffes running freely at the park. I was able to feed two of them! The bearcats died unfortunately. He said the last female bearcat was eaten by anaconda, and then the male bearcat died weeks after that incident. I only saw few kinds of animals in the park: Zebras, Giraffes, Calamian Deers, Alligators, Philippine Porcupines, Turtles, Wild Boars, Monkeys, and Alamid, a relative of the local Civet. It’s really disappointing. But hey, you get to feed them, at least! 🙂

  73. comment-1226
    Popsie
    comment-1226

    Hi everyone. Really informative post by Crystal. I just want to know if you still have contacts in calauit? We are planning to go there by next week and we are only 4 in the group and it is too costly to arrange van going there. We will arrive at the busuanga airport by 11am and planning to go straight to calauit, kakayanin ba yun for us to reach calauit by 4pm? and go back to coron by commute? Another question that I have is, which is more easier commute going to calauit from the options provided by Crystal? Is it from Salvacion or New Quezon? Appreciate response…

  74. comment-1290
    emman ramirez
    comment-1290

    hi,

    I came across your website while i was looking for information about Calauit. Me and a friend will go to coron this coming Nov 20-23 and i am excited to go to the calauit safari park. thank you for all the information you provided. by the way, do you still have the contact info of your driver or tour guide in coron?

    thanks!

  75. comment-1300
    Nica Bondoc
    comment-1300

    Hi! We are planning to travel Calauit by Feb. 1, 2012. Sana may makasabay rin kami para makamura. 4 po kami. tnx

  76. comment-1313
    iammel
    comment-1313

    hi!just want to ask crystal po if my idea po ba sya if theres an available transpo for commuters going back to coron from calauit?and if meron,what po ang usual departure tym?o tlgang pong kylngan mag hire ng boat?

    tnx po! :o)

  77. comment-1318
    Yolly
    comment-1318

    Hi Everyone,

    Thank you for your post, so informative. We are going with my officemates this coming March 2011. Anybody can suggest for a cheaper, decent, affordable place to stay in coron? A place near or within the town proper? What are the beautiful, recommended places to visit too? Please send through my email address your suggestions. Thank you so much. Yolly from Davao

  78. comment-1330
    donna
    comment-1330

    hi,

    just want to ask, we plan to visit also calauit on our last day, our flight back to manila is 3:05PM,
    is it still feasible to go here if we need to be at the busuanga airport before 3PM?

    thanks 🙂

  79. comment-1335
    beachbum
    comment-1335

    my friends and I are planning to go to Calauit Safari on April 6, 2012 (friday). We have contacted a boatman, and he said the rent for the boat is P7,500 (a big boat with restroom, 5pax).. P1,000 for the tour truck (per group), P200 for the entrace fee.

    After calauit we will go to other places like black island, north key beach, the coral garden, paz island, japanese shipreck, calumbayan island, but of course we have to pay entrance fees for each island. I think it’s a good deal, we’re so excited :o)

    If anyone’s interested to join I think we can accommodate additional 2 pax. :o)

  80. comment-1348
    Dental Tourism
    comment-1348

    Does anyone have a contactnumber from the ships going to the island? Is there any website to book over? When i want to do an islandtrip after the safari, how much entrance fee is charge for the other islands? By the way, whats the best place to stay in coron town?
    Thanks for the answers

  81. comment-1483
    Hazel
    comment-1483

    Hello,

    Very informative yung site nyo. Ask ko lang sana kung ano ang ma re recommned nyo na place to stay in coron. Travel date is may2-7, and we are planning to visit also calauit. Is the price for the van/boat rental going to calauit still the same? Thanks!

  82. comment-1506
    Eufrocina
    comment-1506

    Sana kumuha rin sila ng asian elephant mula sa thailand or cambodia para kumpleto ang safari. Tayo lang halos ang walang wild elephant sa SE Asia..

  83. comment-1513
    Tin xakwave
    comment-1513

    This was in 2009? I hope the fees didn’t change a lot. Thanks for the info =)

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