End of Our Palawan Family Trip: Flying Out from the New Puerto Princesa International Airport

With heavy hearts, we finally left the beach of Microtel Palawan to pack up our things for our trip home. Our check out time is 12 noon but our flight is in the late afternoon. This meant we had more time to tour Puerto Princesa.

My Beloved Wife Lei and I went to the palengke during our honeymoon in Puerto Princesa four years ago. Lei bought dried danggit and dried squid, which are her favorites.

We went back to the palengke, with the kids in tow, to once again buy the favorite dried goodies.

Lei bought a kilo of dried danggit. The palengke have other shops that sell souvenirs and sweet pasalubongs but we ignored them. We just bought the dried seafood and then to the Puerto Princesa Airport we go.

The Puerto Princesa Airport is very different from the airport that we visited during our honeymoon. The airport terminal was small and can get crowded easily. Now, the Puerto Princesa Airport is much biggers, much spacious - much better!

Unfortunately, we got stuck at the Puerto Princesa Airport for almost two hours because of delayed flights. It is a big pain to be stuck in an airport with two makukulit babies. My patience was almost spent.

We survived the ordeal and in the end we boarded a Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila. And that’s the end of our short family vacation to the paradise island of Puerto Princesa. It was the first time that little Samuel and little Samantha visited the island and I believe that this will not be the last.

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Read more about our adventures in Puerto Princesa Palawan

Summer Fun in Palawan: Family Beach Bonding at Microtel, Puerto Princesa

7 Interesting Facts that Every Tourist Should Know about Puerto Princesa
First Night in Puerto Princesa: Dinner Date at Haim Chicken Inato
Our Overnight Stay in Balay Inato, Puerto Princesa
Honda Bay Tour (Part 1): A Big Disappointment at Starfish Island
Honda Bay Tour (Part 2): Killing Time at Luli Island
Honda Bay Tour (Part 3): Finale in Cowrie Island
Second Night in Puerto Princesa: Sisig Night at Kinabuch’s
Marianne Home Inn: Our “Home” in Palawan
How We Obtained the Permit to Enter the Puerto Princesa Underground River
Puerto Princesa Underground River Adventure Part 1: Playing the Waiting Game at Sabang Wharf
Puerto Princesa Underground River Adventure Part 2: Our Boat Ride to the Underground River
Puerto Princesa Underground River Part 3: Hidden Wonders of St. Paul Cave
7 Important Tips for a No Hassle Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour
Buying Souvenirs and Pasalubong in LRC Mall, Puerto Princesa
Our DIY Puerto Princesa City Tour (Part 1) – Praying at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Our DIY Puerto Princesa City Tour (Part 2) – The Gruesome Past of Plaza Cuartel
Buying Danggit in Puerto Princesa Public Market
Adios Puerto Princesa

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A Foretaste of Cebu in Mactan Cebu International Airport

The terminal building of the Mactan Cebu Airport is always a pleasant sight whenever I visit the Province of Cebu.

It is a familiar sight for me since I visited Cebu for five times already. It seems like the terminal building never changes.

The Cebu-Mactan International Airport, just like most of the airports in the Philippines, started out as military airport. In fact, the US Air Force used it as base for C-130 during the Vietnam War. The air base was converted into a commercial airport in the 1960s to replace the old airport in Lahug in the heart of Cebu City.

I read in the news that the government will expand and modernize the airport as response to the growing number of flights to Cebu and the increase in size of airplanes.

There’s nothing much to see inside the Mactan Cebu International Airport but the usual airport thingies like the x-ray machines and check-in counters.

The airport also has souvenir shops, coffee shops and restaurants.

I didn’t buy from these shops since their items, specifically the pasalubong items, are twice as expensive as those being sold outside of the airport.

The restaurants also sell food that is more expensive. Jollibee has a branch inside the airport and a friend confirmed that their Yum Burgers is more expensive than the ones being sold in other Jollibee branches outside of the airport.

Despite the pricey food in the airport, I decided to try one of the popular restaurants in Cebu:  the Zubuchon!

I am making tipid I just bought their lugaw with chicharong baboy.

It’s fine but not something to shout about. I guess I ordered the wrong food. Maybe, I should’ve ordered their world-famous lechon. It’s expensive unfortunately, so I just decided to try the lechon when in Cebu City.

There are others things to try in the Mactan Cebu International Airport. They have the famous Cebuano treats like the otap, the dried mangoes, and the rosquillos. I, however, passed them by because they’re just a foretaste of what’s in store for my adventure around the Province of Cebu.

Read my adventures in Cebu:

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 17): A Great View of Cebu City from Tops Busay
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 16): A Taste of Mandarin in Cebu City
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 15): Taboan the Pasalubong Center of Cebu City
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 14): My Accidental Visit to Mt. Carmel Church
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 13): Another Visit to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 12): Why Cebuanos Call Mama Mary as Birhen sa Regla?
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 11): Sto. Niño Basilica - Mother and Head of All Churches of the Philippine Islands
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 10): A Visit to the Fake(?) Magellan’s Cross
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 9): The Story of Rajah Humabon - King of Cebu
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 8): Calle Colon, the Oldest Street in the Philippines
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 7): The Worst Cebu Hotel
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 6): The Colorful Lighthouse of Lilo-an
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 5): The Mysterious Church of Lilo-an
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 4): Bagacay Point Lighthouse

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 3): Feasting on Consolacion’s Fresh Talaba
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 2): Finding Consolation in Consolacion Church

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 1): My Boat Ride Under the Bridges of Mactan Channel

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Information about Mactan Cebu International Airport was referred to the official website of the Mactan Cebu International Airport and Wikipedia.

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Little Discoveries Inside NAIA Terminal 3

I usually choose the early flights whenever I travel. The reason for this is that I want to spend maximum time to the places that I will be visiting. The more time that I have means that I have time to roam around.  More time means more travel experiences for me.

So, for my second visit to Cebu I chose a flight around 7 AM so I can reach the Queen City of the South early. The problem with early flights is that I am forced to go to the airport very early. Airlines usually require their passengers to be at the airport two hours before the estimated time of departure (ETD). I am fortunate because I chose to fly with Cebu Pacific and used their Web Check-in that allowed me to go to the NAIA Terminal 3 forty-five minutes before ETD.

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NAIA Terminal 3 is the newest terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and other airlines use this terminal. The old NAIA terminal is currently being used by the Philippine Airlines. I like NAIA Terminal 3 because it is cleaner and better looking than the old terminal. Another plus points for this terminal is it is spacious enough to accommodate the passengers that come and go in NAIA.

I got time to roam around NAIA Terminal 3 before my flight to Cebu City and I saw many interesting things.

 

NAIA Terminal 3 – the Unofficial Hotel

 

Going to NAIA for an early flight is a hassle, especially for those who live in places that are far away for the airport. Because of this, many people choose to go NAIA Terminal 3 the night before their flight and do this:

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If you have an early flight then I suggest that you sleep in NAIA Terminal 3 instead of checking into some hotel. The advantage of this is that all you have to do is to wake up few minutes before your boarding time. There is no need for you to rush from the hotel to the airport. This is also perfect for those who don’t have money for a hotel room. All you have to do is to find an unoccupied floor anywhere in NAIA Terminal 3, place some cloth and use your traveling bag as pillow. Voila! You have an instant “hotel room” right within NAIA Terminal 3. Just make sure that you stick to the wall so that you don’t block the path of other people.

 

NAIA Terminal 3 – the Mini-Mall

 

Passengers got bored when they wait for their flight. That’s why I think it is a good that NAIA Terminal 3 was developed to have a space for stores and food shops. NAIA Terminal 3 is now a mini-mall thanks to the presence of various restaurants like ever-present Jollibee, 7-11, Ministop, Pancake House and Yellow Cab.

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Shopaholics can spend their waiting time by visiting the Mini-mall of NAIA Terminal 3 at the third floor. Assorted things can be found at the mini-mall.

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Looking for a bag? Find it in NAIA Terminal 3.

ATMs of BPI and BDO can be found inside the terminal. RCBC also has a branch in NAIA Terminal 3.

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NAIA Terminal 3 Chapel

 

I am delighted to discover that there is a chapel inside NAIA Terminal 3. I took the time to pray inside the chapel. I asked God to keep me safe during the whole duration of my travel.

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Inside NAIA Terminal 3 chapel.

I highly suggest that you visit this chapel before you board your plane. 

It is time for me to leave after my visit to the NAIA Terminal 3 Chapel. I went to the boarding gate confident that God will be with me throughout my voyage.
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