A jungle trek in Palawan - The Philippines

- Nederlandse vertaling -

The location..

In February/March 1981, I visited Palawan in the Philippines, a remote island far away from the usual tourist spots. Palawan was known as a vibrant ecosystem, ancient, isolated, and wild. Entering this island felt like stepping into a realm where nature reigned supreme.. I was merely a curious visitor.

I was traveling with my girlfriend Pascale and two other adventurers, who shared our reverence for the untouched. While we were staying in the village of Cabayugan, we heard about a nature reserve near Sabang. However, this was not exactly a neatly manicured park. Sabang is situated in a remote corner of the world where the jungle meets the sea, a place where human influence was minimal.

We made contact with a local park ranger, a young man who seemed undoubted connected to the land. We explained that we wanted to visit an unspoiled jungle area and were not looking for a leisurely stroll. We were experienced 'hikers' and in excellent physical condition.. ready for any challenge while adapting to the untamed flora and fauna around us.

The park ranger had clearly understood what we wanted. He told us about a completely uninhabited jungle area, east of Sabang. This was a place where the few paths that existed had been worn away by the animals themselves. There were no maps, so he drew one for us, a simple but indispensable guide through the jungle. He pointed to a river that snaked south. "Follow this," he advised, "and after a few days, you should reach a small village." His directions felt like a clear, crucial instruction: 'trust the natural course of the river above all else'. 

After arranging for a canoe, the park ranger paddled us along the shoreline towards the eastern side of the underground river and dropped us off.

With the hand-drawn map as our compass, we entered the dense jungle. I sometimes had to use a machete to cut a passage through the foliage and snake-inhabited undergrowth. The air was alive with insects, and the mosquito bites were a constant reminder of the bustling life around us. The only sounds were our own movements and the rustling of leaves, a rhythm that seemed to be absorbed by the forest itself. Eventually, we reached the river, whose gentle current marked a kind of 'invisible' path through the wilderness. Tired and sweaty, we first took a short dip in a shallow part, where we quickly cooled down in delightful fresh water.

It didn't take long before we realized that the park ranger's 'wilderness' trek would coniderably test our resolve. Moving forward through and alongside this river was hard work and when you become exhausted, the jungle can become an enclosing, uncompromising entrapment.  

While I walked a little ahead of the others, I reached an open spot after a small bend in the riverbed. Suddenly, less than 5 meters away, I stood unexpectedly face to face with an impressive crocodile..! This magnificent but dangerous creature, was immediately alarmed and ready to defend its home in its own environment. It looked at me for a fleeting moment before quickly sliding back into the murky water. It was a serious warning that we were guests here, and caution for the wild was of the utmost importance. Of course, any plans to continue swimming in the river were now definitely out of question!

As dusk began to colour the sky, we set up camp next to the river. We made a fire large enough to create sufficient smoke throughout the night and deter any curious nocturnal visitors. At night a different energy hums like a coherence of unseen life. However, we were too tired to worry about it, as we needed to rest and regain our strength for the next day.

The park ranger had estimated a two to three-day hike, but the jungle dictates its own pace. After two days, our supplies started to ran low, a consequence of underestimating the terrain and our slow progress to find a passage through it. We increasingly had to rely on the natural flow of the river and subtle signals of the environment to guide us forward. Yet there was no despair at all, only a deeper trust in our survival instincts and the steady directions of the hand-drawn map. 

Once, deep in the jungle, we came across a man and his son hunting wild boar with a spear. The hunter spoke no English, but was immensely surprised to see us.. and so were we!

Then, on the 4th day, as the feeling of complete isolation deepened, we unexpectedly heard voices. We came across a camp of local men who were collecting 'almaciga', a natural resin they sustainably harvested from the forest. They were intrigued by our trek and our willingness to immerse ourselves in the wilderness. They shared some of their provisions and arranged for a boy to lead us back to their community the next day. From there we walked back to Cabayugan, finishing a nearly 7-day jungle excursion.

This brief yet potent jungle trek was a profound experience, highlighting the resilience and adaptability we can summon when faced with nature's challenges. It was also an exploratory encounter with our most basic instincts, a vivid reminder of our inherent capacity to survive and thrive in the wild. 

This truly unique and unforgettable adventure tested our inner strength, leaving us with a deep and lasting appreciation for both the raw power of nature and our own ability to overcome its obstacles.

Setting up camp for the night..