Bato ni Ningning is an iconic rock on top of a hill found in Barangay Sto. Niño in San Vicente, Palawan. The name was coined from a TV show featuring a character named “Ningning” and how this area with the huge boulder became her playground. We felt that a trip to San Vicente, Palawan, would not be complete if we missed out on this visit to Alimanguan town.
We traveled to this barangay to see and experience the majestic views of Sto. Niño and San Vicente’s long beach. The trip provided us with magnificent panoramas of the countryside. The roads were paved at first, then we traveled on dirt roads for the last leg of the trip. It was explained to me that this is the city separating the barangays by means of the road conditions. No complaints there, we were in Palawan, so everything was good. Our kilometer zero is Peak View Resort, located right in front of the beach, and about less than an hour drive from San Vicente airport.
Barangay Sto. Niño
AN integral part of tourism is the community. The locals provide expertise and great service to guests. The “Tabang para sa Kabataan” group, along with the staff and owners of the Peak View Resort, Attorney Joel Pe and wife, Junebeth, showed us the true meaning of hospitality in the islands of Palawan. Peak View felt like home rather than just a resort. As they say, “arrive as our guests—leave as our family.” Cliché or not, I did feel like a part of the family at the end of the day.
The community welcomed us with open arms and served us a sumptuous seafood lunch. After a quick tete-a-tete with the leader of the youth group, Hads Francisco, I have learned that the officers and members of their organization will be guiding us up the nearby hill to enjoy the views in the late afternoon.
The hills are alive
Alive are the hills with the sound of the youth talking, having fun and me huffing and puffing my way as we go up the hill to see Bato ni Ningning. I was tired from the morning’s activities, but I didn’t care.
Tourists can take motorbikes up to the top, but we chose, as a group, to just walk and enjoy the views. I did take in all the views as I could as I stopped to rest and take pictures. We encountered several people on motorbikes as they went up and down the hill, being careful that they don’t run us over. The weather was breezy and it drizzled for a while. All in all, the short climb took about 15 to 20 minutes.
The view from the top was breathtaking. I would do the climb all over again. The backdrop was the beaches of Irawan and you can also see the Long Beach as it peeks through the hills. It was windy and the weather was just perfect for this outdoor activity. The youth group brought along water bottles for us, something I only thought about when we reached the site. It is once again, the community that takes care of its guests.
Going down, of course, was a lot easier. Sturdy and reliable legs, plus gravity, will do the work. We managed to get back to the resort right before nighttime. We had enough time to rest for a bit, take a shower and get ready for the evening socials.
Community dinner
It was time for dinner and we were told that the youth group prepared a small presentation for us. They didn’t disappoint with a gallery of well-rehearsed performers who performed an ethnic dance. We also learned more about the Tabang Para sa Kabataan group. I observed that they have a lot of programs to assist and help the people of the barangay. Indeed, it all starts with the youth. I have no doubt that the next leaders of this town will come from this group.
What followed was an unforgettable feast of seafood and barbecue as we moved further into the night with good-natured banter and fellowship. It was great to meet the family of the resort’s owners, and the other members of the neighborhood. There is nothing like good food, great company and being close to the beach. The sound of the waves is calming as I take in everything this experience has to offer. This was our last night here and we are making each minute count.
The tourism industry includes the community of each place we visit. The events and the people always manage to leave an imprint on my gallivanting heart. After all these, I can say that San Vicente, Palawan, is surely one of my favorite destinations. We will return and explore more of it.
Image credits: Ardee P. de los Angeles