Planning a trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan? Finding the perfect place to stay is key to a memorable visit! Below is a curated list of hotels, inns, pension houses, and resorts located within or near the city proper.
If you know of any accommodations not included here, please let us know, and we'll gladly update the list.
I remember the first time I visited—tired from the long ride but filled with quiet excitement. The towering statue of Jesus on the hill, the healing masses, and the peaceful gardens reminded me how beautiful our faith is, especially when shared with loved ones.
Whether you’re planning a spiritual journey this Holy Week or simply want to see what thousands of pilgrims talk about every year, here’s a guide I personally use and update for friends and family.
Have you ever noticed how alike men and flowers are?
Not just in appearance or scent — but in essence, personality, and even their quiet purpose in this world.
(Commute Guide with Fares, Terminals, and Travel Tips)
If you're dreaming of a weekend surrounded by cool mountain air, pancit habhab, and colorful kiping decorations—Lucban, Quezon is calling! 🇵🇭 Whether you're visiting for the vibrant Pahiyas Festival in May or simply craving a laid-back escape from Manila, knowing how to get there stress-free makes all the difference.
As someone who has braved the long ride and figured out the transfers firsthand, I’ve put together this step-by-step 2025 transport guide to help you get from Metro Manila to Lucban via Lucena, complete with updated fares, schedules, icons, and local tips. Let’s make your trip smooth, scenic, and budget-friendly.
📅 When Does the Moriones Festival Happen?
If memory serves me right, the actual Moriones Festival begins on Good Friday, with the crucifixion of Jesus, and climaxes on Easter Sunday with the resurrection and the beheading of Longinus—a Roman centurion who proclaimed the miracle.
Holy Week in Marinduque is not just a tradition — it’s a full sensory, emotional, and spiritual experience. I grew up witnessing and sometimes participating in the dramatizations that happen from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. And each year, it feels just as intense and moving as the last.
🎭 Dramatization of the Passion of Christ
✝️ Palm Sunday
The week begins with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem—reenacted with a local riding a donkey or horse, palm fronds waving in the air, and children shouting "Hosanna!"
🥖 The Last Supper
& Betrayal
Every year, locals take on the sacred responsibility of retelling the story of Christ — from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his heartbreaking crucifixion.
.png)
When you think of Holy Week in the Philippines, you might imagine processions, prayers, or dramatic reenactments. But in Marinduque, one ritual strikes deeper—both visually and emotionally.
It’s called Antipo.
As a child, I didn’t understand it. I’d see men (and sometimes even women) walking barefoot down our dusty roads with open wounds, blood dripping down their backs, arms, shoulders and legs, rhythmically striking themselves with wooden rods. I was horrified. But I was also mesmerized.
When I was younger, there was one Holy Week tradition in Marinduque that always confused and unsettled me—Payapak. It wasn’t dramatic like the Pugutan, nor colorful like the Morion masks. It was quiet. Still. Unnerving.
People—actual people—would lay themselves face-down along the roadside. As we joined the procession, we’d be told to walk right over them. That was the ritual. That was their panata—a personal vow, a form of sacrifice.
💭 I remember hesitating every time. I didn’t want to hurt them. I’d tap them ever so gently with the tip of my toes and leap over, just enough to say I participated without causing pain. But not my sister—she’d gleefully step (and even jump!) on their backs. 😂
Growing up in Marinduque, the Pugutan was both terrifying and fascinating to me. I remember being a child—clutching my mother’s hand, heart pounding—as a man screamed through the town, claiming Jesus had risen. That man was Longinus, the Roman centurion who regained his sight after piercing Christ’s side. And what followed? A chilling reenactment that still haunts and humbles me today.
🎭 The Dramatic Reenactment of Longinus’ Fate
On Black Saturday, after the somber crucifixion dramatizations of Good Friday, a sudden shift in energy overtakes the town:
When I was a kid, Pagsalubong wasn't just a Holy Week tradition—it was the beginning of our Easter Sunday hustle.
Every Sunday, we’d join my mother at the tiangge to sell vegetables, fruits, and anything we could carry. We had to wake up before sunrise, walk for over an hour to the town proper, and I swear—I’d walk half of that road with my eyes still closed. 😂
I remember how Nanay would nudge me awake when my bag of veggies started falling or I was veering off the trail. But all the exhaustion melted away whenever we arrived just in time for something magical: Pagsalubong.
.png)