Forty, solo, and finally this far south
A balikbayan books from Melbourne for a milestone birthday, loses a day to the weather, and doesn't mind.
Aisha R. is a made-up traveler. We wrote this from what real visitors report, to show what trip stories will look like here. The photos are real, but they aren't this traveler's own.
Photo: Ervin Malicdem / CC BY-SA 4.0 
Photo: Kris Guico / Unsplash 
Photo: Vishe Artiztry / Pexels
I booked Balabac from Melbourne for my fortieth birthday. My family is from Mindanao, and I'd never been this far south in Palawan. Friends asked if it was safe for a woman traveling alone. I asked the same thing, a lot.
What helped was choosing an operator who answered every question, told me which camp we'd stay in, and was clear about refunds if the weather turned. It did. On day two the Coast Guard stopped boats from going out, and we spent a day in town instead.
It turned out to be one of my favorite days. I walked around the town, ate at a small carinderia, and watched the fishing boats come back in the afternoon.
The next morning the sea was glass. We made it to the sandbars, and I spent my birthday standing ankle-deep in the middle of the ocean.
What I'd tell a friend
- Read the refund policy for weather cancellations before you pay.
- Don't pay the full amount up front. A deposit is normal.
- Keep a spare day, especially from October to January, the wettest months.
- Read the safety guide before you go, and swim only where your guide says it's safe.
