Nivea Summer Blast in Palawan+Awesome Palawan Escapade!

So I was missing in action last week 'cuz I went to Puerto Princesa Palawan with my Nivea family! :) Good thing I was luckily chosen to join the Nivea Summer Blast Event because I don't know if I have time this coming April to hit the beach. Such a blessing indeed. :)

Our resort was Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa-it's a 2-hour ride from the Puerto Princesa Airport. It's actually located at the edge of Puerto Princesa and that's what makes it the perfect place to go to in this area if you really want to embark on a serious getaway.

The amenities are pretty much first class in my opinion. Service is good, and the rooms are very clean. I might just ask my BF to hit this place when work starts to ease up. :)

So what did we do in Palawan? Apart from chilling and relaxing, we also had a preview of Nivea's newest product, NIVEA SUN PROTECT AND REFRESH.

Nivea Sun Protect and Refresh is another wonderful breakthrough product from the brand. It's an invisible cooling sunblock mist with a very high dosage of SPF. (at SPF 50) It goes on clear, dries up quickly, non- sticky, and yields a freshening effect to the skin--it just makes you forget that the sun is scorching hot and lets you do all your beach activities without having to worry about sun damage! One thing I like about it is it can also be used on a daily basis because of its ultra light consistency, and its atomizer imparts fine droplets for easier skin absorption.

Here are some important and interesting facts about this new product and about sun protection:

1. Nivea Protect and Refresh has passed the strictest EU standards.

2. It's aerosol is CFC- Free. You can spray away without damaging the Ozone Layer.

3. It does not have that dreaded sunblock smell!

4. It only has SPF 50, which is the maximum amount of sunblock that your skin will absorb and recognize. According to the presentation during the event, latest research and studies have validated that anything above SPF 50 is not really better than the former, except that they are much more expensive. :p

5. Did you know that sunblocks infused with more than SPF 50 may cause damage to your skin in the long run?

Nivea Protect and Refresh is at P550.00. It may be a little pricey than other sunblocks, but at least this thing does not sell you B.S. stuff. :) I will talk more about the product in a detailed review. For now, check out what happened in our Palawan escapade! Click READ MORE now 'cuz I got lots to share! :)

NIVEA SUMMER BLAST DAY 1

During our first night, the Kalinangan group of Puerto Princesa Palawan has wowed us with song and dance numbers featuring the various dance rituals of the Tagbanua tribe.

Mr. Alex Schwieger, Country Manager for Nivea Philippines in his short and sweet welcoming speech.

After a sumptuous dinner, we all went to the beach to set off our paper lamps. That was my first time so yaaay! :D

Alex Schwieger and Jamie of Nivea Philippines posing with Shen of Shen's Addiction.

L-R: Jon Lee of Nivea Philippines, Marj Sia of The Traveling Heels, Shen of Shen's Addiction, and Ira Nopuente of Style Bible

Our paper lamp flying event was a success! I also appreciated the fact that everybody showed their love to the environment: There were a couple of paper lamps that failed to take off and fell right into the sea and a couple of guests, despite wearing cocktail dresses and smart casual outfits have rushed to the water to pick up trash. :)

NIVEA SUMMER BLAST DAY 2

Green team cheer: GO GREEN OR GO HOME! :D

Day 2 was a test of endurance, wit, and camaraderie--it was also our moment to put Nivea Cool and Refresh to the test! We were all divided into four groups and according to colors (Green, Blue, Yellow, and Orange) for the series of Nivea Summer Blast challenges. I was with the Green team and my teammates were Bianca Valerio, Nicole Anderson, Paolo Paraiso, Jason Abalos, Brent Javier, Mia Ayesa, Ornussa Cadness, Luis Alandy, Tito Raul Teehankee, (who was so cute, by the way) Barry and Jamie of Nivea Philippines to name a few. The team who won only got prestige, (lol!) but the amazing thing was the prize money was donated to the Palawan- based Special Olympics group, a group comprised of sports- savvy special children. Guess what? Our team won and it felt so good to have played for a very special cause. :)

Everybody just loved spraying Nivea Protect and Refresh all over after every game. We all agreed that it's cooling sensation was so addicting!

After the games, we went to Daluyon to enjoy a hearty lunch.

While they were eating, I went camwhoring....

With my dearest blogger buddy, Marj Sia! LOL! :)

Just before the day ended, Marj, Ira, and I have joined the 3pm Underground River tour.

The Underground River was a 15-minute boat ride from our resort. When you get to the place, you'll have to walk for 5 minutes to get to the actual spot of the river. The entrance alone was a sight to behold, and it got me even more excited to go inside! Mother Nature is indeed the best artist!

The Underground River tour was a 45- minute long back and forth trip. It was pitch black inside so our boat had an extra bright and strong lamp. I stayed right in front of the boat and was the person holding the lamp for everyone.

FYI, The Underground River is technically the inside of a mountain. :)

TIP: If you're going on an underground river tour, apply mosquito repellent all over your body because there are a lot of mosquitoes inside!

Sorry for the blurry photos. My Lumix camera can only do so much. :p

This thing here is called The Cathedral. It's a huge chunk of cathedral- like Limestone that took a million years in the making.

Boulders of sharp rocks on a shore- like area inside the river. Our tour guide told us that the Underground River is a haven for creatures that prefer the dark namely Tarantulas, Scorpions, Snakes, and Bats, specifically Fruit and Insect bats.

I'll leave the rest of the Underground River to your imagination. It was a great experience, not to mention the place will really make you very proud of your country so make sure you visit it when you're in Puerto Princesa.

At the shores of the Underground River area, I spotted this cute fella. There are wild monkeys roaming freely in the area. They don't bite nor attack people though-- they just like watching people from a distance. :)

We all got back to our resort from our Underground River trip at around 5:30 p.m. It was my last day to enjoy the beach as my flight to Manila was scheduled at 9 a.m. the next day. Upon reaching the shore, I wasted no time, took a couple of photos with my Soak swimsuit and swam until 7pm!

For my last night in this wonderful island, we had a huge buffet dinner and an awesome Rockeoke night. :)

So there goes my Nivea Summer Blast Palawan trip. I cannot put into words how much I enjoyed it, and nature in general so I hope this photo would explain how overjoyed and thankful I am. :)

I also took home samples of the Nivea Protect and Refresh Invisible Cooling Mist. I asked for an extra can because that's how much I enjoyed using it! Now I can finally become more strict with my sunblock usage!

Hope you enjoyed this Wanderlust diary! For more information about Nivea's new Protect and Refresh Invisible Cooling Mist, please visit NIVEA PHILIPPINES on Facebook.