Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel described her hike to Taraw Cliff in El Nido, Palawan as the “scariest hike” of her life.
The Filipino-American beauty queen posted a video of herself atop what is said to be the best viewpoint in El Nido.
“Scariest hike of my life, hiking up in the dark,” she wrote as a caption on Instagram on Tuesday, May 27, adding “Taraw Cliff” as a hashtag.
R’Bonney also showed her view from the cliff’s peak and wrote the following in her video: “Woke up at 3:30 a.m. for this.”
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The beauty queen shared more background about her experience on TikTok, where she posted the same video.
“Found this hiking tour on a Facebook page, started in the guide’s living room at 4 a.m., hiked up in the dark while it rained with only a helmet and headlamp, missed the sunrise by 5 [five] minutes [because] I had a moment of [panic] and I wanted to turn around but hey, the view was still worth it,” she wrote.
R’Bonney also captioned her TikTok content with the following:
“Beautiful view, but would never do it again.”
@rbonneynola Beautiful view but would never do it again #elnido #tarawcliff ♬ La Vida (feat. Kaala Shaw) (Radio Edit) – dbasser & Peter Guzman & Jose Alves
In another post, the beauty queen shared that she “bought a last [minute] ticket” and flew to El Nido solo.
Last month, R’Bonney visited Mount Pinatubo, where she rode a carabao in the water and sat on the roof of an off-road vehicle.
RELATED: Carabao and off-road rides: R’Bonney Gabriel’s Mt. Pinatubo adventure documented
Meanwhile, travelers describe the Taraw Cliff as “one of the most intense but rewarding climbs in the Philippines.”
Jackson Groves, an Australian adventure traveler, said that it is “one of the most iconic landmarks in the region,” which offers “panoramic views of Bacuit Bay and its karst limestone formations.”
He said that travelers should “expect a short, steep intense climb” with “extreme humidity,” describing it as “off the charts.”
“Once we cleared the final little ascent, the view opened up and what a view it is. You have a birds-eye view over El Nido town and the entire bay, where the island-hopping boats are all lined up for another day of touring,” Groves wrote on his website before.
“We could see all the way out to Cadlao Island and beyond. Once you reach the top, it will be clear that your early start was worth it, given the expansive views and unblocked sunrise vantage point from the summit,” he added.
The Taraw Cliff is one of the top tourist spots in El Nido, known for its rugged rock formations and thrilling ascent.
Hiking involves steep, sharp limestone formations that require climbers to wear proper footwear, gloves, and careful navigation.
