from manila to el nido
One of the highlights of the Philippines trip and one I was most looking forward to: a chance to visit Palawan with Janelle. I had everything planned from the accommodation to the activities. We woke up quite early to get to the airport in Manila, we waited a bit and got on the plane with a direct flight to El Nido (if you’re looking for my El Nido travel guide, you can find it here) which took a little less than two hours to get there.
Even just the scenery from the airplane descending down was unbelievable. Such amazing untouched landscapes, I felt the excitement begin to shoot up.
As suggested by our AirBnB host, there was an area right in front of the airport where we could get tuktuks and we paid a flat amount going to our AirBnB. Something that I really liked about El Nido.
It was a private home and it had two rooms, one where Janelle and her mom was staying and the other for me. We had a nice patio where there was a couch, kitchen, and dining area but the icing on the cake was the amazing view of this towering limestone cliff which made our the whole staying experience so much more wonderful.
We got to meet one of our hosts, Rusty as well as the people we were working with that day, Ban, our tuktuk driver and Nelson, our contact for island hopping. I was already stoked and the day had just begun.
the canopy walk
After getting our things all settled, we decided to go out for lunch first. We headed to another recommendation by our host, The Kollektive, it was called. Specializing in Filipino food, they didn’t disappoint. The wait was long but we were accompanied by two cute dogs so it wasn’t all that bad. We had karekare, sisig, and pansit to which we all hungrily gobbled up. The food really reminded me of Balay Dako in Tagaytay. We also got some desert, I was already quite full.
Our first activity of the day was doing the canopy walk to see some of the views from above the cliffs. We went to go register but it had started to rain pretty hard so we decided to go home for a bit since we had some time to burn. I relaxed for a while, watching the rain storm on and taper off. Ban drove us back to the canopy walk starting point and thankfully the rain had pretty much stopped altogether. Such is the fickly weather of the islands.
We had to go inside the barangay (municipality) to sign off some stuff as it was part of their territory, we passed by a basketball court where some kids were playing on the way to the forest.
It was a small and easy hike up that took us across a suspension bridge. It felt like we were so deep in the jungle even though we were just in town a couple of minutes ago. All around us were the Taraw Cliffs, these huge towering limestone mountains with very unique structures. Our hike took us to the very top where we had a scenic and panoramic view of El Nido’s pier. After some more picture taking, we started the hike back down.
blue hour on the twin beach
The next destination was Nacpan Beach, the longest beach in El Nido and unique in a sense that it was also a twin beach, one beach on each side with two different views. It was drizzling a bit but it still felt like we were smackdab in the middle of paradise.
I remember seeing the sand stretch for kilometers long, it would take a long time just to reach the other side. We walked towards the other beach, Janelle and I explored the deeper parts of the rocky area which led to some amazing framing opportunities with the unique rock formations.
We had wanted to catch the sunset but it was too cloudy and it seemed like it was setting on the other side of the mountain at the end of the island. We still tried to push our luck but gave up eventually.
Our walk back was a very peaceful one as there was nary a soul in sight. Photo opportunities were ample and I was able to practice a lot of my techniques, teaching Janelle what I knew as well. She was able to get a lot of cool photos too.
There was also blue hour where I was able to get a very cool silhouette shot of the palm trees against the blue backdrop of the night-turning sky.
the case of the missing tuktuk driver
We were looking for Ban but he was nowhere in sight. It took a while to find him as night fell upon us, it had gotten very dark already.
Eventually we found him sleeping in random place after asking around and being pointed to different directions, at one point I ended up in a barn. He apologized and we were off to Lio Beach for dinner. It was dark and the night rang with the roars of tuktuk engines everywhere. The road wasn’t maintained and with the rain and low visibility, we fell into some potholes as well, quite nasty business.
It was definitely a bit more high class kind of restaurant that focused more on grilled food, the prices were a bit on the higher end.
The food took some time to arrive so Janelle and I went for a walk under the starry sky. The beach at night was very romantic with a lot of lights and live music playing. We went to where the water was and just really enjoyed the moment and each other’s company. When we got back, the food was all there so we chowed down and finally headed home.
trip to big lagoon
Our first day of island hopping, we went with Tour A, and I must say that it didn’t disappoint. We had to wait for Nelson for a bit as he was supposed to pick us up and drop us off at the tour agency. We got there a bit too early though and had to wait for a long time before being able to get on the boat. Even then, it took a bit more waiting before we were finally able to set sail. Our boat had some interesting characters but the weather was great and my mood quickly shifted back to high gear.
We started off at Seven Commandos Beach, it was bright and sunny, there were people playing beach volley ball and the island had all these palm trees shooting upward. Janelle and I swam and played around the water, it was the perfect temperature and it felt so refreshing. Being in the middle of the ocean and enjoying this pristine location just made me forget all the worries of life.
We swam for a long time and when people started to clear out, I took the opportunity for some picture taking before getting back on the boat. The islands in El Nido were really next level, though the Hundred Islands were still a good time, there was just something about El Nido’s islands that captivated us.
Our next destination, we went to Secret Lagoon. Going through a small crevice, it led to a lagoon that was surrounded by limestone mountains. I enjoyed floating around here and taking in the surrounding but I also lost my goggles here which was unfortunate as I haven’t even gotten to use them for snorkeling.
Our third stop, we went to have lunch at a nearby alcove which turned out to be an amazing buffet with delicious Filipino food and a lot of fruits. The weather had turned a bit gloomy by then and it had started to rain pretty hard. We hanged around here for a bit, enjoying the solitude and the waves, a little drizzle was no problem at all.
After lunch, we went to Shimizu Island next for some snorkeling. Our tour guide, Michael, let me borrow his goggles and I was able to see a lot of fish underwater which was pretty amazing. One of our boatmates started to crush and spread some crackers around which attracted a lot of fish. Now, I wasn’t so sure about the environmental implications of this but I am pretty sure it’s not exactly a good thing to be feeding all these wild fish with man made products but at the same time, seeing all the schools of fish flocking around was quite a spectacle.
Lastly, we went to the highlight of the day: Big Lagoon. And indeed, big it was. We rode a kayak around here and it was pretty hard to get a stable photo especially when the boat kept on moving with the water. We passed through a pretty tight squeeze as well which was such a thrilling experience. I was surprised I wasn’t getting tired at all from all the paddling. We kayaked our way back to the boat and off we went back to El Nido town proper.
Nelson took us back to our AirBnB and we took a shower and rested up a bit before going to Art Cafe, a restaurant Janelle and I saw while we were walking around the docks waiting for our boat. There was really good live music playing and I ordered the house pizza special, we walked our way back, stopping by to purchase breakfast and snacks for the next day.
finding a hidden beach
The second day of island hopping, we had some of the breakfast we bought yesternight. Amongst them were some instant noodles and bread.
We found ourselves back at the docks, this time we were able to depart just fine. I was able to rent some goggles before getting on the boat. It seems like we were the last ones this time around as we didn’t want to wait for too long, we opted to arrive a bit later.
With Tour C, we started off in a pretty epic location straight off the bat, a visit to Cadlao Lagoon. It wasn’t as grand as Big Lagoon but it was every bit as beautiful, maybe even more so because of the fair weather. Janelle and I were kayaking around the lagoon for a bit, we circled all the way and checked out every nook and cranny of the place, I was able to take a lot of picturesque photos as well.
Heading back to the boat, one of our boatmates’ were having some trouble getting back to the boat and their kayak ended up getting capsized. Our guides had to go fetch them instead, we ended up here for a long time doing nothing but this also gave us a good advantage on time as there would be a big gap between us and the other groups, meaning we would have more alone time on the islands.
We went to the next location called Hidden Beach. As the name suggests, this beach was also pretty tucked away. Through a small opening between the two limestone mountains, there it was: a hidden beach. We swam towards it and had a lot of fun on the way.
The surprising thing was there was some sort of cove beyond the beach with a smaller body of water. This was a pretty significant place because it was also a graveyard for my phone as I accidentally tripped and dipped it in the salty water.
I could tell that this was gonna be a problem as the screen had already started to get some discoloration. A bit worried but not enough to ruin the day, we carried on back to the boat to go to Talisay beach where we had lunch. We had a taste of Filipino culture here as everyone dug in to the food presented on a banana leaf with their bare hands, this was called “kamayan.”
We were supposed to go to Secret Beach next but at this point of the day, just like clockwork, the weather started to get a bit wild and the waves ended up covering the entrance to the beach so we had to skip it. Adding that to the list of unfortunate events for the day.
We went to Matinloc Shrine next, people had a choice to pay to hike up the hill to see the shrine but I opted to just do some snorkeling which was very worth it as I was able to be surrounded by a huge school of fish as I looked down at the dark abyss.
The rain started to get really strong and the wind more furious so I went back on the boat and waited for the rest of the gang to get back down from their hike.
The last stop was Helicopter Island, it earned its name because it exactly looked like a helicopter. Here we also did some more snorkeling and on the way back I somehow lost my second pair of goggles, definitely not the best day.
stranded at sea
When we got back on the boat, our boat’s engine had problems starting as well so we were stuck for a long time as the rain got stronger. It took several tries for the crew to get it back up and running, as the onlookers cheered them on with worried expressions.
Eventually, after some false starts, they got the boat running again and off we went back to El Nido. The weather started to take a turn for the worse as the clouds darkened immensely, the rain poured and the winds roared while the temperature seemed to plummet.
It was a test of endurance as we patiently waited to get back to land, but at the same time the storm colored the surroundings with these beautiful shades of gray that made it look something straight out of a painting. Despite the crackling thunder, the scenery was quite enchanting.
We finally did get back to town, I was hoping I can sneak past the goggle vendor but they were waiting for me. I told them I had lost it and they were charging me a whopping 1,500 pesos for something that I could get for five times less the price.
With some dumb luck, the boat’s crew had found a pair of goggles on the boat and gave it to the vendor. The funny thing is that I was positive that pair was definitely not mine but I certainly wasn’t complaining.
On our way we stopped by a Filipino restaurant to order some take-out and started to walk back. We opted to get a tricycle instead since we were already soaking and we got to our AirBnB quicker than expected. It was such a tiring day. After taking a shower, I retreated to my room and started to do Reiki.
rescued sea turtle
Third day in paradise, my phone was now pretty much busted showing nothing on the screen. I saw Rusty at his gym in the morning and asked him for a recommendation on where I could repair my phone. But with no way of contacting Nelson, I had no idea if he was coming or not as he was pretty late.
I was waiting at the side of the road and talked to several tuktuk drivers passing by. They all seemed to know each other but none knew where Nelson was. After a bit of anxious waiting, he did get to our place. I asked him to take us to Rusty’s recommendation but it was still closed. He convinced me that I would just be charged an exorbitant fee so we just decided to push through with the island hopping tour. I rented another pair of goggles for the day, this time I was sure to take really good care of it.
For today, we took Tour B and our first stop was Entalula Island, the island had one of the most turquoise waters we’ve seen so far. We had a good time swimming here and on our way to the next island, we saw a sea turtle. Under different circumstances, this would have been an amazing sight but this turtle was apparently choking from eating plastic that it mistakenly confused for a jellyfish. There were some fisherman who were helping it and we were told that they were going to bring it to someone who can help.
snake island
We went to Snake Island next, it got its name because it had a sand bar that acted like a bridge which connected it to the neighboring island. There were no snakes at all unfortunately. The island activity was pretty cool because it included a short hike to a small view point.
On the way, our guide showed us some pitcher plants which were unique to the island. From the top, we could see the sandbar and the surrounding islands. We also had lunch here, another delicious buffet with a lot of fruits. After eating, we took a dip by the sandbar and just had this general sense of relaxation. This day was different in that there was really nobody else on the island. Probably because it was the weekday now and Tour B wasn’t exactly the most popular one as opposed to Tours A and C.
After a long respite in Snake Island, we went to Cudugnon Cave next, a first for the island tours so far. It lied deep in a secluded part of the island. We had to cross through waist-deep waters to reach the very small entrance to the cave. To top it off, we had to do these special maneuvers to fit perfectly and not hurt ourselves from the protruding stalactites.
Once we got in, the cave turned out to be huge with the roof of it so high up. The stench of bat excrement threw me off a bit but it was still an amazing sight. There was another way towards the side that led to the main chamber with the sunlight seeping through a small crevice, lighting up and showing us how colorful and intricate the cave interior was. After taking our photos, we had to do the fancy maneuvers on the way back to boat.
The next stop was another cave but this time we weren’t getting off. The Cathedral Cave is a cave by the rocky side of the island. Our boat fit in just at the right position to get the most optimal photo angle and we were off to the final island of the itinerary.
Our final stop was Papaya Island, this island was different from the other beaches because it had these cool swings that made for such a fun photo op. After our picture taking, Janelle and I went to the snorkeling area. So far out of all the islands, this one seemed to have the best coral reefs with the widest range of biodiversity that could give Bohol or Cebu a run for their money. We held hands and swam around the expanse looking at all these fish swimming under us. I was able to pick up some garbage on the floor as well.
chasing sunsets
On our way back, we were still hoping to catch the sunset but the weather was looking gloom on one side and looking pretty good on the other. We decided to take our chances as it was the last day so when we got back to El Nido, we took a tuktuk to Marimegmeg Beach straight away. This was actually one of my favorite spots of El Nido, it was so peaceful here and the water was so calm. On the horizon were some mountain islands and as the sun was setting, it got covered by clouds.
There’s a silver lining though as I was able to capture these amazing blue hour photos that looked almost unreal. In the end, I only ever got to see one sunset in the Philippines.
After spending some more time on the beach, we went back to Bulalo Plaza to eat our last meal and stopped by the souvenir shop to buy some souvenirs. I got the El Nido mask, which was the same one I had in my AirBnB room. I also got a dream catcher keychain that matched my owl bag’s color.
el nido's parting gift
The final day played on both sides as one of the best and the most infamous ones.
That morning, I was thirsty so I took my cup from last night and saw that there was a bug inside. I should have taken this as a warning sign that perhaps I shouldn’t drink from this cup without giving it a thorough wash but the idiot that I am, I simply washed the bug away using tap water and then poured in new water from the filtered one.
Little did I know, this grave mistake would bite me hard in the ass a few hours later.
For our last day, we went to Lio Beach again which was a stone’s throw away from the airport. Except this time, the beach was pretty much empty today, we were quite lucky as the weather also seemed to be perfect.
Janelle put on the white dress that I bought for her back in Manila and we walked around the beach taking photos.
My tummy started to act up a bit here to which I disregarded as hunger. Big mistake. So when the restaurant opened up, we ordered a bunch of food. Before the food even came, I found myself in the bathroom already. I had thought the worst was behind me as I walked out the door and back into the table. I chowed down hard, from the pizza and sisig to karekare. I ate pretty much everyone’s fill only to end up back at the toilet a second time.
It was at this point, I knew I had fudged up. Janelle had to take charge in calling a tuktuk to take us to the airport as I held on for dear life. Things were taking a turn for the worse as the pain got more intense and I was getting into a cold sweat.
After checking-in, I was now in the toilet again. I took some medicine and got first priority on the plane. It ached all the way back to Manila and some more days after, even during our hike to Mt. Pinatubo!
