El Nido: Beaches and Lagoons

Touch down Palawan!

I don’t know why, but for the third time, I still get kilig everytime I uttered word “Touch down Palawan!” or every time I tweet or post it. Maybe because, Palawan will always be dear to my heart, until forever.

Yes it’s my third time visiting the province. And just like the previous visits, I always feel excited. This time I’m with my best set of friends – Bren, Peach and Jerald. Ohhh did I just said the word “Best”?! Yeah they are! And I will be travelling with them to the best picturestique and beautiful Island province of Palawan.

If you know me personally, you will definetly know how my reactions when Im eggzoiteeed! This is so ME ---> click here

Prior to going to Palawan, our group had to revised all our plans, are we pushing the trip or are we pushing the trip.haha yeah we really want to push this, yet air fares are not friendly for almost a year, we are looking for a cheaper fare or promo yet no avail. We ended up booking for about a week to go before the travel date, and we all know it if you booked it that near, you will end up having expensive airfare. But no big deal! /

We were not at El Nido yet, but the adventure already started. There was a LPA that time, just a day before our trip, so Jerald rebooked his flight via Legazpi to Manila instead of coming from Virac, Brenn had to endured the long bus ride few days before the flight and peach had to take risk and see if she can fly on the same day as she will have a connecting flight from virac-manila-palawan.

Qouting one of my favorite author: 

“when you really want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" -Paulo Coelho

The Universe conspires to make it happen! aww my loves! We made it! Waiting for our flight!

I have travelled with these wonderful people fom Ilocos to Baguio to Naga to Caramoan to name a few, now we conquered El Nido! (click link to view previous travels)

It’s time to make some new memories!

We arrived Palawan past 12:00NN, we got awed by the new Puerto Princessa International Airport. Last time I was here, I landed in the small yet cozy domestic airport. The new airport was just so modern and Big! We didn’t missed taking pictures, the Airport front range serves as the backdrop. A must probably, as it’s a proof we’ve been here.haha!

photos credit to peach and jerald

Hello Puerto Princesa!

Puerto Princesa has been acclaimed several times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines. seriously, they lived to that.

Initial Plan was to just DIY the Centro Palawan tour (city tour), We didn’t know that just like Ilocos, where tricycle drivers who are authorized by the Tourism office are now in the airport ready to tour tourist with the same charge and with a specific itinerary. Kudos Puerto Princessa!

I love these Manong drivers, they serve as a driver, tourist guide and photographer rolled in one. It cost us P300/pax for the whole city tour. 

Before starting the tour we had a quick lunch. Yipeee McDo (ohh my fave, they didn’t know maybe! Haha) The rest of our Friday afternoon was consumed by the amazing city tour of Puerto Princesa.

Almost there El Nido!

We went  back to the airport for our van transfer to ElNido, As per my contact ate Aileen from El Nido, Our Van will pick us by 5:00PM, so we are thinking that by 10PM we will be in ElNido and might be able to grab some bottles of beers once we arrived. Yet, upon arriving at the airport, It took us a while to locate our Van driver, good thing I saw my name with a different surname, silent "T". Where is the justice?! haha

It's getting dark, the driver informed us that we need to wait for another set of passengers who are joining us bound to elNido, ohh gracious Mr.Papa, we will never forget your name.HAHA

What good about staying late inside the wide garden of Puerto Princessa airport is that we are able to appreciate the beauty of the dusk, the La Luna was so magical. what a sight to behold!

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock

Almost about 2hrs since we arrived at the airport after the city tour, yet no sign of the famous Mr.Papa (our co-passenger), as it getting late,we are getting hungry too, so our driver dropped us first in one of the resto along rizal avenue near the capitol, we had to take our dinner as we might have a hard time looking for an open resto or carinderia along the way.

We left Puerto Princesa past 8PM. Brenn sitiing next to the driver, and I was sandwiched by Peach and Jerald (peach near the window seat while the latter near the door), I had to be honest that I don’t know what really happenedon that almost 6hrs van ride, blame it to my sleepyhead. Yes, I am a frequent travel yet I always sleep during travel time and will just enjoy whatever comes along on my destination.

Finally, El Nido!

Apparently, El Nido is not the Boracay type where people party till dawn and establishements here are not open 24/7. We arrived at ElNido terminal past 1AM, it was dark, did I just said DARK? Everything was completely shut off. We ride a trike to take us to our hostel. Our hostel was very homey, infront is a Mami House, which also serve beer, we had some bowl of mami first, yet we can’t afford to have some bottles anymore as we need to be early the following day for our Island Hopping! Yay excited! 

The room was air-conditioned, four beds (a single bed with a pull-over bed and a double-decker), Brenn occupied the upper part of the bed while Peach below, Jerald bed was the one near the door and mine was the pull over bed next to him near the window (that window and curtains will be forever epic for us.haha anyway, that’s another story)  

After we freshen up and after few tweets and IG/FB post announcing we are in El Nido na, we slept soundly.

Good Morning El Nido, Hellooo!

I was always deprived of sleep, I dunno but even if I am given the chance to sleep early, I still sleep at 3AM and will wake up so early, late na ang 630AM na gising. But what good about waking up early in the morning? I think it’s the magic of the dawn, you feel the breeze from last night and the breeze of that day, a fusion of two. I always love dawn,watching the moon to set and waiting for the sun to rise and welcoming a new day! 

And yes, it’s a new day for us in Elnido!

This was taken around 5AM, Moon is about to rise, what a great sight outside our window.

Outside our room is a small table with a couple of chairs, it’s near the veranda overlooking the famous mighty rock formation. I woke up seeing cups for our free coffee in the morning. we had some coffee and divulged some bread we had from Bakers Hill in Puerto Princessa.

Downstairs our tour guide are all ready with all the things we need for the tour - lifejacket,snorkel and stuff. Look at the excitement in our faces. aww!

Last time I was here, we just had to walk to the nearby shore to get in to our motorized banca for the tour, yet this time we need to ride a trike to reach Barangay Corong-Corong, where our Boat is located. Upon arriving in the small coastal barangay, I get amazed by another wonders of beautiful set of islands and rock formation I see from afar, coconut trees are also abundant. Ohh I remember our equally beautiful island of Catanduanes.

Let the fun begin!

Video credit to Jerald

Joining us on the tour are set of lovers, Gahd I was not able to get their names.haha but yeah a young couple (bg/gf) with matchy-matchy things! From their rash guard, to their swimming shoes, watches, eye wear and yes up to their braces. Another one was newly wed (I assumed.haha) Mr. and Mrs. Gervas, they loved travelling yet the hubby can’t swim, so I feel sad that they’re in el Nido when most of the things to do here is to swim for crying out loud.haha Then two German ladies named Rebecca and Kiera (which most of the time Im talking with Kiera and promoting Catanduanes.haha)

I got to know Kiera more than our other companions as I am sitting near her, and ofcourse sayang lang pagka SpeechCommunication Major  ko if I wouldn’t used it.char! seriously, I had a good conversation with Kiera and knowing that she had shared with me most about her life-- like living in cebu for almost a year,how was her life in Germany, of travelling from different parts of our country, of not yet visiting any province in Bicol and yet of planning to visit catanduanes as I promoted it well.haha and almost any stuff to talked about.

El Nido is beyond perfection!

I was stunned again! Yes for the third time, the beauty of these group of islands still kick my heart, the feels is like seeing your super-duper-mega crush and smiled back at you! Shocks the kilig! fudge!

You will fall inlove in an instant in every islands you will see along the way. towering rock formation surrounded with blue and green sea water, lush green forest, and towering above is the clear blue sky! Ohh my El Nido, I kennat you are so Ganda!

The first stop was the Big lagoon, matic na yan, flashing of cameras, selfies, groupies and a couple of wow and aww!

video credit to Brenn

God might have spent more time in creating this paradise!

Have you seen postcards with Big lagoon images on it? The sight and the feel are honestly the same!

It is a must to have a tip-of-the-boat picture having those incredible rock formation sprouting from the waters as the backdrop.

Off to the Small Lagoon!

oOh yeah it maybe "small", but it will captivate your eyes and heart.  

Personally, I love all our pictures taken here, the fusion of everything can be seen once you take a photo – sea, rock, sky, tress, and wonderful people!

This is a parking lot for boats, a meet up point for tourist of all ages,genders and races, of boatmans, of tour guides and yes of buko vendors in kayak! Petmalu!

Going inside the small lagoon needs some extra energy and effort – only if you don’t have kayak – Kayak is being rented for P300.00..

Photo credit to Edna G.

We swim and paved our way inside, its thrilling and exciting, but hell yeah struggle is real as your muscles will really work out. But its worth it!

While we are busy threading our way out from the small lagoon, I saw from a far that our tour guide and the boatman are already preparing for our lunch, I’m pretty much amazed how these guys can cook inside the boat!

Jerald even show off some grilling skills.haha

After the small lagoon we headed to simitzu island. I already told you the story of the origin of its name from my first blog: El Nido - Ultimate Paradise

We had our lunch here. While waiting for food, some sunbathed and tried to discover more of Nemo and Dory and checking out some corals. Some had photo ops flaunting their bikinis. The four of us decided to just relax, do some selfies and groupie. All we do is chill while waiting for our sumptuous lunch, and refreshing fruits after wards. 

 

Wanna know a secret?

The secret is behind a small hole in a gigantic rock, It was really a struggle going inside cause the pathway was too small but we got by. This is the secret lagoon. We just stay there for a few minutes and went back near our parked boat and just enjoy swimming while we waited for our other companions to come back. Brenn took most our our photos while we do some floating tricks and Jerald is off to more snorkelling.

Relaxing 7 Commando Island!

I love this place, It was a mixture of heaven and hell, so yeah its earth.haha kidding aside, i love it because it houses lots of activities off the sea, I mean you can play beach volley, high-tree-swing, beach basketball, there are stores as well that sells the usual merienda of bananaque and other stuff, it’s a long stretch of beach that flaura and fauna is abundant, and monkeys too.

Photo credit: co-blogger backpack couple

We tried the island famous buko-halohalo, price ranges from P100-P150.halo-halo was put inside the buko shell. Pricey, so we brought two and we just shared matching it with some biscuits, which I find bagay naman to eat.haha

We opted to just chill in the island, goof around and watched other tourist do their own stuff. I don’t find it boring, I actually find it relaxing after all the swimming and floating

I love this kind of life, as a girl hailed from an island, I want this - Sit down by the beach, listen to music and just be zen.

I don’t know how people from El Nido discovered these islands. You might think that these islands are pretty much the same but they are not. I hope I could come back here with my friends, and let them experienced Tour B, C and D. They are honestly different in their own ways. Grabe ka El Nido ang ganda ganda mo!

Back to the Main Land

Going back to the main island was even more fun. Instead of going back to corong-corong, I was happy that we paved a different way, we will dock near our homestay. we are soaking wet from the boat ride, yet still manage to look around for some souvenir items.we find our way back to our hostel, had to stopped for some picture taking while enjoying the serenity of this coastal barangay.

I took a candid shot of Jerald and Brenn, the latter being topless and just find it cute as they seems to be one of those foreigners touring the area.haha

El Nido at Night

The nightlife here is not as wild as Boracay and I don’t hope for it to be like that. Here, it is pretty much- chill. El Nido is the most laid-back island I’ve been to.
We look for a resto who can satisfy our growling tummies, seaside restos are full of tourists having their dinner and catching some beers. I like the idea of having your dinner while your feet are being kissed by the waves. Seafoods all over.

Just like in Dampa where you market your own food and let the resto do the cooking or grilling.

We choose a place to eat near a veranda overlooking the sea, we ordered crabs which Peach and Brenn market downstairs.we had some shrimp-sinigang, calamares, special ensalada and the chili-crab. Im happy having dinner with these people, these people are my comfort zone. Aww I just missed being with them.

Happy Heart!

Thinking that I had spent a wonderful vacation again in one of my most loved island, together with my friends, the smile on my face never faded. I was very happy!

Have you ever experienced falling in love with a place and find yourself coming back? That is what I have for El Nido, I will be back here, I would do it over and over again!

Once again, Good Morning El Nido!

I woke up so early same time with the roosters wake up call. haha

Yesterday was tedious but super-duper-mega-fun. Now we are back to the road, we need to catch the 7AM van trip bound for Puerto Princessa.

Sa uulitin El Nido. I honestly had a blast. Petmalu ka, ang ganda mo Lodi!!

You can travel the whole world but nothing comes close to El Nido.

P.S: To whoever is reading this, I know how much you want to be in El Nido, but I wont post here any contact person so that if you are planning to go to ElNido in the most affordable way, I can refer you to someone who offer affordable tour packages, Just message me, so I can join too.haha #AngSelfish haha

All the Love,

Yannah