Showing posts with label El Nido. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Nido. Show all posts
Friday, February 5, 2016
Tour A: Small and Big Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Secret Lagoon, 7th Commando Beach
Palawan has been tagged as the "Last Frontier". When you experience Palawan you will understand why ... It is truly magical, enchanting, wonderful and magnificent. It is my dream destination! I hope I can always get back here...
El Nido may sound expensive but we made it with just Php7,000/person budget. We stayed here for 4 nights and 5 days. Airfare (Php700 roundtrip promo fare with Cebu Pacific), Van from Puerto Prinsesa to El Nido roundtrip Php1,000, Accommodation of Php250/person/night, Tour A Php1,200 (less discount), Tour C Php1,400 (less discount), Nacpan Beach Php 300, Taraw Cliff Php 300, food for 4 days and souvenirs.
There were little things you need to know about El Nido and you can view them here. One of the most important information about El Nido is that you need to bring a lot of cash. There is an ATM in El Nido but only for First Consolidated Bank (FCB) depositors. When we get here in November 2015, there's already an RCBC ATM located at the municipal hall but you can only withdraw Php2,000 per dispense.
El Nido has no electricity from 6:00AM to 3:00PM but we don't mind because we are always out there exploring the islands.
El Nido has no electricity from 6:00AM to 3:00PM but we don't mind because we are always out there exploring the islands.
How to get here?
El Nido is a 5-hour van ride from Puerto Prinsesa for those who want to travel El Nido in a budget. El Nido has a private airport to cater the El Nido travellers. Island Transvoyager Inc (ITI) flies with a 50-seater ATR plane 3 times a day but it is expensive.
We booked our adventures with Servant Tours. It is only here where you can avail discounts, haha!
We arrived by midnight and when the clock turns 8am, we prepared for an extra ordinary adventure. Tour A for today!
No need to bring anything because food and drinks were all included in the tours. Just bring of course your SLR for unlimited views and landscapes and an underwater or waterproofed camera and a sunblock.
Our first destination: The Small Lagoon
We booked our adventures with Servant Tours. It is only here where you can avail discounts, haha!
We arrived by midnight and when the clock turns 8am, we prepared for an extra ordinary adventure. Tour A for today!
No need to bring anything because food and drinks were all included in the tours. Just bring of course your SLR for unlimited views and landscapes and an underwater or waterproofed camera and a sunblock.
Our first destination: The Small Lagoon
When I always get to a certain destination I always say, Oh this is beautiful! But when I get here, yeah! EL Nido is my favorite place on earth but SMALL LAGOON is the most amazing, wonderful, enchanting and magical place I've ever been. The place was so.... WOW! I can stay here the whole day...
Our boat docked far from the hole where a special adventure awaits.... Kayaks here are for rent at Php400. My brother-in-law swam up to the hole but he gets bruises because of the corals that bumped into his legs... Wear aqua shoes for your feet protection. Some corals can be really sharp...
It's time to kayak to that hole...
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| our tour guide, kuya Jeorge, made this shot... |
Scientists believe that these lagoons were actually caves but roofs may have collapsed so they emerged like these.
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| what's inside the small lagoon... |
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| the water that is so inviting... |
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| my son removed his vest and enjoyed the scenery |
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| time to go back to our boat |
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| Paradise??? Yeah! It truly exists ... |
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| father and daughter |
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| jayshelle |
Big lagoon is a breeding ground for fishes and crustaceans.
Shimizu Island is where the much sought after bird's nest soup is produced. We found nests of these. This is where we will spend our lunch.
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| with my first born JP |
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| looking for bird's nest, haha! |
The boatmen/guide will cook these for you while you were busy swimming or just plain staring at the beach...
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| our lunch for today |
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| ready to eat... |
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| the hole that will lead you to the Secret Lagoon |
The final destination after a long day tour. The island was named after the 7 remaining Japanese Commandos who lived in the island as straglers after World War II. It has a long stretch of very white and powdery sand.
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| he loves the beach |
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| beach lovers |
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| jump shot by kuya Jeorge, this is my favorite pic
Tour A is the best for me!
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Friday, December 25, 2015
Tour C: Helicopter, Hidden, Talisay and Secret Beach and Miniloc Shrine
El Nido, being one of the most diverse ecosystem in the country, is
protected for its unique flora and fauna, and pristine geologic
formations. These include:
The best place to do the island hopping in the Philippines is in El Nido. According to our very smart tour guide, kuya Jeorge, there are 45 islands in El Nido during low tide and 44 during low tide. There are a lot of places to explore so spending longer time in El Nido is a must.
- limestone cliffs, the home of the swiftlets
- 50 white sand beaches
- 5 types of forest (the lowland evergreen rainforests found in the mainland and islands such as Miniloc, Lagen and Pangulasian; semi-deciduous forests; forests over limestone; beach forests; and, the mangrove forests found mostly around major rivers and creeks in the mainland)
- 3 major marine habitats
- 16 endemic and 10 threatened species of birds
- 6 species of marine mammals endemic to Palawan (including dolphins and its native dugong)
- 4 species of endangered marine turtles
- 100 species of corals, 45 of which belongs to the genera of hard corals
- 813 species of fish
The best place to do the island hopping in the Philippines is in El Nido. According to our very smart tour guide, kuya Jeorge, there are 45 islands in El Nido during low tide and 44 during low tide. There are a lot of places to explore so spending longer time in El Nido is a must.
Among the Island Tours El Nido is offering, Tours A & C are the best. We scheduled our Tour C on our 3rd day stay. Tour C includes Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach, Star (Talisay) Beach, Secret Beach and Matinloc Shrine. The standard rate for this tour is Php1,400 but you can only get discounts with Servant Tours.
We were fetched by the tour guides of Servant Tours by 9am.
After leaving the shores, kuya Jeorge oriented us on the do's and don't s at the island especially the number one rule to "Take nothing but pictures".
First Destination : Helicopter Island
Helicopter Island was formerly known as Dilumacad Island. Activities that can be done at the island is swimming and snorkeling even at shallow waters.
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| my baby is becoming a lady already =) |
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| the island is great for sun bathing too... |
Second Destination : Hidden Beach
After a little swim and a little walk, the hidden beach was now found =)
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| unlimited jump shot! |
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| going back to the boat |
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| kunwari nagse selfie =) |
Third Destination : Talisay Beach
This is where we spent our lunch...
While waiting for our food, we enjoyed snorkeling and see the little fishes swimming with us =)
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| proof of clearness of water |
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| my princess =) |
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| lunch by the beach |
The tour rates and the kind of food that tour operators must prepare is standard all over the island; grilled fish, grilled chicken or pork, fruits, veggies and rice. With Servant Tours, there's a free 5 gallon of drinking water. I've also requested for a squid, and it's there, thank you! We finished everything, we don't want to waste any food.
Fourth Destination : Secret Beach
James was so fond with the El Nido waters, he would love to jump but we have to put him in his favorite floater.
During lowtide, you can easily get to the hole going to the beach but when it's high tide you have to swim down under to get to the Secret Beach...
The limestone karst formations enclosing a beach is inside that hole...
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| the super clear water |
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| ate Janelle and James enjoying each other's company and the clear water |
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| I love the beach mommy... |
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| my beautiful family =) |
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| with our Indonesian friend, Andy =) |
Fifth Destination : Miniloc Shrine
Miniloc Shrine was built as a shrine to Our Lady of Matinloc in the 1980's. It is an abandoned pilgrimage site. This used to be a ladies' dormitory and a church. Due to budget constraints, the project was stopped. The buildings were destroyed and needs fixing. Hope a little budget coming from the Environmental Pass of Php100/person and Environmental fee of Php200 can repair the site.
Miniloc Shrine was built as a shrine to Our Lady of Matinloc in the 1980's. It is an abandoned pilgrimage site. This used to be a ladies' dormitory and a church. Due to budget constraints, the project was stopped. The buildings were destroyed and needs fixing. Hope a little budget coming from the Environmental Pass of Php100/person and Environmental fee of Php200 can repair the site.
Upon reaching the steep stairs, the top has a surprising view... The encompassing view of the Matinloc Channel awaits you here. The turquoise water and amazing cliffs is such an amazing view to remember forever...
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| from the viewdeck |
We are so lucky to have all these beautiful islands. We have a beautiful country my fellow countrymen... Explore the Philippines...
It's time to go back... Tour C is my second best =)
