From Puerto Princesa, we decided to go to the famous town of El Nido. I've been to several beautiful places already but for me, this is the best so far :) With its pristine and exotic beaches and lagoons, El Nido is definitely worth the time, money and effort. El Nido used to be a haven for the rich but thank God it has already opened its door to the not-so-rich like us. The small town now offers affordable tours and accommodation.
El Nido Town
El Bacuit Bay
It was my husband's idea to go to Coron via El Nido. We decided to stay for one day to experience the paradise that many people have been swooning about. Before leaving Puerto Princesa, Dean, our underground river tour guide gave us the number of Bacuit Travel and Tours (09213112940). We contacted Rejane and she was very accommodating. She also booked us at Casa Cecilia, an inn 50-meters away from the beach. (To see hotel and accommodation list with contact number see Adaphobic's post.)
We took a van going to El Nido (from 8:00pm to 12 midnight). If you're not traveling by night and have an ample time, you can take the bus going there. It is cheaper and I think more comfortable for "big people".
Nevertheless, after a long bumpy ride, we arrived at El Nido at exactly 12 midnight. We rode a tricycle from the terminal (around P25) and the driver brought us to Casa Cecilia. The people there were all sleeping but they accommodated us and took us to a room with AC, big bathroom and a nice view of the cliffs nearby. The fee for the double room is P1500/ night with complimentary breakfast.
The view from our room. It wasn't beach front but the cliffs were not so bad.
At exactly 9am, we were fetched by one of the staff of Bacuit Travel and Tours. Usually, tourists pay P200/head for environmental fee. They only charged us P100 because we will only stay for one day (yahooo!!) We paid P1200 for TOUR A which includes a visit to the Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon and 7 Commando Beach plus a buffet lunch. They also offer rentals for kayak (for the small lagoon) and goggles.
(Note: El Nido tours are very organized. All of the travel agencies there offer the basic TOUR A-D with same amounts. A few years ago, the cost of the tours ranged from P600-900 but since last year, the prices changed from P1200-1600/ head depending on the tour. I recommend El Bacuit Travel and Tours. You may contact Rejane at 09213112940)
El Nido's TOUR A Experience
The Helicopter Island from afar (but it looks like a whale to me :)
It was only me, another Filipino couple and a British woman on the boat. I enjoyed the solitude of riding the boat surrounded by beautiful scenery. I noticed that many people there were foreigners, there were very few Filipino tourists.
I have seen many beautiful beaches but indeed, El Nido is very special. I also noticed how the islands are well maintained by the locals. And I'm glad the beauty of nature provided job opportunities for the people of El Nido.
We first went to 7 Commando Beach. Several nipa houses were being built at that time. Our tour guide told us that the huts will be "bars" and small restaurants for the tourists. The 7 Commando Beach is a white-sand island with clear waters perfect for swimming and snorkeling.
7 Commando Beach from afar
My husband and I chose to just chill and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding.
Next we went to the Big Lagoon and I marveled how creation has been formed uniquely by our Great God.
After this, our boat men brought us in one of the islands nearby so we can have lunch. And that is where the tragedy happened. Our camera was dipped into the sea for a couple of seconds. Beautiful pictures were over at this point. I still have my Nikon handy camera but it's never the same. :( However, we didn't let that dampen our spirits, we enjoyed the waves and had a sumptuous lunch--fresh squids and fish, chicken and liempo and fruits. Sulit ang P1200!!!
One of the spots for lunch
After lunch, we headed to the secret lagoon. In order to enter, you have to crawl to a small opening.
Inside the Secret Lagoon
We took some pictures outside the secret lagoon and stayed there enjoying the view and the beach for a couple of minutes.
After that, we headed to the highlight of the tour--the small lagoon! Unfortunately, we could't take a camera because we needed to swim in order to go there. If you have rented a kayak, you could bring a camera but swimming is definitely the best option. (Wise Advice: If you're going to visit El Nido, make sure you have a waterproof camera so you can capture every moment).
Picture from shyonfoot.com
When I entered, I was astounded by the beauty that is in there. Totally awestruck! What a beautiful-beautiful place! We swim in that small lagoon for an hour or so. We even explored the cave inside where the salt and fresh water meets. It was really a gorgeous sight. I could stay there just enjoying the coolness of the water and that feeling of awe to our wonderful Creator. Really amazing!
Small Lagoon. Photo from gopalawan.travel
We finished the tour at around 4pm. We rested a bit and had lunch in one of the restaurants near the beach. I took this photo from my Samsung phone.
El Nido has recently been included in the list of National Geographic as one of the top 24 spring destinations for 2014. I usually don't want to go back to a place that I've been to but with El Nido, I will definitely go back .
To end this post, I'd like to share a video of a sunrise in El Nido uploaded by a foreigner who visited the place. Enjoy!
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