I’ll admit it, the word ‘paradise’ is an overused term in the travel industry, today almost synonymous with any warm place that allows us to disconnect a bit from our crazy busy city lives… I was trying to avoid using it here but in all honesty, describing El Nido with anything less would be really offensive. This corner of the Philippines is after all listed among the most beautiful places in the world and attempting to lower your expectations would be futile.
There are two ways to reach this paradise: the long, slightly painful and cheapest is to fly into Puerto Princesa and then take a 5 hours van ride to El Nido. The quickest and much more comfortable Air Swift flight from Manila though will get you a few minutes taxi ride from El Nido proper, hence leaving you with much more time to enjoy this stunning locale. I obviously opted for the latter seeing as I had little time on my hands and said goodbye to Manila on board a quick 75 minutes flight over the deep blue sea.
The contrast between the industrial landscape you just left and the one filling your airplane window as you approach the island of Palawan is staggering. Welcome to paradise. 🙂
Your welcome at the small but super modern airport of El Nido consists of a bright purple umbrella lent just for the short walk on the tarmac to shield you from the midday sun – how thoughtful.
A quick ride will soon bring you to the town of El Nido, my base for the next couple of days.
The town’s main beach is pretty ordinary and you’ll likely only use it to get to restaurants, bars, and your daily tours as there are far superior stretches of sand very close by.
El Nido is encircled by towering limestone cliffs which give the area its arresting silhouette and diminish the size of anything propped against them…including the entire town!
Streets bleeding out from the beach are filled with emerging restaurants, bars, shops and hostels. The Artcafe is a popular hangout for casual food in a homey space.
Tap into the local supply of young coconut to quench your thirst from the afternoon heat.
While there are plenty of Western dishes on offer, try the pancit, a local dish of stir-fried noodles usually served with meat, vegetables and some roasted peanuts for crunch.
The small downtown is easy to navigate with the usual amount of heavy foot and motorcycle traffic expected in these parts.
One can grab many snacks (Filipinos loooove their sweets!), coffees and treats every couple of feet, perfect for a beach picnic or enjoying back at your hotel.
Speaking of which – like everywhere in the Philippines there are a lot of options for backpackers or those on a budget with rooms going for $20 and up. And this being Palawan, and one of the most stunning places on earth, you also have the luxury options that cater to honeymooners and the like. I found the middle category to be somewhat lacking in choices and variety but was immensely glad to land on El Nido Overlooking.
Located just a bit outside the downtown area along the main road, the four villas are perched on top of a hill overlooking the bay, far enough from the city noises.
I stayed in the ‘Cottage’ for the reason you see right here – the most drop-dead gorgeous view from the terrace. I mean look at this! The Bacuit Bay, home to all of these stunning islands people fly from all over the world to see, extended right before my eyes. I honestly thought for a brief moment to never leave my balcony.
The pool is in an equally enchanting setting, perfect for a sunset cocktail…
It’s time to go explore this magical bay and find out what El Nido is really all about – island hopping! Ask anyone who’s ever been here and they’ll all tell you about their favorite boat tours and excursions. No matter how pleasant the mainland might seem, wait until you’ve gone beyond its shore…
Every morning, the town beach is filled with tourists and boats ready to depart for the day’s adventures. Thankfully they’ve made it really easy for everyone – there are only 4 tours offered: A, B, C, and D. Pretty simple, right? You can book them from pretty much everywhere: your hotel, the guy on the street, a website, etc. Obviously if you’re willing to pay more you can get a more comfortable vessel and amenities, but for the majority, all the tours cost around $25 for the full day with lunch included with a group of 10-20 on average.
If you’re only here for a few days, tours A and C are by far the most popular, bringing you to the islands most stunning spots. I went on Tour C first and here is a rundown of the beautiful day…
Leaving El Nido behind, you and a dozen other boats will speed towards the archipelago, passing jungle-fringed islands with deserted beaches.
After a little while you’ll eventually stop near a few other boats for your first destination of the day: Hidden Beach. As its name implies, you can’t see anything from the boat but you trust your captain who invites you to jump in the water and make your way around one of the big rocks. I must point out that you should be in good swimming condition. It was a windy day and this is not the Caribbean – waves were crashing us and pulling us, giving us quite a workout just to get to the calmer water beyond the rocks.
What a change of scenery though…
This is what the brochures are selling you, that jaw-dropping postcard you can only dream of (FYI there are far fewer people in my dreams), these limestone cliffs jutting out of the water. I had never seen anything like it.
You have about 30-45 minutes to enjoy the hidden beach before returning back to the boat which seems like a fleeting moment to capture so much beauty.
Back on the boat, excited about the next destination, still in awe of the profile of these 45 amazing islands that make up the Bacuit Bay Archipelago.
Quieter spot this time as we anchor at Matinloc Island. Nothing hidden here except for what’s underneath the surface – it’s snorkeling time!
The pristine waters are calm enough here to allow for a gentle and relaxing snorkeling session with easy sightings of tons of species along a drop-off reef wall.
Third stop of the day is at Star Beach for lunch.
Delicious spread cooked on the boat and brought to the beach. All that swimming really does rev up an appetite!
More adventures in the cards as we make our way to the famous Secret Beach. What makes this tiny crescent of sand a secret? Well the only way to access it is by passing through a tiny tunnel in the rocks. Not as easy as it sounds as with the day’s strong waves, it meant timing your swim-through perfectly with the current or risking being crashed against the wall. Well I did get scratched a bit but arrived safely on the other side, emerging in the middle of a quiet lagoon, completely surrounded by cathedral-size walls save for a tiny, perfect little secret beach.
The last stop was for a beer and a last swim at Helicopter Island, and I guess I was so exhausted by then I forgot to take a pic… oops! It’s probably because all I could think about at this point was getting back in time to my cottage to witness this:
Options abound for dinner in town but I would highly recommend you stop by Angel Wish. Don’t let the line out of the door scare you from going to this local hotspot, it goes fast and it’s all worth it.
Right on the beach, the busy eatery specializes in seafood and fresh catch of the day, all displayed outside in front of their open kitchen. It’s super affordable, incredibly tasty and as close to an authentic experience you can get on the main tourist drag.
Stuffed squid and baked mussels (huge I might say!) downed with the local beer were the perfect ending to this enchanting day.
Stay tuned for more to do around El Nido besides the boat tours…
