El Nido, Palawan: Islands of Adventure and Serenity

El Nido is one of the top tourist destinations in Palawan alongside Coron and Puerto Princesa. It is situated in the northernmost part of mainland Palawan. El Nido is known for its white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons, and coral reefs. Currently, it ranks at number 4 in Conde Nast Traveler’s list of 20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World.

I visited this beautiful island on the 18th to 21st of October 2019 with a colleague who is a wanderlust, as well. To avoid the hassle of going through airline websites to scavenge for low priced airfares and booking in tours and accommodation, we have decided to utilise a travel agency. My colleague was watching Rei Germar’s El Nido vlog where her trip to El Nido was booked through Fulham Road Travel . The package that we got was the Full Palawan Experience. It includes 4D3N stay, airfare and transfer, accommodation, and tour all for 10,000php. For us, it was a good deal since for that amount, we would get to enjoy Palawan with no hassle. Or was it?

We have encountered a couple of issues whilst booking with Fulham Road Travel. The main concern that we had was their unresponsiveness. We had to follow up a couple of times through email, their Facebook page, and Viber account when we were asking for our remaining balance (since they require at least 30% to be paid for slot reservation) and the vouchers for the important specifics we need such as flight and accommodation details. They responded to our emails almost a day before the deadline of the payment and the flight itself. Isn’t it a bit anxiety-inducing when you have paid for something and no response was given, right? Nonetheless, we did not encounter any issues on the day of the flight – the mobile numbers they have provided for our contacts there were very responsive and no issues with the tours and accommodation booked, as well.

From the airport, it will take at least five to six hours of van ride before arriving in El Nido proper. FYI #1: The signal during the van ride and in El Nido proper is very weak. However, most of the accommodations and restaurants offer free wifi. We had a lot of free time during our first day in El Nido since our tours were scheduled on the second and third day. We rested for a bit in our hotel, Jurias Pension before going out to find something to eat for dinner. FYI #2: If you do not want to have any idle times in El Nido whilst waiting for your tour the next day, one of the tricycle drivers we talked with in Puerto Princesa airport suggested to have a city tour first in Puerto Princesa before the van ride.

For our first dinner in El Nido, we ate at Café Athena . They specialise in Mediterranean cuisine and they are located at the beach front which amplifies its ambiance. The food there is really good, too! We had beef kebabs, salad, and lemonade and let me tell you – this is already a hearty meal. After that, we capped the night off with taking pictures in the beach front.

Our second and third day started early since our call time for the tours is at 8AM. Luckily, Jurias Pension offers free breakfast, so we do not have to worry about finding restaurants that early. We were picked up by a tricycle which was also included in the tour package we booked in Fulham Road and Travel. FYI #3: Aqua shoes are available on the meeting point at 100php per pair. Waterproof bags are also available starting at 300php. We did not anticipate the need for these items, but these will be ESSENTIAL for the tours since there will be a lot of walking/swimming by the beach to get to a certain location. Those ziplock bags where you put your phones are helpful as well especially if you are the assigned photographer in your group. The tour that we availed are Tours A and C.

Tour A

•Seven Commando Beach

•Shimizu Island – this is where we had our lunch. The island is named after a Japanese diver who was found dead in the underwater tunnel. Its coast is the perfect spot for snorkelling.

•Small/Big Lagoon – for our tour, we went to Small Lagoon. FYI #4: Kayaks are available at the entrance for 300 to 500 php depending on its size. If you do not know how to row a kayak (like us), someone can row for you with no additional fee.

•Secret Lagoon

Secret Lagoon

Shimizu Island

Seven Commando Beach

Small Lagoon

Tour C

•Secret Beach – this is a bit scary since you have to crawl in a tiny hole in the middle of the sea to get there. At that time, the waves are too big that it covers the entrance. Good thing for those who cannot swim (like us), the tour guides are willing to pull you in and out of the entrance. This is true as well in all the stops – the guides are ready to help those who do not know how to swim and snorkel but still want to experience the beauty of El Nido.

•Matinloc Shrine

•Hidden Beach

•Helicopter Island

Secret Beach

Matinloc Shrine

Helicopter Island

For both Tours A and C, lunch was provided by the tour guides. It includes grilled liempo and fish (depending on what the catch of the day is), fresh fruits, and vegetables. Our dinner for days two and three were in Bella Vita (we were too tired to go out that night but good thing they deliver) and in Lonesome Carabao. Both serve really good food but FYI #5: most of the food in El Nido is pricey but most of it are good for sharing. FYI #6: Tricycle rides and pasalubongs there are expensive, as well. One ride of tricycle costs about 50php regardless of distance but, motorcycles can be rented on a per day rate. As for the pasalubong, we opted to buy in the pasalubong centre across Puerto Princesa airport. There are more to choose from, too – keychains, pearls, cashew nuts, etc. in a much cheaper price.

El Nido is a place where you can find both adventure and serenity. Adventures can be found in the many activities and tours it offers. Tranquillity can be felt in each stop during the tour where you can appreciate the beauty of the islands – magnificent rock formations, white and fine sands, and blue waters. I really recommend going to El Nido, Palawan to really see the beauty our country has to offer.