This world-famous paradise is my first travel destination for 2019. It is one of the islands that collectively made Palawan as the “Best Island in the World”. I first set foot in Palawan almost four years ago but in Coron. There, I had the chance to do some island hopping, snorkeling and scuba diving. Coron was amazing, above and under the water. So I did not expect anything less from El Nido. And I was far from disappointed.
Our flight departed from Clark International Airport. It was my first time using this airport for domestic travel. They collect a PHP 150 terminal fee. A bus fetched us from the boarding gate and dropped us off near the plane. We flew with Philippine Airlines (PAL). I got the window seat. A light snack was also served. So far, so good.
We landed in the newly-opened airport in San Vicente. Dubbed as gateway to El Nido, there are vans available immediately outside the airport that bring tourists straight to El Nido. The fare is PHP 400 one-way. If there are vacant seats, the van stops along the way to pick up local passengers. The road has a lot of curves so prepare to get dizzy at some point. From the terminal in El Nido, we rode a tricycle to our hostel for PHP 50 per trip.
The hostel staff welcomed us with refreshing lemon water and cold towels. This is the same hostel chain where I stayed during my first Boracay trip, Frendz Hostel. We booked bunk beds in an all-female dorm room. It has an ensuite bathroom. There are color-coded lockers with hangers too. The bed is comfortable to sleep at and the linens are clean. The wifi connection is also strong. Frendz also has a rooftop bar and swimming pool. It is walking distance to the beach. It is also near the terminal of the shuttle for the Lio Beach Resort.
Lio Beach Resort is like the posh side of El Nido. There are high-end shops and restaurants with the same ambiance as Bonifacio High Street. The sunset is magnificent though. And it is ideal for stargazing.
The food and drinks in El Nido are priced like that of Manila. Night life seems to end relatively early at around 1:00 am. The tourists are mostly foreigners. We were the only Filipinos in our hostel that we even encountered a group of foreign backpackers in the common area eyeing us from head to toe.
Like Coron, El Nido is organized in terms of their tours. We did the Island Hopping Tour C. The islands that you will visit per package are listed. We visited Helicopter Island, Secret Beach, Star Beach, Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine. Life vests and snorkeling gear are available for all passengers. All island hopping packages are inclusive of lunch and drinking water.
El Nido is stunning. Every island is picture-perfect. The locals are hospitable. The vibe is cool and chill. It is irresistible. I will surely come back for more.
Hello.This post was extremely motivating, especially since I was looking for thoughts on this subject last Saturday.