Day 03. Snorkeling...Secret Beach and Heart Shaped Island

From 16 people on our Tour A the day before we were down to 8…make that four pairs. We had a smaller boat this time but we still had the same crazy tour guide Brandon.

1^st stop: Helicopter Island

Called as such because of its shape we made our first stop here and did snorkeling around the boat. With all the snorkeling we did before I should be brave enough to do the activity alone but the thought that I might make a mistake and step on a coral scares me quite a bit, so when J decided that we join Brandon and our 2 other tour mates, I followed suit and held on to the rope of the lifebuoy.

I can’t explain enough how much I have enjoyed all the snorkeling activities we did in El Nido. It is a wonder to see the life under water, the colorful fishes and the magnificent corals. But aside from that the fact that even if you look like a set of goofs hanging on to a lifebuoy being dragged by someone, you don’t get to take all the beauty of it all on your own, you have people beside you that share with you the feeling of being awed by what you see and of course, laughing along to Brandon’s never ending hard to believe trivia at most times.

2^nd Stop: Hidden Beach

We did not exactly dock by the hidden beach but on the one beside it which is as beautiful as the hidden beach. We had the whole beach to ourselves and the view was breathtaking. The shallow waters allowed us to walk without worries in the water running into fishes on our way here and there.

3^rd Stop: Talisay Beach

My favorite part of these island tours is lunch time. Not because I eat too much, but because the food served is exceptional. From fruits to the grilled squid and the big fishes…it is simply one of the things someone should look forward to in an El Nido island tour.

Brandon and his team had to cook the food first as we arrived in Talisay, giving the 8 of us enough time to explore the beach.

Talisay isn’t really a beach that you can swim all you want across the waters..it is more of a snorkeling spot. Since Brandon was busy prepping the food no one can take the lifebuoy and drag us all the way to the middle to snorkel on the deeper parts of the water.

While snorkeling on the shallow parts we found a group of fish (yes group since they were not of the same kind) feeding on something. At first I thought it was another fish, (damn my very clear eyes) until J told me it was the fish gill that the boatmen threw in the water. It was fun to watch. It was my first time to see fish this close feeding on their own. (J and I did the helmet diving in Boracay and fed the fish ourselves but it does not come close to the experience of seeing different kinds of fish going back and forth to that gill and taking turns in taking bites of it)

We stayed there until one of our more excellent swimmer tour buddies offered to take us one by one on a tour by the reef. J was the first to go with me telling her she took swimming lessons for this trip so she had to put it to use.

J came back raving about what she saw, saying there was a pit of some sort where the water was blue and that it kind of gave her a little scare. I also took my turn with out travel buddy after J initially took me to the edge of the pit. It looks scary from the edge but when I went with our tour buddy and we swam a little above the pit…man…I tell you. It was the most marvelous thing I have seen so far. The blue of the water was magnificent, making me think we were deep into the water. And the fishes. Different kinds swimming below is, my favorite and I guess everyone else’s was the tiny blue fishes swimming around. I envy out tour buddy for being able to swim that far but very thankful because I have seen such a magnificent marine life.

4^th Stop: Matinloc  Shrine

Brandon's so-called aerial view of Matinloc Shrine

We passed this on our way to Talisay. I felt like we actually went around Matinloc Island to get to Talisay that we had to go around again to get to the Shrine. Who would’ve thought that you would find something like this among these gigantic limestone karsts and islets?

I agree with some people that have described it as something that has a Greece-like feel to it. From afar that is what you see, with its wide dock by the beach to the huge old house and the dome of the shrine.

The Shrine

According to Brandon (the Great), the owners of the house was a Filipina and her foreigner husband, with reasons unknown they have separated thus leaving the property abandoned. He said that the wife still goes back to Matinloc from time to time specially during the fiesta. Also according to Brandon the place is now owned by the government, just like any other property on the islands of El Nido, when you want to buy a piece of land or an island among the 45 islands, all the government gives you are ‘rights’ to the property and there are certain clauses and only a number of years that you can actually use and own it.

I did not feel like going inside the abandoned house. It was huge and it towered over us and from the outside it looked dark. Matinloc Shrine is a very quiet place and places like that just automatically gives you the feeling that you should talk in hushed tones.

Since there were still people taking pictures on the top most part of the island, we opted to go the shrine itself. But 
some of us inlcluding J had to go all the way to the back of the shrine where a small beach like area can be found.

The shrine for Our Lady of Matinloc is beautiful.  The pillar and the floors are all made of marble including the altar where the statue was perched.

There is a heart shaped rock at the bottom of the altar, it symbolizes Matinloc which I have come to know is how the island actually looks like from an aerial view.

Brandon’s Fun fact: (again)

The altar rotates every 4 hours when there were still people living in the area. (Whether that fact is true or not, it’s for you to find out. J )

The abandoned house

Finally we were making our way to the top. J was the first to get there and quickly found herself a spot for pictures. I’ve been to places that make you want to say “I’m on top of the world.” I’ve been on top of mountains and lighthouses, but nothing comes close to the feeling I had when I was at the so-called view deck. It was breathtaking. I can’t describe it enough. I say you do not miss the chance to take the tour to Matinloc Shrine when you are in El Nido.

I can sit here all day.

Bird's eye view courtesy of Brandon the Great

It has it's own dock

5^th Stop: The Secret Beach

This was one of my main reasons for coming to El Nido and learning to swim before getting there. Matinloc Island’s Secret Beach is said to be the inspiration for Alex Garland’s novel, The Beach. Yes, that Leo DiCaprio flick that you loved that was actually shot in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand).

As we neared the entrance to the Secret Beach the waves got harder. Now remember we just came from lunch and since our boat was smaller than what we were on yesterday I was already feeling myself get sea sick. Our boat did not dock near the entrance since there were other boats there as well, so we had to dock a bit farther and we needed to swim our way to the entrance.  To ease my dizziness I jumped into the water and held on the buoy held by Brandon. With my snorkeling gear on I dipped myself in the water and waited for Brandon to pull us towards the entrance. Imagine my surprise when I figured that the strong waves were only on the surface of the water that all my seas sickness disappeared as soon as I was swimming with them.

I was awed when I saw the entrance before me. I knew from research that it was small but I was not expecting it to be that small. Brandon had to take our two companions one at a time and in a lying position to get through. I almost laughed when he literally dragged them in lying down. When he came back to get J and I, I thought he was going to drag us in as well, but no, he and Kapitan just held on to the same buoy we were holding and told us to snorkel our way in.

Imagine my surprise when I saw what the entrance really looked like. The small entrance visible to the eye was only the topmost part of a deep crevice in the entrance. It was so deep and we were rushing in that I did not have enough time to look at how deep it goes. Once we were past that I nearly lost my breath as I saw a big rock almost right in front of me. Water was suddenly shallow and soft corals were beneath our feet. Brandon kept telling us to swim in but the rocks and corals seemed so near to my swimming body that I found it hard to move forward. As soon as it was shallow enough I gave up and just waded my way to the middle of the water.

I was awed…again. (How many times do I have to use the word ‘awe’ when describing El Nido?)

A secret no more! :)

The water was shallow at that time, but it was crystal clear. Towering  limestone formations have shielded us from what was outside. It was truly magnificent. We only stayed there for a few minutes since more tourists were coming in, but I will never forget the feeling that it gave me and the same feeling it gave me when we made our way out and passed through that beautiful crevice again.

It’s a good thing that the government did not allow The Beach to film there, from what I have heard the shooting of the movie in Koh Phi Phi has caused too much damage to the ecosystem because they actually had to reshape the natural beach.

The Secret Beach is for me the best part of Tour C, it is as what we had called it a ‘buwis- buhay’ trip because of the strong waves and the small entrance, but it was all worth it.

6^th Stop: Cadlao Lagoon.

Another snorkeling spot. The water is calm and there are a lot of huge and beautiful corals to see and colorful and beautiful fishes that pass you by. Brandon told us that they do not allow to feed the fish simply because it disrupts the eco system. And if I had paid enough attention to him to remember all he was saying about the fishes and the corals instead of keeping my head underwater I would have written all he said down here.

But that’s just the thing with being surrounded by all these wonderful creatures of the sea and the amazing corals, it catches your attention and mesmerizes you to no end.

It was also our last day in El Nido. J decided we spend the last day in Palawan over at Puerto Princes and do a city tour instead of going to Nacpan and enjoy the beach.

We capped off our last night in El Nido by going all the way to the Cadlao Resort and Restaurant, where we had dinner and some drinks. Unfortunately, because you we went out a little late and you had to take a long walk to get to Cadlao (not to mention passing by the town cemetery on the way there which kinda gave me creeps and made me walk a little faster causing me to step on J’s slippers) we missed the sunset. Oh well, there’s still a next time and we’ll surely catch it by then. 

Lakbayan

My Lakbayan grade is C. I still have a lot to go to in the country and I am planning to complete every place on my bucket list.

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Travel Tips

I feel like I should post something like this before I go on with my El Nido adventure posts. I don't exactly call myself well traveled but being on trips for years now I have probably learned a thing or two that are worth sharing to others specially those who are just starting the wanderlust kind of life.

I will be updating this from time to time so be sure to check back. :)

Flight Schedules

When choosing for flights to book try to book the earliest flights possible specially if you’re going to a remote place that you still need to drive to actually get there. We normally book flights from as early as 4am to 10am. In that case whatever cause of delay the airline or the airport has you would not lose an entire day sitting your butt at the airport and waiting for departure.

Travel Time

With El Nido being a 6 hour drive from Puerto Princesa J and I had to consider the travel time in booking our flight dates. Both of us do not like our vacations rushed and feeling unsatisfied by the end of the trip so we always make it a point to consider our to and from trips a whole day thing. It helps because you get to count the actual days you stay in the island and how much time you actually have to rest after flying in, tour the places and relax before flying out. 

Airport Check In

Finally the self check in kiosks in NAIA 3 for Cebu Pacific are now working. If you do not have check in baggage you can opt to use this to get your boarding pass and seat number. It actually saves you time instead of falling in line waiting for your turn at the check in counter. 

You can also utilize the Web Check in feature of the airline which is the same as the self check in one. With this you can print your own boarding pass before leaving for the airport or fall in line at the check in counter and ask them to print it for you, all they need is your ID, no need to print your Itinerary receipts. 

Research

If it is your first time going to your destination, it is a must to research all necessary details before booking hotels and travel tours (if needed). You need to know what's going on and which options are better and to be aware of the things that you can and cannot do. Travel blogs are a great help to know how to start and end your trip. Read a lot and take notes. 

El Nido. Day 02

Day 2: Tour A

After eating our continental breakfast in Telesfora, with a serving of an amazing wheat bread, we headed to the town to make it in time for the 9am island tour.

Aside from the tour price (1200 for Tour A) you need to pay an additional 200 pesos for the Eco Tourism Development Fund which is used to sustain the protection of El Nido’s natural resources from tourism. This is valid for 10 days, which means you only have to pay it once if you plan to go on island hopping tours in El Nido within a 10 day period.

That's our boat!

We had a very nice boat for the tour which has a capacity of 36 passengers. It was clean and I was very comfortable sitting at the front. The best camera angles and views are seen from the front part of the boat so try to secure yourself a seat there if you can.

Tour A consists of Lagoon tours and Snorkeling.

First Stop: Small Lagoon

The Small Lagoon is right behind that

It’s like your official entry to the islands of El Nido. As the boat comes close to the entrance of the small lagoon it feels like it is giving you a preview of what the rest of El Nido looks like; hidden beaches, hidden lagoons and limestone cliffs every where.

Since we have a big boat we were not able to come close enough to the entrance of the small lagoon, so we all had to take our life vests and swim to the entrance.

Now if you do not know how to swim the friendly and capable tour guides will always help you. There is a lifebuoy available in the boat and what the travel guides will do is let you hold on to it while they swim all the way to the entrance dragging you with them. Don’t worry because they check on you time after time to make sure you’re okay.

On the other hand if you think you’re not brave enough to do that you can rent a kayak when you sign up for the tour and you can use that to get yourself in and out of the small lagoon.

We did not rent a kayak but since J had started to be friendly with our very friendly and funny tour guide Brandon the Great, he was nice enough to let us use one of the kayaks that was on the boat.

Now, I’ve never kayaked before. I only learnt how to swim when I went to Boracay with my family this May, but I guess that is what El Nido does to you, it makes you want to go into the water and experience it for all it has to offer. So we took the kayak and J decided she’d paddle because she knows how to. But since the kayak we were using seemed to ne just really for one person she was having a hard time paddling behind me and before we started arguing about sense of direction I offered to do the paddling for us. And boy…did I enjoy it! I did not want her to paddle again back to the boat.

2^nd Stop: Big Lagoon

entry to the Big Lagoon

those towering karsts. pardon the smoke. 

This I think is the most pictured part of El Nido, the Big Lagoon. The entry way made me feel like I was in one of those fantasy movies where in they have two towers on each side of the ocean .

The limestone karsts in the big lagoon Is just so amazing that even if the boat just passes through it, it will still leave you amazed.

It’s just that on our way here the boat before us was cooking lunch and was grilling on board spreading smoke that we were unable to get perfect pictures of the lagoon.

Fun Fact: Bourne Legacy shot their ending here in the Big Lagoon. According to Brandon, they were supposed to have a ship exploded there but the government did not allow it due to the possible damage on the marine resources.

3^rd Stop: Shimizu Island

Lunch time! One thing I love about this El Nido island tours is the food. From fish to pork to fruits….everything is well cooked and so delicious.

You don’t immediately eat when your boat docks in the island. With Caera travels Brandon and his team will cook the food first while the rest of you swim, snorkel and explore the island. Once it is done, they call everyone and make ourselves full of the island food. All fresh I must say! J

4^th Stop: Hidden Lagoon

inside the hidden lagoon

Another hidden wonder in El Nido. You have to swim to the entrance of the lagoon. This part did not impress me much, specially the water. I just like the fact that it is actually hidden. On the right side of the lagoon by the rock formations is a rock that looks like a crocodiles head and behind that is like a sketch of the Last Supper.

Can you see the Last Supper? How about the Crocodile head?

5^th Stop: Tapuitan Island

This is a snorkeling spot. Again if you know or is brave enough you can take your snorkeling gear and your life vest and dive straight to the water and enjoy the wonders under the sea. If not, the helpful guides, in our case Brandon is more than willing to drag you on the lifebuoy around the island.

6^th Stop: Seven Commandos Beach

Who wouldn’t want to just swim around after almost a day of snorkeling? We do. It is a beach but you can’s actually swim the length of it. You can only swim within the visible perimeters probably because the water gets suddenly deep at some point.

There isn’t much to do here unless you want to go to the bar at the left end side of the beach and buy drinks or kayak around the beach.

It was raining when we got back to town. We had to go back to the hotel and take showers and since we were still feeling full from the island lunch J decided to just lounge by the beach. Trust J to find San Mig Apple in El Nido. No San Mig Apple, well we move on. Lucky for us Coco Bar serves it. We sit by the beach and watch people walk by as we drink our cold beer to cap off our first island tour.  

El Nido 2014. Day 01

El Nido. A place that used to just be a dream. A place I often heard of as one of the expensive places in the country. I never really thought I’d set foot in this place…until early this year when J booked our Puerto Princesa flight.

Initially we were supposed to be in El Nido this May but since we both had to take separate family vacations, the trip was pushed as far back as the first week of June.

El Nido is a 5-6 hour drive from Puerto Princesa. Getting there you are presented with two options (a) the bus (b) private vans. When I was doing the itinerary and the bookings for our trip we initially opted to take the local bus to El Nido since it is cheaper than the vans. But being worried about the weather conditions and the length of travel time, made me think thrice and coordinated with our place of accommodation for van transfers.

Our supposed flight ETD was 4:30am, but the plane probably left Manila past 5am due to circumstances I am not aware of I think it is because we only have one runway and there are tons of flights leaving our 4 airport terminals every hour. ( I already finished reading this month’s edition of Smile magazine and we still have not taken off). In all fairness to the pilot…we made it to Palawan a little less than 6am.

Now, I recommend getting a window seat over by the left side of the plane when flying into Puerto Princesa specially in the wee hours of the morning (4am-6am flight). Why? You will be amazed to see how the clouds are comfortably sitting atop the mountains of Palawan. It is wonderful and I was really awed even if I was just sitting right next to J who always has the window seat.

(Sorry no pictures of that. I’m pretty sure J took some but I haven’t seen them yet.)

Since we did not have any checked in baggage, J and I immediately made our way outside the airport looking for the person in charge of picking us up for the van. Telesfora (our choice of accommodation) has arranged for us to ride with the Eulen Joy van company who makes daily trips to El Nido on an after every hour schedule. If you have not had your hotel arrange your van transfer, Eulen Joy’s dispatch office is just right outside the airport, to the right of the exit gate. This is much easier and near than riding a tricycle and going all the way to the San Jose terminal to ride the buses and other van service to El Nido. All van services to and from El Nido have the same price, 600Php. (malayo malapit)

The downside to riding a van for 5-6 hours is that it hurts my butt and that there is little to no leg room compared to buses where you have enough space to stretch and you have your own AC directed at you. But riding a van with more or less 10 people in it makes room for meeting fellow travelers and sharing a good laugh and short stories with them along the way. We arrived at El Nido around 1:30pm. We quickly made our way to Telesfora and then hopped on a tricycle to the town to book our island tours for the next 2 days.

When we had our stop over to El Nido J had the chance to talk to 2 of the people we were riding with in the van and they recommended for us to get our island tours with CAERA Travels and Tours. So that’s what we did. Even after attempts to ask for prices from other tour coordinators we booked our tours with Caera for the next 2 days. We took Tour A and C which are the most popular of the 4 tours that El Nido has. Again, tours in El Nido are at a standard price, so wherever you inquire they will give you the same prices (except of course if you haggle…which you can always do…but only up until a certain price.)

You have to book your tours early in El Nido since they have slots to fill. And if you are looking at taking a tour immediately the next day after you arrive I suggest you do what we did and book your tours the day before. After booking our tours we opted explore the town and some of the famous places written in travel blogs all around about El Nido. We went in and ate pizza at Altrove. Very cozy and the pizza was large and it simply tasted delicious. I was almost not able to finish my last slice. It’s thin crust and baked on a brick oven.

Altrove Pizza

Cozy enough? @Altrove

Most establishments around El Nido do not allow you to take your slippers and your shoes inside. Be aware and look for signs that say “Barefoot only”. This is a way for them to minimize the sand that are in your footwear to get in to their property, because let’s face it, it is hard to clean up scattered sand. But you don’t have to worry about leaving your Havs or Crocs outside, no one will take them.

Poblacion

If you do not have TV in your hotel room (which is the case with Telesfora) you can spend your time in the town, exploring establishments, eating, drinking booze or waiting for the magnificent sunset. Sunsets in El Nido will never let you down.

I call this the 'pink' sunset :)