EL NIDO PALAWAN 2014 - DAY 3

This is my El Nido Palawan 2014 travel blog. It was really an awesome experience to witness the beauty of this paradise and see it personally for the very first time.

DAY 3 -

Good Morning El Nido Palawan!!! It's Island Hopping day! Kuya Rodrigo made an offer for us to avail of the combination tour which is Tour A + C. Cost is Php1,500 per pax inclusive of everything (with lunch already, snorkling gears and towels). We first had our breakfast at the same carinderia we visited the night before and I ordered cornsilog. After that, we passed by the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in El Nido and thanked the Lord for our safe arrival and stay in El Nido. As we returned to Tay Miloys, Kuya Rodrigo said that the other group is already waiting for us in Bacuit Bay (they are also guests at the inn and there were 6 of them).

Tour A + C... they say that if you are a first timer
in El Nido, you must choose this first...

It didn't take too long and the boat for our Island Hopping tour arrived and we met Kuya Raffy and the rest of the guys who took great care of us on this awesome adventure. And so we headed on to the ocean and started our journey to experience the best of El Nido's Island Hopping tour. As what I mentioned, we avail the combination tour which is Tour A + C. Kuya Raffy said that because of the distance of each island that we will visit, we will first do Tour C which includes the following: Helicopter Island / Hidden Beach / Matinloc Shrine / Secret Beach and Star Beach.

We passed by Cadlao Island and it was really amazing. After that we finally arrived in Helicopter Island but I thought that the water there is somewhat deep so I just opt to take some pictures.

Cadlao Island it is! 

Helicopter Island!

Astig di bah?!

This is amazinggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After 10 minutes, Kuya Raffy said that we need to move on and we then sailed toward the vast ocean onto Matinloc Island where the next stop, Hidden Beach is located. The boat ride got a bit scary as the waves grew bigger and the boatmen explained that it's because we are already in open sea and it is actually normal. We arrived at Hidden Beach and one needs to wade through the water but you need to balance yourself as the pounding waves are a bit rough. Also, make sure to wear your slippers and don't go on barefoot since you will need to walk through rocks and better be careful so as not to get wounded since these are quite sharp.

This is just wonderful... nuff said!

We entered a small cave and on the other side is a magnificent beach which is literally hidden. There are a lot of foreign and local tourist and the water is refreshing and shallow and you can see fishes swimming below. One Kuya pointed out a coral where "Nemo" dwells but suddenly I felt something bit me on my legs. Kuya laughed and said that it is just another kind of fish that is actually territorial and tends to bite on anything that goes near it's hideout. Of course we made sure to swim on this wonderful beach and take pictures and after 10 minutes or so, Kuya Raffy said that we need to go on to our next stop which is Matinloc Shrine.

Hidden Beach!

The boat docked and one can see the magnificent shrine of Matinloc. We took pictures and what I liked most is the one wherein there is a statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the beach. We also climb a staircase where you can see the scenic view and you literally need to climb up a limestone karst. Such a wonderful sight once you are on top! 

Welcome to Matinloc Shrine!

Very nice!

Thank you Lord for the blessings! =)

Climbing the limestone karst of Matinloc

I'm on top! 

After this, we moved on to our next stop which is Secret Beach, now this one is a real challenge since the boat will dock near a small cavern and you must swim to be able to get inside the Secret Beach. The waters depth is around 20 feet and you must bring your snorkel to appreciate the view of the oceans' bottom. And so upon entering the small cave entrance, you will witness a beautiful place and it is literally a "Secret" Beach. The lime stones are old and you can just imagine how it was formed millions of year ago. Sadly, we were not able to take pictures here because we do not have an underwater camera but that is fine with me. The most important thing is I was able to see and experience this awesome secret wonder.

It's already lunch time and our boatmen searched for a place where we can relax, swim and eat our lunch. Upon docking on a small beach area, the Kuya's prepared our meal while all of us snorkled our hearts out. Such beauty as we saw lots of different fish, sea creatures and corals. This is really the best part as you will appreciate nature at it's best! After that, lunch is ready and we all had a merry time afterwards.

I just love snorkeling! =)

Lunch Time with the group... =)

Yum, yum yum! =)

Soon it's time to move on with the tour and Kuya Raffy said that it's time for us to do Tour A. First stop is Secret Lagoon. Same as with Secret Beach, there is a small cave entrance but with this one, you just need to wade again but still the rocks are slippery so better be careful. As we enter the cave, there are these huge limestone walls surrounding the lagoon itself and it was really beautiful. We didn't stay too long as we still need to get on the next stop. 

Secret Lagoon!

We sailed on and we stopped at the middle of the sea with 2 big limestone cliffs in front of us. I was sure it was Shimizu Island and this is the best spot that we had for snorkeling. Lots of fish, small and big ones as well as beautiful corals can be seen beneath the ocean floor. I was so mesmerized with this and I just don't want for it to be over yet. However, Kuya Raffy said that it's time for us to go the the famous lagoons. And so we headed on to the next stop, both the Big Lagoon and the Small Lagoon.

We entered the Big Lagoon and didn't waste any time and we took pictures immediately as this is one of the most famous and popular spot and highlight of the tour. Such calm waters and beautiful rock formations. It really is a marvel. Soon we entered the small lagoon but it is just the same only that you must enter again a small entrance. Kayaking is perfect here but since we don't have enough time, we just settled in swimming around the lagoon and appreciate the beauty of this wonder of Mother Nature.

Big Lagoon!

After this, we all sailed back to the main island and our last stop is 7 Commando. Kuya Raffy provided us a lot of valuable information as to why it's called 7 Commando. Upon arrival, there are stores wherein you can buy some refreshments and then we decided to at least have a light booze before ending the tour. Such a beautiful sunset in 7 Commando! I will make sure to be back here and appreciate more things that El Nido has to offer.

7 Commando Beach! =)

Sunset at 7 Commando! =)

We then returned to Bacuit Bay and that is the end of the Island Hopping tour. Of course we gave some gratuities to our boatmen and the Kuya's as they did a good job in taking good care of us and we really appreciate it so much. The group returned to Tay Miloys and we had some chit chat before cleaning up and taking a shower. What a day it was! Such beauty of El Nido, I promised to myself that I will be back again to experience the other awesome tours and activities of this paradise.

Well, my post will end here as sad to say, unfortunate events happened that night, (I will not talk about it here). I was actually the one who created the itinerary but somehow, it was not followed because of the reason I said above. But still I will tell you of the original plan that was supposed to happen on our DAY 4 and DAY 5 of El Nido / Puerto Princesa Palawan itinerary and also the things that just happened on those days. Here they are:

DAY 4 -

Original Plan:

Climb Taraw Cliff at 5AM - 10AM

Be back at Tay Miloys and check out at 12 Noon

Van from El Nido back to PPS

Check in at Prima Residences - Puerto Princesa

Dinner and booze in Tiki Bar - Puerto Princesa

What happened?:

Woke up, breakfast in tapsilogan

I just walked around the town, bought a fruitshake and some souvenirs

Van from El Nido back to PPS

Check in at Prima Residences - Puerto Princesa

Slept

DAY 5 - 

Original Plan:

Breakfast at Prima Residences

Lunch

Half Day City Tour

Pasalubongs / Souvenirs

Dinner

PPS airport for the flight back to MNL

What happened?:

Breakfast at Prima Residences

Lunch at Razons near Junction One

Pasalubongs

Went to Robinsons Palawan

I bought a new smartphone (yeah, my old one was broken)

Dinner outside the airport

PPS airport for the flight back to MNL

And so there you go! After all, it was still a nice and memorable experience for me being able to visit El Nido for the first time. Well, who knows? Since there are still a lot of other awesome things to do in El Nido, I am sure that I'll be back again. Experience it for yourself! And for sure you will be glad if you do so. =)

- MYMOTOVIN | MARCHING ON!

EL NIDO PALAWAN 2014 - DAY 2

This is my El Nido Palawan 2014 travel blog. It was really an awesome experience to witness the beauty of this paradise and see it personally for the very first time.

DAY 2 -

Good Morning Puerto Princesa Palawan!!! I woke up very early around 4AM I guess? I took a shower immediately and made sure that all electronic devices are fully charged (it's a 5-6 hour travel time from PPS-El Nido). Breakfast was served at around 5:30 AM and Kuya Sonny of EJ Pension House prepared what I know is "danggit". It was a simple meal with rice, egg, coffee, and juice. Ate Evangelyn was very friendly and gave us some tips and reminders when going to El Nido. Such a wonderful staff at EJ Pension House! =)

free breakfast at EJ Pension House

After all the prepping up, Kuya Zaldy made me smile once again as he took the liberty of getting us a good deal for our van transpo from PPS-El Nido. He hired a van company (which I supposed he has affiliation with) and we a got a roundtrip van transpo for only Php1,000 per person! Wow! That's a sweet deal. As far as I know when I did my research, it would cost Php700 per person one-way if coming from the airport.

The van actually arrived in EJ Pension House and fetched us before heading to the airport to get more passengers. We rode the "Eulen Joy" van and there were other foreign and local travelers with us inside the van. I paid the full roundtrip van transpo and off we go for a long journey to El Nido Palawan. =)

Eulen Joy van going to El Nido Palawan

The ride was smooth but still there are other parts wherein the road gets bumpy and dusty. So make sure that you always get an air conditioned transpo (either van or bus - RORO). One thing to know is that there is only 1 stop on this 5-6 hour journey so be prepared and don't drink a lot of liquid before the journey so as not to make yourself pee while on the way. We made a stop at the "Bacuit Grill". Food here are served for reasonable prices and the comfort room is just okay. I think we stopped here for less than 30 minutes I guess?

The only stop that we had on our 5-6 hour journey

Bacuit Grill

Seashell decors

Smile pa rin, we're half way through na naman...

And so we continued on our journey to El Nido. As we approached the dusty road leading to this paradise, we were welcomed by the beautiful islets and turquoise waters of El Nido. All passengers on the van were just in awe and were simply amazed by the beauty of this town. We then arrived at the terminal and those huge and tall limestone cliffs are just breath taking. We then hired a tricycle ride and dropped us at our budget accommodation in El Nido which is Tay Miloy's. Trike cost is around Php50 for the 3 of us.

the bus and van terminal in El Nido, look at that cliff!

We arrived at Tay Miloys and my contact person there is Kuya Rodrigo who is such a nice and friendly person. But he is not there and the one who greeted us is Glen. He immediately guided us on our room and it was a small room with a bed that can fit 2 pax. Glen said that the extra bed/foam will be provided later on. The place is very simple and is just right for budget travelers. Total cost per person for the 2 nights stay is Php400. It is only a fan room with common cr. The cr is very spacious and well maintained. Yes! it really is a budget accommodation and I can say that the place is really nice if you are not that picky. =)

Tay Miloys signage

the small balcony where you can drink your coffee,
and mingle with fellow budget travelers

the street view, you can see lots of local and foreign
travelers walking around the street...

And so we unpacked our things and changed into our beach attires (lolz! got to hit the water right away!). It was just in time for lunch and what we did first is to walk around the town and do some sight seeing while searching for a place where we can fill our tummies. The Bacuit bay is just 5 minutes walking distance from Tay Miloys. We took some pictures first and then we settled on a small tapsilogan where I ordered longsilog and extra fried rice of course (Php65+). It was just a bit of a long wait since they are made to order and it will take around 10-15 minutes before your food is served.

Bacuit Bay! And you can see Cadlao Island in the
background

tapsilogan in El Nido

After lunch, we walked southward going to Corong Corong Beach. We passed by these huge limestone cliffs and it was really a sight to behold. We passed again the same bus and van terminal and realized that it is just a walking distance after all! We also passed by a market and bought some bananas that we can munch while walking on the road. We then walked on a small path leading to Corong Corong Beach. We had some picture taking before heading back to the main road where I contacted Kuya Arvin (the trike driver who took us from the terminal to Tay Miloys). We waited for him in front of the El Nido High School and off we go to our next stop, the Marimegmeg Beach! =)

huge limestone karst

Corong Corong Beach!

Such beauty!

Kuya Arvin arrived and brought us first to a place where one can see the whole scenic view of Marimegmeg Beach and the surrounding islets and islands. The round trip trike cost Php100 per person and the driver will actually wait for you.

scenic view of Depeldet Island

We arrived at the jump off point and one needs to walk a small path that will lead you to the beach area. It was around 5-6 minutes walking and there was a signage that will also lead you on a zip line adventure but we opt not to do it anymore (in budget, eh?). We then arrived at Marimegmeg Beach and it was so beautiful! Lots of foreign and local travelers swimming and sun bathing. We immediately had our photo shoot and walked on the shore line until we came across the magnificent Depeldet Island. =)

Welcome to Marimegmeg Beach!

spell Awesome? =)

what can you ask for? with the sky, cliffs, water,
the boat and the sand? just pure bliss!

this is just wonderful! you can actually see
the Zip Line on the background...

sunset at Depeldet Island

I am MARCHING ON!!! =)

so beautiful!

After those insane picture taking sessions, we headed back to the main beach area and of course we will not let the moment pass to swim at this very beautiful beach. The water is so refreshing and shallow. We also saw some people doing the Zip Line as it literally passes from the beach area to Depeldet Island. We really had a great time here and oh! by the way! this is free, okay? No entrance fee at all! (i mean the beach of course).

Panorama shot of Marimegmeg Beach and the nearby Depeldet Island

And exactly before the sun set, we headed back to the main road and Kuya Arvin is there waiting for us and brought us back to Tay Miloys. We took a shower and rest for a bit before going out again to find a place where we can have our dinner and some light booze to end the night. We stroll around Bacuit Bay again and it was high tide but no wind is blowing. Why? It's because of the full moon. Crazy isn't it? (lolz!). As usual, we are on a budget so we opt to eat on a simple restaurant but still this is not just another cheap carinderia since the place is very nice and there are foreign tourist who are patrons as well. Food is around Php100+ based on the menu and the selections. After dining, we had a little booze before ending the night and going back to Tay Miloys to have a good night rest and be ready for an awesome Island Hopping tour the next day. =)

Booze the night away! =)

Check out my next post of our El Nido Palawan 2014 - Day 3!!! =)

EL NIDO PALAWAN 2014 - DAY 1

This is my El Nido Palawan 2014 travel blog. It was really an awesome experience to witness the beauty of this paradise and see it personally for the very first time.

DAY 1 -

Our flight schedule was at 06:30 PM, November 07, 2014 via Air Asia Zest flight no. Z2 420. It was quite a bit of a worry since we were stuck in traffic while on our way to NAIA Terminal 4. Upon arrival, I tried to self-check in using the kiosks but was not able to do so since the outbound flight from MNL - PPS is already unavailable. A staff of Air Asia Zest said that we better check in at the counter right away. As we approached, the lady said that they are almost ready to close the check in counter. Whew! Thank goodness we still made it on time! =) 

Flight Z2 420 bound for Puerto Princesa (MNL-PPS)

Air Asia Zest Airbus A320 aircraft

All aboard!!!

Evening flight it is!!!

Wazzup?!

After almost an hour of flying over the Philippine archipelago with nothing but pitch darkness outside (of course, it was an evening flight!), we finally arrived at Puerto Princesa Airport (PPS) before 08:00 PM. I must say that it was a pleasant flight with Air Asia Zest. Upon arrival, we tried to take pictures in front of the PPS airport signage but darn, it was not worth the shot since the signage is not illuminated. Well, then, we just settled taking pictures inside the airport and with the "Welcome to Palawan" signage as our background. =)

Arrival @ PPS

Welcome to Palawan!

No offense but I got a bit annoyed because upon our exit from the airport, a lot of tricycle drivers approached us making offers for a ride and some of them even trying to negotiate and repeatedly asking us about where we are going to. Well, I totally understand them since that is what they do for a living. Just make sure to smile and politely decline their offer. As we walk outside the airport premises, I was amazed at the beautiful lights decorated on the trees. They looked like stars and I somehow felt that the Holiday season is on it's way. =)

Light decors on the trees outside the airport

Wow! Christmas nah ata! =)

And one notable experience that we had is while we were walking down the road on the way to our first accommodation in Palawan, Kuya Zaldy of EJ Pension House was actually outside the airport waiting for us! As far as I remember, I didn't request for any airport shuttle service since I know that we can just walk right outside the airport to EJ Pension House. It was a nice thing that Kuya Zaldy went above and beyond by surprising us with free transportation. We arrived at EJ Pension House (which I reserved at Booking.com). The room is nice and the air conditioning is good. Hot shower is also available and the whole place is very quite and relaxing. It was exactly Php357 per person for our 1 night stay in EJ Pension House (there were 3 of us). That's already a good deal not to mention Kuya Zaldy offered us "free breakfast" the next day as for the fact that we only stayed here for just around 10 hours (since we need to leave early the next morning for our travel going to El Nido Palawan.

 

EJ Pension House

Signage at the entrance gate

Ayos!!!

Effect na! Aircon is good and the room is clean and nice... =)

No time to watch TV! Gora na sa Kinabuchs, dali!!!

Single bed inside our room

Nice accommodation for those who are not picky!

Kuya Zaldy was so nice that he also made an offer to take us to Kinabuchs after I said that we plan to have our dinner there (free shuttle service again of course!). If ever you guys plan to stay at a place near the airport, I highly recommend that you consider EJ Pension House (Kuya Zaldy is the owner of course). And so off we go to Kinabuchs! Upon arrival, I noticed that there were not a lot of guests inside. Well, the hell do I care so we took some pictures first (again with the signage on the background, lolz!). We settled on a table and gave out our orders. Damn! I am so hungry already. Got to eat right away and of course booze the night away! =)

Welcome to Kinabuchs!

My 2nd time in Kinabuchs Palawan!

The huge outdoor screen projector, im not a
fan though of what's being shown... hehehe... 

We ordered a platter of rice, a pitcher of iced tea, 1 big bowl of bulalo, a plate of laing and I myself ordered 2 bottles of booze. We didn't bother to order the local and famous cuisines since the plan is to just eat a simple meal, get some booze and head back to the hotel again to get enough rest and sleep so as to be ready for the long journey the next day. Prices are very reasonable (Php200+) and servings are good for 2-3 persons (Booze is at Php60 per bottle).

Ayos toh!!!

The menu...

Lakas ng tama!!!

Tara! Let's eat! =)

So after an hour of dining and drinking, we all settled and went back to EJ Pension House and ready ourselves for an awesome El Nido Palawan trip the next day. Well this time, we had to commute on our own, kinda weird since according to the tourism staff at the airport, the rates for tricycle rides change during the evening... (really?!). And so we opt to get a trike back to EJ Pension House and it was Php40 for the 3 of us. Well, that don't matter anymore, we need to get a good night sleep immediately.



Check out my next post of our El Nido Palawan 2014 - DAY 2! =)