Trip to El Nido, Palawan - Day 3

On our official second day in El Nido, we wanted to have Tour B. But since there was only the two of us, the tour coordinator asked us to join a bigger group for Tour C - with Carlos and Christian (Argentinian), a couple from Poland, another couple (German and Malaysian) and one from London - and we gladly agreed. Little did we know that we were about to experience the biggest thrill and heart pounding experience in our lives.

The group

The winds were strong that day. No wonder the waves were also huge and even bigger in the open sea. Our first stop should have been the Hidden beach, a beach hidden from the human view as it is enclosed by towering cliffs, accessible only by swimming into a small passage fully covered by seawater. But our banca couldn’t dock near the passage because the huge waves may pound it toward the cliffs. Our tour guide decided that we visit the Matinloc Shrine first and go back to the beach on our way home.

The platform at Matinloc Shrine

For us to get to the shrine, we needed to go farther to the open sea as the shrine was on the other side of the island of cliffs. And I tell you, it was my most terrifying experience by far. There were some occasions when I felt like the banca was about to sink. I had the life jacket on, but it was still terrifying. Even my hubby, who can swim, got terrified.

The view from Matinloc Shrine

The shrine proved to be worth the experience. The view on top of the cliffs was amazing! It would make you really appreciate the wonders made by the Lord. Nothing can really compare to it. It was breath-taking! The turquoise green and blue waters, the sight of the nearby island – just awesome!

Star Beach

But no matter how beautiful it was, we had to move on to our next destination: the Star Beach. It was a small beach, but with waters good for snorkeling. This was where our friend, Christian, spotted a green turtle. This was also where we had our lunch – grilled chicken with fresh fruits.

Our lunch - grilled chicken

After a short rest, we went to the Secret beach. I initially had the courage to jump into the sea wearing a life vest, but the waves proved to be bigger than my courage, and my fear bigger than the waves. J And while staying in the banca waiting for the group, I nauseated and vomited. Gross! So let’s not get into details and let’s move to the next destination, the Helicopter Island.

Sunset at Helicopter Island

The island had long and wide stretch of white/cream sand. As usual, the beach was very clean. While the others were swimming/snorkeling, I made myself busy in taking pictures. It may be another 10 or 20 years before I could come back to this place.

The group before going back to the main land

Before going home, we visited yet another bonus island to experience the sunset. The day was tiring, but unforgettable. 

Trip to El Nido, Palawan - Day 2

El Nido means “the nest”. Its cliffs are the home of the bird whose nests are used in “nido soup” served by some of the most expensive restaurants. The nutrients it contains and the difficulty of getting it makes it very expensive. 

Island hopping was made affordable by the operators under the supervision of the Department of Tourism. Islands are grouped into different tours – Tour A, B, C, D and E – from the closest group of islands to the farthest. If you are alone, no need to worry because tour operators can include you in their group so you don’t have to pay for the whole banca alone. 

Me, Ron (hubby), Carlos and Christian off for Tour A

And that’s exactly what we did. We joined Carlos and Christian (both from Argentina), who also happened to be staying in La Casa Teresa to have Tour A. We paid Php 650.00 per head for 5 islands, inclusive of lunch. Not bad, right? 

Inside the towering cliffs of the hidden lagoon

Our first stop: the hidden lagoon. We had to go thru a small passage to get inside the lagoon covered by the towering cliffs. Seawater gets into the passage during high tide and leaves some of its waters inside during low tide, thus forming the lagoon. Though there’s nothing much to see in the lagoon, the beach outside was very nice – white sand, clean and peaceful. 

Exploring Shimizu island while waiting for lunch

After taking some pictures, we then went to the Shimizu island. The long and wide stretch of white sand made it a perfect place to relax and enjoy the breeze of the sea. While we were enjoying the crystal clear waters, our bankero was preparing our lunch – grilled pork chop and fish, and fresh cucumber and tomatoes. Yummy! 

The Big Lagoon

Our next destination: the Big and Small Lagoon. The big lagoon was very accessible by motorized banca. The water was very clear. And I mean very clear! I could see the rocks and sea urchins below. Unfortunately for me, I can’t swim so I did not swim to the small lagoon. Therefore, I really couldn't say anything about it. (sad)

7 Commando Beach

The itinerary’s last stop: the 7 Commando beach. According to Kuya Rodgie, our tour guide, it derived its name from the 7 Japanese soldiers who took refuge in the island during World War II. This island also had long and wide stretch of white/creamy sand. There was a local store selling fresh buko juice, cookies and other munchies. 

Refreshing buko juice

Minutes away from the sunset, Kuya Rodgie asked us to go back to the banca as he was taking us to a bonus island, which was not originally part of the itinerary. Although the island was not named, he said we would have a perfect view of the sunset. Indeed! Sunset – perfect!

I love sunset!