Philippines Travel Guide
Philippines Travel Guide seeks to share the vibe of an authentic experience through our idea of adventure travel for explorers and memory seekers in the Philippines.
Philippines Travel Guide seeks to share the vibe of an authentic experience through our idea of adventure travel for explorers and memory seekers in the Philippines.
We spent 3 days (Day 21-23) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan in the Region of MiMaRoPa, where we got the chance to lay eyes on the world-famous underground river. On top of that, we were able to lure around the beautiful beaches and historical sites on motorbike. Our 3-day island experience on this stunning haven gave us enough reasons to head towards the Northernmost tip of Palawan and get mesmerized with El Nido for another 2 days (Day 24-25).
Do you know why a lot of people came to visit El Nido, Palawan? Let me tell you why. Imagine that you are surrounded by more or less 45 wonderful islets, boasting its own unique geological forms. It feels like you are in a travel movie, right? When visiting El Nido, you will not only find scenic places to visit, but also wonderful coastal restaurants and cafes, over-water bungalows, budget-friendly hostels, and limitless adventures to try.
As usual, our day started early. We were picked up by our pre-arranged transport at Ricgem Place , Brgy. Maligaya El Nido, Palawan for our island-hopping trip (Tour A) . It was our fifth time visiting the island, and the place has changed a lot over the years. Seeing how it improved was unbelievable.
Mass tourism could have triggered all these developments in El Nido. Nine years back, this elongated island was just a backpacker’s paradise. But now, its vast and broad city roads and highways are mostly paved. The villages grew three-folds, as they are now being overrun by tourists from across the globe. Local guests on the island are conspicuous too.
Unfortunately, the weather was quite unpleasant during our island hopping trip. But, we began our El Nido tour by visiting the 7 Commandos Island . There, we met Tom, a Swiss national who has fantastic ideas. Also, he is the owner of the Vellago Resort, an upper-class resort with stunning views of the ocean and the surrounding islands in the Bacuit Archipelago. The place is perfect for romantic getaways and honeymoon.
Are you one of the many people who think of posh island resorts upon hearing the word “El Nido”? The truth is, tourists on a budget never run out of accommodation options in this woderful island. You need not spend a fortune just to have a relaxing stay in El Nido. Can’t afford a room in a luxurious five-star hotel in the Bacuit archipelago? Spend the night at one of the many budget-friendly hotels, hostels, and even Airbnbs on the mainland.
El Nido, Palawan is one of the few areas in the Philippines, where solo travelers can visit comfortably and affordably. If you are a backpacker, guesthouses and hostels are the best options for you.
Backpacker hostels in El Nido usually cost around PHP 550 or USD 11 per person per night. Sometimes, you get to share the space of a 10-bed dormitory with other tourists, which can get you new friends along the way.
Staying in a hotel while on vacation does not have to be expensive. There are different budget hotel options that you can choose from, which are a few minutes away from the port.
Conveniently located at the heart of El Nido Palawan, some of these budget hotels provide a great view of El Nido Bay. Prices range from PHP 1,000 to PHP 1,500 or USD 20 to USD 30 per night, depending on the season or demand, and type of room you choose.
If you want to make the best of your stay on the island, you can book at one of El Nido's luxurious hotels. It comes with first-class amenities, which usually include an outdoor pool, a library, a bar, a restaurant, and a spa – perfect to cap off a fun-filled stay.
Ranging around PHP 10,000 to PHP 25,000 or USD 200 to USD 500 per night, some luxury hotels have villas near the infinity pool, directly facing the beach. Others are perched on limestone cliffs or trees. The sweeping views of the ocean, the green mountains, and the private white sand beach are right in front of your eyes.
For most tourists, a short stay is not enough to discover all the must-see gems of El Nido. Its outpouring beauty deserves a longer stay on the island. That being said, booking an Airbnb is most ideal.
You can rent out an Airbnb for approximately PHP 500 or USD 10 per night. Does an extended stay in El Nido sound interesting to you? Go ahead and check out other available listings for more affordable rates and discounts for long-staying guests.
Next stop was Shimizu Island , another adorable destination in El Nido,Palawan. Many boats had already anchored on the islet, which made the space for our lunch pretty crowded and uncomfortable. There was no point in stopping here for lunch. So, I (Dani) decided to go snorkeling, but the sea was rough because of the strong wind that day, leaving the water murky.
From there, we moved towards the so-called Small Lagoon located in the west of El Nido, Palawan. But we could not go in it, as it was teeming with guests like us. The Big Lagoon on Miniloc Island is one of the best places to visit in El Nido. It is more of an open bay than a lagoon, which you can enter by boat. However, it was just too crowded at that time. I went snorkeling instead, but then again, there was not much to see.
In this El Nido travel guide, you will learn about how to travel around, what foods to try, and what activities to do.
If planning a trip to El Nido, check out the Google My Maps below to experience activities and adventures, and get to know different routes and directions, accommodations to stay, attractions to visit, and restaurants to dine in. Visit the El Nido travel Google My Map to learn more about our Philippines Travel routes and adventures.
We allowed ourselves to get more sleep than usual, because we felt we needed it. Ricgem Place in El Nido Bacuit, our accommodation, is situated in a quiet area on the island. So, resting comfortably was never a problem. Another thing that we love about this budget place is the extraordinary service and the friendly competent staff.
For this day (Day 25), we rented two motorbikes, and started to go north for our tour exploring El Nido by motorbike. First, we headed to the deserted Lio Beach, located 6 kilometers North of El Nido proper, and approximately a 30 minutes drive.
As a perfect place to relax from the bustling city life, this white sand-spanned beach offers a handful of accommodation, activities, and food choices. There were big construction projects going on around the area at that time. New resorts were built to meet the continuously increasing tourism visits in Palawan.
We left Lio Beach and drove for approximately 40 minutes to see what awaits us in Nacpan Beach. This powdery paradise is located around 17 kilometers away from El Nido town center. The beautiful 4-kilometer stretch of crystal clear azure water and cream-colored sand beach is ideal for swimming, relaxing with friends, or enjoying a few drinks.
Aside from a few simple restaurants and stalls around, there were bungalows for rent right on the beach for a comfortable night stay. Bodyboarding and beach volleyball are activities that will make your Nacpan experience more enjoyable. We then set up the camera to take some great photos of the unbelievable sunset.
It got darker, so we rode back to our accommodation in El Nido. Traveling at night is only recommended for experienced motorbikers. Fortunately, we have working lights, so we ride proactively with full focus.
Planning for an El Nido trip, yet you do not have an idea on what to do on this astonishing island? Here’s a catch. This laid-back town on the northern part of the island of Palawan is the finest place to start exploring the oceanside cliffs and gorgeous white sand beaches in the Bacuit archipelago. When night falls, the town transforms into a great destination to sip a cocktail on the beach while grooving to Reggae music. Here are some activities that you should include on your travel list.
There are many tour providers in El Nido that provide almost the same itinerary on shared tours. El Nido Island Hopping Tour A, B, C, and D packages include food, van ride, accommodation, local and professional tour guides, and snorkeling equipment. But, El Nido Island Hopping Tour A and Tour C are the best-rated among all these packages. Still undecided on what option to choose? It helps to do a Google search to compare prices and package inclusions.
Traveling from El Nido town to the famed beach of Nacpan by a motorbike only takes approximately 40 minutes. Duli Beach in Brgy. Bucana, far north of the island of El Nido Palawan, is just 1-hour motorbike drive. If you love surfing and you want to experience its perfect wind and wave conditions, this is a must-visit destination.
Want some more adventure? Listen up! Trek in Kuyawyaw Falls, a hidden wonder behind the tropical forest in Brgy. Cataban Taytay, El Nido Palawan. It takes approximately 1 hour to get a refreshing plunge in the 3 of the 5 waterfalls of Kuyawyaw Falls, which is made available to the public.
Note: When visiting the less-trafficked destinations in the Philippines by motorbike, make sure to arrange your trip during the right season. This ensures that your travel plans are not affected by the unpredictable weather and water conditions.
Your El Nido experience can never be complete without visiting Nacpan Beach. On the days where the water is warm and clear, you will see how the beach slowly creates the ideal conditions for body surfing, as the small waves roll in a repetitive pattern. Topping that up, end the day with a sight of the magnificent sunset.
Palawan Freedivers, a freediving school that is run by Florent. He is a Frenchman who recently made the Philippines his home. Because of his passion for freediving, he opened a freediving school in El Nido. This is to share the benefits of such activity to the human mind and body. It does not only let divers explore their underwater surroundings, but also relaxes their mind and pushes them to their limits.
Check out the Google Maps below, to have an overview of the entire 51 days of Philippines travel adventure including exciting attractions and activities we did, destinations we explored, and travel directions in the Philippines.
Adventures and fun times are unlimited when you visit the Philippines. Our encounters with the country’s attractive scenery and people were unforgettable. Here is a complete overview of the Philippines Travel Diary experience for our 51 Days trip to the different destinations in the Philippines in 2017:
Zak and Dani created the Philippines Travel Guide while on 51 days Philippines travel adventure in 2017. Focused on the idea to explore travel routes and documenting location information by using the Google Maps application in the Philippines.
We created a detailed Philippines travel diary each day about our Philippines eco-adventure traveling experiences, including the production of pictures and videos of our trip through the Philippine archipelago.
Philippines Travel Guide is passionate about helping other self-minded adventure travel lovers, to make the best out of the trip to the Philippines by providing real information that passionate travelers and enthusiasts need to know about the archipelago.
Philippines Travel Guide is an ongoing process to work out public shared and detailed Google MyMaps of the entire Philippines to provide easy navigation for travelers.
This website also contains a collection of interesting authentic insights and travel tips and tricks and destinations in the Philippines.
El Nido, Palawan, is home to the many beautiful places on the planet. Have a sight of the hidden lagoons, limestone formations, sandbanks, and beautiful islands with white beaches and crystal clear waters. These are just a few of the highlights of the Philippines’ 7,600 islands.
During our two-day (Day 24-25) travel adventure to El Nido, we hopped on islands and lagoons by banca. We also explored the stunning line of white-sand beaches by rented motorbike, snorkeled on its cool waters, and experienced freediving. Watching the sunset by the beach was such a remarkable experience too. Hitting Palawan roads on a motorcycle at night was a dare we enjoyed a lot.
Looking forward to traveling to El Nido? Take a look at the activities we listed above, especially the famous island hopping trips and diving.
The next two days (Day 26-27) of our Philippine adventure experience will be the continuation of our El Nido Motorbike Adventure & Puerto Princesa Island-Hopping Tour. We were thrilled to unfold the challenges that awaits us in this lovely cove in MiMaRoPa Region.
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Philippines Travel Guide seeks to share the vibe of an authentic experience through our idea of adventure travel for explorers and memory seekers in the Philippines.
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