Dream trip that I would do over and over again! - Philippines
- thetooshaz
- Feb 23, 2019
- 6 min read
Have you ever thought of travelling to the Philippines? It has always been a destination on my list, but I never got the chance, until finally I made it happen and it is by far one of the best holiday experiences I have ever had.
If you know me well, then you know that I love beach destinations and if you do too, then seriously get yourself to the Philippines now! Before I booked the trip, I did a lot of research and I think the biggest challenge for me was deciding where I will be going within the Philippines, because there is just so much to do, yet I only had 10 days to do it in. After an endless search, I narrowed the trip down to Palawan - El Nido and then Cebu - Oslob, which I found to be the best spots to give me a little bit of everything I was craving from a holiday.
Let’s start with my experience in El Nido. This small and peaceful destination is home to 45 islands and islets each and is located in the North of Palawan. The Islands are full of impressive white sand beaches, mangroves and untouched nature. El Nido is perfect for island hopping with its crystal clear waters, hidden lagoons and caves. I don’t want to bombard you with too much information and logistics, but just want to summarize what we got up to and you can always contact me if you want any advice or tips ahead of your trip to the Philippines.
Island hopping all day, every day!
Island hopping is the best thing you can do in El Nido and when you arrive, you will quickly get accustomed to the 4 main tours offered by all agencies: A, B, C and D. There are signs everywhere!
There are so many tour agencies, so honestly, you don’t need to book in advance, you can just walk around the center - you can negotiate prices too (probably cheaper than pre-booking). I would also check if your hotel offers any tours because we were surprised to know that with our hotel booking, we got two free tours. With most agencies you book your tour with, lunch and drinks is part of the package - they cook on the boat during the trip and when lunchtime comes, they stop at an island, set up the table and chairs and you have yourself a little island feast.
Since our first two tours with the hotel were free, food was not included, however, we pre-ordered our lunch menu at the hotel's restaurant, which was decently priced and scrumptious too. The islands on every single tour are gorgeous, so don’t worry if you can’t decide which tour to go with, because trust me you will love wherever you go and you won’t be disappointed! As you know, El Nido attracts a lot of tourists, so you will see a lot of boats sailing off early morning heading to the islands and when you arrive, you will find quite a few boats there already.
After going on three different tours we decided to rent a private speed boat on the last day so that we could get the opportunity to beat the heavy crowds of tourists on each island and to repeat some of the islands we loved the most. The boats are a good size and they supply the snorkel, goggles and flippers if needed. TIP: try and book a boat that isn’t overcrowded. Here are some photos of the islands we visited.
Visit Nacpan beach by motorbike or shuttle Nacpan Beach is rated as one of the top 10 beaches in the world. Unfortunately, it was raining on the day that we went, so we couldn’t experience the beach as we would have liked, but we stopped at one of the beach huts and had something to eat while we waited for the rain to calm down so that we can head back to our hotel. The 45-minute ride to Nacpan is one in itself. Taking you through the countryside of Palawan, you can either rent a motorbike (500 PHP, $10 USD) or take a shared shuttle from the town. Since it was rainy, the motorbike we rented wasn’t the ideal scenario, but we made it work. Do be careful if you do choose to ride a motorcycle because the last 15 minutes on the way there are spent on a dirt track. There was also a very narrow bridge, or should I say a plank crossing that is quite hard to pass and we actually slipped (we were fine it was a very small fall, but it was the mud that got us).
Food and snacks Filipino food I have to say is quite different from what I am used to, but I loved it. Their food involves a lot of rice and meats and quite filling. You have to try their dried mango, banana crisps and their siopao (it is in the form of a large bun and you have a few filling options) and tempura shrimp flavored crisps - you can get all of these at any corner store.
Massage Fancy a massage? There are so many places to get a massage, but I got one at the hotel I was staying at (Dolarog beach resort), it was not a fancy spa, but I have to say that it was one of the best massages I have had in a very long time. I had the hot stone massage which was so relaxing. PS: It is also so very cheap in comparison to what I would pay for a massage in Dubai!
Rent a kayak or paddle board Almost every island you stop at you can rent a kayak, but the place I would say is the best opportunity to rent one is by the small lagoon where you Kayak into a narrow pathway between the mountains and you enter a paradise.
Places to stay
I stayed in two different hotels during El Nido trip, one of which was very urban and secluded and the other, which was more luxurious and modern.
This resort felt like I was in the middle of the wilderness. It felt like an exclusive island that was filled with little cottages alike surrounded by palm trees, wild monkeys and dogs. It was a very urban experience and I felt like an islander. The staff was great and breakfast and dinner was included as part of the package as well as a two-day tour to the islands. The little cottages each had a hammock on the terrace and ours was facing out to the sea. The staff were friendly and it felt like the island was ours. It is defo a good value for the money, however, it did feel a little secluded from everything. Also, bear in mind that the electricity goes off for a few hours a day. It didn’t really affect us because we were out most of the day, but it is annoying at night because it gets stuffy without AC. Also, if you want to commute anywhere, then you need to either go by boat or you have to walk when the tide is out. this place is perfect if you just want to lay back and relax.
For the second hotel, I stayed at Dolarog beach resort, which was closer to the center and it felt luxurious with an infinity pool looking out to the sea and another pool surrounded by greenery. The rooms were super clean and it was easier for us to commute from our hotel to the center with a tuk-tuk. It is nice to walk around the center and get a feel for the nightlife, there are some very nice social bars on the shoreline.
Top Tips for El Nido
Buy yourself a “dry bag”. They are sold all through the town (don’t forget to bargain). These will come in handy on all your island hopping tours.
The best time to visit is from December – May when the skies are clear and the rain is minimal.
Try and book a hotel with a generator so you can still use your A/C and fan.
Tour A covers the Small Lagoon and Big Lagoon of Miniloc Island. You should definitely kayak to enjoy the experience fully.
Tour B takes you to the caves and coves.
Tour C takes you to the most photographed place in El Nido, the Matinloc Shrine.
Tour D if you’re not a fan of snorkeling and just want to chill, then Tour D is perfect for you.
The second part of my trip I went to Cebu, Oslob where I swam with whale sharks! Click here to read more about my experience.
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