PUERTO PRINCESA | UNDERGROUND RIVER & HONDA BAY ADVENTURE [PHOTOS]

The second part of our Palawan adventure started when we rode back from El Nido to Puerto Princesa and completed our last three days. (CLICK HERE FOR MY EL NIDO POST)

Due to the set-backs in our memorable El Nido adventure, our time in Puerto Princesa was lessen to three days and ditched our plan for the city tour. Still, we pushed through with our Underground River and Honda Bay tour.

But just like El Nido: you must not miss the wonders in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

OUR VIDEO

PART 1: INFORMATION

I. AIRFARE TICKETS

If you have read the last post, you will know that we booked a P4,000.00 two-way airfare for two persons via Cebu Pacific. And it’s imperative that you have to book first before you plan your tour.

via Cebu Pacific

II. ACCOMODATION

So, typically you need to know that Puerto Princesa is a big city. It is a prominent city in Palawan to where the airport is located. Although there’s another one in Coron, Palawan and a planned airport directly in El Nido, but Puerto Princesa is the gateway anywhere on the island.

Since Puerto Princesa is a big city: you need to find yourself a place to stay. And there are a lot of affordable places to stay and it’s very easy to find. You can find a range of P500.00 – the expensive ones, and all you need to do is Google them.

Like:

1. Sheebang Hostel & Judy’s Resto Bar that has P900.00 room for 2 OR a Dormitory type that’s P350.00 per head.
2. JLC Hostel that has P800.00 room for 2 OR a fan room for P800.00 per head.
3. OMG Backpacker that has P660.00 room for 2 OR a Dorm room for P250.00

…and many other Hotel/Hostel/Dorms that are good for travelers both luxurious and backpackers.

Since some of these hotels I mentioned weren’t that much responsive to my texts, calls or Facebook messages, plus I don’t really have any idea if those affordable dorm type rooms are all air conditioned: I found one dorm type accommodation that got our booking.

 

TREE HOUSE INN

Malvar Street, 5300 Puerto Princesa City, Puerto Princesa, Philippines

CONTACT NO.: 09178929477 / +63 484340005

WIFI: YES – connection: slow

FACEBOOK: CLICK HERE

WEBSITE: http://www.treehouseinnpp.com/

 

They offer dorm type rooms that range from P450.00 for the cheapest price ++.  It’s a good deal especially when you’re on a budget. And the greatest thing about the dorm is that they can give you the lowest price of P400.00 per head if it’s a non-peak month.

Photo Courtesy of Tree House Inn.

If you ask about the place, well to start: it’s cozy; the rooms are cold and comfortable for six people; the lounge is warm, but it was fine (we get to order fast food with the help of the receptionist); and the bath/comfort rooms are well done. The place is quite far from the mall to where you could buy stuff that you needed. But that’s fine, because there are tricycles running everywhere that you could hire for about P25.00 per head.

The only caveat is that you can’t bring in shoes or slippers that you use outside. They have a strict rule that guests should leave them on the staircase entrance. It’s kind of cool at first, but you realize that a floor is a floor and you’re not the only ones living there for days. So what we did was that we bought ourselves slippers in Robinsons Place Mall Puerto Princesa exclusively for the dorm use.

Photo Courtesy from Tree House Inn

 

III. TOURS

Whenever you decide to where you’d be staying in Puerto Princesa, ask the receptionist if they offer tour packages for Underground River, Honda Bay, City Tour and other tours. Well, I think all of the hotels offer tour packages, and they mostly ask you if what tours you’d take. So it’s just very easy.

And what I’ve learned while gathering information is that all tours, like in El Nido, are all government regulated. But that’s depending on the package inclusions in a travel agency. But usually, it’s within the prices below:

(We got ours in Tree House Inn for)

 

Underground River – P1,700.00/head

Usual inclusions

– Tour Permit

– Pick up and drop off at hotel (within Puerto Princesa City) via air-conditioned van

– Entrance Fees

– Boat Fees

– Services of a DOT (Department of Tourism) Licensed Tour Guide

– Lunch

 

TIP: You have to book A MONTH ahead for the Underground River tour on PEAK months because the government regulates only 1,000 tourists every day for the conservation of the rock formations inside the cave. And if you don’t get an agency to book your tour, you have to do it for yourself and it’s a hassle.

 

Honda Bay Tour – P1,300.00/head

Usual inclusions

– DOT-Accredited Tour Guide

– Pick up from hotel within Puerto Princesa city proper and drop off at hotel afterwards

– Picnic Lunch

– Entrance Fees

– Life Jacket Rental per person

*Note: Environmental Fee (P40.00/person) is not included and will be charged to guests account (to be collected by Tour Guide on the day itself)

 

Honda Bay Itinerary:

Option 1: Pandan Island, Cowrie Island

Option 2: Starfish Island, Luli Island and Pambato Reef

 

Puerto Princesa City tour – P600.00/head

Inclusions:

– Baywalk

– Plaza Cuartel

– Cathedral

– Palawan Museum

– Crocodile Farm

– Mitra’s Ranch

– Baker’s Hill

– Iwahig Farm (optional)

 

TIP: We didn’t take the Puerto Princesa City tour because the dorm receptionist told us that we could do it on our own since it’s that easy. But if want a hassle free tour, you can always avail the city tour instead.

 

Firefly Tour – P900.00/head

*ideal for nighttime

*without dinner

The Underground River and Honda bay tours include sumptuous lunch.

 

III. TRANSPORTATION

There are two transportation methods in Puerto Princesa. From the airport, you have to either ride a tricycle or a jeepney. But I prefer the former because drivers can personally take you to your destination that’s only for less than a hundred pesos. But if you’ll stay in a luxurious hotel: they’re going to pick you up from the airport.

You don’t have to worry about transportation for your tours as well, since they have vans that will pick you up in your hotel and drop you back when the tour’s done.

Also, it’s easy to manage your way through the city with the help of a map… well, that’s if you’re not directionally dysfunctional like my partner. Although I’m not sure of the crime rate in Puerto Princesa, but our stay was smooth.

IV. OTHERS

You have to prepare for your food and tricycle/jeepney allowance especially when the hotel/dorm doesn’t offer breakfast or food, which is usual. But you can call any fast food if you want it delivered.

 

PART 2: ITINERARY

Here’s a sample itinerary of our time in Puerto Princesa which is the continuation of our El Nido tour (Read Here). Thankfully, there were no more set-backs in our time there:

DAY 1

• Arrival in Puerto Princesa
• Take tricycle to Tree House Inn
• REST (Actually we went out to watch Minions Movie, but you don’t need to know that.)

DAY 2: UNDERGROUND RIVER

7:00AM                –              Call time to Underground River

5:00PM                 –              Arrival from Underground River

DAY 3: HONDA BAY TOUR

7:00AM                 –              Call time to Honda Bay Tour

5:00PM                 –              Arrival from Honda Bay Tour

DAY 4:

8:00AM               –              Go to the airport

11:00AM              –              Flight back to Cebu

 

PART 3: EXPERIENCE

I. UNDERGROUND RIVER

I’ve always seen the Underground River in textbooks or in post cards. And when I already had the chance to visit Palawan: it was definitely on top of my list.

A van picked us up at Tree House Inn by 7AM and went straight to the port as the starting point. I sat between two Aussie lovers, which was too late for me to realize as the van pushed through. So I told them, “Sorry I split you two up… but you deserve it”… kidding.

Anyway, it was a 45 minute drive from the busy town; then passing by the wilderness. The tour guide told us that Palawan is labelled as ‘The Last Frontier’ of the Philippines due to the higher percentage of forest than civilization in the island.

It’s also a fact that a lot of mining businesses are interested in the island, and a lot of organizations keep these businesses out of nature’s way, like ABS-CBN. Still, there are a few who have been successful infiltrating. But I’m kind of hopeful that these scums would leave Palawan alone.

Anyway, there’s a quick stop over in Buenavista view deck which is either before or after the Underground River experience. The place offers a landscape view of the Ulugan Bay to where Vietnamese refugees landed to escape the war. Then I remembered that we passed by a small village dwelt by Vietnamese people… well, that explains it.

Panorama of Buenavista View deck

Also, on the way we get to see humungous rocks that look like those islands San Goku and Vegeta battles in Dragon Ball series. It was amazing to say the least. I mean, you get to realize that the place was somehow underwater millions of years ago, and the formations we saw were the aftermath: and it’s beautiful.

Then after, we arrived at the port to where we registered our names for the boats. I noticed that the port is actually spacious.

There were lots of vendors offering stuff. Especially to foreign tourists who were equally amused. But I had my eye on the ‘dirty ice cream’.

And then, we rode the boat that took us 15 minutes to reach the part of the island where the Underground River entrance is. When we landed and entered the forest: it suddenly all feels like the Safari theme park in Singapore, but a lot truer.

There were lots of visitors coming from different places in the world making me feel like we’re the clothing brand, United Colors of Benneton. And since we were too many, we waited for about an hour for our canoe.

Upon waiting, I discovered monkeys swinging above us and it was so cool. But what completes the safari experience was when the monkey stole food from one of the tourists… it’s just fun to see bad behavior every once in a while. Also, I have to add that the bat shit scent that’s coming from the inside of the cave smells like methane hell. And that’s the reason why it’s strictly illegal to bring flammable stuff there because once you lit it up: everyone’s blasted… literally.

Anyway, when we hopped on our canoe, we headed straight to the entrance of the cave. The Aussie dude pledged to hold the flashlight in front, and followed the boatman’s direction on where to point the spotlight.

And once we were inside: the rock formations stood out from the abyss. You will be stunned with the wonders of it, while the bats and birds living in the dark pilot their way in the darkness using their echolocation capabilities. And that’s amazing; I mean their hearing is spectacular given that mine is seemingly absent whenever my mother tells me to wash the dishes.

The tallest rock formation

Anyway, the waters were treacherous, and one wrong move from anyone on board would topple us down, and we would be swimming with the unknown creatures lurking beneath… like huge fishes, or Michael Jackson’s corpse… I don’t know.

(Click pictures to enlarge)

Inside, you will see formations of many things: from the Holy Family, fruits, vegetables, Titanic, and to genitals just like a penis hanging from the cave wall, reminding me about that Aussie dude who had gone commando that day. Yeah.

Then when we reached to the turning point of the cruise, I discovered that the tour inside is just ¼ of the length of the entire underground river. I mean, you could see the tunnel going ‘further’ when the boat turns back. The ‘further’ looks very scary that it sends chills down my spine. What monster could be living at the end of that trail? *enter John Williams’ music

The ‘further’

The Underground River tour took 45 minutes to wrap up. And just like the people who helmed it as one of the new wonders of the world: I was astonished, astounded, stunned, enthralled and all adjectives related to those words.

(Click pictures to enlarge)

II. UGONG ROCK ADVENTURES

I thought the day was over after the buffet lunch we had back at the port, but we didn’t even know that there was another stop at Ugong Rock.

Although doing the cave/rock climbing plus the zip-line have fees as follows:

1. Cave/Rock climbing – P200.00
2. Zip-line – a.) Sitting – P150.00, b.) Superman – P200.00

But the experience was memorable, nevertheless.

Spelunking the towering rock was not easy especially with me and my partner whose exercise only consist of doing the laundry and some other things. We had to go through series of rock climbing, passing through tiny holes/passages, discovering oceanic history via rock formations and also finding out that the word ‘Ugong’ means ‘Echo’. Because once you knock on rocks: it creates a strange but beautiful sound.

And when we arrived at the top: we got to pride ourselves of not dying in the process.

Right after, we got the chance to zip-line our way to where our van awaits. And to tell you honestly, if you see the video: my posture is quite awkward and painful especially on my butt part because I don’t know the drill on a Superman zip-line. It was my first time and I was so scared. I almost vomited all the lunch I ate. That would be embarrassing, but worth it.

The thing that I was so happy about the purchase in Ugong Rock Adventure is that all proceeds will go to the locals as a compliment salary in working there. Since the whole adventure is owned by ABS-CBN.

 

III. HONDA BAY TOUR

It was on our last day when we got to experience the Honda Bay Tour. And so, with the same drill: a van picked us up by 7AM and went directly to the port (not the same with Underground River port) where our boat awaits.

I’m glad because all the tours in Palawan (including El Nido) are regulated by the government, and you don’t need to worry on doing it all by yourself: all you need to do is just pay and you’re good to go.

i. Pambato Reef

So, the first stop was in Pambato Reef which was owned by ABS-CBN again as part of their conservation in the Puerto Princesa’s sea. We get to snorkel, but I was kind of unhappy with the experience because the waters were cloudy and the clouds above were dimming the entire place.

I didn’t even see any sea creatures… oh, I forgot, I saw one… on the roof of that floating hut.

yup, that’s a huge turtle.

ii. Luli Island

 

Luli Island got its name from the Filipino term ‘Lulubog-Lilitaw’ or ‘Sink/Disappear-Appear’ in English which is true to the island itself as it sinks when in high tide and shows up in low tide… just like my former boyfriend during and after paydays.

Luli Island sandbar

We got the chance to swim with the fishes there, yet the water was still cloudy, and I think it was because of the typhoon that passed days ago. Because of that we just enjoyed jumping off the diving board.

 

iii. Cowrie Island

Our last island was in Cowrie Island, where we got to hang out on the beach with the hot Brazilian couple and talk about liberated Brazilian stuff.

And when we arrived there, we noticed that there were a lot of groups having a buffet lunch. But for us, it was just a picnic type. Our tour guide even cooked our lunch himself. And we realized why some prices are steeper than the others in some tour agencies.

But I’m not complaining with our picnic lunch. It’s much closer and much personal when you’re together with your group than in the buffet…

Who am I kidding, the buffet is much better.

And that’s it.

That’s the Honda Bay tour that’s composed of island hopping experience with snorkeling and swimming activities that left me unimpressed. If we could’ve known that the Honda Bay Tour was disappointing, we could’ve stayed one more day in El Nido and took another tour. But you know, it’s better that we know than asking what ifs.

But I’m not quite sure if I’m unimpressed because the islands aren’t that good, or I’ve had perfection in El Nido? I’m guessing the second one, so:

 

TIP: If you are going to Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa and El Nido, make sure you do the former then the latter to avoid disappointments.

 

PART 4: TAKEAWAY

To be honest, I don’t know what to write as a takeaway for our Puerto Princesa tour, only that you should definitely go try the Underground River. It’s Mother Nature’s gift for humankind.

 

PART 5: COSTING

1.) Good for 1 person.

Airfare                                                  –              P2,000.00

Tricycle

• From Airport to hotel –              00

Hotel                                                    –              P400.00 x 3 days = P1,200.00

Tours

• Underground River –              P1,700.00
• Ugong Rock –              00 spelunking + P200.00 zipline = P600.00
• Honda Bay Tour –              P1,300.00

Others

• Food/Other Transpo/Misc – P2,000.00

 

TOTAL………………………………………………………………………….. P8,825.00 or roughly P9,000.00

 

MORE PHOTOS

 

EL NIDO | EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW & TIPS FOR AN EASY VACAY [PHOTOS]

Palawan is one of the sought after island getaways of adventure seekers and travel geeks around the world. With Palawan helmed as the Best Island in the World in 2014 and 2015, and Palawan Underground River being crowned as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World: you could never go wrong in visiting this one true paradise that’s probably one of those spots in the Philippines that can give you a sudden gasp because of its unexplainable beauty that only the heart can describe.

I will be explaining the how-to’s, do’s and don’ts, what to bring, the experience and the tips so you’ll be guided. I’ll try my very best to give a specific itinerary so the first time travelers visiting  this awesome place wouldn’t have a hard time planning yours as well. And believe me, El Nido, Palawan is the EASIEST destination I’ve ever been.

 

PART 1: INFORMATION

I. AIRFARE TICKETS

We booked our tickets ahead of time. And from there, we started planning. For me and my partner, we chose to backpack instead of hiring an agency since our plan is quite complicated due to the number of days that we’ll be staying, and also I want a personalized tour where we could have our own pace… plus I like the challenge of putting everything in place for this adventure.

Airfare tix are very low on Philippine National Holidays when airline companies offer promos like Piso Fare or All-In fares, especially Cebu Pacific and AirAsia. We booked our tix December of 2014 and our flight was on July 2015. It was a Piso Fare promo of CebuPac for about P4,000.00 roundtrip, for two… and that’s a great deal. Although I have fears on having a July flight due to the rainy season, but as my partner told me, ‘If you rely on other people or the weather, you won’t achieve anything.’

II. READ BLOGS, GATHER INFORMATION

I read blogs to help me create our own 8 day itinerary for El Nido and Puerto Princesa. You might ask, “WHY 8 DAYS?” or “ARE YOU NUTS?” or “THERE ARE 3 DAYS, 2 NIGHTS PACKAGES YOU CAN AVAIL AND IT’S AFFORDABLE,” and a lot more.  Well, if you come to think of it: we’re already there, so why not do everything we can? In the end, it’s the question of how passionate you are when it comes to traveling the place.

So we saved for about P30,000.00 and that’s for both El Nido and Puerto Princesa Tour (Breakdown of expenses in El Nido by the end of the post).

In El Nido, in order to enjoy the island hopping experience, you must choose from different tour packages: Tours A, B, C, and D which are government regulated in terms of prices that includes lunch, snorkel, life vest and fun tour guide/s.

TIP: You need not worry on where to book these tours because all of the resorts there will accommodate to whatever plans you have for the island hopping, just as long as the prices are as follows:

TOUR A: P1,200.00

-Big Lagoon

-Small Lagoon

-Simizu Island,

-Secret Lagoon

-7 Commandos Beach

 

TOUR B: P1,300.00

-Entalula Island

-Pinagbuyutan Island

-Snake Island

-Cudugnon Cave

-Cathedral Cave

 

TOUR C: P1,400.00

-Hidden Beach

-Helicopter Island

-Secret Beach

-Matinloc Shrine

-Star Beach

 

TOUR D: P1,200.00

-Bukal Island,

-Ipil Beach

-Nat-Nat Beach

-Daiao Lagoon

-Paradise Beach

Then, my partner and I decided the spots we want to go which are

1.) El Nido island hopping tours A and B;

2.) Underground River and Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa.

TIP: Tours A and C are the two most booked tours among the four.

Land trips to Nacpan Beach (one of the best spots in El Nido, which you can achieve via hiring a tricycle for P1,000.00+) and Las Cabanas for P70.00 each person, one way.

 

III. ACCOMODATION

The best thing about El Nido is that everything is easy: what you need is right there in front of you and all you have to do is choose. Especially in finding a place to stay.

The thing I feared when travelling is the accessibility from the terminal to the hotel, and I thought it was difficult, but it was just a piece of cake since all of the resorts and hotels are located in one place which are near the bus terminal on one end and boat terminal on the other end.

TIP: Don’t worry; everything is just accessible via tricycle.

Anyway, I scanned online for a place to stay just to make sure we have a bed to sleep, although it’s really not imperative especially on non-peak months because there are a lot of rooms/hotels ranging from luxury to very affordable available at any time.

I’ve scanned some affordable stays but they weren’t responsive enough.

Until I found El Nido Cliffside Cottages online and it’s one of the most affordable among the bunch, for about P700.00 per night good for 2 people for the cheapest room they have. I called the number and spoke to the owner and she was very, very polite and accommodating, and I liked that. And the best thing was that the owner gave me a P100.00 discount, so I immediately told her when we were coming and paid P500.00 advanced booking fee at MLhullier.

 

CLIFFSIDE COTTAGES

Rizal St., Brgy. Maligaya, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Check-in: 2:00PM

WIFI: No

 

ROOM RATEs

Small Fan Room (2 pax/Double Bed or Twin Bed)                              –              P700.00/night

Big Fan Room (2-4 pax/1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed)                     –              P800.00/night for 2 pax

Additional pax                                                                  –                              P300.00/night

Air-Conditioned Room (2-4 pax/1 Double Bed) w/ Breakfast        –              P1,500.00/night for 2 pax

Additional pax                                                                                                  P500.00/night

Air-Conditioned Room (2-4 pax/1 Double Bed) w/o Breakfast     –              P1,200.00/night for 2 pax

Additional pax                                                                  –                              P400.00/night

 

Breakfast (Filipino and American Breakfast)                                        – P120.00 – P150.00/pax

 

SERVICES OFFERED

Massage Services

Laundry Services

 

FOR RENT

Motorcycle (Inland Tour)

Underwater Camera

Snorkeling Mask

 

CONTACT:

Facebook:  El Nido Cliffside Cottages

Email: cliffsidecottages@yahoo.com.ph

Mobile: GLOBE – 09269960843, SMART – 09109567957

Thankfully, Cliffside Cottages is a good place to stay with their huge nipa-hut style rooms including bathrooms plus a nice view of the rocky cliff in the backyard. The sea port terminal where the boats park was of walking distance and we got to go back and forth whenever we wanted to.

TIP: Bring your own internet because most of the affordable accommodations in El Nido has no WIFI available.

photo by: EL NIDO Cliffside Cottages via Facebook

TIP: It’s IMPERATIVE to bring mosquito repellent because of a lot of huge mosquitos everywhere. Bring mosquito net if you can!

They also offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you can rent tricycle for inland tours (e.g. Nacpan Beach  and Las Cabanas Beach Resort).

TIP: Note that, there are a lot of rooms with common comfort rooms/bath rooms that’s perfect for a backpacking/tight budget plan in El Nido that are much affordable than the one we booked, such as Tay Miloy’s Inn.

 

IV. TRANSPORTATION

El Nido is miles away from Puerto Princesa to where you’d be starting your trip, and with that, you need to ride a bus or van.

When I planned this trip, I read all the pros and cons of riding such. In busses, the pros are air-conditioned busses that have comfortable seats plus the fare is only from P400.00 to P450.00, but the con is that it takes 7-8 hours before you arrive in El Nido. And with riding a van, the pro is that it travels only for 5 hours but the con was that most vans run with fast speed and it scared me, plus the fare is P500.00.

So, I decided to go with safety in the bus, which I would regret later on in the trip.

Anyway, Cherry Bus Liner had an online booking that I found accessible and sophisticated. They promised a comfortable air-conditioned bus on PINOYTRAVEL.com, and I was amused since my partner’s tale when he first went to El Nido via a non-air conditioned bus years ago was horrible due to the rocky and polluted roads which thankfully are now fixed.

So I booked their P450.00 bus for one person, and we were two so we have to pay P900.00, and that’s still shorter than the P500.00 van per person. But there was a service fee for P80.00, so in total, we paid P1,060.00. That’s not all. You even have to pay at MLhullier about P15.00 per payment per person. So it went beyond a thousand. Still, I was thinking about safety. So we still paid for it.

TIP: Don’t book ahead for transportation since there are a lot of busses and vans waiting for passengers at the terminal. You’ll end up paying more than what you should have. Like us.

Upon arriving at Puerto Princesa airport, you’d go directly outside to find a tricycle for P50.00 to take you to the terminal where you’d start your journey. But, when we arrived: there were lots of vans parked outside the airport, and I don’t know if it’s legal or not, but they offered us a ride to El Nido for the price of P500.00 which was the same price as with the terminal vans.

I wasn’t planning to ride on those and I don’t advise too, because all of the blogs say that they really went to the terminal right after they landed.

For group, I read one blog saying that there are multicabs for hire waiting just outside the airport to take you to the bus/van Terminal.

Anyway, there in the terminal, we realized that I made a wrong decision in choosing bus over van. It waited for passengers for three freaking hours, and that’s beside the confusing system they had there. We ended up finishing two movies in the bus while waiting for passengers. And instead of arriving by 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening, we arrived in El Nido by 12:30AM. The pace of the bus was safe… but it was extremely slow… it was painful in the front row.

Because of the horrible experience, after El Nido, we just ditched the bus back to Puerto Princesa and rode an uncomfortable and warm van, even when we’ve already paid for the bus.

TIP: Take the van instead if you’re in a hurry and you don’t want long and painful time on the road.

 

V. OTHER EXPENSES

Of course, you have to think of other expenses that you needed to pay when you go on trips. So, those 3D2N offering from travel agencies are mostly for your tours, transportation and hotel… some include airfares. For El Nido, I usually see P4,000-P5,000.00 offers that are good deals, which include the van transport from Puerto Princesa to El NIdo, hotel accommodation, ONE tour without airfare.

But what makes the expenses steep is always on the food. You have to eat three times a day, and in El Nido, it’s a must. Although the lunch is covered by the island hopping tour, but the rest of the time you’re there, you have to pay for your own meals. And meals in El Nido are quite steeper than the usual food price in the city.

TIP: There are affordable barbecue stands at nighttime near the port, along the road.

Foods in the restaurants (especially along the shore) have high prices starting P200.00++, and it’s only good for one person… usually no drinks included.

 

PART 2: ITINERARY

So, airline booking, hotel scouting and blog hopping are done: now our ideal itinerary for our El Nido trip. Here’s the sample itinerary I’ve made, so you can have a glimpse of how perfect your plan can be and with just a bad weather, it can ruin it all (LOL):

 

DAY 1

11:15AM              –              Arrival at Puerto Princesa

–              Ride tricycle to San Jose Terminal

1:00PM                 –              Scheduled Departure to El Nido (Cherry Bus)

8:00PM                 –              ETA: El Nido

–              Check In at Cliffside Cottages

DAY 2

7:00AM                    –              Wake up call

–              Book Tour with Cliffside Cottages owner

–              Breakfast

9:00AM-4:00PM –              TOUR A

5/6:00PM             –              Arrive back to hotel

7:00PM                 –              Dinner

 

DAY 3

7:00AM                  –              Wake up Call

–              Breakfast

9:00AM-4:00PM-              TOUR B

5/6:00PM            –              Arrive back to hotel

7:00PM                 –              Dinner

–              Pack up

 

DAY 4

7:00AM                   –              Wake up

–              Breakfast

8:00AM                   –              Go to terminal

9:00AM                   –              Scheduled Departure back to Puerto Princesa (Cherry Bus)

…

..

.

(And the rest of the itinerary is for Puerto Princesa.)

 

Little did we know our itinerary would not be fulfilled.

 

PART 3: EXPERIENCE

DAY 1

My excitement was beyond anything I’ve ever had because I was already in the best island in the world… I mean what could go wrong??? Except for a typhoon that’s strictly from southwest of the country, going north. Well… I was a bit doubtful that our itinerary would be followed step-by-step, but I know I will still have fun.

When we arrived in Puerto Princesa, we chartered a tricycle to San Jose terminal and had confusion on what bus to take because the Cherry Bus Liner attendant was also confused as Bruce Jenner in the 90s… oops, Caitlyn Jenner. Anyway, we then rode the bus and then waited for about three hours before the driver decided to just hit the road even when we were only 5 in the fifty-seater bus (I guess).

But what I was so amused about (in a bad sense) was that the bus runs like 10km/h and it was so slow, it was painful in the front row seats.

Anyway, I had lots of fun re-watching The Amazing Spider-Man 2 which I hate, but what choice do I have but pretend that I was having fun. Or I’ll lose my mind.

And I swear there were two times dogs got hit by our bus that pained me especially hearing their last cry and bodies banging under. Surprisingly, it seemed like a normal thing for the driver and the conductor. It broke my heart.

But we pressed on. I don’t really like sleeping during road-trips because I have a fear of not being able to fight for my life in cases of you know… the worst, so I kept my eyes open for as long as I can… slept for about thirty minutes then tries to wake up… and the cycle goes on, until we arrived in El Nido at 12:30AM where everything was already dark and dead silent.

TIP: NEVER EVER FORGET TO BRING YOUR SUNGLASSES AND HEADPHONES!

It was a 9-hour drive instead of a promised 7-8 hours.

We chartered another tricycle where we had to wake drivers up to take us to Cliffside Cottages. And so we arrived five minutes later, and checked in their nipa-hut style cottage. It was a fan room, but what bothered me while sleeping in the middle of the night is the fact that electricity goes off, and mosquitos start to come together, feeding on your blood. Thankfully we brought mosquito repellent, since my partner already had a bad experience with mosquitos in El Nido when he visited years ago.

 

DAY 2

The electricity went back by 6:00 in the morning, and it was cool… no it was cold. I went outside and looked to the sky and it was cloudy, not with a chance of meatballs but with a chance of a thunderstorm.

My heart broke when we discussed our tour for that day with the possibility that it might get cancelled, and when the owner of the hotel confirmed that all tours are cancelled due to bad weather: my heart broke even further than the fact that Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour won’t get a stop in the Philippines. I asked my partner what to do; he told me that we can just tour the small town of El Nido.

And so we did. We walked around town especially at noon when we needed to eat our lunch and found a carenderia near the port where you could buy the expensive but original Bird’s Nest soup (Knorr’s preservatives-ful Nido Soup is much tastier though).

After, my partner took me to the entre to paradise (sea port) which I found bittersweet. I mean, I could almost taste paradise but the weather didn’t allow. *enter curse words

I couldn’t cry, so I just went shopping for souvenirs.

And the rest of the day was boring.

 

DAY 3

We woke up and then guess what? Still no tours.

The owner of the hotel even told us that there are guests that have been staying for seven days and they’re about to leave because they’ve extended for two days already in El Nido, still with no luck.

I was disheartened by the news because it was our last day in El Nido for our itinerary needs us to be at Puerto Princesa by the next day. Then I thought about changing the itinerary that if tours are allowed the next day, first thing in the morning: we would extend our stay there in El Nido. My partner agreed… until rain starts to pour.

My heart pleaded for the Lord above even when I know I abandoned the Catholic Church a long time ago. I then told the air, “I’ve had a fair share of bad luck recently, ibigay mo na to sa’kin.”

The Sun God showed up by 10 and it was a sign… that we should do land-trips instead. My partner told me we should visit Las Cabanas beach and so we did. We rented the hotel owner’s tricycle and the driver (of course) for P70.00 pesos each, and that’s just one way.

When we reached there, the water was brown, maybe due to the strong currents from the ocean and I need not explain this science sh*t further… but the consolation was the breathtaking view.

The towering islands looked like sleeping giants and were just within reach, especially Helicopter Island from afar. My partner told me that those islands I was seeing were the islands of the tours.

I dryly said, “Ahh” and my heart broke once more.

So we walked the shoreline towards the Las Cabanas resort, still taking glimpses of the view and noticing the dark clouds hover the beautiful place and slowly pacing its way to us.

I took some pictures and still found romanticism in the midst of an impending typhoon tail.

Then I noticed a wire from the high part of that beach connected to the adjacent island for zip-line purposes. Unfortunately the winds were too strong that it wasn’t available at that time. Damn.

 

Then the winds started to blow hard, and the seas rushed wildly on the shore and it was time for us to go. I grabbed my GoPro, twitched my face, let my long hair lose to catch the wind and filmed like there was something that’s chasing us (in slow motion).

By dawn, the winds started to howl and I’ve never heard winds howl like that before. I was scared for my life while my partner sleeps soundly under the sheets. Then I realized, this guy was from the province and I was Carrie Bradshaw.

 

DAY 4: HALLELUJIA!

I woke up with a heavy heart and an itchy skin from the bites of huge mosquitoes (I’m not exaggerating, they were huge)… BUT the owner of the hotel gave us the good news: further discounts in our stay!!!!!!! Just kidding, TOURS WERE AVAILABLE!

And so, we unpacked our things, wore my neon colored rash-guard, readied my gadgets and like One Direction: we were good to go.

TIP: Buy GoPro, it’s worth it.

TIP: Buy aqua shoes, especially when you’re a travel junkie. Aqua shoe rentals in El Nido tour agencies are P150.00 per person.

And because of the unpredictable ocean current, TOUR A was modified to this:

 

7 COMMANDOS BEACH

The waves were rough, and it drizzled, but the sun came out right after.

7 Commandos Beach was our first stop where you can see the prominently lined coconut trees, swim in the blue waters, relax in their cottages, cook (if it’s lunch time), or just swing like a chandelier in their modified hammock (See in the video below).

It would’ve been fun there if it wasn’t for the strong waves when we visited that time.

 

MINILOC

Actually, the original destination was at Secret Lagoon, but due to strong waves, all the boats in TOUR A were routed beside the Miniloc Island Resort where we did our first snorkeling. That Ayala owned resort feels so luxurious, that parking outside its vicinity feels like living outside a village. But that didn’t matter.

What was amazing upon getting in that spot was the dark, sharp and rocky cliffs that were a true wonder that my eyes can only gaze for about a time but I’ll remember for a lifetime.

And here, we had our sumptuous Filipino lunch. The typical food line-up when Filipino families go to the beach: grilled pork, grilled squid, and just grilled everything! Plus with fruits as deserts that are compliment to the fatty foods we intake. But the thing is that you have to be swift in getting food from the table to your plate because if you’re traveling with Filipinos, you know everyone’s hungry for it.

 

BIG LAGOON

Then after, we went to one of the most Instagrammed spot in El Nido, the Big Lagoon.

By that time, it was low-tide so our huge boat cannot enter and explore what’s inside the spot. So what the tour guides suggested was to just swim towards the center and discover of the looming cliffs that’s feels so cinematic: I can imagine Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings filming there.

Upon swimming, there’s a coral reserve in the entre part, and boy, it’s beautiful. I can remember an excited foreign girl rising from the waters told her parents, “I SAW NEMO! It’s like straight out from the movie!” and I just laughed… because commenting would be awkward.

I really appreciated the beauty of the undersea, it was so awesome.

Then, just a minor accident happened: I cut my left palm because I didn’t notice how high the corals were, and I was mostly swimming dog-style (no, not the one you’re thinking), when I’m not snorkeling.

TIP: Bring non-drowse antihistamine if you’re cut by a coral because they can cause allergic reaction to SOME people with sensitive bodies, and can cause itchiness, asphyxia, or even death. 

Anyway, the place was so really stunning, it enchanted me and had me in awe. So beautiful.

 

SMALL LAGOON

For our last stop: Small Lagoon, and by far my favorite.

It was not far from Big Lagoon, and although my body was tired from the constant swimming and walking and from the heat of the burning sun: my heart still wanted more. And Small Lagoon did not fail me.

The entre was two times stunning than in Big Lagoon because of the towering crescent shaped rock formation that felt like huge arms welcoming us with warmth, and contrast to it was the cyan waters that gave a cool sensation, and was truly inviting: you just got to dive in.

But the fun didn’t end there.

You’ve got to either swim your way in the Small Lagoon, or rent a kayak for P400.00 for 2-3 people. Some people swam, but I don’t want to miss the chance to experience my first kayak, and it had to be in El Nido. So we rented one, and because of the fear we’ll get outbalanced: we asked one of the four tour guides to do the kayak instead, and he obliged.

And then we went straight to the small opening that revealed the magnificent cliffs inside the lagoon. It was so gorgeous.

Emotions run wild inside of me while writing this post, as my inner Julie Andrews in the opening scene of the movie Sound of Music reemerged from within as I look back totally amazed.

The place was very dramatic and cinematic as well.

My partner told me that when he went there the first time during summer, the lagoon was filled with unpleasant box jellyfish and not one tourist entered the vicinity because of it.

 

PART 4: TAKEAWAY

So if your lazy-nerve didn’t miss reading my long post above, you can say, ‘Oh, El Nido is very difficult to achieve…’ but NO. I tell you that El Nido, without the misfortunes: it’s the easiest destination I’ve ever been if only I have a one-stop-blog to refer to that has tips and specific details on the what, how, when, and where’s of the trip. But I can’t blame them since writing a blog is not an easy job, and most especially when people are too lazy to read, and will just ask in the comment sections about the things that have already been written in the article. Hmmm.

I enjoyed my stay in El Nido, even when there were tough lucks, but the island hopping experience paid it all off. I mean, the beaches were so blue, the sights were magnificent, the food was delicious, and the tour guides were hell funny and informative… actually, the tour was really worth it and a part of it were the tour guides. They were ecstatic: their energy was viral.

One thing that my partner told me that I have to agree on is when he told me that being in El Nido makes all of other beaches in the country uninteresting.

Anyway, my takeaway is that I don’t wonder why Palawan is named as the most beautiful island in the world. With El Nido and Coron (which we plan to visit in the future), they can never be wrong about the decision. Being in El Nido makes me realize how stunning can our world be. You can really appreciate nature, and ask why China would rip off the reefs in the West Philippine Sea.

El Nido is crazy beautiful, and I’ve only taken one tour, how much more if I did all?

 

PART 5: MUSIC VIDEO

PART 6: COSTING

NOTES:

1.) When you compare our costs from the fares of El Nido Tours 3 days 2 nights, it would be different, since we’re backpacking, and misfortunes happened within for 4 days 4 nights.

2.) This costing is for one person.

3.) Costs are rounded to the nearest tens/hundreds – price exaggeration.

4.) Food and Miscellaneous costs are labelled in ‘Others’ with rough estimation.

5.) You’ve got to read the things that happened above so you’ll understand some purchases.

 

Airfare                                                –                              P2,000.00

Tricycle

in Puerto Princesa           –                              P50.00

in El Nido                          –                              P50.00

Bus (Back and Forth)                      –                              P650.00 x 2 = P1,290.00

Van (excess)                                   –                              P500.00

Hotel                                                  –                              P600/night x 4 = P2,400/2 pax= P1,200.00

Tricycle (Back and Forth)

To Las Cabanas                              –                              P140.00

Tour A                                                –                              P1,200.00

Others

(Food, Souvenirs and Misc)          –                       P3,000.00

 

TOTAL……………………………………………………………………………….. P9,430.00 or roughly P10,000.00