This is My Idea of Heaven - El Nido

Rovic's Pension House location was just perfect as it was only a hop and jump away from the beach. At around 7AM everybody was already up  and done with taking a bath while some were eating breakfast . I decided not to take bath since we are going to swim the entire day anyway.

Simply put it this way El Nido has the best scenery you won't see anywhere -- from towering ageless limestone cliffs , serene lagoons and  pristine white sand beaches that is consistent throughout of all the islands.  El Nido is a top destination for island hopping.   There are many booking agencies which offered various island hopping tours but since we stayed  in  Rovic we just booked our tour with them. El Nido is composed of more than 45 islands/islets so it's daunting which islands to hopped on to or which cave or lagoon to explore first.These tour packages are grouped based on the islands proximity to each other. Anyway here are some of the tours offered by various El Nido booking agencies:

Tour A: Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Simizu Island, Seven Commando - 500

Tour B: Pangalusian Island, Snake Island, Cadugnon Cave, Pinagbuyutan Island,

              Cathedral  Cave -600

Tour C: Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Secret Beach, Star Beach, Tapiutan Strait -700

Tour D: Cadlao Lagoon, Helicopter Island, Paradise Beach, Natnat Beach, Bucal Island-600

Prices are per person that includes packed lunch (pork bbq/chicken,grilled fish/squid,fruit and veggies). Almost all of the tours are the generally the same across all booking agencies which can be modified as well, as for our group we opted to combine Tour A and B for 700.

                                                       The rocky side of Pinagbuyutan Island  

Pinagbuyutan Island

The first island is Pinagbuyutan,never mind the name because  the beach is awesome although its hard to swim because it's a bit rocky . The stretch of soft,white powdery sand makes it great for a place to just stay in a hammock.From what I've heard this island was featured in the 1997 cover of Lonely Planet.

 Lagen Island

Lagen Island

We weren't able to actually hopped on this island because this is a private resort - one of the luxurious resorts in the area. Maybe next time. This place serve as a pit stop of Amazing Race during it's 5th season.

  Cudognon Cave

Cudognon

Next on our list is Cudugnon Island. You will crawl through a tight opening of the cave to get inside. The shining light through the cave's give me an impression that is actually a shrine. 
There is a higher area for some scenic perspective that requires a little bit of rock climbing.  We ate our lunch here and after a bit of lazing out in the small hut we moved on to the next island.

                                                     The not so visible S-shaped sandspit

                                                       view on the other side of Snake island

 

Vigan Island

Just when we thought it was all sunny that day - rain fell down while we're on our way to this island. It is commonly referred to as "Snake Island" because of the distinguished trailing s-shaped sandbar that snakes off its shores. There's a hill in the island where you can climb that provides an excellent view of the neighboring island.We weren't able to clearly view the sand spit because of the rain. After some leisurely swimming across the shallow water, the rain stopped and we head off to our next destination for some fish feeding frenzy.

 Snorkeling in Pangulasian's coral reef cluster

Pangulasian Island

The long stretch of white sand beach is promising view from our boat but that's the closest thing we can get according to Kuya Jun our guide as this is a private resort According to Kuya Jun, the original resort was put on fire around 1990's due to some electrical malfunction, it is only now that the resort has been on the verge of restoration. True enough there were a lot of fish - which we feed to our delight. The Turtle Island is can also viewed from here - home to Bacuit Bay's pawikan and butanding.

Big and Small Lagoon of Miniloc Island

 Cruising through the mystic Big Lagoon
 

It rained again when we cruised along the towering limestone cliffs of Miniloc Island. If you watched Lord of the Rings and remember the River Anduin scene with towering statues, this is the feeling you'll get as you wade throughout the shrouded labyrinth of the Big Lagoon. Towards the end of lagoon we see a small platform, according to Kuya Jun the platform serve a spot for a wedding ceremony. After all the kulitan we then head to the lagoon's mini-me version called Small Lagoon.

 Small Lagoon

We had to swim a little to get to the other side and getting through a small hole opening in the karst. Inside is a beautiful lagoon, surrounded by giant limestones. The water gets deeper and deeper as you wade your way through the lagoon. This is a perfect spot for kayaking. After spending some time inside the lagoon we were greeted by monkeys as we go back to our banca. Perhaps two of the most revered  treasures and  the most dazzling of the gems of El Nido.


  

7Commandos Beach

 7Commandos Beach

The last stop of the tour and the spot of our sunset dinner.  Here, the water is a amazing baby blue, with lush greeneries in the background. Kuya Jun dropped us off to this island as they head back to the resort to get the food for our dinner.  While waiting we pretend like we're Derek Ramsay (patay tayo dyan) and played Frisbee the whole time. It was a little bit dark when our food arrived and hungry so we just helped them dinner set up (tables, monobloc chairs, light up the sulo). As Kuya Jun was about to strummed the guitar for a perfect sunset dinner it rained again, oh well we then just rushed finishing our dinner. The food served was delicious indeed- there's the liempo, grilled fish, veggies, fruits  and for the longest time I was able to eat suso (snail with coconut milk).

  Frisbee Time
 

Time well spent for the first day in paradise. But the day wouldn't be complete without the inuman hanggang madaling araw with the rest of the gang in the resort.

Balay Tubay

Having so much  adventure for our first day in El Nido - the 5 hour van ride, side-trip in Taytay and sunset walk at Corong Corong, one might think we call it a day - nah!  we search for a nightlife in El Nido .

There are a few bars tucked in along the beach but  the nicest place to hang-out after dinner would be Balay Tubay. It's an artsy restaurant that offers live band music  and serving appetizers, pizzas & various dishes the made the place became a popular  El Nido night spot for local and foreign tourists.

 Balay Tubay

Just a bit of history of the place, Balay Tubay is actually a Cuyunin word for "My Fathers House". Built 1931 at Barangay Sibaltan  El Nido, Palawan it became a safehouse  for the guerilla resistance  during the Japanese occupancy in 1943 . It is also known as one of the oldest house during the last decade until its demolition in 2004. Local musicians gather here nightly until the wee hours of the morning to perform  type of music thats perfect for an  "in an island-setting"  mode whether if its Bob Marley, Beatles, Jack Johnson or 311, the local bands will not disappoint with their own version. 

 Local Artist perfoming a Jack Johnson song

 

The indigenous setup and artwork of the place made me feel that I'm actually in Saguijo. Around 9PM the place began to fill pretty quickly as the band started to perform reggae songs. Prices here are affordable considering that this place is labeled "high-end" in this side of town. With rockin' live bands, cold beer in your hand,  and surrounded by friendly  locals this is the perfect way to end a day in El Nido.

 Ice-cold San Mig Light, Sam Pinto where are you?

It would have been perfect if the place is located along the  beach  as the place can get pretty hot at night. The place is not as easy  to find, but any local will happily point you in the right direction. Walking along Calle Real  from town hall  if you happen  to see a small shack on the right side with some dreamcatchers  this is the place.

 Local band performing Eraserhead's Maling Akala

Look for the dreamcatcher.

Calle Real St,

Bgy. Buena Suerte,

El Nido, Palawan

Tel: +63 09167307266

Come Around Sundown - Corong Corong Beach

 Around 4:20 PM after a very tiring 5 hour van ride we finally arrive at the town of El Nido. We immediately check our rooms at Rovic's Pension House and met Ate Sarah who helped us deal with our concerns and made us feel very welcome in El Nido. The place should have been an ideal place for sunset but the limestone cliff formations facing the Bacuit Bay blocks the magnificent  sunset views. We were told that Corong-Corong beach is a good place for sunset viewing.

Corong Corong Beach

     We become silhouettes

Not to waste time we took a 10 minute tricycle ride around the corner of El Nido town to Corong-Corong, known for it's impressive sunset views. Corong-Corong is a very long beach which offers a really nice afternoon walk or should I say sunset walk. We finally stopped walking after finding a good spot to capture

El Nido's sunset just in time for its golden hour. And just like that Corong-Corong won me over.

                                    

If you're planning to go to El Nido include Corong-Corong in the place to visit, truly an idyllic beach known for its magnificent and impressive sunset. Just a 3km distance from the centre of El Nido town it can  easily reached by walking up the road  or just get a local tricycle to drop you off.

The Long Road to El Nido and Fuerza de Santa Isabel

There are 2 ways to get to El Nido. Either you travel by land via Puerto Princesa  or straight to El Nido via ITI plane.Since the latter is an expensive option for us and we're composed of a big group we opted to hire a private van instead  (good thing the van we contacted allowed 14 of us with our baggage). At first we're a bit hessitant on getting to El Nido since travel time requires  us to endure a gruelling 6-8 hours of travel time through rough road according to some articles we've read in the web.  Good thing we were told by Kuya Atong our driver that roads going to El Nido has improved through the years as  travel time  is now reduced to 5-6 hours. Our van departed at  around 10:00AM  from the airport and stopped at Fort Wally, Roxas for our lunch. The ride was smooth from Puerto Princesa all the way to Roxas since it was all paved.

Fort Wally, Roxas 

After our lunch we had our stopover at Fuerza de Santa Isabel in Poblacion, Taytay.   The Taytay Fort, the Fuerza de Santa Isabel stone fortress was built in 1667 under the Augustinian Recollect Fathers and named in honor of Spain's Queen Isabela II in the 1800s, It is composed of four bastions - named after the following saints San Toribio, San Miguel, San Juan and 
Sta. Isabel. A chapel was also built  inside the fortress named Justification for Outstanding Universal Value Satements of authenticity and/or integrity.

 Facade of the Fuerza de Santa Isabel

 Entrance to the Fortress

Chapel erected inside the fortress

Here is the complete history of the stone fortress:

The fort was first built as a wood palisade in 1667 under the Augustinian Recollect Fathers. After 71 years of forced labor (Polo) and material contributionsby the subject Taytayanos, it was completed as s stone fort in December 17,1738 by Tomas Castro, the Spanish military engineer, under the command of Capt. Josef Tierra de Salcedo in 1700, the first batch of exiles or DISTIREROS from Luzon and Visayas were recruited to help in the construction of the fort.

 

It was constructed to protect the inhabitants from the attacks of the Moro pirates from Sulu who hide from the mask of piracy to fight the spread of Spanish colonization and growth of Christianity. The Spanish occupation was also a threat to the standing trade relationship among the Moros, Chinese, Malaysians and the local inhabitants. From 1730 to 1739, Datu Bigotillo and 3,800 Moro pirates were sent by Maulana-Diafar Sabiesa, the Sultan of Jolo to take over the Fortress of Taytay. The fort was a collosal obstacle in their piratical forrays.

A view from the Fortress

Don Geronimo Sundillon as the first hero of Taytay. During the 21 days siege posted by the Moro pirates in 1739, Sundillon was captured. The pirates asked him to point the secret passage of the fort. But instead,exposed the pirates to the fort sentries, thus curtailing the plan of a surprised attack. Bigotillo thinking he was betrayed by Sundillon commanded his men to torture him. He died as a martyr and saved the local inhabitants  and the Spanish people from further aggression.

 Another view from the fortress facing the Taytay Hills

During the siege of the Moro pirates, the legend of Sta. Monica, the patron sainrt dress in white garment, her identity unknown, advised them to boil water and fats extracted from the slaughtered cows and carabaos.It was poured down on the scaling pirates causing the walls to be slippery and scalding the marauders as well. It sent the attackers to their surrender. They re-emabarkd and sail back to Jolo, never to bother the Taytayanos. 

*words were taken from a brochure in the Fuerza de Sta. Isabel Information Center.

The caretaker of the place were friendly and accomodating that we obliged to do drop cash donations for the preservation of the fortress. After that we embarked again on a grueling ride to our target destination - El Nido.

The El Nido Getaway

It all started with a Cebu Pac seat sale announcement last November. And as always JDJ (our very reliable friend who has an infinite credit limit) booked 14 of us off to P.Princesa scheduled February this year. There was no concrete plan on what to do or where to go that day - the important thing is the guaranteed cheap airfare going to Puerto.Princesa and coming back to Manila. I then suggested to the group that we should go to El Nido for a road trip - just the thought of scenic landscape,limestone cliffs,pristine white beach, crystal clear waters and turquoise lagoon made the rest of the group drool and excited for the up and coming trip.Anyway here is our 5D-4N El Nido Palawan Itinerary.

DAY1 - COME AROUND SUNDOWN - Feb 11,2011

0630AM Meetup in NAIA Terminal 3
0810AM ETD NAIA Terminal 3
0930AM ETA Puerto Princesa Airport
1000AM Van Pickup to El Nido
1230PM Lunch in Fort wally - Roxas
0115PM ETD from Fort Wally
0230PM Stopover in Fuerza de Sta. Isabel - Taytay
0315PM ETD from Taytay
0445PM ETA to El Nido - Check-in at Rovics Pension House
0515PM Off to Corong Corong beach for sunset photography
0700PM Dinner
0800PM Balai Tubay - Ice Cold San Mig Light
1000PM Socials/Party Party at the Bacuit Bay Shore


DAY2  - A CALL TO ARMS - Feb 12,2011
0700AM  Breakfast
0900AM  Start of combine Tour A and B - Island Hopping (Pinagbuyutan Island)
1200PM  Lunch at Cudognon
0100PM  ETD Cudognon  (Snake Island-Pangulasian Island-Big and Small Lagoon)
0430PM  7Commandos Beach - Beach Bumming - Frisbee
0600PM  Dinner
0630PM  ETD 7Commandos
0730PM  ETA  Rovics Pension House
0900PM  Socials/Party Party at the Bacuit Bay Shore


DAY3 - Feb 13,2011

WAITING FOR THE END - CLIMBING TARAW CLIFF
0700AM Start of Taraw Cliff climb
0900AM Back to Rovics  then breakfast

WE KEPT IT HIDDEN - Island Hopping Tour C

1000AM Island Hopping Tour C (Helicopter Island-Secret Beach-Cadlao Lagoon-Balinaod Beach-  Paradise  Beach)
0500PM Back to Pension House
0630PM Dinner - Free Time


DAY4 - MOTHER WE JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH - Feb 14,2011
0600AM Breakfast
0630AM ETD El Nido
0930AM ETA Brgy. Agutaya, San Vicente Palawan - Longest White Sand Beach
1000AM Early Lunch - San Vicente Port
1030AM ETD San Vicente
0200PM ETA Puerto Princesa - Checked in at Kookaburra Travel and Lodge
0300PM Rest
0400PM Tambay sa NCCC
0600PM Dinner Time
0800PM Sleeping Time


DAY5 - Back to Manila
1000AM ETD Puerto Princesa
1130AM ETA NAIA Terminal 3
Day to day chronicles and expenses will be featured in the upcoming post.

Ten Things I Want to Achieve This Year

Yeah, I know this post is a bit late. Anyway these aren't resolutions, since I'm not actually resolving anything except exerting a slight effort. From the looks of it  these things are a bit doable just need to be very determine to accomplish them. In no particular order, 


Save, save, save.
-This has to be the main priority for the year. As there will be changes in terms of salary income because of the new tax scheme  (lecheng tax talaga yan) that will be implemented in our company. Cutting down on expenses is very much needed. I'm currently thinking of another source of income and working on investments para may budget naman ako sa ibang bagay like travel, gadgets etc.


Get Serious,Get Better and No More Procrastination
-It was all fun and games last year. Time to put on a show.


Plan More Budget Trips
-2010 was a big leap in terms of traveling for me and I must say magastos nga. This year I'm thinking of destinations that are budget friendly.Sana lang maka-tsamba sa mga seat sale para madaming mapuntahan.


Eat Healthy and Run
-I must say this is a hard goal to achieve, di mo rin kasi talaga maiiwasan kumain sa fast food, pritong pagkain, and uminom. So instead of pondering on what are the healthy foods to eat might as well get fit para quits lang.


Keep Shooting
-Last week I started my project52 (a slight variation of the project365) - this will be some sort of a visual history and a way to  improve my photography as well. This will document the amazing achievements (kung meron man) and travels throughout the course of the year. 


More Ideas and Most Importantly Write Them Down 
-Don't you just hate it when you all have this idea in your head and suddenly when the time comes to write it down you forgot all of them. I think I would have invented Facebook  if I documented all my thoughts way back 2002, nah..just kidding.

Organize and Declutter

-Whether it's the schedule or the files on the computer, life will become easier if all things are organize. 

Get the inner drive

-Marunong naman ako mag-drive pero kinakabahan pa rin ako lalo na kapag madami ng sasakyan sa kalsada. Next month is my target date to achieve this. Sa tingin ko naman kaya.

 Missed TV Series /Music/Movies/Books

-Last year was a busy year kaya naman hindi ko napanood ang Dexter,Chuck,Fringe and all the new TV shows ganon dinsa movies,music and books. Tinatamad na rin ako 
mag-download kaya guys pahingi na lang. 

Learn to Swim

-Kahit naman paano medyo marunong na ako mag-float and konting langoy. Ewan ko ba sa hilig ko mag-beach di ko to matutunan. I'm planning to enroll my son sa swimming lesson this summer at makikisabay ako sa session nya para makatipid.:)