El Nido: a breathtaking paradise!

    Though it is rainy season, the hot sun was beating down on me and my big family when we had an El Nido Island Hopping Tour last month. (salamat sa annual bonus :) 
     

    The Municipality of El Nido where El Nido Resorts lie is at the northern area of the mainland of my beautiful province Palawan.  Any adventurer who wants to explore this sanctuary must be willing to endure the smooth normal 6-hour road trip from Puerto Princesa City passing through my hometown Roxas and Taytay  (long trip but worth it!).  Otherwise, one may opt to take the following direct flights that are quiet expensive.

Flights:

Manila - El Nido: daily with ITI

Manila - El Nido: Mon, Wed & Sun with Seair

           
    We stayed at El Nido Waterfront Hotel in Brgy. Masagana, El Nido owned by our town mate Mr. Redentor Diokno:  0918-6632771/0905-6446784.

Room Rates:

Standard Room –       Php1,500/night for 2 persons only

                                   additional 200/person (maximum of 5 persons)

Beach Front Room -   Php2,500/night for 2 persons only

                                   additional 300/person (maximum of 5 persons)

      
    The pump boat we hired for island tour is owned by his brother who happens to be my mother’s former student, so he gave me a fair discount :)   

                   
   The most luxurious resorts in the area are Resorts Lagen and Miniloc Island Resort where the cost of accommodation may range between 8k and 17k per person per night.
     

      
    I was astonished by its clear turquoise water that offers a unique underwater world with hundreds of multi-colored exotic fishes.   El Nido is indeed a breathtaking paradise which has a smorgasbord of islands endowed with abundant natural resources and white powder sand beaches.  It is actually composed of freswater lakes surrounded by cliffs.  The imposing limestone cliffs protect its flourishing ecosystem with a profusion of species of flora and fauna.  It is really a perfect refuge to get away from life's stress by swimming, having a picnic, sunbathing, kayaking, snorkeling or scuba diving.

      

   
    Just a little trivia:  The nests of a bird specie called swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus or in the native language, balinsasayaw, can be usually found in the caves of El Nido.  They are made of the male balinsasayaw's saliva which is the main ingredient of the bird's nest soup or  nido soup.   It is believed by Chinese herbalists and my folks to be very beneficial to health since it is rich in potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium. 

For more info pls. click: http://www.elnidopalawan.com/