(Me above, relaxing and getting started with my around the world trip on boat in El Nido, Palawan)
I left and started my around the world trip from May 1st leaving behind where I live in Lower Puna, Big Island.
As some of you may now, there's quite the newest volcanic eruptions going on in east Big Island ... which is about 5 miles (8km) away from where I live.
Now I've been able to get some "time" and proper internet connection out here in Philippines to post my journey from the time I've been in El Nido, Puerto Princesa, and Manila.
The first of 3 posts will be on the El Nido journey.
Getting to El Nido
Palawan is an elongated island on the western part of Philippines. The travel distances while not long in the horizontal way, is very long and can take half a day going vertical.
The largest airport on island that majority of tourists arrive is at the Puerto Princesa Airport (major airlines such as AirAsia Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines). The airport is relatively new, facilities modern. The El Nido airport is small, and very few airlines such as Air Swift service that airport.
I got into Palawan via Puerto Princesa Airport with Air Asia Philippines.
Upon arrival, we had to wait for a van shuttle ride that would take us on the long 6 hour journey to get up to El Nido.
The ride itself was quite windy with up and down hills and snaking our way along the coastline towards El Nido. If you get car sick easily, don't sit in the back of the van. It's natural for drivers in Palawan to drive very fast, especially the van tour drivers. They are on the clock, and will pass numerously around slower drivers or vehicles of any kind. Don't be shocked by that.
(Street in El Nido Town)
El Nido Town
The above above is a portion of the main street in El Nido. There's numerous shops and restaurants catered to the foreign tourist. The place we stayed at was the Rovics Pension House. The accommodation itself was quite basic, mainly because it was relatively cheap for western standards.
Note that in El Nido, they shut off the electricity to the whole town daily between 6AM to 5PM ... this is not exact, as it fluctuates ... but don't expect to have electricity or be able to turn on the A/C. It's because they assume majority of tourists are on boat tours island hopping during the day.
As well, Wifi and internet out there in general is non existent. It's quite slow or doesn't work at all. Be sure to have a SIM Data card if you wish to try to get online.
When the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were happening back on Big Island, was when I just happened to also be in El Nido ... and it was quite the struggle to get updates and messages from friends back home.
(Typical motorized boat in El Nido)
Island Hopping Around El Nido
Coming to El Nido, the most popular activity is to book a island hopping tour.
Many of the hotels and accommodations have information on tours you can book.
Since we booked with an agency, that was already all arranged. I'd wake up each morning, and wait to get on one of the motorized boats.
The crew would take us out to various small islands. Note that this entire area really reminded me of Krabi, Thailand ... with the large limestone rock features and coral reefs.
It's a little bit less crowded and chaotic than Thailand, but El Nido is heading there where over-tourism might destroy the natural reefs.
(Hence why, the Philippines government shut down Boracay island for 6 months to help rehabilitate the natural settings).
Some of the places they took us were cool, but others were just quite crowded areas.
(Going Island Hopping)
(One of the remote island locations the boat would take us)
(The local beer in Philippines called San Miguel)
(The beautiful food arrangement we got to eat on the boat)
The food was the best, as the crew made traditional Filipino cooked fish, pork, and squid. As well, the captain of the boat was quite the fruit and vegetable artist ... he'd carve out these beautiful creations and arranged them on the plate to make it look like a food masterpiece.
(The captain's vegetable artistic creation, spelling out El Nido)
Sunset at El Nido beach.
Have anyone else here been to El Nido? What you think of this area?
