At last, a holiday! No, wait, a five-day holiday thanks to Chuseok! I have been eyeing this holiday since day one (shh, don't tell my manager) of 2013 (yes, this is a super late post). Timing that its in September, my birth month, great time for a solo pre-birthday adventure. Though I have been traveling and going on adventures alone before, this is my first solo air travel.
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| View from my room at Rico's Cottages. |
In the Philippines, September lies in the off-peak season so I was able to get huge discounts on plane tickets and accommodations. Yes, I prepared everything DIY style, from plane tickets reservations to island hopping. It's not that too stressful and time consuming like everyone thinks (actually it is the research that is stressful) plus its a lot cheaper.
Compared to Puerto Princesa, accommodations and tours in El Nido are cheaper, still haven't figured out why. For tours, probably because the beach is more accessible here. Just a few steps and you're there.
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| Shots courtesy of Keith. Let's get the boat party started! |
Time to hit the islands! I picked Tour A (Big and Small Lagoon, Shimizu Island, 7 Commando Beach, Secret Lagoon) for my first day of island hopping and boy oh boy was it a blast: tourists from Argentina, England, Ireland, Canada, Vietnam and Philippines in one boat, like a little United Nations boat. It was fun, we got along well even though we came from different countries. We're not even halfway to our destination and Keith's already starting the boat party. In my visits to Puerto Princesa, I seldom see foreigners. Now I know why. They're either in El Nido or Coron, or at least that's what Keith said. Haha
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| Gotcha, Xu Yen! |
The islands are extremely breathtaking! No wonder its the best island in the world. I bought my DSLR with me but I didn't feel sorry when I ignored it most of the time. Seriously, I'd ditch it anytime. Unless if you're camera's waterproof, of course. The island's marine life to is to die for. No kidding, check it on my next post.
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| Thank you Xu Yen for these captures. The tan lines are all worth it. :) |
If I'm not in the waters, I'm sipping a drink or two while exchanging stories with my new found friends. I had the amazing opportunity to talk to all of them and caught a glimpse of their lives back home but I especially enjoyed my conversations with Xu Yen (and her sister) and Keith. Xu Yen's Vietnamese, we talked about everything under the sun (literally and figuratively), from travelling to economics. I recently learned that she's also a graduate of Social Science, no wonder why we talked like we did. Yes, we still exchange messages once in while through Facebook. :) Keith, on the other hand, is Irish. Also a solo traveler, he's been to islands here in the Philippines that even most Filipinos haven't been to. He looked so at home already. Haha.
NOTES:
1. Vans going to El Nido are readily available just across the PPS domestic airport but the trips here are irregular. They'll leave once the van is full. In my case, I had to wait for an hour. If you're in a hurry, just take a tricycle to the terminal, they have trips to El Nido every hour.
1. For a nice beach front room, check Rico's Cottages. I booked one of their fan rooms in the second floora for 900 Php per night. The room's good for two and it has a balcony and cr of its own. Not bad, huh. When you're in a breathtaking island like this, I assume you'll spend most of your time exploring, so a luxurious hotel isn't really necessary.
2. For island hopping tours, I booked through Rico's, too. Their tours ranges from 1, 200 to 1,500 Php depending on the package you'll avail. Please note that tour prices vary from one hotel to another. I've seen some cottages offering tours as low as 800 Php. The key is to research well and see what suits you best.
3. The locals are honest and courteous, make sure you'll reciprocate that. :)
4. Make friends and enjoy! :)
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