Just when I thought traveling on lean season was purely genius, I totally forgot that in the Philippines lean season also means typhoon season.  The day after I enjoyed my first island tour in El Nido, in came the rain. I was just chilling in my cabin waiting for the coordinators to come and say the tour's postponed but it wasn't. In my mind, I was like "Really? In this ungodly weather?". I just had to ask why. Ate Coordinator's answer was short and simple, "We had to. No tour, no income". I didn't know what to respond. Here I am, worrying about my safety while there they are worrying not about themselves, risking their own lives, thriving to make a living.

The boat ride was one hell of a ride. Whew! Just a little two minutes from the anchorage and we're already soaked, both from the splashes and the rain. Fun and thrilling at the same time. Our boatmen gave us huuuge garbage bags to secure our things. Talk about improvised dry bags. Haha. 

I chose Tour C for today's island hopping trip, with Miniloc Island as its main attraction, is the farthest of all the islands. With no island in sight and seeing those huge waves, it was a challenge to keep my calm. Shouldn't we be bothered or is it just me? I glanced over our boatmen and saw the captain having coffee. Literally! I'm like, okay, this should be no biggie. Haha. (I met them the night before the tour when they saw me running downtown under the rain, in search for shelter. Our guides from yesterday's tour was with them, so I'm guessing they're from the same tour services. BTW, thanks for lending me an umbrella. :) )

With an all island tour, a waterproof camera would be the best option to bring. I kind of learned that the hard way yesterday, so the night before the tour I rented an underwater camera at a local camera shop. I was surprised that the rent for a GoPro was almost the same with an overnight hotel accommodation. Probably because GoPro was not yet that popular here in the Philippines (2013). This wasn't in my budget so I opted for a cheaper alternative, Canon point and shoot with an underwater case for P750.00. Still a bit pricey for me but hey, they have the right to dictate whatever price they want since they are the only rental shop in town. Plus, what choice do I have. Lol.

The pictures were okay. Exposure and colors could've been better if it wasn't gloomy. However, for sun sensitive-skinned people such as myself, you might want to take advantage of the weather and plunge into the water for as long as your time permits without worrying about skin rashes or burns. As much as I want to, I got an open wound on both knees acquired yesterday, not visible in the photos, though. Open wound, not just a scratch or cut, it doesn't bleed anymore but I swear I can see the tissues underneath, lol, and in my book, open wounds and salt water don't go well together. 

Few shots from the underwater cam. 

Overall, everything that happened today was quite an experience. From my stinging wound up to the safety docking of our boat, everything was worth it. 

Shout out to all island tour coordinators and boatmen who uses all their might to make each tour an awesome experience. Especially to the boatmen of Oceana1 and 2 in El Nido, mabuhay po kayo mga ser! :)

xxx

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. 

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. 

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

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. 

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! :)