EL NIDO SUMMER GETAWAY
I and Roxy, my travel buddy went to El nido last May 24-27, 2014. We arrived in Puerto Princesa around 2:30 in the afternoon, right from there, we traveled straight to el nido and arrived at 6:30 to 7pm. Unfortunately La Casa Teresa, where we intially reserved a room was fully booked. Just in case you decided to go to El Nido DO NOT CHOOSE LA CASA TERESA for your accommodation, still lucky, that NORTHERN HOPE TOURS provided us a room located also in Corong Corong, 2-3 mins away from town proper. They gave us a room with 1 double deck and one double sized beds, big enough for the two of us and not bad for 1,500/ night room. (Overcomer Lodge)
After checking- in, we went out to eat dinner at Squido's Hilltop Restaurant. SInce it is on top of a hill, we had to climb approximately 50 steps up. It offers a buffet for 250.00 and it also has a live band. Their food wasn't extraordinary though, few viands to choose from and we had to pay for our drinks. After 30 mins or so, we went back to our hotel to rest.
Day 2
Our second day started around 7:30- 8:00 in the morning, we had our complimentary breakfast (3 pieces of toasts, scrambled egg and a piece of cheesedog) just enough to fill our tummy in preparation for our long day of tour. We headed straight to the Northern Hope Tours office located in the town proper via their free tricycle ride.
Their office is just a few steps away from the port. There we met our tour guide Kuya Lito and he accompanied us to the port where other tourists were waiting. Since snorkeling gears were included already in our tour package, we just only needed to rent for aqua shoes since we didn't want to step on sharp corals and rocks. Right then we found a perfect place to rent our shoes. And taaadddaaaa after a few, our first day tour started. The picture below is the view of Bacuit Bay.
Our First Stop (BIG LAGOON)
Surrounded by wonderful karsts of limestones, Big Lagoon is perfect for picture taking.
Second Stop (SMALL LAGOON)
Small lagoon is also surrounded by limestones, it's not only good for picture taking but also for swimming.
Third Stop (SIMIZU ISLAND)
This is where we had our lunch. It has a not so big strip of white sand beach, and the other side of the beach also has limestone formations. (see pictures above)
Fourth Stop (Secret Lagoon)
Located in Miniloc Island and is enclosed by high formations of limestones.
entry to the Secret Lagoon
Last Stop (7 Commando Beach)
This was our last stop for our tour day 1. 7 commando has a long stretch of white sand beach, where you can read your favorite novel while seating on the sand and drinking buko juice and eating fresh buko meat using their native spoon.
view from 7 Commando Beach
eating buko fresh meat using the native spoon
At around 4:30-5pm we went back to the town, and bought some buko shakes for refreshment.
Day 2:
We woke up early. We had our breakfast around 7-7:30am, this time we had a piece of fish and scrambled egg with rice. We left our room around quarter, and headed straight to the port.
First Stop (Hidden Beach)
We had to use our rented kayak to go to the Hidden Beach because we were not brave enough to swim. Unluckily, it was our first time to ride a kayak, so we sank.
our sinking kayak haha
inside the Hidden Beach
Second Stop (Talisay Beach)
This is where we had our sumptuous lunch. Sorry no photos to show as we were very hungry back then. We never had the time to take picture.
Third Stop (Secret Beach)
To reach the Secret Beach, we had to swim through a small hole. Literally, there is a beach hidden behind the wall of limestones.
don't mind the foot lol
Fourth Stop (Matinloc Shrine)
It is a heartshaped place located in Matinloc Island.
It has a viewdeck on top where you can see a real paradise.
Roxy on top of Matinloc Shrine
Last Stop (Helicopter Island)
As the name itself, its shape is like a helicopter. A place is good for swimming and snorkeling
Day 3
Twin Beaches of Nacpan and Calitang (45mins-1 hr land travel ride from the town proper)
To see the full view of the twin Beaches, we had to climb a small hill where we can take pictures.
on the hill
our heavy early lunch
We headed back to our hotel around 11am to prepare for check out and travel back to Puerto Princesa. We Arrived at Puerto at 5:30pm. We still had the time to buy pasalubongs. We departed Puerto Princesa for Manila around 8:30pm
EXPENSES:
Airfare: 1,335.00 (airfare promo via Airasiazest)
Major Expenses:
- Airport transfers (PPS-ELNIDO-PPS)= 1,000.00
- Accommodation:1,500/night x 3nights/2 persons= 2,250.00
- Ecotourism Developmental Fee (good for 10days)= 200.00
- Package Tour A + Tour C (1,200.00 + 1,400.00)= 2,600.00
- Kayak Rental (500.00/day x 1 day/ 2 persons) = 250..00
- Underwater Camera (700//day x 2 days/ 2persons)= 700.00
- Aqua Shoes (150/day x 2days)= 300.00
- Tricycle Tour to Twin Beaches of Nacpan and Calitang (1,000/2persons)= 500.00
DAY 1 DINNER
- Squido's Restaurant
- Buffet 250.00
- Mango Shake 90.00
- Water 30.00
- Tricycle 30.00
- Total: 400.00
DAY 2 DINNER
- Seafood Restaurant
- Grilled Fish 100.00
- Grilled Prok 100.00
- Coke 12.00
- Tricycle 30.00
- Total: 242.00
- Local Fastfood
- Bulalo 200.00
- Tapsilog 70.00
- Minute Maid 20.00
- Tricycle 30.00
- Total: 320.00
- Local eatery
- Shrimps, Grilled Pork and Eggplant Omelette
- Banana and Pineapple Shakes
- Total: 1,050/ 2 persons= 525.00
- Local Eatery
- Pork Adobo 40.00
GRANDTOTAL: 1,527.00
ALL IN 10,262.00
posted by Unknown @ 11:01 PM
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