El Nido, Palawan [Tour A]

After a flight + loooong road trip, and a night of good sleep, finally we were off to El Nido's Tour A* - our first (and only) tour in El Nido! And I shall start this post by saying, THIS IS THE BEST ISLAND HOPPING EXPERIENCE I HAD in the country!

7 commando beach

That's because El Nido is picture-perfect when it comes to beautiful beaches and lagoons, AND it has an unexplainable charm that is really appealing to beach people, like us. It's one of those serene destinations in the country where you will consider staying long-term just to reboot. So, guys, once I go through mid-life crisis, you know where to find me! haha!

Before entering Small Lagoon

One of my faves is the Small Lagoon, which gave us a taste of our first kayaking experience in Palawan - it was fun!!! I loved that part I have pass through a small hole to see what's inside. It's so small, that only one kayak at a time can pass through! And once you're inside, you'll be welcomed by high rocks enclosing a beautiful lagoon of calm and vivid-colored water. I have to admit though, kayaking there can look sissy, when you're surrounded by western tourists swimming around with no kayak, and with no life vests even. hahaha!

Kayaking @ Small Lagoon

Shimizu island is just as pristine. I loved hanging out in this island for sooo many things - the sand is white, it has a pretty view of the nearby islands, and it got rock formations to give shade during lunch. There were just a few fishes when we snorkeled, but at least our camera captured a few with the help of bread! hehe!

Shimizu Island

Snorkeling @ Shimizu Island

Oh, do not underestimate the boatmen of El Nido when it comes to preparing lunch! They serve food with impressive presentation!!! They usually serve grilled meats and/or seafoods (which they grill on the boat by the way), vegetable salad and tropical fruits. This kind of tiny feast always makes me want to ditch the utensils and savor my sumptuous meal pinoy-style: bare hands!

LUNCH!!!

Secret Lagoon is my least favorite - you have to walk on a shallow ROCKY beach then slip into a really small cave hole only to see a super small lagoon jampacked with tourists. hahaha! BUT I really love the view outside of of the lagoon! Swimming with a beautiful view of really tall rocks was -- for me -- the highlight of that stop. note to self - must wear aqua shoes next time! hehe!

the beach OUTSIDE Secret Lagoon

Our most favorite is the Big Lagoon! This is the model spot you often see in postcards - because of its beautiful rocks, clear water, really vast space for kayaking ...and basically EVERYTHING! Beautiful is an understatement - No photo can give justice to this lagoon's beauty. There's some magic in this place that will really make you fall in love with El Nido. I've been to many lagoons of Palawan (including Coron) and I can say this is the BEST!

The best part: kayaking @ Big Lagoon

Big lagoon before sunset

* El Nido has 4 standard tours across all resorts/agencies - A, B, C, D. We chose A because that's what the locals, tourists and tour guides recommend. On our 2nd day, we opted to just explore around the town because Lou had slight fever. No regrets at all! I think tour A pretty much showcased the best of El Nido tours, and a day of chillax rest with my husband at El Nido is another great story - to be continued on my next post! :)