El Nido Day 1: Package Tour C's Beaches

The next day, I woke up early and asked hubby to accompany me in strolling the beach front. Super ganda ng El Nido! We were not able to see it because we arrived late the night before and the lights in the streets are dim lang.

the low tide shore of El Nido

While waiting for others to wake up, we ordered breakfast na at Bacuit Grill which is just outside our accommodation. While we wait, they served the complimentary 3in1 coffee. Masarap sya! Haha

Cabugao Lodge behind

Bacuit Grill just outside Cabugao Lodge

I ordered tocilog, P180 including the Dole pineapple juice in can

After breakfast, we prepared ourselves na for our first activity for the day. Tour C island hopping c/o Sir Harvey Templado! He is our contact person for the tour and I can say a worth recommended guide. You can reach him at 09263049680.

He fetched us at 9am and introduced us to our guide for the day and hinatid na din nya kami sa boat namin. We were also told to settle first the P200pesos environmental fee which is required to anyone who will go island hopping.

Ok, island hopping starts now! Solo namin ang tour kaya picture muna.

with our guide for the day, Kuya _____ (nalimutan ko na naman. hehe)

First stop, the Helicopter Island. It was called such because as you can see , it looks like a helicopter from afar. Pero ang tingin ko, para syang whale. Hahaha

We docked, pero hindi mismong sa shore. Bawal pala yun. As per our boatman/guide, every island has local guard. At mahigpit nilang pinagbabawal na lumapit sa shore ang boat. Or else, they will take a picture of your boat and will report you to their association.

At dahil malakas ang alon, nakarating kami sa shore ng paggapang. Hahahaha

And we are enjoying the island..

I really like this picture of me and Jorge :)

Helicopter island is one of the best snorkeling sites in El Nido. But because of the strong waves, we did not bother. Baka ihampas pa kami sa mga batuhan. We felt contented naman sa mga papicture-picture lang. We stayed at the island for less than an hour. Syempre kung mahirap umalis ng bangka, mas mahirap bumalik. Dahil sa malakas ang alon, it took us some time to reach the boat. Malalaki pa samin ang alon!

Next stop is supposedly Matinloc Island Shrine. However, many boats are still in the island so we diverted to Shimizu Island. We will be having our lunch first. This is the island where guides preferred to have lunch. However again, marami na din boats and tourists sa island kaya we diverted again sa island beside Shimizu. I forgot the name of the island.

Our boat docked while we are having lunch

While we are on our way pala, kuya the boatman/guide (I forgot din the name. Kasalanan to ng anesthesia sa katawan ko) is grilling na the fish and tahong. Kaya when we reached the island, he just prepared the table na kanya kanya palang dinadala ng bawat boat and set the food.

Grilled fish and tahong with a touch of sea water

And by the way, lunch is included in each tour package. And all of the tour agencies in El Nido have standard prices. Tour C costs 1,400 per head. Nagkakatalo lang sila sa food na ihahain at sa food presentation. Ako lang ang special dahil pumayag si Sir Harvey na tumawad ako. Haha

Picture muna while Kuya is preparing the lunch.

View from the ______ island

Gutom na ko :(

And finally!!!

Tour C's lunch with presentation. Flamingo daw yung nasa center. haha

Grilled liempo, ensaladang talong, grilled tahong and pipino

After having lunch, we rest for a while dahil masama daw lumangoy ng busog. Ang dami kasi namin nakain. After 30minutes or so, we went back on track and proceeded to Secret beach. I wonder why the locals are still calling it Secret beach when it is no longer secret. Joke yun. Hahahaha

The hole to the Secret beach can be reached through swimming. And since the 3 of us, Jorge and Shey don't know how, the guide decided to pull us using the "styro salbabida". And so, the buwis buhay entry to the hole starts. Simple reminder, dapat magaling kang mag-timing dahil there is a possibility na ihampas ka ng alon sa mga bato and higupin ka ulit ng alon palabas ng hole.

Nakikita nyo ba si kuyang boatman habang hirap na hirap sa paghila saming 3? hahaha

And finally, thanks to our guide. Gasgas man kami sa bato, safe naman kaming nakapasok sa hole.

The 2 boys, our husbands, know how to swim kaya no need for guide. Proper timing lang. We stayed for 45minutes at the beach with the English people who keeps on making fun of us.

Ngiting tagumpay!

And so, the buwis buhay exit naman.

Next stop is Star Beach. Di ko talaga alam kung bakit star. Not listening kasi ako sa guide. Picture ng picture eh. Hahaha

Star beach on the side

This is one of the snorkeling sites daw. However, low tide na and bawal apakan ang mga corals, kaya gasgas na naman.

And we are enjoying so much

Most of the corals were already dead and no fishes were around. But I still can't stop myself from admiring the beauty beneath.

blue and other fishes and corals

stone fish and everything

first time to see a blue starfish

The last island for this tour is Matinloc Island Shrine. The story of Matinloc shrine is so intriguing. As the caption on the shrine says, It was dreamt by the owner daw of a dome-shaped structure with columns where the Blessed Virgin Mary with a cross is in a circular altar. He was told "Shrine of the New Jerusalem. One day you will build it and your empire will be restored."

Then they started an aerial survey of Palawan and found out a heart-shaped island in El Nido, which happened to be Matinloc. And they started building the mansion and the shrine for the realization of the vision. The materials for construction were shipped pa from Manila. The Shrine was inaugurated and blessed on May 31, 1993 - now celebrated as the Feast of our Lady of Matinloc.

Entrance of Matinloc Island

Sabi ni kuya guide, the owner of this island is a German with a Filipina wife also from El Nido. When the couple separated, the shrine was abandoned.

For us, the best part of the island is the view deck. There are carved steps on the rock but you have to be extra careful of the spiky and sharp rocks on the way up. At ang view sa taas? Wow! So perfectly beautiful!

At papalampasin ko ba ang chance na makapagselfie sa isa sa pinakamagandang view na nakita ko??

Mini tunnel with Sto. Nino statue

These jump off ends the tour for the day.

constructed wharf at the other side of the island

We reached the jump off at exactly 4:30pm. We passed by the agency first to get our receipts for environmental fee and went to our accommodation.

After washing up, we stroll the El Nido streets and asked for the church. If you are new to a certain place, paying a visit to a church is a must.

St. Francis of Assissi Parish

We looked for makakainan afterwards. Ok naman sana ang price na P180 if its sulit. Kaso yung iba di naman din masarap. We saw an ihawan nearby. Mas sulit to! We ordered isaw, bbq, hotdogs and their lutong ulam. Sulit ang P200pesos meal for 2. May 1.5 softdrinks pa! Haha

We went back to Bacuit Grill, the restaurant just outside our accommodation. The boys pala bought 12 beers in advance kasi happy hour daw ng 5-7pm. Sinamantala ang price drop from 60 to 40pesos. Then after our dinner, saka nila kinlaim ang kanilang beers. Talino lang eh noh? Haha

Shey and me joined them by having Mochaccino frappe at P150. Di ko sya type. May touch of banana kasi and I don't eat banana. Nakakatuwa lang kasi that while we are having our kwentuhan, we witnessed a wedding proposal from a table beside us. Ang cute lang nila. Jorge even offered to take pictures of them dahil nahihirapan silang mag-group picture. Kaya akala ko ililibre nila ang drinks namin. Hahaha

After a few minutes more, we called it a day and prepared for the next activity for the next day.

Next entry: El Nido: Day 2 Tour