Palawan: El Nido - Island Hopping Tour A (Travel Guide)

El Nido Day 1 – Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

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Travel Guide

ISLAND HOPPING TOURS IN EL NIDO

El Nido is known for its beautiful islands, turquoise waters, and diverse marine life. To explore the islands, Island hopping tour packages are offered by different travel agencies. There are 4 packages offered, namely Tour A, Tour B, Tour C, and Tour D.

From the airport, we rode a van going to El Nido, Palawan. We were planning to take the bus, but Cebu Pacific offered us a ₱600 van voucher, which picked us up once we got down at the airport.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
El Nido Port

Just on the 5th hour of our road trip. Our van hit a carabao in the middle of the road. The carabao got crippled and left the van in total wreck. Fortunately, no one got hurt in the accident, except the carabao and me. The bridge of my nose hit the metal part of my bag. It got scratched and bleeding. What an experience for our first day! Despite that, we saw the night sky, full of stars. It relieved us despite the unexpected event. The driver told us to wait for the backup van. Luckily, the last trip of Cherry Bus was behind us. We rode the bus and paid ₱80 each.

EL NIDO

We arrived in El Nido around 2:30 A.M. We rode a tricycle going straight to our accommodation, D’ Strong Tower Inn. The staff asked us if we were going to take the tours this morning and we said, yes. She told us to register and a trike will pick us up at around 8:30 A.M. Payment for the tours plus the Eco-Tourism Development Fund Fee of ₱200 will be paid to them after each tour.

ISLAND HOPPING – TOUR A

We happened to have just a few hours of sleep. We woke up at 7:00 AM and ate our breakfast at a nearby carinderia called the Sisig Republic. The trike arrived and brought us to the leftmost part of the beach, where our boat was waiting. We chose Tour A for our first day. This includes the Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, and 7 Commandos Beach.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

SMALL LAGOON

Our first destination was the Small Lagoon in Miniloc Island. Snorkeling and kayaking are the activities here. We rented a kayak for ₱300. To reach the small lagoon, we entered a small hole where we and our kayak fitted. Inside, we were surrounded by beautiful rock formations and turquoise-green waters.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Small Lagoon surrounded by beautiful rock formations

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Kayaking at Small Lagoon

BIG LAGOON

Our second destination was the Big Lagoon. We didn’t stay there but the boat toured us around it. Surrounded by rock formations and clear waters, it left us in awe. It is a breeding ground for different fishes and reptiles. According to our guide, they offer night tours, where they let tourists see the rich marine life at night.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Big Lagoon

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Clear waters of Big Lagoon

SECRET LAGOON

The entrance to the Secret Lagoon is a small hole in a towering limestone. It was a cave before that collapsed. It is now an area that looks like a pool surrounded by this limestone wall.

The beach near the lagoon is a paradise. Coconut Trees, white sand, and clear waters. A place to relax and appreciate nature.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Beach near the Secret Lagoon
El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Line at the entrance of the lagoon
El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Secret Lagoon

SHIMIZU ISLAND

Our boat stopped at Shimizu Island where we will also have our lunch. Shimizu Island is named after a Japanese who died while leading an underwater exploration inside a cave.

While waiting for our lunch, we were given snorkeling gear for us to explore the rich waters surrounding the island. Different kinds of fish can be seen including Clownfish, Angelfish, and even Sea Urchins. Just beware of a fish that will bite your legs. It bit me 2 times but don’t worry, it was not painful. XD

After swimming with the fishies, our lunch was ready. It was a feast. From seafood, and meats to fruits. It was relaxing, eating by the beach surrounded by beautiful islands.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Lunch Time!
El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
Shimizu Island

7 COMMANDOS BEACH

7 Commandos Beach was our last destination for our Tour A.  Named after the 7 Commandos who got stranded and lived here before.

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

The beach was very relaxing. A place that defines the word, paradise: coconut trees, palm trees, fine white sand beach, and clear waters. After a day of island hopping, we just wanted to stay here and rest. The best place to be stranded. XD

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
A perfect match for this place

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons
7 Commandos Beach. Photo was taken by Caryl.

That concludes our Tour A. We were back in El Nido Town at 4:00 PM. We returned to our room and washed.

In addition to our Island Hopping Activity, we explored the town. We ate street foods and looked at the establishments.

We ate our dinner at Kaptain’s Diner just in front of St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church. Restaurants in El Nido are a bit pricey. We decided not to thrift ourselves to satisfy our cravings for some good food. After dinner, we returned to our lodging. Tired but excited for what we were going to experience next. What wonders are we going to discover next?

El Nido Day 1 - Tour A: Islands, Beaches and Lagoons

THAT ENDS OUR FIRST DAY IN EL NIDO! THE NEXT POST IS ABOUT OUR 2ND DAY AND TOUR C DESTINATIONS. 😀

CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE ITINERARY AND TRAVEL GUIDE IN PALAWAN. CHEERS!

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© CHASEJASE

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