El Nido is widely known for its fine beaches, hidden lagoons, and majestic rock formations. In our tour however, our guide invited us to do some trekking. I have always been interested in the great outdoors but I know that I am also not fit for such activities. So when they announced that we are going to see a waterfall, I was excited at first then I sort of doubted myself if I could carry on with the journey without slipping on mud or asking the group to take a break so I could catch my breath. Haha! I was with my cousins, it was not a time to expose myself in such humiliation or else I will be the laughing stock in Christmas dinners and reunions.


Anyway, from Buluang Beach, we spent a little more than 45 minutes to reach Mansilawit Viewing Deck. We did not however trek to the viewing deck but to a waterfall that was within the area.





Our journey started with a walk through a plain that was lined with rows of coconut trees and green grass. Easy peasy! I can do that!

It was our second day in El Nido and all island hopping around the area were canceled due to the storm. We were all a bit disappointed, Kalay took it the worst, but there was nothing that we could do but to just to go on and enjoy with what we can do since we were stuck in El Nido.




What breakfast is like in Marina Beach Resort and with that view, oh yes please. Karla is pretty candid as you can see. Since we can't do any island hoping today, our tour guide decided to bring us to an "outskirt" beach area at the other side of the island. After an hour via van, we finally got to Buluang Beach!

My cousins and I embarked on a journey to El Nido, Palawan. We came there last month and as we all know, July is typhoon season in the Philippines and with the Hanging Habagat, it just made the weather worse but since we were all excited - and our contact in Palawan said the weather there was "fine" - we went on with the trip anyway. From Iloilo City, we boarded on a 45-minute flight straight to Puerto Princesa and were welcomed by light drizzles (what a sign). Our tour arranged a private van to take us to El Nido. Silly me, I thought El Nido was just a few hours from Palawan's Capital, but it took us almost five hours to get there! Anyway, it was a great time for us to doze off since most of use didn't get enough sleep the night before.

There's just something about the rain and long car rides, and music! Instant music video if your imagination permits.

Right after we got off the van

The sea was calm. The ocean breeze was refreshing. The water reflected the sky in a deep blue hue and in shallow levels, you could see what lies underneath. Crystal clear. We were really in awe as to how clean the water was.

Our first stop was in this islet that used to be a home to a Grotto of Mary the Virgin but after the super typhoon, it was destroyed beyond use. It has a cave underneath that you pass towards the other side of the islet. The cave, as CJ discovered, was housed by dozens of bats and it gave out a strong pungent smell. I didn't dare pass through the cave as Caileigh was hugging me like a little monkey so we just sat on the sands with the water level just below my knees. The water was, as I've mentioned, crystal clear and we've seen a few fish swimming near by.

    I'm supposed to be on bed rest for a week and since I don't have much to do while lying down (my mobile phone battery couldn't last a day, I tell you) I decided to play with Snapseed's new app update! They look really neat on my phone but now the quality looks a little meh. But anyway, enjoy these photos that I got from Christ College, Cambridge University - if I haven't mistaken.    

In the Philippines we would call these mansions but since photography wasn't allowed inside the abbey, I took photos of their beautiful gardens - wasps and naked statues included. I also posted an earlier blog about it here.

Tourist photos of a gloomy London way back 2010.