The Island Explorer

Surprisingly, staying in El Nido town is not a common option amongst travelers. With its ruckus from bars and tour operators, it is a busy district. It is suitable for a day's trip to either dine in one of its restaurants, or for some souvenir shopping . But other than that, there's really nothing much here. It used to be a party place at night, but since Corong Corong and Maremegmeg had its boost, the town is losing its charm. Here's my take on it. If it's your first time in El Nido, spend your first night here to get acquainted with the entire region. In my case, I decided to spend all of my days here. When you have a car rental or a scooter, it is easier to get around El Nido. Also, I wasn't really into a real vacation. I was here to explore and survey the beaches. Hence, staying in the center became a good option.    To further support my decision, I stayed in one of the better options in El Nido town, Sanse Boutique Hotel . This lovely boutique hotel was quite...

Okay, the title may seem too exaggerated, the furthest point that I managed to drive to was Duli Beach. Dubbed as the surfing spot of El Nido , Duli Beach is a different world altogether. And was I glad to have made it this far. There is nothing much about Duli on the Internet. That being said, I was more frantic than ever. I crossed my fingers that Duli would be a deserted beach, or at least not commercialized. Lo and behold, after minutes of seemingly endless unpaved road passing through small villages, I finally reached Duli Beach.  Upon arrival, I was told to pay P20 entrance fee. The beach was perfect and Duli Beach was all that I expected it to be. No crowds, no buildings. I actually didn't feel that I was in El Nido. It was like some part of San Vicente, or Lio as I remembered it to be 15 years ago. It was already noontime, and I was worried that I had nowhere to go for lunch. The beach was empty and there were no visible structures, except for one at the very end of the bea...

We continue our series of the top beaches in El Nido with the one that has garnered much attention in recent years. Made famous by the Gen Z crowd, this beach exploded in the Internet as young and beautiful people snapped pictures of themselves with limestone karst formations in one of the most beautiful sunset scenes in Southeast Asia. For those NOT in the know, welcome to Las Cabanas Beach. Las Cabanas is El Nido's answer to White Beach in Boracay. Located 10-minutes away from the town center, it has gorgeous resorts, a mall of sorts, beach clubs and bars and of course, the quintessential perfect sunset. Transportation is readily available. Las Cabanas Beach can be easily accessed via The Shoppes at Vanilla Beach. Don't confuse yourself with the name. Las Cabanas is alternatively called as Vanilla and Maremegmeg Beach. Head further down left and the impressive Maremegmeg Beach Club, where the scenery suddenly changes. Now, you will be able to hear the gentle splash of water b...

Nacpan Beach defines itself as the hidden gem of El Nido. Further away to the north from the town center, it offers a more rustic setting  and has the wide beachfront that one may look for. It appeals to those who want to escape the bustling crowds, especially if you're coming out from weekend boat tours. The skies can also get dramatic here as well during magic hour.  Nacpan Beach is also ideal for romantic getaways. It's lesser crowds provide for more intimate moments. And I saw this happen on the beach. I saw several couples enjoying their afternoon walk, while families made it their safe space. There is one resort that got Nacpan on the map for its undeniably eye-catching blue tents - Nacpan Glamping . When I first came upon the pictures of the resort in 2017, I was floored to the ground, quickly sharing it to my peers. The camping trend has achieved mainstream status in the Philippines. I praised Nacpan Glamping for leading the pack. And true enough, Nacpan owned the bea...

There are several types of accommodation experiences in El Nido, from jaw-dropping cliffside rooms to rugged island huts. El Nido is the chance for you to indulge in all kinds of accommodations situated conveniently within each other. But there is one that may not be as popular in El Nido, which makes it more interesting and unique. It's countryside camping, and Cabanas de Nacpan is where you should be to experience this. Cabanas de Nacpan is located around 30-minute away from the town center, on the access road going to Nacpan Beach. I was deciding whether I would check-in the more popular Nacpan Beach Glamping Tents, but I felt I wanted a more organic experience. Hence, I was lucky enough to chance upon Cabanas de Nacpan, which exactly gave me what I wanted. Cabanas de Nacpan felt like a rural village. It's discreet reception area would be the entrance to a rice field wonderland of tree houses, nipa huts and tents. I booked a tent which cost me around P2,500 a night. Not bad,...