The Island Explorer

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...

Deciding on your accommodations in El Nido is quite tricky, given that it is not like Boracay, where you have everything within walking distance. El Nido's best experiences are often outside the town proper  which is very busy and packed with restaurants, cafes and tour operators, making a stay not as ideal.  So, when one comes to El Nido, accommodation hopping is a norm. So, I am giving the low down on the top beaches that are battling it to attract visitors to make it their homebase or a part of their hop. Let's start off with the most convenient option, which is located right next to the airport - Lio Beach. Lio Beach was once a barren vastness of a beach that has been utterly transformed into one of the most expensive property developments in Palawan. Helmed by the Ayala Group, the massive redevelopment is aimed to cater to those who want to invest in a family-centered resident community and creative hub in El Nido.  Lio Beach is built for beachside living, perfe...

It's amazing how much a destination evolves over time. The first time I have been to El Nido was memorable. Confined to El Nido Miniloc Island, I had an unexpected treat to nature that truly made me fall in love with the Philippines even more. You can read about these adventures here  and here . I was hooked, and eventually flew back to these islands to experience their other exclusive resorts. Lagen followed and soon Pangulasian . Back then, our tours to the Small and Big Lagoons were not so crowded. Kayaking the islands was one of the greatest experiences I've had, especially from Entalula Island. I never wanted Palawan to be known. Just as most visitors, they wanted it mostly to themselves. The elusiveness and remoteness of the islands were just enchanting.  This time, 10 years after, I went back, coming short of a supposed visit in 2017 where I ended up settling in Port Barton instead. Though I've heard so many good things about the recent transformation, I was still w...

A Bohol experience will not be complete without a visit or probably a stay in Alona Beach, Panglao Island's premier beach spot. Alona Beach is actually older than Boracay in terms of development. Alona Beach is actually named by a famous celebrity Alona Alegre, who shot a film on this beach in the 1970s. Alona Tropical Resort was one of the my favorite resorts in Bohol, before it was demolished to pave way for a more modern hotel. If you wanna look back, read my experience  here .    Alona's charm comes from the fact that it was very family oriented, mostly because of the accommodating spirit of their previous hotel owners who were long custodians of Alona Beach. The pandemic has changed the tide and has forced some to finally sell out to bigger hotel chains.  These people will truly be the reason why Alona has grown to much popularity over the years. During sunset, unike Boracay, Alona's tide creeps in, making the shore narrow for its visitors. As planned by nature,...

Camarines Norte is considered to be under the radar for tourists, but pre-pandemic, it has already captured the hearts of a lot of travel bloggers, particularly because of the famed Calaguas Group of Islands . My Mom is from this province, so when I was invited to go with her to spend a week in my Tita's beach house, I took the offer gladly. I was dying to explore my province once again. We arrived late night in Camarines Norte after an 8-hour drive. It was my first time in my Tita's place. I was always told of this beach house and I imagined it to be old, traditional, antique. To my surprise, it turned out to be something more like a villa in Santorini. I knew that this trip was going to be different, and the excitement level just hit an all-time high.  This is Casa Napundan, which my Tita built to house intrepid tourists and surfers. I will be sharing more about this place in my next entry, so stay tuned for that.  It was a rainy April weekend and the rainy season was giving...

It was a lazy Saturday morning when I dared my friends to be spontaneous and escape for the weekend. Without any plans, we found ourselves driving South, stopping at BF Homes first for lunch and coffee. I had a place in mind, but I wasn't sure of its quality, since, from its pictures, it looked run down. I was glad I still took the risk, since it has become one of my favorite escapes from Manila.

Before we begin, I just want to say that I have been to Baler 4 times already this year, since I wrote that first post. I have become so attached to it, that I make it a point to visit the town every month. And during my first time this year, I stayed in Bay's Inn, which I said was laid back and all, but their accommodations are very basic and worn already.