PALAWAN, Philippines — El Nido may alienate young travellers because it seems so "up there".
It's perceived to be a destination for honeymooners and for those who can really afford it. To a certain degree, it's true. El Nido is known for its various posh island resorts and it's really harder to get there without a chartered plane.
But for those who are on a budget like we were, you can still enjoy El Nido and all that it has to offer.
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| El Nido is in between Coron and Puerto Princesa City (Image from en.wikipedia.org) |
Day 1
- Arrival at Puerto Princesa via airplane from Manila (~Php 3,200 roundtrip promo fare)
- WW2 Museum (Php 30 / pax)
- Bus from Puerto Princesa to El Nido (Php 483 / pax)
Day 2
- Check-in at Casa Buenavista(Php 3,000 all for 3 nights; Php 1,000 / pax)
- Tour C(Php 900 / pax)
- (Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Star Beach, Secret Beach, Helicopter Island)
Day 3
- Tour A(Php 600 / pax)
- (7 Commando Beach, Simizu Beach, Secret Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon)
Day 4
- Rock Climbing at Taraw Cliff (Php 300 / pax)
- Bus from El Nido to Puerto Princesa (Php 483 / pax)
- Depart for Manila via airplane
To save on cost, we stayed in the El Nido town proper where all the affordable hostels are. There isn't much to do around town as most of the nice destinations are boat rides away. Fortunately, there's a nice beach there with an awesome view. Unfortunately, it isn't too swimmable.
Food:
My ultimate reco would be Sea Slugs, which is along the beach front. They've got the juiciest crabs at only Php 350 for two! Order a beer or two (or three) and enjoy the view. Heaven!
Costs:
For 4D/3N, I spent around Php 10k. This includes roundtrip airfare (~Php 3,300), bus rides to and from El Nido (~Php 1,000), accommodations (~Php 1,000 / pax for 3N), tours (~Php 2,200), and all food splurges. (~Php 2,200+).
