Coron-El Nido-Coron Trip...Through rough seas for those who dare

Eleven months and three weeks later I found myself travelling to Coron once more- again by boat...nah, no way- this time thru a very comfortable 1-hour plane ride.

Day 1
We landed in Busuanga airport at eight in the morning. I did not notice any means of public transport so it will be best to book your airport transfers to Coron proper ahead of time. Along the way, the clear skies made the green landscape look even greener. There were quite a number of free range cows running around and about. I grinned as I remembered my sister saying over and over, after her previous trip there, that “beef in this small part of the Philippines (especially the bulalo) is so much yummier because they were happy cows during their lifetime”...hahahaha!

Some sections of the road were still rough but most were newly constructed cement roads. After 20 minutes, we already reached our home for a day. It was still early so we settled in and rested for a couple of hours until our stomachs started to rumble. 

I haven’t decided yet on what to have for lunch so we strolled around for a while and we ended up in Sea Dive Resort. Just a quick flashback... during my previous visit, the meal that I least liked was the buffet dinner in their restaurant but I believe in second chances and I figured maybe the food quality will be so much better if I order ala carte. Liking the food and a particular place is very subjective and my very subjective verdict is...If not for the refreshing ambience, I’d definitely say that I should not have given the place a second chance. It took more than 30 minutes before the food reached our table. The chicken wrap was cold and tough, and the spicy chicken wing dish was a bit bland for my taste. Afterwards we went to the local boat operators to confirm if there is a boat leaving for El Nido the following day, shopped for water and snacks for our trip, worked for a while (the usual workaholic me) and took a nap in our hotel room until dusk. 

Dinner was at La Sirenetta restaurant. The place was so perfectly romantic and every touch of the wind in our ears was like notes in a serenade. Our meal was a sampling of almost everything on the menu. I particularly liked Sirenetta sinigang for the freshness of the ingredients, Spicy tuna olio penne for the al dente pasta with just the right hint of chilli and the Calamianes calamares fritos for the perfectly cooked squid and the spicy tomato salsa, which I think is a hundred fold better than the hundred island dressing that we’re accustomed to in Manila.

Day 2
At 6:30am we were ready to load a tricycle to the port/public market, bought our tickets, had breakfast in one of the market carinderias, did some last minute fruit shopping and boarded the boat.  Considering it’s an 8-hour ride, it can fit 10 uncomfortable passengers. To our relief, there were only 3 of us. The length of the journey was aggravated by the angry seas. Aside from the fact that the way to El Nido is against the wind, we were going towards the open sea. The waves were bashing our poor outrigger wooden boat so hard that the seawater was constantly slapping our faces. We could only watch as the boat struggled its way forward. 

There were moments of peace and calm though as we entered mini coves surrounded by small islets. On one cove, a large group of butterflies flew around our boat. It was amazing to see life in extreme isolation. About 4 hours later, in one of the islets with blinding, almost paper white sand, I saw an unfinished hat amidst the coconut trees. I wish I could have taken a more upclose photo! It left me thinking how long it would have taken them to transport the building materials from town...and ending up wanting to have one someday...my own private retreat!

How we managed to doze off was beyond me. We basically slept, snacked on whatever, slept again, woke up and looked around to see endless blue and some patches of land, listened to the ipod, and then again slept on and on and on...I attempted to read a book but the endless splashing of seawater made me quit. This ride is something that I would only want to do once, just for the sake of being able say I did it, which by the way earns me a BRAGGING RIGHT! I’m definitely taking a plane next time!   

And then...at 4:30 in the afternoon...there it was!

El Nido is located in the northernmost tip of mainland Palawan. It is accessible by plane flying direct to the island, by a 6-8 hour boat ride from Coron, or by 8-9 hour land travel from Puerto Princesa. It is a quiet little town situated at the foot of giant towering limestone cliffs. From afar, the houses and resorts looked like pea-sized pebbles at the foot of a rocky mountain.

The municipality of El Nido, is situated at the northernmost tip of mainland Palawan and is surrounded by Linapacan Strait in the north, South China Sea in the west and Sulu Sea in the east. “Nido” is a Spanish word that means “nest”. The town got its name from the edible swiftlet bird nest found in the limestone cliffs. 

First stop was a visit to the local tourism office followed by a stroll around the town and along the beach, which only took about 1 or 2 hours. It was fast approaching sunset and the restaurant staffs were starting to set their tables and torches along the beach. 

Dinner was in a small shack along the main street. We had onion soup, grilled squid and sweet and sour fish. It was filling but I expected the seafood to me fresher than it was.

 

Day 3
Whenever I travel to a new town or province, I try to always visit the local market especially on market day (most towns and provinces have this). Lucky us, it was market day! We got up early and in just a short walk we reached the multipurpose hall/basketball court. The whole area and the surrounding streets are packed with vendors selling anything and everything. There was an assortment of cooked food. We sampled several rice cakes which were superb, bananque, maja mais and other local sweets. 

When I said that they sell everything, I meant everything. There were as assortment of vegetables, some of them I couldn’t even recognize. They also had the freshest seafood...different varieties fish, clams, mud crabs, small blue spotted ribbontail rays and baby sharks.

 

We bought mangoes, pineapple and small shells...which will later be in our table for lunch. It was such a treat!

We then went straight to the registration area to pay for our tour package. We took tour package A which consisted of Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Secret lagoon , Simizu Island, Entalula Island, Seven Commandos. We had a chance to chat with the boat owner’s wife about the tourists that come and their everyday life. She also graciously taught us the best way to cook the shells that we bought from the market while handing them to kuya (our boatman). Our boat made its way to our first stop as we enjoyed the cool breeze and the water with different shades of dark blue, deep dark green and aquamarine.

The boat slowed down and dropped its anchor in front of the small lagoon. We jumped on water and swam towards the opening of the lagoon. You can either choose to swim or take a kayak inside. For us, it was a cool swim. The lagoon is covered by the shade of the limestone walls wrapped with trees and thick vegetation. I particularly enjoyed the swim towards the cave at the far end of the lagoon. I you are not a good swimmer, take precaution and wear a life vest because the water here is very deep. The opening to the cave is small and narrow but it immediately opens up to a high dome inside. The big lagoon was very similar to the small lagoon so we did not stay long.

Entering the Secret lagoon was a bit of a challenge. I had to try to keep my balance while walking on waist-deep water and very sharp rocks and hard corals. Since the waves were too strong, I got a couple of scratches on my foot and leg.  After the walk, we had to crawl inside a small hole to the lagoon where the water was a bit murky.

We had our lunch at Simizu island which had several covered hats. If you want to bask in the sun, you can lie on the white sand. Otherwise, you can choose a spot under one of the trees and shaded areas. The boatmen were preparing our lunch while we built up our appetites and snorkelled. Apparently, this is one of the best snorkelling sites in El Nido. We saw a number of fish, corals and some big pink jellyfish.

Our meal was a parade of grilled fish, grilled liempo (pork belly), well-seasoned cucumber salad, tomato and onion salas, white rice, grilled baby shells (the ones that we got in the market) and sweet pineapple. It was delicious! To top it off, before going to our next stop we laid on the beach for about an hour while savouring the bandi (a local delicacy made from cashew with caramelized sugar). This is a must try and once you start snacking on one, you’ll surely crave for more.

We hit other snorkelling sites before our final stop – the Seven Commandos, a privately owned island. This is a beach where, even if there are several boats docked, one would still feel isolated. The beach was extremely wide for an island with the backdrop of high mountains. I had enough swimming for the day so I just spread my mat and read my book while sipping the fresh coconut juice that I bought in the island for only 20 pesos. The combination of the waves of the sea, the cool air and the mixture of sounds in the forest slowly put me to a quick nap.

Day 3
For our last full day in the El Nido, we decided to hang our outdoor adventure shoes for a while and do nothing. Electricity was already out by the time we woke up at 9am. After breakfast we circled the fish vendors in the market to buy fresh seafood. We bought a huge squid and an even bigger fish each weighing almost a kilo and took it to one of the beach side restaurants where the cook prepared it to perfection. Gobbling it up at 1 in the afternoon with a couple of bottles of light beer was pure pleasure!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing, staring at the peaceful view and reading my book while sipping glasses after glasses of fresh fruit shakes...burp!

After sunset we had dinner and a few more beers then we decided to call it a night. As we walked to our hotel, I marvelled at the site of the enormous limestone wall. The sight of it in the dark was seemingly haunting and almost scary if not for the bright stars that guard each passing stranger.

Day 4
We spent our fourth day mostly travelling back to Coron. It only took us 6 hours because the wind was on our side this time and the seawater was almost flat. We had a quick late lunch at Kawayan grill. I was anxious to check in to Village lodge, take a shower and finally get a well deserved massage! A full hour massage at the nearby Spa Paradise and Cafe was too expensive for us so we asked around and found a smaller massage place along the main street. We got our massage for a steal at only 250 pesos per hour! My therapist Ate Rose said that they also provide hotel room services with an additional fee of 50 pesos per person.

We then made a familiar walk around town. One would feel safe and secure despite the few people on the streets and some dark alleys. As we asked around for some information and directions for the following morning, I noticed that people were a bit more friendly and welcoming than in my last visit. Maybe they have already adjusted to the continuous influx of tourists.

We planned dining at Bistro Coron but when we got there, it was plain HORROR...The front door sign said - ”To all our valued customers: Bistro Coron is closed for its annual holiday. We will open again on July 7, 2009”...ohhh mannnnn!!!!! We ended up eating in the Village lodge cafe where we had salad and a big plate of crabs. They have good food, especially the bulalo, but the service is very slow so if you want to dine there be sure to order your food 30 to 20 minutes in advance. 

 

Day 5
We began our day with our usual trip to the local market where we bought crabs, enormous wild shrimps, bread (to feed the fish while snorkelling) and fruits for the island hopping. I was delighted to see this much fresh seafood with different varieties- blue spotted ribbontail rays, blue crabs, huge mud crabs, wild shrimps, bright-colored parrot fish, lapu lapu and every imaginable type of fish...no baby sharks this time though. 

There were four of us in the tour. There was a middle aged doctor at his early 50’s and his 13 year old son who were visiting from the States. First stop was the Kayangan lake which has not lost its charm. Next was the Skeleton wreck. This is a popular spot for snorkelling and diving. The wreck was a bit creepy for me. Maybe I’m just not into the thought of getting anywhere near an old sunken war ship with a lot of violent history attached to it, and possibly even earthbound spirits lurking around it. It was a great and unique adventure. As I jumped out of the boat, I could immediately see a blurred reflection of the tip of the ship, even in choppy waters. As I dove deeper to get a closer look, I could see the image become nearer and nearer. There were also some big fish swimming around.

 

Parched and hungry, we stopped at Banol beach. While the boatmen were busy preparing our meal, we were also busy swimming, taking pictures and easing off in our very own private beach! The cream-colored sand was fine and the water was cool. There are three covered hats conveniently situated on the beach. We ate our sumptuous lunch in one of the hats. You might want to consider bringing an insect repellent when going to this tour because there are a lot of mosquitos in this island. I got several bites but the view and the ambiance was worth it.

It was already pouring hard when we reached Barracuda lake. Getting to the lake involves a short but steep hike. There are wooden stairs along the path but gaps are far apart and the edges of the rocks are sharp and rugged. The reward to the hike is a wide, quiet lake. I loved swimming in this deep, warm lake which I only had to share with three other people...This is the best part of an off season adventure travel.

Last stop, but definitely not the least wonderful was the Siete Pecados which literally means “seven sins”. It is a protected area composed of seven small islets. Fishing there is prohibited. As the old myth goes, there were seven girls who disobeyed their parents and went out on a boat to the sea. Their boat capsized and all seven siblings died. Shortly after, seven patches of land appeared in the area where the girls drowned. 

The corals looked very healthy and the abundant fish swarmed around us as we scattered bread crumbs and crushed crackers.

Day 6
Still hungover from our drinking/laugh trip session the night before, we woke up on a stormy 5am. I was relieved to hear that the airline will not be cancelling our flight home. With that confirmed, we went to the local market again to buy seafood at the market for pasalubong. I have never been the type of person who buys “who knows what” to give it to “who cares who”. I only buy pasalubong if it’s is special. The best one to bring home if you’re coming Coron? No less than the freshest, humongous mud crabs! I must say it takes a bit of skill to pick the best ones but if you know how then people back home will absolutely love you for it. As I always say, “kapag lumalaban pa yung alimango, madami pang laman yan sa loob”. I chose really big ones- 1 kilo per crab. The vendors will charge you Php180.00-Php250.00 a kilo. Just tell them that you’re taking it to back to Manila so they can put it cartons and seal it well with packing tapes and plastic straws. 

I did not notice it when I first arrived in Busuanga airport but as we were anxiously waiting for our flight back to reality, looking around I was impressed with the new airport in this small part of the Philippines. It was clean, modern, spacious and comparatively better structured than other tourist-packed airports in most of the well known destinations.

When I got home I immediately checked my “pets” and they were still pretty feisty. Maybe they knew what was waiting for them in the kitchen in a few hours!