Showing posts with label El Nido. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Nido. Show all posts

Sunday 29 April 2012

On our way to Paradise - El Nido - The Island

First thing in the morning we went for shopping. We bought 6 big canisters of water, 4 gallons each which made more than 100 litres; 15 kilograms of rice and machete. Rest of stuff we had already. For water we paid 200 pesos deposit for each = 1200 pesos just deposit. Water was only 47 pesos for canister. For machete we paid 170 pesos. On top of that we bought 2 bottles of 1 litre Red Horse beer and 3 bottles of Tanduay rum. What..? Apart from survival we need to have some fun!

Ruel was waiting for us on front of our beach huts. We loaded all the stuff and...that's it. We are leaving the system. Finally. THIS is beginning of our REAL trip. Now.

Few words about Ruel. He is around 30-35 years old. Maybe more but doesn't look like more. Really honest and genuine person. First impression was really positive that's why we decided to go with him and took his advice about The Island. Despite he had a stroke and almost half of his body is paralysed he manage to operate his bangka on his own.

Bangka, really loud boat. I am wondering how many years the fishermans driving these boats will become deaf... It is really loud sitting right on the diesel engine. All of our trips we spent on the front of the bangka and it was still really, really loud. 

On the way to The Island we felt little anxious. You know, expectations are always different than reality. We are prepared though.

We are doing it, finally. My biggest dream is coming true. I was thinking very often during that trip about The Biggest Dream people have. What I realised is that not even minority of all people, I think minority of minority of people make their Biggest Dream come true. I am lucky guy. I am doing it. Either I will be happiest man in the world after that trip or I will need to find another Biggest Dream. Doesn't matter. I am here. I am doing it. I am happy. I am really happy man.

Someone told me that the pursuit of The Dream is the best part of it. I don't know. I was pursuing My Dream all my life but cannot tell it was the best part of The Dream...

It took us more than one hour to get to The Island. When we approached Our Beach it was something amazing. A very long golden beach, palm trees, high mountains and, the best of all, no one there. No people, no buildings, just nature. One of the best moments in my life. I am here and it will be my home for the next two weeks...






Second day in El Nido. Island hopping.

The next day we wanted to "taste" some of the islands before going to Our Island. Paid 700 pesos for Tour A (if I remember correctly) which is 4 islands and lunch. I've asked the captain to do the reverse tour as per Stephane's advice. There is too many people on the islands on the certain times as everyone visiting the islands in the same order. It was quite nice, snorkelling in crystal clear waters but the coral was not very nice and colourful as I expected. Filipinos done a lot of damage to corals some time ago because they used to do dynamite fishing... Well, now they try to preserve and recover it. Better late than not at all.





Spoken with locals on the boat asking where we could go camping for 2 weeks. Got some destinations. They said we are crazy. Not the first time we've heard it. Locals told us that some guys done camping on the islands around but for 2, max 3 nights. Well, it did not discourage us.

After island hopping which was really nice we came back to El Nido. On the evening we've met one fisherman who asked us if we want to go for island hopping tomorrow and after few minutes of chat he told us about The Island we could go which is outside island hopping tours area, and agreed to give us a lift to there and pick us up for 2000 pesos. Fortunately because we wanted to do it on our own, it is cheaper, no police and no Tourism Office involved and, it is half price :) I think we would have to pay even more than 4000 pesos, at the police station I am almost sure there would be some "administration costs" or something. So we decided to not make it through officials and go by ourselves with Ruel.

So, we have the destination.  Now, we just need water and rice. Yes, I know, it supposed to be survival but Ruel (mentioned fisherman) told us that there is no fruits nor water on the island. So we decided to take water and rice.


Finally, we have the destination. Now, just buy necessary stuff and we are going tomorrow!

Rest of the evening we spent with Stephane drinking Tanduay rhum (yes, rhum, not rum :)



Friday 27 April 2012

First day in El Nido

First thing on the morning after waking up- BIG SMILE after seeing the view from our beach huts... AMAZING. Nice surprise after arrival in the dark. Beautiful islands around.





Just on the front of my hut there was a beauty competition by Filipino children :) All of the children I've seen in Philippines are always smiling and happy. There is no parents watching them and saying "don't do this, don't do that, be careful etc." like in Europe. Children stick together and just have fun. And I think they are safe. Really nice childhood.





I've found El Nido really beautiful in terms of nature, scenery, islands and weather but...Too many tourists. It is more and more every year. I am not surprised. It is really beautiful place. But it is not what we are looking for...people everywhere. Met one local guy who just started business with island hopping. Generally Filipinos are really natural, friendly and happy people but this one guy was looking just for the money. Sad, but you can't stop it...

Anyway, we've had a breakfast in Art Cafe. Not the cheapest place in town but food is OK. Found out that they are not doing cash back any more. But, at the gas station (the one on the beach front) they do and they charge only 6% comparing to 8% in Art Cafe . So apart from Puerto there is only gas station where you can get money in El Nido. I think it is good to know.

As I've got some contacts from Richard from Reggae Pulse I went to the places he advised me to go and asked for The Island which would meet our criteria. I've met some girl who works for Tourism Office (we thought that it will be impossible to camp on our own somewhere around El Nido so we wanted to avoid official stuff and just to on our own) and she told us that we can go, not a problem but we need to get permission from the office and then go to the police station and sign some documents that in case something will go wrong they are not responsible for us. It would cost around 4000 pesos for the boat to go there and back. It would be some beach on one of the private islands (I forgot the name). As we could get the papers on Monday (it is Saturday today) we decided to wait so we paid for another 2 nights for our beach huts.

I've spent this day on fishing with some Filipino kid. I had a fishing line and hooks so we were snorkeling and watching fish how to take a bait. The boy was swimming without goggles or mask, I tried to do the same, you can see "something" but not really clear view and your eyes are sour after some time. I gave him swimming goggles and he was really excited. So we swam some distance, putted a squid on the hooks and looking for fish. We could see a lot of fish but it was really hard to catch one as they took the bait, eat it and spit out the empty hook... I've cought one but it was really small one so I've release it. :) My first fish in Philippines! It was really good fun for me and for the kid.


Came back to the beach hut and met the French guy, Stephane, who is traveling for long time now. He travels 12 years already, 7 months every year. Good stuff. I am really envious... Very good guy. Interesting stories with Tanduay in our cups. Long night. He told us about his adventures in Laos (if I remember correctly) that there were some gangs and he found himself in the middle of fire exchange. Wicked stuff... A lot of very interesting stories we have heard this night. Thanks Stephane! Hope to meet you again!



This evening I've seen the most amazing thing in my life. I took my snorkel mask and went with Stefan through the coral to the open sea. Dark, a little drunk, not really pleasure to walk in the water full of sharp coral at night...but the effect...Have you seen The Beach with Leo Di Caprio (BTW one of my favourite film and book). You remember the FLUORESCENCE? (or phosporescence?) It was nothing in the film comparing what you can see live...AMAZING! I've been lucky because this night there was no moonlight. When there is a moon the fluorescence is not so visible (the same thing with the stars in the city and the stars in the place where there is no artificial light). Really something... One of The best experience in my life I can say.

Puerto Princesa - El Nido by Roro bus.

San Jose bus terminal. Puerto Princesa

Woke up at 8am. Took the tricycle to the Bus Terminal in San Jose. As did not know where Mark stayed needed to wait for him 3 hrs... We came together, we go together. Hot, noise, tired. Want to be on The Island already...



Finally we've got the Roro bus to El Nido. Paid 350 pesos.

Driver is really crazy or too confident. Called him Michael Schumacher :) No asphalt sometimes and he doesn't change his driving style. Bags from the shelves above our heads falling down. Oh My God, want to be in El Nido asap... Dust, heat, want to pee, no chance he will stop just because of one person. Yes! Break, so I can pee. Stopped because of mango. There is some areas in the South of Palawan where mangoes are with some parasites or something and you cannot bring them to the North for health & safety reasons. Good. Did not eat any mango in Puerto.

Really nice views on the way. Rice terraces, virgin jungle and native houses in the middle of nowhere...


































6,5 hours and finally we are in El Nido. It's dark already. Funny thing, wherever we arrive is dark- Manila and Puerto, now El Nido... Ripped off by tricycle driver. 200 metres for 50 pesos. Later on we paid 10 pesos to get to anywhere in the town. Well, we are only guests, and 50 pesos is not even 1 British pound.

Found nice beach huts in Corong Corong, just south of El Nido for 500 pesos / night. Forgot the name but if you will go right from the bus station and walk not even 5 minutes there are first beach huts on the right.



Sleep. We need to sleep. We will sleep well. It was long journey...