El Nido – Palawan, another paradise on earth

March 20, 2017

After a few days spent on Coron I decided to move on and see another gem of Palawan, El Nido. The easiest way to get there is by ferry; the trip takes less than four hours. No thrills, no drama, the ferry was comfortable, and importantly, it wasn't packed to the brim.

I heard that there might be problems with accommodation there, so I booked the hotel in advance through Agoda. It fell on Rosanna's Pension. The location was excellent, close to the port, the city center, and literally right by the sea. My enthusiasm waned somewhat after check-in. The room was on the second floor, with no elevator, and suitcases didn't teleport themselves there. The room itself was large and clean, with a sea view, but unfortunately, it also included a view of a rather unattractive beach. At over £50 per night, I had higher expectations. Unfortunately, that's the nature of accommodation in the Philippines; in El Nido, the choices are rather limited, and hostels were out of the question.

The plan was simple: island hopping and a beach, but not the one by the hotel. That one serves more as a landmark than a place to lie down. So I wandered around town, found some delicious vegan falafel, and learned that a little further down the road, the real hit was waiting: Nacpan Beach.

The plan for the next few days was already in place: island-hopping from A to D, followed by shameless lounging on one of the most beautiful beaches I'd ever seen. And it was a very good plan.