El Nido Palawan

       

According to the CNNGo, it is the best beach and island destination in the Philippines for it's "extraordinary natural splendor and ecosystem".

It was 2012 the 1st time we went to El nido by plane direct flight from Manila to Lio Airport.  The flight takes about almost hour.

Seair plane

Lio Airport El Nido Palawan, people greet a warm welcome to the visitors

ITI (Island Transvoyager Inc) have daily flights from Manila to El Nido Palawan, also Seair fly to El Nido few times a week as i remember the fare with return ticket is around P15,000.00 per person.

The other way to get in El Nido is to fly from Manila  to Puerto Princesa via Cebu Pacific, from Puerto Princesa land travel time will take about 5 to 6 hours by rented van where you can book at the Puerto Princesa Airport or in hotels if you planning to stay overnight in Puerto Princesa before heading to El Nido or 6 to 8 hours by bus a public transportation.

Entalula resort

The Entalula resort a place were we stay for 5 days, the room was around P2,200 peso per night includes breakfast that will served in your own cottage veranda, the cottage is very basic and small but clean, no tv in the room has aircon and fan, the bathroom have small space for the luggage and other small stuffs, the room size is just enough for 2 to 3 person to walk around, anyway the room has no tv but in the main house has counter, sala with the tv and kitchen, so if you want to watch news or tv programs you have to go in the main building just few steps away from the cottages, i think the upper part is for the big groups guest but remember during the day time when we were there from 7am to 5pm the power is off all over in town but for us it's ok as the whole day usually will spend it in the island hopping.

view on the right side of the Entalula resort

view from the left side of the Entalula resort

 there are set packages for the island hopping from set A to set F, every set island hopping tour has its name of the islands to explore in El Nido with the picture on it, around P600 to 900 peso each person And tour with the other groups from the other hotels, lunch also included in the payment with a bottle of mineral water usually it comes with plain rice, local vegetables, grilled fish or grilled meat and a fruits for the dessert.

Snake Island

the boat during island hopping

A shot from the top of Snake island

There are many budget hotel in town to choose too, also have some small restaurants with live music in the night time near along the shore line, El nido is one of the best beach to explore in the Philippines with the beautiful limestone and crystal blue water, remember you have to get the island hopping tour to go to the different beaches of El Nido.

My baby playing on his ipad in one of the cafe in town, love that view 

Beautiful limestone 

We still have'nt seen the other islands but has plan to go back in the near future, if you have any questions or comments about our El Nido trip please write down below and will reply the best that i can base on my knowledge during our trips, thank you for visiting my blog.

Coron Palawan

Kayangan lake

Coron Palawan is the compromising eastern half of Busuanga.  Cebu Pacific has a daily flights from Manila to Busuanga for about hour duration of flight and from Busuanga airport it's round 30mins ride by van to Coron town, we stay at Westown Resort one of the nicest hotel in Coron about 10mins ride in the tricycle to the town.  There are  some small hotels in town for a budget rate to choose too.

Westown has nice big swimming pools for kids and adults. Also have a nice outdoor jacuzzi

Outdoor jacuzzi

Westmon Cafe/restaurant 

the cafe has also live music every night,  the mobile has a poor signals in the room also no wifi,  you have to go down and stay in the lobby if you want to use the wifi.

During our Island Hopping

The town also have some small cafe's to dine in, i think Mermaid restaurant has one of the place with the nice ambiance with the view of the ocean also served good food too.

the way to the Mermaid Cafe 

View from the Mermaid cafe in Coron town

Coron town

shots from the plane of Coron Islands

Beautiful sunset of Coron 

 Thank you for visiting my site if you have any questions and comments regarding about Coron trip please free to leave message below.

Batanes

Batanes is in the northernmost province of the Philippines with more than 16,000 number of the  population, the provincial capitol is Basco in Batan island. PAL express by Philippine Airlines and Skyjet are the airlines that has daily early morning flight from Manila to Basco for about 1hr and half, we took PAL express leave 7.30am in Manila and arrived in Basco around 9am ish . I think most of the hotel, inn or resorts in Batanes has free shuttle van from Basco airport to the hotel where you gonna booked in.  Since we arrived before lunch time in Basco we did the afternoon tour by walkin' since there was a bit hard time on getting a tricycle coz we didnt know that we need to call them first on mobile to get a ride (we didn't book a day tour in advance and had a bit miscommunication with hotels employee so we ended up walking to the town) but after 1 hour walking finally a tricycle stops and driver took us in town canteen as we are looking for a place to have lunch, the canteen was cool inside even it has no aircon also clean and served good food have different cakes too, after our lunch we walk around the plaza and find another trike to take us to the light house that we see a bit away from the town plaza.          

One of the light house in the province of Basco Batanes just nearby the town  

View from the hill of the light house near the town plaza

Basco light house

Basco Town Plaza

after having lunch in the canteen, walk around the plaza and went to the hill to get closer to the light house, we go back in hotel by trike and had a nap. Around 4pm when we decide to go walking again in the other side area of the hotel we stay in, here are some pictures i took just nearby the Dive Resort where we stay in it is  about one and half hour walking back and fort, it is cool to walk around like 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

A stone house up in the hill

A cow up in the hill

In the next day of our 2nd day in Batanes, the 1st day tour was the north of Batan Island where i booked thru Batanes travel and tours i did booking in the late afternoon on the 1st day we arrived thats why we been scheduled for the next day. we get the package tour of north and south of Batan Island for 2 days that cost us around P11,100.00  it is less expensive if you booked in a group. We only stay for 3 nights and 3 days as the 4th day is our early flight return to Manila so we did miss seeing the other island which is Sabtang  that needs to leave in the port at 6am travel time by boat is around 30 to 40mins. 

Mt. Carmel chapel build 2003

Vulugan beach

The most expensive hotel in Batanes that red roof top the Fundacion Pacita located up in the hill with the view of Mt. Iraya

at the Rolling hills 

On our 2nd day tour  the south of Batan Island 

150 steps stairs to go down

Dakay one of the oldest ivatan house

Honesty coffee shop was featured in the local tv program

Some of the ivatan houses near the seashore that has been destroyed by the typhoon no one lives there now 

One of the place where the actress Dawn Zulueta with her actor partner Richard Gomez shoot a movie scene in 1 of their movies 

Nice rock formation

             

Marlboro hills

at Marlboro hills  small canteen 

View from the plane 

Amboy hometel 

At Amboy hometel garden restaurant meals are set in a package for groups

Our table dinner set up at Amboy hometel


Here are some places in Batanes to stay in and also to dine in, we stay at Dive Resort  because of the Diving shop but when we get there diving shop is not open any more, Dive resort has breakfast included too with the room accomadation but have to tell them in advance before your meal time just like other bed and dine inn or resorts in Batanes.  Shandels inn and restaurant located in town near the port has a nice view deck served fresh brewed coffee and tea also has some selected foods in their menu  Octagon inn and restaurant with karaoke also served many choices of foods in their menu it is one of the places that has always many customers in their restaurant also have a nice view deck located near the town.

If you are a pizza lover Bernardo's hotel have  Casa Napoli cafe serves different kinds of pizza, spaghetti bolognese and a bucket of fried chicken those are only foods served on their menu also have fresh brewed coffee And Amboy Hometel just next after Bernardo's hotel has  a nice set up garden dinner also have many foods in their menu but serves in a set package.  Here's a tip make sure you always make a reservation 3 hours before your dinner so make sure to get the mobile no. of the restaurant where you want to dine in, Batanes resort also a few minutes away from the town just before Dive resort  Bernardo's hotel and Amboy Hometel are just nearby,   to get a trike always ask assistance from the reception to get for you Or make sure you get and save the tricycle botda mobile no. incase you want to go around the town.

I think  Batanes is one of the best place in the Philippines to visit, It has the most beautiful scenery, breathtaking views, hillside, country side, cliffs and nice ivatan people that you would wanted to think that would love to go back again, the flight fare is quite bit higher compare to other places in the Philippines but i think it is worth it or may be have early bookings like a few months before  the flight schedules or have sometime  to search for a package tour,  the best month to go in Batanes is around January to summer time like before end of May.

Beautiful sunset just few steps from the resorts


If you have any questions or comments just write down below and i will reply the best on my knowledge during our trip in Batanes, Thank you for taking some time to view my page.