El Nido, Palawan (Tour B)

According to our guide, other tour groups cancel trips to Tour C sites if the waves are big of if the weather is not cooperating. Too bad for us, the weather was indeed shady.

So as not to kill the momentum, we gladly submitted ourselves and hopped on the boat for Tour B! The tour includes the following serene beaches:

• Pangalusian Island. It has one of the widest stretches of powdery white beaches in El Nido, which is very ideal for sun bathing, sunset viewing, and other beach activities. The waters fronting the beach are clusters of coral reefs that make this area a good snorkeling and diving site.

• Pinagbuyutan Island. It has soft powdery white sand. The water is shallow for about a couple of meters from the shore and then a few meters away you will see a snorkeling area full of fishes.

• Vigan and Snake Island. On both sides of the sandspit are shallow swimming areas. Climbing the hill of the nearby island provide a glimpse of an awe inspiring seascape and a bird's eye view of Bacuit Bay.

• Cadugnon Point and Cave. It is an important anthropological site, where jewelry and pottery dating back to the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 BC) were yielded. The anthropologists believe that the cave dwellers were from Borneo, and travelled across the ancient land bridge that connected Palawan from Borneo. A small opening hidden among the rocks near the beach reveals a cathedral like cave inhabited by sea sparrows. Inside you’ll see spectacular rock formations and a way to climb a small limestone hill. A truly wonderful experience!

• Pinasil Island and Cathedral Cave. The island has a cathedral-like cavern accessible by kayak. Its cool interior is lit at certain times of the day by sunlight coming through an opening at its peak.

Later did I realize that I'll found my favorite island here -- the Snake Island! The water was very clear and the island has a long sand bar that appears during the low tide. Tourists can hike up its view deck to see the whole snake-shaped island and enjoy the breathtaking view where the sky meets the water.

The beauty of El Nido is hard to describe. It looks lovely in pictures but is way more jaw dropping on foot!