Don't tell anyone... we found paradise!
It took two flights (to two different islands), and a wild four-hour van ride through the coastal mountains to arrive there: Alimanguan Beach.
We flew to the beautiful island of Palawan for another two-week island "vacation" (a vacation in our vacation). Palawan is a province of 1,780 islands in the western Philippines. We stayed a night in Puerto Princessa, the largest city in Palawan and the location of the biggest airport, then made our way to our first destination, Alimanguan Village.
This remote tiny village of 4,500 people is on the northern end of Long Beach, a 14km stretch of endless white sand, and the longest beach in the Philippines. We chose Alimanguan because it is one of only two spots in Palawan that has any surfing.
Our schedule for the week was pretty simple: school in the morning and surf after lunch. Parker spent hours pushing the kids on the waves and coaching them. They got really comfortable on the board and started working on their turns. We also bodyboarded to break up the surfing.
One afternoon it started raining while we surfed. What started as a light sprinkle turned into a roaring downpour. There was no lightning so we decided to keep surfing. It was one of the coolest things we experienced on the trip. The layers of waves were a muted turquoise which blended in perfectly with the skyline. I'll never forget catching waves in the rain in Palawan.
*****
One morning Parker and I woke up early to walk to this adorable little island/peninsula about half a kilometer away at low tide. On some rocks separating this part of the beach from the next was a sign that said, "Temporarily closed". A guy walked over to us to make sure we didn't go any further, and said they were filming Survivor Philippines. That's how remote we were.
It was a quiet and relaxing time in this beautiful village and its undisturbed beach. There were only three places to stay. We were limited to the three "restaurants" at the three "resorts"(we use this term lightly)/hotels. There were no other tourist amenities. We loved it.
The local government has implemented strict guidelines for future development in this area to preserve the natural beauty of the coastline. No doubt though it will be discovered soon enough by recreational surfers and travelers. One day this area will be fully developed. We were lucky to experience Alimanguan's undisturbed beauty.
*****
Palawan was voted, "Best Island in the World" by Travel and Leisure. It continues to top "Best Island" Awards from many other publications. El Nido is a municipality comprising of 45 islands. It is known for its stunning beaches, limestone cliffs, coral reefs, and lush landscape. Island hopping is the best way to explore this paradise.
- Kayaked and played around on another secluded beach. -
First, we rented two double kayaks for a self-guided adventure. We launched from Corong-Corong Bay and spent the day paddling from one secluded beach to another. A self-guided kayak tour is the only way to avoid the large crowds on the tour boats. The seas were choppy and it was quite windy. Parker and Kaia had a little scare paddling over the shallow reef to the first beach, but we all made it safely. We were rewarded with a stunning beach and great snorkeling at the aforementioned reef. Best of all, we shared the beaches with only a couple of other adventurous souls.
We were on the windward side of the island and got a little rain, but being in the tropics we only had to wait a few minutes before the weather eventually blew away and the sun came out. The sketchy weather was worth the risk as we kayaked by the dramatic limestone cliffs through every hue of blue water you could imagine.
*****
Later in the week, we booked an obligatory island hopping tour. We try to avoid tourist traps but there really is no way around it in El Nido. It's the best was to see this part of the Philippines. The area is so busy that the government had to step in to regulate the environmental impact of tourism.
Your choices are Tour A, B, C, and D. Each tour takes you to a different set of beaches, lagoons, caves, etc. Tour A was our choice which included: Seven Commando, Shimizu Island, Secret Lagoon, and Big Lagoon.
We booked a boat tour through our resort with 13 others who were staying there. We were lucky to have such a small group because the capacity for our boat was 30 people.
The captain made an unexpected stop at a snorkeling spot to start the tour. Then we went to Seven Commando Beach which also had great snorkeling and the beach was beautiful. We had about and hour to an hour and a half to enjoy each stop.
Shimizu island was our lunch spot which was about a 30 minute ride from Seven Commando. We anchored by a cluster of islands and feasted on a buffet lunch consisting of grilled fish, crabs, chicken adobo, fruit, etc.
Around the corner was Secret Lagoon. We docked on a very sketchy spot between two rocks (two small islands). Remarkably, we did not crash even though the sea was acting up. I looked around to try to figure out why our captain placed us in such a precarious location when I saw a few people swimming through a small opening at the bottom of one of the cliffs we were wedged against.
The entrance to the "not so" Secret Lagoon, was about three feet wide by three feet tall. You had to go under water to see what the fuss was all about. One of the passengers on our boat (he was actually from Chicago) ultimately decided not to make the precarious journey because he was unstable on his feet in the tidal pushes and he didn't think he would fit through the opening.
Once inside, it opened up to an area the size of a small swimming pool surrounded by limestone cliffs. It was a fun stop. But once it got crowded, we swam/crawled our way out and headed over to another lagoon across the way that was less claustrophobic. The tide was coming in so we had to be careful not to get cut on the rocks during our entry/exit out of the lagoon.
Our final destination was Big Lagoon, maybe the most famous site in Palawan. Our boat docked outside of the lagoon and you have to actually kayak into the lagoon. On the way out at the end of the day, the waves and wind were conspiring to keep the boats in the lagoon and we actually saw a couple of kayaks flip.
From the boat, it took about ten minutes of intense paddling before we safely made it into the channel to the lagoon which was protected and calm. The lagoon was beautiful, peaceful and yes, big. We paddled along the limestone cliffs and it was easy to see why it was so popular. We paddled through small rock islands and little caves. We got out at the shallow channel and enjoyed a swim. Someone saw a reef shark and on our way out we paddled beside a sea turtle.
The island hopping tour is what it is: busy, but we would say it was worth it.
*****
El Nido is one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines. The small bay is packed with hotels/hostels, international cuisine, and an assortment of stores. It's also a backpacker destination with a late night life and a busy night market.
It takes a bit of effort to reach most of the destinations in Palawan. However, as with any location that is well sought out amongst international travelers, you lose the local culture as the economy accommodates the droves of tourist.
The balance of Alimanguan Village, a destination off the beaten path, and El Nido, the tourist trap, worked well for us. We felt that we saw the best of both worlds. Overall, Palawan Provinces' beaches, lagoons, and incredible turquoise waters were incredible and worth the visit.