The Pinay Solo Backpacker

El Nido is just one of my many unplanned trips.  I hate planning my trips because when i really get excited, it always ends up being canceled. I was standing at the ticket booth still undecided…Busuanga, Boracay or Puerto???  Then I instructed the ticketing agent, “Book me for the cheapest flight to and from Puerto Princesa please”.

By far, this is my saddest trip, personal reason I should say,so  I tagged along one of my cheap lil teddy named LOVE so I won’t feel so alone.  I’ve seen  some travelers tag their lil toy w/ them  (normally characters that loves to travel) whenever they travel and take their souvenir pictures on their destination.  I find it cool!

On the plane, I was assigned to sit beside a lady in her mid-30′s.

She’s raised in Palawan but now works in Coron. There’s no direct flight from Coron to Palawan so she had to take a connecting flight from Manila to Coron. No wonder she’s so exhausted.  She offered to accompany me until I find a place to stay in Puerto Princesa.

The plane landed in Puerto Princesa at around 8pm, it was already dark. The airport is quite small and  there are several fliers of hotels and travel packages before the exit gate.  I took them all, and browsed for the cheapest room, normal room rate starts at 1k! No way! That’s too expensive, if I stay for 4 days it’ll cost me a lot.

“Oh my nahanap ka na?”, she said. “Yes, Payuyu Pension House. ” Single room rate starts at Php 300. It so happened that her cousin was working there too, so we shared the tricycle, then she asked the driver to dropped me off at the guesthouse. I paid for 1 night only because I was still undecided wether I should stay in Puerto Princesa or head to El Nido.

I was starving so I decided to take a walk. A few meters away I found a small-ordinary looking restaurant but I wondered why it’s full of customers. So i went in. They’re selling this Vietnamese-inspired soup which I think is cheap but really soothe my taste bud. Then a chinese-looking guy in his 30′s asked to share a sit on my table, he’s waiting for his french bread order. He asked me if I was with someone because he saw 2 drinks on my table. I said no, one is for my take out. Then we we’re talking about all kinds of stuff about Palawan and how he hates abusive tricycle drivers , that the local government should also train it’s people especially drivers to be accommodating to visitors. I learned that he is a professor at Palawan State University. I don’t normally reveal to strangers that I am a solo traveler but I guess my instinct said  that he seems like an honest guy and he could give me more details about Palawan.  He’s in so much awe to find a girl in her mid-20′s having a solo trip in Palawan, or should I say skeptical. Then one of his friend, who is a manager at Chowking (still wearing a work uniform) arrived with a friend and called him Prof.  Right then I know, my instinct was right.

I can barely sleep that night my heart is shouting for El Nido. So the next day, I left the guesthouse!

The fare to San Jose terminal from Payuyu Pension cost me Php50.  There’s two choices at the terminal : van that costs Php 600 one way or non-airconditioned bus for Php 300.  Travel time is roughly 10 hours. I chose the latter. It’s the best way to immerse with the locals, although my friend Jayson warned me of free hard massage and face powder if I ride the bus. He was right of course,  but it’s alright, I love adventure, unfortunate events  has always been a part of my trips so I’m getting used to it.

After a few kilometers, something went wrong with the bus…So like the other passengers I got off the bus and started taking pictures around me. My trip back was even worse, we had to wait for another bus, luckily, 1 crowded bus passed by, I ended up standing  for half of duration of  the trip.

We we’re off the road again after a few minutes.  Travel time is roughly 10 hours passing by a series of mountains and rice fields and parts of the road (almost half of the route to El Nido) that still needs to be developed.

I wasn’t really bored because I enjoyed the probinsya feel of riding in a non-aircon bus to a secluded town plus the excitement of finally getting to one of my dream destinations in the country the cheapest way possible.

One boy from Taytay befriended me while I was eating at one of the bus stops.  He wanted me to go to his town instead.  Taytay is the old capital of Palawan, it’s  the town before El Nido. He frequented Puerto Princesa because just like any other remote town in the country, there’s not enough medical facilities in his town to cure his illness. Maybe next time.

I was quite worried as it’s late in the afternoon and I don’t know of any place to stay yet. What if El Nido doesn’t have any cheap guesthouse to offer?  I meant to do a Do-it-Yourself , El Nido on a budget trip. The web has series of  El Nido ads but mostly about those 5 star hotels in Miniloc and Lagen costing about Php13k per night (the cheapest rate) and undoubtedly I can’t afford that!

Welcome to El Nido! the sign says.  The buss entered a quaint street in a small baranggay enclosed by towering limestone cliffs.  The street is full of stores selling  apparels  and souvenirs, small  restaurants , internet shops & videoke bar.

A few women were sitting in the park, I asked them about any cheap hostels in the area and they directed me towards the beach.  After about a few left and right turn, I am almost at the dead end of the street leading to the beach, I turned left, I saw  a house which looks like a simple guesthouse but the place is being renovated when I entered it so I went to a humble place beside it –> The Alternative Bar & Inn .

The staff are very accommodating and offered me a room for Php 250 and after they showed me the room, upon seeing the great view of  El Nido beach, the overall aura of the guesthouse and my room’s name , I took it. The rooms are named not numbered, I stayed in a  room named FAITH.

The Alternative is a cheap accommodation yet it offers expensive vegetarian foods (php 250 up) ,an instant coffee alone cost Php50.  It’s located in front of  El Nido waterfront. But I so love this unique haven plus their good service, they treated me like any other guest even though I only stayed for 2 nights at the cheapest room ! The only downside in staying at a beach front inn is you can hear the waves at night which I don’t mind because the place is cool matched with good music!

The Alternative is also offering tour packages but they offered me Php 2,500 for Tour A & C.  But because I am kuripot, I shopped around. I remember to have passed by a kubo that offers island hopping tour,  just before I turned left to The Alternative.  Luckily, the woman who owns the bangka (outrigger boat) was there, they suggested I take tour A the next day for Php 1500, she gave me a discount for Php100.

That same day, I went walking around the town and bought food and drinks for my entire stay. I ate at one of the carinderia then I bought souvenirs.

Just so you know, electricity at El Nido runs only at 12:00PM – 4:00PM, 6:00PM – 6:00AM.  There are no banks in town so better bring Philippine peso/cash (see details at the bottom of this blog for establishments that accepts credit cards). And when going for an island hopping trip, you can bring raw sea foods that you and the bangkero can cook.

After my island hopping tour, I walked around the town to get the feel of  what it’s like to live in El Nido. One can’t help but notice the yellow banners that are scattered everywhere.

An environmental group raised alarm over the possible environmental degradation in El Nido due to a dredging project. The dredging project involves the deepening of the area surrounding the port to facilitate the docking of the RORO (Roll on, Roll off) inter-island ferry system. Such project endangers the natural habitat and heritage of the El Nido ecosystem which is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. (source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The government declared El Nido as a protected area to ensure long term protection and maintenance of biological diversity while providing at the same time a sustainable flow of natural products and services.  EL Nido Municipal Tourism office is now collecting Eco-Tourism Development Fee (ETDF) for  Php200.00 . The contribution will go to the Local Government’s environmental Protection program and development of tourism sites.

El Nido town is another quiet fishing village in the Philippines.  Because of it’s striking and magnificent surroundings, tourism has played a vital role in the livelihood of it’s people.

Karaoke bars, series of small restaurants serving local & foreign delicacies and guesthouses can be seen everywhere thus the sight of  foreigner wether solo or in groups is no longer new to the locals.

So far, El Nido is my ultimate destination in the country.  I fell in love with its natural beauty , tranquility and the warmth of it’s people. Even though it’s now a famous tourist spot in SE, it still kept as an unspoiled paradise by it’s people. I hope the local government will continue  to help save EL Nido from any environmental degradation for the long term benefit of  its people.

How to Get to El Nido, Palawan:

Manila – Puerto Princesa: Daily flights with Cebu Pacific, Seair, Air Philippines or ZestAir.  One way from P1400-4000

then take a bus or van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido estimated travel time is 9-10 hours

Cebu Pacific website click here

Air Philippines website click here

Zest air website click here

then from Puerto Princesa Palawan you can take the bus or van to El nido.

Puerto Princesa to El Nido:

Non-ac bus at San Jose treminal leaves at  530am, 7am and 9am. php 350

I recommend taking Sweety bus (if you plan on taking a bus), compared to other bus lines that I boarded, they have pretty good service.

Sweety Bus phone: +63(0)919711922.

Eulen Joy Bus phone: +63(0)9197162210

Air-con Shuttle Van: at Puerto Princessa’s new market bus station between 6 and 9 AM in the morning and 1 to 2PM in the afternoon.  Costs are 650 pesos per person and the trip takes 6-8 hours.

Private Van for Hire: arranged at Puerto Princesa

Prices are around P10,000 and can fit around 8-10 people

FERRY

MV Asunsion

IV (+63(0)2-4345-9596) has a boat sailing Wednesday evenings Manila-El Nido, (28 -30 hrs.) Cost Php 800.00.

MV Josille I

+63(0)2-243 88 45/0918 928 1299) sails from Manila via Coron Friday evening.

MV Catalyn C

Leaves Manila Saturday 8:00PM

Boat for Hire:

From Sabang to El Nido Every Monday and Thursday 6:30 AM (0918-5066123) Fare: Php 1,500.00 Sabang to El Nido, Php 1,200.00 Port Barton to El Nido.

The fastest and most direct way though to El Nido is from Manila.  The flight takes approximately one hour and thirty minutes and lands directly at El Nido airport, about 4km north of El Nido, on the coast.  You can catch local tricycles which go into town after scheduled arrivals, cost P150.  Flight reservations may be made through El Nido Resorts.

Islands Transvoyager Incorporated (ITI)

For reservations and inquiries:

E-mail: elnido@mailstation.net

Website: www.elnidoresorts.com

Contact No. (632) 894-5644 . Fax (632) 810-3620

Seair makes the trip from Manila thrice a week for Php 4,400 (one way), with a  stop over in Busuanga.  From El Nido to Puerto Princesa for only Php 1,700 vice- versa.

SOUTH EAST ASIAN AIRLINES

For reservations and inquiries:

E-mail: elnido@mailstation.net

Website: www.flyseair.com

El Nido Booking Office:

El Nido Boutique and Art Cafe

Contact No. : 0918 50 66 123 or 09204469135

Website: www.geocities.com/elnidoboutiqueandartcafe

Pinay solo backpacker stayed at :

Alternative Inn

Contact Info:

+63917-8963408

Malta was under British rule until 1964, so the British influence is still strong. malta holidays also introduce visitors to their fascinating heritage, including some of the oldest prehistoric stone structures in the world.

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