#ElNiDawgs

That was the official hashtag for our El Nido trip last Aug 11-15.  As expected and as we're already so used to, there was rain.  Lots of it.  But just like any other trip that my high school friends and I had, no rain or any low freakin' pressure area can ever dampen our excitement and energy.  Nahihiya samin 'yung bagyo, pramis. 

Our flight going to Puerto Princesa was delayed by 3 hours.  I already sent Philippine Airlines my complaint letter so no point marring this happy post with a rant.  But potek really!! ... ok awat na talaga! haha  After almost 6 hours of van ride from Puerto Princesa Airport, we reached our hotel at Corong-Corong around 4PM.  Brgy. Corong-Corong is just about 5-min tricycle ride from El Nido town proper.  We stayed at Telesfora Beach Cottages, a reasonably priced beach front accommodation. Seaweeds were aplenty though so not good for swimming.  Definitely a good choice if you don't wish to be in the midst of all the ganaps in the town proper and you wish to have a quiet, muni-muni moment.  I also read that sunsets in Corong-Corong are stunning when the weather is good.  The owners and the staff, just like every local we met in El Nido, were very nice to us. :)  We got our island tour package and van transfer from and to Puerto Princesa through Telesfora as well.



view from Telesfora Beach Cottages pang-muni-muni moments
or tambay time

slight pa-sunset on our second day

First on our itinerary, happy hour mga momshie!



happy hour at Sava. El Nido, ready na ba you?

On our first full day in El Nido, we went on island Tour A - Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Papaya Beach.  We were told that it's been several days that Coast Guard was not allowing tours because of the weather so maswerte na kami that we had that one day for island tour.

kayaking at Small Lagoon



lunch prepared by our boatmen at Shimizu Island. NYUM!

 

entrance to the Big Lagoon

Suggest you also rent a kayak or a paddleboard to explore the Big Lagoon.  And oh, get yourself a drone!  Some of us swam right through the middle of the lagoon (which is really big, btw) that I almost had leg cramps, tapos we did not have photos, ngek!  Looking around the lagoon got me all agog, thinking, "How..what.. why... sobrang galing mo lang, God!"

 

chillin' at Papaya Beach

Liel, on the swing. There's also a net in the island for volleyball!

 

Watch out for the newest filter on Snapchat! ;)

Strong winds and rains caught up with us on our boat ride back to Telesfora.  For a few minutes, the shore was nowhere in sight.  All I could see and hear were the big waves and the winds howling.  And then, thank High Heavens, the seas and the skies calmed down.  I won't name our friend who stood on jelly legs when it's time to get off the boat.  Haha!  Eto yung mga part na ino-omit ko pag nagkukuwento ako sa nanay ko.

Dinner that night was at Art Café, then back to Telesfora for walang patid na kwentuhan-inuman.  Had to celebrate the life-threatening experience, of course! :)

dinner at Art Café, a bit overrated for me

The following day, island tours were not allowed again so we were left to our own devices.  When I was doing our itinerary for this trip, I searched for a surfing spot in El Nido.  We hired two tricycles to bring us to Duli Beach.  The glitches, bumps, muds and the slopes that we encountered during that tric ride which lasted for more than an hour, were totally worth it!  Duli Beach is paradise that many tourists have not explored yet.  There's just a few cottages housed in the corner of the long stretch of powdery brown-sand beach managed by the wonderful Dutch couple Max and Elma. 

I knew that I was completely in love with Duli Beach Resort when I found out that beers are reasonably priced and Jason Mraz is king of the playlist!  Oh boy, I thought it was my birthday!



 

"Waves are good.", says the SMS response I got from Mike of Surf El Nido that morning.  He partnered with Duli Beach Resort for surf board rental and lessons.  We were no match to the waves of Duli but still extremely fun trying to ride them.

waves coming to launder me hehe

tandem surfing by Keps and Ace

Liel the local

After Duli, we went to see Nacpan Beach which tourists have compared to Boracay.  We went atop the hill to have a good view of Calitang Twin Beaches.   

Boracay of El Nido

 

top view, i loview guys!

 

Tours were cancelled again on our last full day in El Nido.  We slept the morning away then went to town for lunch at Squidos.  We spent the rest of the afternoon at Las Cabanas, aka Marimegmeg Beach.  It was a perfect afternoon to laze around with friends, people-watch, and wait for the sun to set with a bottle of Pale in hand.

 

 

Our last day was spent on travelling back to Puerto Princesa and pasalubong shopping.  Uwians make me sad so I'd rather not elaborate about them.  Arte!  Haha. 

But really, when you have a trip as fun as that, it's hard to show up to work the following day and not think about how sepanx you are feeling.  One of the things I am always grateful for is being blessed with friends I can forget about being a grownup with.  Totally.  What consist my core memories aren't always the grand places that we go to, some are as simple as making a game out of restaurant menus, serious family talks, jamming during a bumpy tricycle ride, scaring ourselves silly, bullying each other while settling restaurant bills, and the list goes on. 

That's it for our ElNiDawgs adventure.  Til the next ones!

photo credits: Michy, Toks, Allen, Liel