Philippines

El Nido Palawan

El Nido is situated in the North of Palawan and is famed for the surrounding cluster of islands, which offer some of the finest coral reefs, diving, snorkelling and beaches in the world.

How to get to El Nido

To get to El Nido, there are a few flights operated by a company called Air Swift, who fly directly to El Nido. The locations they currently operate between are Basco, Clark, Coron, Manilla, Puerto Princesa, Sicogon Island and Bohol, but they do not fly every day to some locations, so you will need to check on their website, which is

https://air-swift.com/

Currently Air Swift are not showing on Skyscanner, so you will need to book them directly from their website.

A flight from Cebu to El Nido is currently listed as costing PHP 8,918 one way or $172 , so this method of transport is not a cheap option.

Vans are another option and they are available from Puerto Princesa Airport or there is a company called Daytripper, who have good reviews and will pick you up from your hotel. Their website is here http://www.daytripperpalawan.com/

The journey by road from Puerto Princesa to El Nido takes 5 – 6 hours depending on how many stops are made.

Travelling to El Nido by bus

A more comfortable mode of transport for this journey is the bus. A company called Cherry Bus offer air conditioned buses with large leather reclining chairs and they make 3 or 4 cafe stops on the way – you can book online here http://www.phbus.com/cherry-bus/ or you can book at their ticket office in Puerto Princesa. If you book at their ticket office, make sure they enter the correct dates for your departure and return! Their prices are currently PHP 875 per person one way.

Making your own way to El Nido

If you have a hire car or motorbike, you can make your own way to El Nido. The route is more or less straight all the way and the road is concreted from start to finish. As mentioned, it will take 5 to 6 hours, but beware of stray dogs crossing the roads especially if you are on a motorbike – they can appear from nowhere. Dogs crossing the road are one of the biggest causes of road accidents in the Philippines.

Useful links

Where to stay in El Nido – hotel guide

Puerto Princesa Palawan

Puerto Princesa is a city in Palawan and is located roughly in the centre of the island.

Most tourists stop here for a day or two prior to heading North to El Nido or Coron. You can find a hotel in Puerto Princesa here.

You can find most things here that you’d find in cities around the world. For shopping head to Robinsons mall, which opens at 10am. Here you will find a food court, supermarket, clothing shops, banks, cell phone shops, coffee shops etc. There is a Bo’s coffee shop located on the ground floor and if you head out of the nearest exit to Bo’s there are some ATM machines located outside. Bo’s coffee is a Filipino coffee and coffee house chain and they source their coffee beans from local farmers.

If you fancy a day at the beach in Puerto Princesa, I highly recommend Nagtabon Beach. Nagtabon beach is located about 28km away on the West coast and you can take a taxi, or tricycle, which takes about 50 minutes or hire a motorcycle. Nagtabon beach is not commercialised and at the time of writing you won’t get a mobile signal. There are a few food shacks here, but you won’t find any commercial outlets. If you are a nature lover and would like to see a beach the way nature intended, then this is the place for you. The beach is about 0.9 km and you can stroll along it in about 20 – 30 minutes.

There are plenty more attractions to see around Puerto Princesa, such as Olangoan Falls, the Underground River, Zip-lining in Ugong Rock or Firefly watching along the Iwahig River.

For nightlife in Puerto Princesa look no further than The Tiki Bar. Here you will find live music every night, a DJ disco, dance area and plenty of table and chairs. There is a 50 pesos entry fee, but the drinks are reasonably priced. There is also a decent restaurant nearby called Kinabuch, where you can dine al fresco or in the bar area. Another decent restaurant closer to Robinsons is Ka Inato.

Useful links

How to get to El Nido

Where to stay in El Nido

Alona Beach, Panglao Island

Alona beach is the most popular destination in Panglao island and it is expanding rapidly with the opening of the new international airport nearby. There are a lot of new hotels being constructed and the main road to the beach has undergone widening in the last year. As a result of this, a lot of money is pouring into the area and some of the cafes and restaurants which were mere shacks a year ago, have been rebuilt and smartened up.

Snorkelling and Diving

It you like scuba diving, there are plenty of diving schools here where you can either learn to dive by taking a PADI course or simply go out on a dive if you already have taken the PADI course. If you don’t fancy scuba diving, you can go snorkelling at Balicasag island by taking one of the boats moored along the sea shore. Most of the diving centres also offer snorkelling, so you can find one that suits your needs. Balicasag island is a marine sanctuary and is home to dolphins, turtles, barracuda and a rich variety of marine life. You may even get lucky and see a whale shark.

Other areas to visit while in Panglao

The main beach at Alona beach is approximately 1.5 km and you can walk the whole length of it in about 15 – 20 minutes. There are many restaurants and hotels along the sea front, with more currently being constructed. Alona beach is fine for a day or two, but if you want to make the most of your visit, you can hire a motorbike and visit some of the many other beaches on the island. Other places worth visiting while you are here are the Chocolate Hills, Bohol Bee Farm, Hinagdanan Cave, The Tarsier Sanctuary, Doljo beach and the rest of the beaches on the island. If you don’t like riding motorbikes, you can take a tricycle or taxi.

Nightlife

The night life in Panglao island is mainly concentrated in the Alona beach area, with many bars, restaurants and the odd club. One of the most popular bars is called One 4 Da Road on the main beach road. Here you will find a mix of travellers, natives, holiday makers, divers, expats and anybody else who drops by.

Useful Links

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Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines travel options

Panglao is located in the SW corner of Bohol island in the Philippines. You can travel here by ferry from Cebu or fly to the new International airport located near Alona Beach. The new airport opened in 2018 and is listed as Bohol Panglao International Airport – it is only a short taxi ride away from Alona Beach.

Travel by ferry

If you are in Cebu, another way to travel to Panglao is on a ferry. The ferry journey takes about 2 hours and if you haven’t taken this journey before, it will give you great views of the island of Bohol as you sail past it.

A recommended ferry company is Ocean Jet, who at the time or writing charge 500 PHP (Philippine pesos) one way. 500 PHP is about $9.60 USD or £7.40 GBP. Ocean Jet at the time of writing are the fastest ferry service operating this route and sail from Pier 1, Cebu Pier Area, Cebu City. They offer two options Tourist Class or Open Air Class. I highly recommend the Open Air Class, which is on the higher level of the boat because it can be quite stifling on the lower deck, which is enclosed. The higher deck has a roof, so you won’t get burnt, but the sides are open, which allows the fresh air in and you will get better views and photo opportunities from this deck. The ferry terminates in Tabilaran, so if you are heading to Panglao you will need to take a taxi or tricycle. A taxi is recommended if your destination is Alona Beach because of the distance.

One more tip for the ferry is that you will need to buy a terminal fee after you have bought your ticket, and then check in your baggage. The fee is only 20 -30 pesos, but this process can be quite stressful, especially if there are a lot of people queuing, so it is wise to arrive in good time prior to the ferry leaving. 1 hour should be suffice. There is a café upstairs in the Ocean Jet waiting room, so you can relax in there while you wait for the ferry.

If you take a flight to the new International airport, you will be only be a short taxi ride away from Alona Beach – it is only about 2.25 km away.