About 420 kilometers southwest of Manila, you’ll find the tropical paradise of El Nido. This destination has garnered praise and accolades from numerous travel magazines and publications worldwide. El Nido, located in the province of Palawan, is one of the most important tourist sites in the country.

The name “El Nido Resorts” in northern Palawan refers to the resort complex managed by the Ten Knots Development Corporation, which collaborates closely with the Philippine government to promote environmental conservation and ecological management. The hotels operated by this network have been recognized by CNN as one of the best beach and island destinations in the Philippines. They are also listed among the top eco-friendly resorts in Asia by Travel+Leisure for green tourism in Southeast Asia in 2012. Additionally, they received the Responsible Tourism Award in Wild Asia’s category of small to medium-sized hotels in 2009. They have been quoted by publications such as Wall Street Journal and The New York Times as one of the most beautiful tourist destinations worldwide.

Interested in finding out where the resorts in the heart of paradise are located? Click on this link and then on the opening image… Ahhh, the good life! 🙂

With an index of a diverse range of marine species, including an incredible number of 850 different species, 400 types of corals, and 500 species of mollusks, spanning over 200 square kilometers, El Nido’s Coral Triangle Reserve offers a wide variety and a vast population of marine life within a serene ecological system. The diving and development departments of El Nido Resorts collaborate with both the national and local government and other environmental organizations and groups from around the world to preserve and protect the highly diverse yet very fragile ecological system. This includes actions such as replanting giant clams in danger of extinction, maintaining watchtowers at 21 sites to deter boats from coral areas, and installing artificial reefs at dive sites affected by illegal fishing and coral bleaching.

Transportation Options:
The Island Transvoyager Inc (ITI), a subsidiary of the three main El Nido resorts, operates direct flights from Manila to El Nido, with flight bookings managed by the resort’s team. The flight takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, followed by a 45-minute to 1-hour boat ride to the resort located on its private island.

For those staying at the Apulit Resort, which belongs to the same group: From the airport, it’s about a 1.5 to 2-hour van ride to the Taytay port town, followed by a 50-second boat transfer to Apulit Island.

Another option when coming from Manila is to take a flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and then travel by land northward to Northern Palawan. However, this is the less convenient and less enjoyable option.

Additionally, thanks to the rehabilitation of National Road 60 connecting Taytay Port Town and El Nido, accessibility has significantly improved through daily bus and jeepney services, the latter being colorful and fascinating street vehicles that can be found almost anywhere in the Philippines. They depart from the San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, and take you all the way to El Nido.

Attractions and Activities:

The Island of Matinloc, as its name implies (meaning ‘beautiful’ in the local dialect), is a long and narrow island with two fantastic snorkeling sites: KALMUNG Point and Kulasa Beach. This stunning and narrow island also offers four dive sites at a depth of 38 meters, where you can immerse yourself in a particularly rich underwater world. But perhaps the most enchanting treasure on Matinloc Island is the hidden beach, accessible only by snorkeling or swimming through a narrow crevice in the rocks. During noon, the sun’s rays penetrate this opening, creating a spectacular sight against the stone walls. The beach is so mesmerizing that it is said to have inspired Alex Garland’s novel “The Beach,” written during his stay in El Nido and later turned into a film starring a young Leonardo DiCaprio.

CUDUGNON Point and ILLE Cave: This archaeological site contains remnants of a prehistoric settlement dating back approximately 12,000 years. Archaeologists have found remains of animals and humans, as well as jewelry and pottery items dating from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Evidence of burial ceremonies conducted in the area around 8,000 years ago has also been discovered. Anthropologists believe that the cave’s inhabitants came from the nearby island of Borneo and reached this location on foot through an ancient land bridge connecting Borneo and Palawan.

Lagen Island: Home to a wide variety of bird species, Lagen Island is one of the best places for birdwatching. The island also features the LETA LETA Cave, which served as an important burial site at the end of the Neolithic period, where various artifacts were unearthed and recovered.

Bulalacao Waterfalls: Located in Barangay Pasadena, reaching these waterfalls requires a motorcycle or tricycle ride of about 30-45 minutes to the base camp. From there, it’s about an hour’s walk through the rainforest along a narrow trail to reach the falls. It’s advisable to take this trip with a local guide.

For additional recommended and thrilling tours in the El Nido area, you can view them at this link.