Entrance to the Small Lagoon

Small Lagoon. The Small Lagoon is accessible through a small opening in the towering limestone of Miniloc Island. Access into the lagoon is depending on the tide, as the opening can be closed off if the tide goes up. When we went there, the tide was low, and we have to walk some ways to get to the opening. There are plenty of rocks and corals along the way, so you might want to wear aqua socks/shoes (or swim, tide permitting). The water gets deeper the closer you get to the opening. As you enter, there’s a ledge on the right side where you can rest (or camwhore). The water inside the lagoon has a depth of 15 meters at the deepest point, but there are a couple of shallow areas. There’s really not much to see inside the Small Lagoon, but there is a cave at the end of the lagoon that you might want to check out.

Big Lagoon. Also in Miniloc Island, the entrance to the lagoon is likewise shallow, but it rapidly gets deeper as you go further in. Our guide says there are baby sharks and barracuda in the lagoon, but we didn’t go down to find out. The lagoon’s main attractions must be the treasures underwater, but on the surface, there’s really not much to see. Since Miniloc is a private island, boats aren’t allowed to dock. There is a floating platform inside, where El Nido Resort’s guests can lounge and relax in private (sort of, since a number of boats go in to make the rounds inside the lagoon).

Secret Lagoon Beach

Secret Lagoon. The Secret Lagoon is accessible through the beach aptly called the Secret Lagoon Beach. From the beach, you can just walk to this opening in the limestone, and squeeze through a small hole to get to the beach inside. Inside is a really small lagoon with an equally small beach. It’s perfect for two people who want to hide from the rest of the world. Since the lagoon is an enclosed space and the water only comes in when the tide rises, the water inside can be… well, stagnant. So think twice before you pee.

Secret Lagoon Beach. This is where we and a couple of other tour groups had our barbecue lunch. Like every other beachs in El Nido, the water is clear and the sand if fine. There’s a number of trees to give you plenty of shade under the hot sun. This is a great place to unwind and relax in between island hops.

Shimizu. Shimizu has a fairly small beach (and I hear is home to a huge bayawak). Shimizu’s main attraction though, are the beautiful marine life just a couple of meters from the shore. Clams and colorful fishes are just some of what you can see in the waters off Shimizu. Watch out of the jellyfish though!

Seven Commando Beach

Seven Commando. It’s a long stretch of beach, and I hear there’s also snorkeling just off the shore. However, we were more interested in the small sari-sari store on the island that sells snacks and fresh buko (coconut) juice for twice the price in the mainland. Still, this is a great place to chill and rest. There are a number of hammock and seats scattered around so you can take a quick nap.

Secret Beach. Secret Beach is accessible only through an opening in the limestone. However, unlike the other lagoons, you would have to get off the boat in the middle of the sea, and omg is that water deep. If you have a kayak with you on the boat, you can ask your guide to bring you inside onboard the kayak. Otherwise, you’re stuck in the boat, turning green with envy as you watch your friends swim into that hole (and silently curse them for taking their sweet time inside just to annoy you).

View from Matinloc Shrine

Matinloc Shrine. In the midst of deserted beaches, you turn a bend and see the glittering dome of the Matinloc Shrine. It’s mainly a pilgrimage site, but the view from the limestone tower is simply breathtaking. It’s an easy enough climb, but you have to be careful since one wrong move could send you (or your camera) tumbling down into the jagged points of limestone all around.

Hidden Beach. Tucked inside two limestone face that acts like a gate, the Hidden Beach is not-so-hidden (as every tour group passes there). But if you’re lucky, the other groups would just take a quick look or snorkel before going away. We pretty much had the place to ourselves. While our guide and boatman prepare our lunch, we found Nemo just 30 meters from the shore, on 3-feet deep water. Amazing snorkeling in this place, and since there’s the limestone gate, the tide isn’t likely to push you back to the shore. Again, watch out for jellyfish.

Nemo and his sea anemone home at the Hidden Beach

Helicopter Island. There is no other word to describe this place except gorgeous. There’s a long and wide stretch of fine white sand and a gorgeous gradient of greens and blues as the water go from shallow to deep. If you’re thinking of availing of the drop and pick up service, make Helicopter your choice.

Ipil 2 Beach. This wasn’t included in the Tour C itinerary, but we settled on Ipil 2 since Snake Island is just too far and there was a wedding being held at Ipil beach. This is a great place to watch the sunset, and for this one couple, the perfect place to camp overnight.

Helicopter Island Beach

Cellphone Signal is available in: Secret Lagoon Beach, Shimizu, Seven Commando, Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island and Ipil Beach.

Best beach for just hanging out: Secret Lagoon Beach, Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island and Ipil 2 Beach

Seair’s Let-410 landing at El Nido airport

Most of you would probably balking at the thought of riding such a small plane. I’ve ridden on Seair’s Let-410 several times and hey, I’m still alive Riding on a small airplane isn’t so bad, really. During the first few times I’ve ridden the Let-410, I get terrible ear pressure problems. However, once I’ve gotten the hang of dealing with my ear pressure problems (decongest before your flight!), flying has been pain-free.

The beauty of flying on a small aircraft is its ability to land on small airports not usually served by larger planes. El Nido is one of the destinations not commonly found in other airline’s route map. Flying into El Nido is the easiest and fastest way to get to the gorgeous beaches. Flying time from Manila is only 1 hour and 20 minutes.

DG0466 now boarding for Manila

Currently Seair is offering twice a week flights to El Nido. Come April 14, flights will be every Wednesday, Sunday and Monday. This schedule will only be until June 30, 2010.

To purchase tickets to El Nido visit www.FlySeair.com or call (+632) 8490100. For packages call SEAIR Leisure Escape Packages at (+632) 8437308.

Seair is celebrating its 15th year of service with a Lean Season promo! Boracay one-way tickets can be purchased for as low as PhP 1,235 ++ per way and Batanes one-way tickets for as low as PhP 2835 ++ per way for travel from June 16- October 15, 2010. The selling period is up to May 15, 2010 but the promo is for limited seats, so interested holiday makers are advised to book early to get a better chance of availing the special rates.

Just Wandering’s overly simplified and obviously not-to-scale map of El Nido Town
(click to view or download larger version)

During our off time (one day spent resting in between island hopping adventures), I decided to walk around town and check out some of the affordable places to stay in El Nido. This is a short list compared to several available online, but these are places that I have looked at and doesn’t look too dodgy. I wasn’t able to check the rooms on offer on most of them, but I have chatted with the owners or caretakers about their rooms and facilities. I they were kind enough to answer the questions of this pesky traveler who wasn’t even planning on staying at their place, they’re automatically included in the list.

Marina Garden Beach Resort
M. Quezon Street (formerly Calle Hama)
Mobile: +639176247722 / +639088843711
Website: www.mgelnido.com
E-mail: marinagarden.elnido@gmail.com
Rooms from Php 690 (good for 2, shared bathroom, has free Wi-fi)
Read my Marina Garden Beach Resort review

The Light room of The Alternative

The Alternative
Serena Street, Bgy. Buena Suerte
Mobile: +639178963408
E-mail: beckygordon8@yahoo.com
Rooms from Php 500 (good for 2, shared bathroom, has free Wi-fi)
They let me check out the Light Room, which is their most expensive room at Php 1,800 per night. The room has two double beds, and has space for an extra mattress. It has ensuite toilet and bath (no hot shower) and a veranda overlooking the beach. There is no direct beach access from the veranda. Fan rooms only.

Shore Pass Lodge
Serena Street, Bgy. Buena Suerte
Mobile: +639072269213
Rooms from Php 1,300 (good for 2, ensuite toilet and bath)
All rooms are priced at Php 1,300 each. I vaguely remember the caretaker telling me that there is only 1 queen sized bed in the room (or was it 2 single beds?), but I do remember her telling me about a group who stayed the week before who were able to fit about 8 people inside. They just paid for the extra mattresses (Php 100 per mattress). The lodge is fronting the beach, but there is no beach access from the veranda.

Pura Vida
Serena Street, Bgy. Buena Suerte
Mobile: +639204800012
Website: www.puravida.ph
Most expensive room at Php 1,900 per night (good for 2, beach front, ensuite toilet and bath with hot shower, with terrace)
There is also a restaurant on the ground floor fronting the beach. There’s also a monkey in the premises. He is not caged, but on a leash. He’s right near the entrance, so watch out as he does lunge at people passing by.

Casa El Nido as seen from the beach

Casa El Nido
Mobile: +639298335630, +639198233711
Website: www.casaelnido.com
E-mail: casaelnido@yahoo.com
Rent at Php 3,500 per night
This is great budget option for big groups. The house is right at the beach, has 2 aircon rooms, one large living room, has a large balcony overlooking the beach and a service staff.

Og’s Pension
M. Quezon Street (formerly Calle Hama)
Mobile: +639167070393 / +639204040223
Website: www.ogspension.co.cc
E-mail: ogspensionne@yahoo.com.ph
Rooms from Php 500 (good for 2, fan room, shared bathroom, includes breakfast)
Og’s Pension is beachfront, but access to the building is through a small alley off M. Quezon. They have a restaurant right on the beach, which is probably why their guests wander over to Marina’s beach front to sunbathe.

Entrance to Rovic’s Pension House

Rovic’s Pension House
M. Quezon Street (formerly Calle Hama)
Phone: (02) 9398789 (Manila), (02) 4176079 (Manila)
Mobile: +639285202655 (El Nido), +639205420695 (Manila), +639209232305 (Manila)
Website: rovicspensionelnido.multiply.com
E-mail: rovicspension@yahoo.com
Rooms from Php 1,500 (good for 2, with A/C)
Rovic’s is easy to spot along the El Nido town’s main road. Its color facade is eye-catching. However, though there’s an entrance along the main road, the reception is on the beach side. When I went there, nobody was manning the entrance to the building from the street, and I passed through all the rooms to get to the “lobby.”

Cashew Mango
M. Quezon Street (formerly Calle Hama)
Mobile: +639186632771
Rooms from Php 1,500 (good for 2, with A/C)
Cashew Mango is undergoing major expansion, adding 9 rooms to the current 5. All rooms are air conditioned. They have 2 beach front rooms at Php 2,500 per night.

Rico’s Beach Cottages
M. Quezon Street (formerly Calle Hama)
Mobile: +639294671632 / +639272588456
E-mail: ricomfernandez@yahoo.com
Rooms from Php 1,000 (good for two, ensuite toilet and bath)
Most expensive cottage is at Php 1,800. Rooms can accommodate up to 3 person. Additional bed cost Php 150.

One of Dara’s Cottages

Dara Cottages
M. Quezon Street (formerly Calle Hama)
Mobile: +639198993803
Rooms from Php 1,000 (good for two, ensuite toilet and bath)
Beach front property with quaint nipa cottages. Most expensive cottage at Php 1,300, Php 300 for extra bed.

El Nido Cliffside Cottage
Rizal Street
Mobile: +639197856625
Rooms from Php 500 (good for two)
Not beach front, but the beach is just about 7 minutes away on foot. Most expensive room at Php 700, good for up to 3 person.

El Nido Cliffside Cottage as seen from the street

Lualhati Cottage
Rizal Street, Brg. Maligaya
Mobile: +639193196683
E-mail: athan_lualhati@yahoo.com
Rooms from Php 600 (good for 2, 1 double bed)
Set outside the town proper, but still a comfortable 10-minute walk from the beach.

View from Marina Garden Resort

Marina Garden offer rooms for every budget: deluxe rooms for those who can’t live without aircon or hot showers, connecting rooms for families and barkadas who can’t fit in one room, huts made of nipa for those who prefer the rustic setting and townside rooms for those who prefer a more contemporary accommodation without breaking the bank. On the beach, Marina has four (evil) lounge chairs for their guest’s use, and several more inside the fenced area (still fronting the beach). There are also hammocks if you want to really relax under the shade of the coconut trees.

Hammock and (evil) lounge chairs

Marina has a quaint cafe in the beach that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meals at their restaurant aren’t cheap, but they’re not too expensive either. Breakfast sets usually go for Php 120, while lunch and dinner meals start at Php 140. Do order the salt and pepper squid. It’s goooood.

Marina Garden’s restaurant

Aside from the perfect beachfront, Marina is also strategically located in the center of town. El Nido town is small to begin with, but you don’t have to walk far from Marina for cheap meals, souvenir shops, sari-sari stores, pharmacy, tourism office, and a Catholic church.

Gail, Marc and I booked Room number 1, their deluxe room. The room comes with hot and cold shower, cable tv, aircon, and a space in their veranda. The room comes with 2 single beds, and just have enough room for one extra matress (on the floor). The beds are comfortable and comes with one fluffy pillow each. There’s also a closet (with hangers and a couple of drawers) for your clothes, and a dresser for your toiletries.

Deluxe Country Villa Room 1

The ensuite toilet and bath is also rather small, but it’s a comfortable enough fit for one. At least my knees aren’t touching the wall when I sit in the toilet. Water pressure is pretty weak, but the toilet flushes without a hitch, so it’s all good. One tiny problem is that the bathroom window doesn’t open properly, so there’s no proper ventilation inside the toilet.

Marina Garden Beach Resort is a Wi-fi zone. There’s wireless internet in almost all parts of the resort. We can surf the internet from the comfort of our beds, or out on the beach, facing the beautiful blue waters of El Nido bay. Okay, now I remember why I booked with Marina.

Room #1’s toilet and bath

All in all, I am quite satisfied with my stay here. Php 3,426 for 4 nights, 4 breakfasts, countless hours spent relaxing on their (evil) lounge chairs, and one spectacular view. I’d say it’s a great value. If and when I go back to El Nido, I’m definitely staying at Marina Garden Beach Resort again.

Marina Garden Beach Resort
Quezon Road (Formerly Calle Hama), El Nido, Palawan
www.mgelnido.com
marinagarden.elnido@gmail.com
+639176247722 / +639088843711

The perception of many is that El Nido is a very expensive place to travel to. It actually is, considering that direct flights to El Nido from Manila can cost as much as Php 13,000 per person. The cheaper alternative is to go via Puerto Princessa, but you’d have to deal with rough roads and cramped spaces inside vans or buses (or if you’re hardcore, saddled on an off-road motorcycle). The best place to stay for budget travelers is El Nido Town. There are several resorts and lodges that offer cheap accommodation to fit every budget. The same go for restaurants and shops.

El Nido’s main attraction, of course, are the spectacular limestone formations and sparkling white sand beaches of the islands in the Bacuit Archipelago. To visit these islands, you can either hire your own boat or go with a group tour. The group tour aren’t so bad, and they’re usually limited to about 8 to 10 passengers. If you’re a fairly large group (5 and up), you can try sweet talking the tour operator to let your group have the entire boat to yourselves. Tour of the islands usually start at Php 500 per person and already includes lunch.

This is certainly not my cheapest domestic trip, but considering that it’s a 5 day, 4 nights trip in one of the most amazing places in the Philippines, it’s worth every peso.

Download:
El Nido.xls (10k)
El Nido.pdf (62k)

My workstation in El Nido.

El Nido, Palawan is in most Filipino’s dream destination. It was also part of mine, and I never really thought I would one day be here. Of course, Seair played a big part to make it happen — we were given return tickets to the island for free. Seair offers seasonal flights to El Nido, twice a week. We took the Wednesday flight out of Manila, and we’re taking the Sunday flight back.

We have almost five full days here in El Nido. We landed at 9am yesterday morning, and on Sunday, we’re leaving at 5pm. There are plenty of things to keep you occupied in El Nido: you can take a dip in the cool waters around the island when it gets too hot, you can snorkel and marvel at the marine life around the archipelago, you can sunbathe at the beach until your skin turns a very alarming shade of red, or you can just lounge and listen to the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore as you enjoy the feel of the sand between your toes.

It was here in El Nido that I finally find out what “small sleepy town” means. The island and its people are so laid back, it’s hard to resist the urge to go and do everything to do since you don’t know if or when you’re going back this way. There is no need to rush, and you find yourself slowing down to match the pace. I could get used to this.

On the way back from island hopping earlier, with my legs on the side of the boat, waves tickling my feet as we cut through the water, I feel so blessed to be born in the Philippines. My country isn’t perfect in many ways, but it’s certainly one of the most beautiful places in the world. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

We walked through a narrow alley, finally emerging on a wooden platform, then on to a wooden bridge, passing the mangrove and jutting out into the sea. Welcome to Krystal Lodge.

Next to Ponce Suites, this is the most interesting places I’ve stayed in this year. Krystal Lodge is a series of huts on stilts over the sea. There’s a main house, that has the caretaker’s quarters, some rooms, the kitchen, and a common area, then further out are three more huts. Mhye welcomes us and shows us our rooms. Gail and Marc gets a room in the main hut, while Eric, Ferdz and I share the hut furthest out to sea. The hut was surprisingly roomy and quite breezy. We are amazed at the facilities of our little shack on stilts: one bedroom, a bar, a small dining area, a kitchenette, a loft and yes, it has a functioning toilet and shower! Outside, we have a small porch, a hammock and a smaller hut with seats and a table.

Eric and I shared the downstairs bedroom, while Ferdz had the loft to himself. the bedroom was quite roomy — there are two beds, and a huge shelf for our things. There’s also two tables, a fan and access to a changing area. And if you’re wondering, yes, there’s electricity too!

Of course, you can’t have an accommodation like this without its quirks. First, there’s the toilet and the shower. The toilet and the shower area are separate, but is right beside each other. Though the toilet had a door that locks, the shower only had a very thin curtain that blows out whenever there’s a slight breeze. Also, the wall that separates the two was a piece of translucent roofing… you know, the ones they use for skylights. Another thing about the toilet was this diamond hole in the wall at crotch level. When you’re sitting down in the toilet, it lets you look out into the sea and the island across.

Though there’s running water in the hut, it can sometimes be a problem when it slows down to a trickle. It was especially bothersome when the electricity went out on some parts of Coron and Krystal Lodge was affected. Not only do we have to navigate through the alley and the rickety bridge in the dark, we arrive at our hut, exhausted and sticky from island hopping, only to find the water’s out too. Though it was already midnight, Mhye did everything she could to have the water and electricity restored in our hut.

Krystal Lodge is rustic, rugged and certainly not for the high maintenance traveler. However, it’s these very same things that makes it charming.

Krystal Lodge
Coron Town, Busuanga, Palawan
Phone: (02) 4536343
Mobile: 09284108074
E-mail: mhye_310@yahoo.com.ph

Everybody was nodding off as we putter from the Siete Pecados to the Maquinit Hot Springs. As the boat docked, Gail and I were only concerned about finding the toilets. We hurried through the wooden brige that winds though the mangroves and into the Hot Springs’s only two toilets.

Afterwards, we settled into a hut. The day’s exertions in the sea left us famished, and our dilemma was that we haven’t any food. Ferdz and Marc made their way to the concessionair stand, and came back with a couple of bags of chips and a bottle of soda — the only things that the store sells. Once the chips and soda were gone, Marc, Eric and I went off to dip in the hot springs. And boy, was it HOT! I’m used to soaking on heated pools, but at the spa, it’s advised to go gradually — first taking a dip in the 36 degrees Celsius pool, then the 38C, and finally, the 40C. In Maquinit, however, there’s only one temperature, and nothing to prepare you for the near 40 degrees Celsius water. That’s why we were adviced to go here during the evenings!

The heat of the pool certainly woke us up. As the sun set, we made our way to the entrance. Roge, our boatman, promised to send his brother-in-law who owns a tricycle to pick us up at 7:30 pm. As we were walking, the lights went out. Perfect! To makes matters worse, the tricycle wasn’t there, and we’ve no way of contacting Roge!

The way tricycles work in Maquinit, is that you hire one at the town to take you there, wait for you, and take you back to the town. Since we went there by boat, we didn’t really have any arrangements, save for the tricycle Roge promised to pick us up. Luckily, Roge sent two — but only one arrived. We waited for a couple more minutes, and as hunger and made its presence felt, we managed to convince one of the drivers to drive us to town while waiting for his passengers.

My camera’s battery died on me, and we were pretty tired to take any more photos, so this is the only one I have.

 
Since we were fairly dry and utterly starved, we decided to have the trikes drop us off at a restaurant for dinner. We ended up at La Sirenetta, a fancy restaurant out in the water, which is a short walk from Kystal Lodge. Revived by the thought of food, we eagerly studied the menu, not really caring that the prices is going to blow our budget. Hey, we deserved a treat! Excitement, however, soon became annoyance as our orders took a lot of time to come to the table. After close to an hour, we were finally served the dishes we ordered. The food was quite good, making it somehow worth the price and the wait. But as much as we enjoyed our pasta, chicken, fish and pizza, it was hard to fully appreciate the service.

With our hunger satiated, we made our way to Krystal Lodge. Seeing houses with the lights on left us with hope that we had electricity in our lodgings. However, it seems only a portion of the town has electricity, and unfortunately, Cyrstal Lodge wasn’t one of them. Slowly, we made our way through the narrow alley and unto the rickety wooden bridge to our accomodation, with Ferdz’ headlamp the only thing ligthing our way. We finally made it to our little shack on the sea. We were all exhausted, but we just had to shower before heading to bed. I gathered my bath things and went to the bathroom. I turned on the tap and was welcomed by a very weak trickle of water. Uh oh. I left the faucet on and went out to fix my things as I wait for the bucket to fill with water. Thirty minutes after, the bucket was less than a half full. This isn’t good.

With three of us needing to use the bathroom, this wouldn’t do. It was almost midnight. Ferdz went to wake up Mhai, the resort manager. The power outage somehow affected the water pump in our room. It couldn’t be repaired until the morning, so in the meantime, Mhai let us use the bathroom of the other hut that was recently vacated. I used Unit 9’s bathroom, while Eric used the bathroom inside Gail & Marc’s room. It was almost 2 am when we finally finished. What a day!

The cheapest part about this Coron trip was the food. Coron town is pretty small, and there’s plenty of cheap dining options. If you’re not to picky, there’s plenty of carinderia near the market that serves pretty good food at affordable prices. If you love fresh seafood, head on to the market to buy shrimp for as low as Php 180 for a kilo, and a huge lapu-lapu for Php 140. We treated ourselves to a fancy dinner at La Sirenetta after a long day of island hopping. While the food was great, the service was disappointingly slow. This dinner was our most expensive at Php 380 per person.

All in all, Coron was worth every peso. If you’re in a tight budget, it’s best that you travel with a group who can share your expenses. There are places in the island hopping circuit that doesn’t charge for admission: I hear the CYC island is free, and the Twin Lagoons is included in the Kayangan Lake entrance (there are probably more, but I’m too tired to Google. Go research in Owen’s Coron site). My personal favorites among the places we visited were Banol Beach and Kayangan Lake. To further lessen your costs, pitch a tent instead of staying at hotels and resorts.

For the most amazing three days with such a fabulous group of people (not to mention the most spectacular photos), Php 4,593.00 is a bargain.

Coron Weekend
June 7 – 9, 2008

¹ Because Seair loves us. Hehe.
² Three of us shared a room, so it comes out to Php1,000 per person for two nights
³ There’s pretty much no choice but to take the jeep from the airport to Coron town.
⁴ Coron town in small and everything’s within walking distance. However, you have to take the tricycle to go to Maquinit hot springs or to the Mabintangin pool. Or when your legs have turned into jelly after climbing Mt. Tapyas.
⁵ Food includes carideria meals, fresh seafood from the market, rice, paper plates and plastic utensils, water and an expensive but delicious dinner at La Sirenetta
⁶ The price quoted by our local fixer was Php1,800 per day, while the price listed in the boat was only Php1,500. We paid Php2,000 because we were supposed to go island hopping again the following day, but the boat sustained some damaged.
⁷ The fee for Siete Pecados was Php75.00, but the caretaker ran out of ticket stubs, so he only charged us Php200.
⁸ Souvenirs include 2 bags of cashew and some keychains.

Download:
Coron.xls (14k)

A big thanks goes to Seair for helping make this trip possible, and to Ferdz for keeping tabs of our expenses!

All this needs is a Java applet…

 
Gratuitous Plurk plugging aside, the one thing that I’ve been itching to blog about Coron are my experience with the Dicapac. Since I’ve been remiss at buying or borrowing ANY underwater camera for my February Butanding (Whale Shark) interaction trip, I made sure that I have at least ONE underwater camera for my Coron trip. Afterall, Coron is one of the best snorkeling and dive sites in the Philippines. I must have an underwater camera with me!

Fish in the Kayangan Lake and their pointy things

 
The DiCaPac (Digital Camera Pack) is a great and cheaper alternative to the expensive point and shoot camera cases. I was aghast when I first learned that a Canon underwater case for the A70 (my first digital camera) cost almost as much as the camera itself. When I found out that there’s a more affordable option in the form of the Dicapac, I was elated. Underwater photography, here I come!

Like most first time Dicapac user, I was skeptical about the performance of this product. Yet, I still bought it. When I opened the Dicapac package when I got home, I quickly tested the product to see if it really worked. I submerged the pack in a basin full of water, shook it vigorously, and put it under running water. After all that, I gingerly opened the pack, pointing the opening downwards, as instructed. Surprise, surprise! The paper inside the Dicapac was still dry! I was convinced, and set off for Coron with my Dicapac and Ixus 75, certain that I will get the underwater photos I wanted.

Coral reef at Siete Pecados. Photo taken by Ferdz

 
Okay, I may not have jaw dropping photos of corals, fishes and wrecks, but I have to say I’m very happy with the underwater photos that I was able to take in Coron. Then again, I have a model who was all too happy to pose.

(I just realized that I could’ve gone out and took photos of my neighborhood as Typhoon Frank ravages Metro Manila, with my camera inside my Dicapac, but rain almost always guarantee me staying indoors. So boo.)

More underwater shots taken with the Canon Ixus 75 and Dicapac WP-410:

Ferdz taking underwater photos with his Canon (gasp!) underwater camera.

Marc diving deeper at Kayangan Lake

Going after the prey

Don’t forget to pose!

Wildlife photography, yes?

The weird thing about this picture is that the horizon is diagonal, yet Eric is shooting straight up…

I have no words.

DiCaPac is locally available through JT Photoworld. The underwater case I used with my Canon Ixus 75, the WP-410 model, costs Php 1,950.

JT Photoworld
Address: 1082 Chino Roces St. (formerly Pasong Tamo), Makati City, Philippines
Phone: 897-2561, 899-5018
Email: dp.onlineseller@gmail.com
Website: www.dponline.com.ph, digitalprinting.multiply.com

A sight I’d love to wake up to everyday

 
Completely rejouvenated and energized, we set off to the market to buy additional things we needed for the day. At the bakery, we were able to buy pan de sal, pan de coco and Spanish bread for snacks and for feeding the fish. At Php 2.00 each, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the bread are double the size of the ones we get in the neighborhood bakeries in Manila. Also, unlike their Manila counterparts, you can actually taste the bread and the fillings. Stocking up on water to keep us hydrated, we made our way back to Krystal Lodge where our boat will pick us up (ah, the advantages of living by water).

Armed with our snorkeling gears, underwater cameras and picnic stuff, we boarded our boat for the day. We set off for Coron Island, the Skeleton Wreck our first stop. We had the option to anchor in the middle of the sea or dock in the nearby Mawowoy beach. We opted to dock, since Gail wasn’t too hot about the idea of seeing sunken ships. I was curious and hesitant at the same time. From the shore, the wreck is within swimming distance. The wreck hasn’t sunk in too deep water, so you can see it even if you’re just snorkelling. I swam about 10 meters from the shore and quickly turned back — for some reason, I don’t think I can do it. Gail and I stayed beside the boat in the water and while we were chatting, a mother and her child came paddling through the water. They turned out to be the native Tagbanua caretaker of this particular piece of land. The Tagbanua tribe have ancestral claim on the waters surrounding Coron, and the admission fees charged for the various tourist attractions in the island are for the maintenance of each.

Ako and Pucchi enjoyed playing in Banol Beach

 
Eric, Marc and Ferdz swam back to shore elated — they saw the remains of the boat; the skeleton. We puttered out of the cove and into another one: Banol. We passed Banol Beach on the way to Mawowoy. We were all taken in by the peaceful aura it seem to give off. Fine white sand, crystal clear blue waters, lush vegetation, wooden huts and dramatic limestone formations, Banol is the paradise you’ve always seen in pictures, but never thought is actually real. Despite the troubling sight of jellyfishes bobbing in the water as we dock, we excitedly got off the boat and went our own way taking photos.

We had brought the fish we bought at the market yesterday to be grilled for lunch. The great thing about hiring boats in Coron is that you can ask the boatmen to grill your lunch for you. Our bankeros set off cleaning and grilling our fish, since there would be no other place to cook afterwards. It was still fairly early, so we decided to have an early lunch at Banol. We feasted on more shrimp and beautifully grilled fish, with a side of fresh tomatoes, and toyomansi (soy sauce and calamansi) dipping sauce, and the local suka (vinegar) that had a hint of sweetness.

Eric’s all too willing to do crazy poses for us. That’s why most of the photos in our camera are of him.

 
After lunch, Eric and I played around with my underwater camera. Rather, I took pictures and ordered my all to willing subject. But hey, the photos turned out pretty good, right? Right after some rather embarassing poses, we saw a boat approach. We moved on to the other side of the cove, and tried to drown out the noisy squeals of the new arrivals. As much as we loved to stay longer (Banol is the kind of place you wouldn’t want to leave and when you finally do, you find yourself wanting to go back), we agreed that our paradise has been contaminated; it’s time to move on.

Roge, our boatman, took us to Barracuda Lake next. There was a wooden dock waiting for us, and a set of wooden steps. Uh-oh. I thought. The climbing part is here. It turned out that the stairs is the easy part. Soon enough, the stairs ran out and we had to climb over limestone formations. I was pretty scared clambering up the jagged limestone. My feet was wet, which meant wet slippers. Though the traction of my rubber thongs on the limestone wasn’t all too bad, my wet feet on the rubber made me feel I’m going to slip at each step I take. There was even this portion where there was a pretty huge gap in the limestones, and one part had this rather narrow peak that you’d have to cross. What awaited us on the other side though was spectacular. Barracudda lake, like most lakes in Coron island, is a mix of fresh and salt water. The deep blue green water is a sight to behold. Unfortunately, once you get at the end of the “trail” there’s hardly any place to put your things or sit. Add to that the sudden drop that you can clearly see from the shallower areas.

For me, the best part of Barracuda Lake is still the climb over limestone

 
The lake got its name from the Barracuda that used to live there. The barracuda was long gone, but some of its offsprings are still there. The guides (who jump from limestone to limestone, much to our amazement as we cling on the wooden banisters for dear life) warns us not to go to the center of the lake, where it’s said to be at its deepest, and where the barracudas roam. With that warning, I was content to sit at one of the more comfortable nooks among the limestones and dry my feet and slippers. The scary climb through limestone previously was now a source of excitement. After all, I was already able to climb it once, surely, I can do it again.

We set of next to Kayangan Lake. Kayangan was dubbed one of the cleanest lake in the Philippines. It’s also one of the must see places in Coron. When we got to Kayangan’s entrance, I knew right then that it really is the most visited places in Coron. The dock was clearly organized and there are space enough for several boats to be docked at once. Like Barracuda Lake, Kayangan Lake can be reached by going up and down the mountain. Unlike Barracuda Lake though, this is relatively an easier climb. The steps were carved or are huge slabs of stone. There are wooden banisters on each side, and enough space for two people to pass through at once. Once you reach the top, you are greeted by the sight of the stairs you’d have to take to go down to the lake.

With Eric and Gail at Kayangan Lake. You can clearly see the boulders at the bottom of the lake

 
Most groups stop at the summit to take photos of the magnificent view of the cove below. There’s a huge boulder you can climb to get a better vantage point, or pose on for your Friendster, MySpace, Multiply or Facebook profile photo. Going down is definitely easier. However, the steps are uneven and can be slippery so exercise caution when going down. Kayangan Lake is even more dramatic than Barracuda lake when you see it. What’s really impressive about it is that you can actually see all the way down the bottom of the lake, even if you’re not in the water. The visibility in the lake is simply astounding. No wonder GMA chose this place to shoot Dyesebel (much to the ire of travelers who went there during their shooting date; I hear the entire lake was closed off).

Like Banol, Kayangan is the kind of place you wouldn’t want to leave. Apart from a couple of local kids playing in the water, we had the lake all to ourselves. There were fishes swimming around, though lacking in variety. They swam near the platform, which made us think that they have gotten used to having people feed them. Unfortunately, we didn’t bring the fish bread with us. Luckily, they never used their pointy things on us.

Leaving Kayangan

 
The hike back up was torture, considering we were leaving such a beautiful serene place behind. But once we have crested the peak and started going downhill, it was easier and we found ourselve looking forward to our next destination. The next stop was supposed to be the Twin Lagoon. However, since the tide was still high, we wouldn’t be able to enter through it passage. We went instead to Siete Pecados.

The Siete Pecados was named after the seven islets that surround this abundant coral reef. The reef is pulsing with life, as evident by the schools of fishes and corals that occupy the area. To prevent damaging the reef, boats are not allowed to drop anchor nor use the long bamboo poles they use to dock. Instead, they use oars to paddle and manouver, and boats are tied to bouys. The current was pretty strong, and unless we move away from the boat, we kept on bumping on the hull or the bamboo that helps keep it balanced. I pretty much gave up on snorkelling after a couple of minutes, feeling panic rising everytime I put my head down the water (which is pretty weird, I think. I’ve already swam with a huge whale shark, sans life vest even, and here I am freaking out everytime I see the water level go past 10 feet).

Swarming over the pan de sal

 
Finally, everybody had their fill (including the fishues). It was still fairly early, but we were running out of energy. Since we were near the Maquinit Hot Spring, we opted to go there instead. Of course, the day and the adventure doesn’t end there.

Admission fees (per person):
Mawowoy Beach – Php 100
Banol Beach – Php 100
Barracuda Lake – Php 75
Kayangan Lake – Php 200
Siete Pecados – Php 75

Eran took us to the town center, and as we walk, none of us could really believe that we’re already in Coron. After settling in a carinderia, Eran left us to tend to his other contacts. He came back just as we were finishing, and we were off to an informal tour of Coron town. The town is quite small. You can easily walk from one place to another, though if you’re tired, you can hail a tricycle.

Sayuri with Coron Mayor Marjo Reyes

 
Tricycles are the main public tranport option in the small town of Coron. There are jeepneys and busses, but they are only for traveling long distances. A ride in the tricycle costs Php 7 each around town, and I was surprised that the tricycle driver actually gave me change and didn’t overcharge. For longer distances, like to Mabentangin pool and Maquinit Hot Spring, you’d have to agree on a fee beforehand. These two places are more than 2 or 3 kilometers from town (Maquinit is about 4 kilometers away), and if you’re going there, you have to ask your driver to wait or come back for you. We paid Php 125 for a two way trip to Mabentaning, and Php 200 one way from Maquinit into town.

Be proud you are a teacher. The future depends on you.

 
Walking through Coron town, we passed through the town hall. Right across it was a basketball court there Coron Mayor Marjo Reyes was playing. We were astounded that we can just walk into town and meet and have a chat with the mayor. Like any homeowners, Mayor Reyes welcomed us into Coron, his home. And like any homeowners, he apologized at how dirty the town is. We were shocked at this — less than ten minutes ago, we were all marveling at how clean and orderly Coron was. According to the mayor, Coron is already dirty; it used to be so clean and they’re working towards bringing it back to its pristine state. Dang. I wonder if Manila mayors can promise and deliver the same?

We walked into the public elementary school, where we saw a building that has been standing since the time of the Japanese occupation. There’s also some rumors going around that there’s gold underneath this building. Hmmmmm.

Fishies!

 
Back into the town center we go, heading this time to the market to buy dinner. Ferdz and Marc picked out a couple of fishes, and one huge lapu-lapu, and 3/4 kilo of shrimp. We also bought two kilos of rice, some tomatoes, onions and calamansi to go with the grilled fish. This trip to the market set us back around Php 550. Krystal lodge has cooking facilities, which you can use for a small fee. Eran was an all around guide; he even cooked our shrimp and rice for us. We took our seafood haul back to the lodge, and set off for Mt. Tapyas.

Where in the Philippines is Gert Boyle?

 
I didn’t read much about Coron prior to coming here, but I received a text from a friend who’s been there before that he climed 700+ steps to reach its summit. We walked from the lodge to the jump off point, a feat in itself quite taxing. There are several benches lining the steps should you get weary, and about four that’s covered. Gail and I stopped at the first covered rest stop and chatted about… things. We never thought we’d ever go up to the summit, but when a caucasian coupled passed us on their way up AND down, we got up and started climbing. Just a short climb from where we stopped was a picnic area. The area was built in a plateu, so it was mostly walking on flat ground and a couple of gradual steps. We passed Marc going down on the way up. He was going back to the lodge, after going up and taking photos from the summit. There wasn’t any shops selling cold drinks at the top, so it’s advisable to bring some bottled water when going up Mt. Tapyas.

Whee!

 
After several rest stops, Gail and I finally reached the summit. Yay, my second mountain for the year! Who’d have thought? We made it just in time — the sun has set, the last rays of light setting off beautiful colors in the horizon. When it got dark, the cross on top of Mt. Tapyas lit up. Even with this shining beacon, majority of Coron is still uninhabited, so the stars can be clearly seen in the sky.

The Cross atop Mt. Tapyas

 
Leaving nothing behind but memories (heehee), we started our descent back into town. The path was lit by several lamp post, but there are areas when it gets really dark. It was lucky that I brought my flash light along. We made it all the way down without stopping, but by the time we reached the bottom, our legs has turned into jelly. Stopping for some cold drinks at the first sari-sari store we came upon, we waited for a tricycle to come along. We gingerly got in and within a minute, we were at the Krystal Lodge, where a sumptous dinner of fresh shrimp awaited. The shrimp was simply boiled, but it was the best shrimp we’ve ever tasted. Dinner was even better with great company and conversation, and after hours of talking about mangroves, coffee and rabid fanboys, we retired to our huts to get some much needed sleep. We’re island hopping tomorrow.

Can’t get enough of the scenery

 
I sat on an aisle seat on the flight to Busuanga, so I didn’t really see the terrain as the plane drew near the island. When we finally landed though, I was pleased to see plenty of green mountains all around me. The runway of the Francisco Reyes airport was surprisingly paved, and a bigger airport terminal was being constructed; a clear sign that there’s a huge influx of tourists lately, and that they’re obviously expecting the numbers to rise.

Pang Friendster.

 
Inside the small airport, we were asked to fill out a form declaring our names, nationality and purpose of visit. It’s similar to filling out an embarkation card when you enter a country. There are no baggage carousels in this airport — you have to pick out your luggage from the contraption where they put in the luggage after unloading from the plane. Seair provides a jeep transport to the town. Oddly enough, the sign up top says “Club Paradise,” which is on the other side of Busuanga. Unless you have somebody picking you up, this jeep is your only ride into town. For Php150, it may seem pricey, but it’s a pretty long drive and gasoline is not cheap on the island. I asked our tricycle driver and as of last Sunday, June 8, he said gasoline is priced at Php63 per liter and rising by Php1 everyday.

We’re in Coron!

 
Majority of the road from the YKR airport to Coron town is still unpaved. However, it wasn’t a bumpy ride. The roads are pretty flat, and is already primed for laying on concrete. In fact, the local government have already started on paving the road from the airport and into town, and you’ll see portions of concrete roads along the way. Though not bumpy, the is the dust that gets kicked up by passing vehicles on certain areas.

The rickety wooden bridge. And the Mangrove. Hee.

 
The ride into town was actually quite pleasant. The jeep has huge windows so you can gape at the towering mountain ranges, and animals that roam free. Gail, Eric and I reveled that you can stick out your arm and camera and take photos, without any danger of it getting swiped or hit by a passing vehicle. The air felt so refreshing and to add to the wind streaming in through the windows, the driver of the jeep opened up the windshield.

Our neighbors

 
The jeep’s last stop is at Seair’s office, but if they’re passing your resort, they can drop you off there. Knowing that we had reservations at Krystal Lodge, the jeep stopped at the path that leads to our accomodation. When I saw the small alley that marked the entrance, I began to wonder what kind of accomodation Ferdz booked for us. We walked through a narrow concrete alley, and when we stepped on the wooden walkway, I knew we were already on the water already.

View from our hut

 
The pathway turned into a rickety wooden bridge, made with several planks of wood, some more wobbly than others. Paranoid thoughts ran into overdrive. What if I trip while walking? What if I drop something and it slid through the gaps? And is that a person I see hiding in the mangrove? (heehee)

All these thoughts were pushed aside as we took in the view from our hut. We had a clear view of Coron island, and with this stunning mix of blues and greens, falling into the water (and monsters in the mangrove) is the furthest thing in my mind.

Seair’s 32-seater Dornier 328

 
Things happened quite fast after that initial idea, and before we know it, we were holding on to a round trip ticket to Busuanga, thanks to Seair. Though as excited as I was about this trip, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant about the plane ride. It’s not that I don’t like Seair, but I have huge problems with ear pressure when flying, and the last time I flew with Seair, it was quite painful. But it seems it’s not the plane that’s the problem; it’s just my ears -_- I’m the only one in the group that felt this pain.

Seair’s 19-seater Let-410

 
Ear pressure aside, it was a pleasant flight. We took the 11:30 am flight to Busuanga, on Seair’s Dornier 328. Unlike the Let 410, which we rode before, the Dornier 328 is bigger, and can carry 32 passengers. The cabin is pressurized, the seats more comfortable, there’s a toilet on board, and the flight attendant actually stays on board for the flight.

Inside the Dornier 328

 
Seair boasts of having the fastest flight to Boracay and Palawan. It’s true; our plane touched down just a few minutes past twelve. While airborne, time simply flies by. Those on window seats can look out the window and watch the terrain change as we fly over Luzon and Mindoro. Those on the aisle have Seair’s inflight magazine to pass the time. Snacks are also served on board, and Seair merchandise are available for sale. Traveling alone? You can request for a single seat. The Dornier 328 and Let 410 have a 1-2 seat configuration — no need to share space with strangers if you’re flying solo!

Bye, Busuanga!

 
The biggest novelty about flying with Seair is still the low altitude their planes fly. I remember when I first rode an airplane. I was so excited to see the city from above, but once we got to cruising altitude, all I could see were the fluffy clouds. And there’s only so much fluffy clouds I can take before I get really bored. It’s different with Seair. Because of the lower altitude, you have the most amazing view of the Philippines from above.

Happy Independence Day!

 
Seair’s small aircraft can served airports with shorter runways and even unpaved ones. This means they can serve more destinations that other airlines can’t. Of course, this makes it convenient for those who wants to travel to far flung places, without having to spend several hours on the road or inside a ship. Considering my work schedule, flying with Seair is the perfect choice for flying to my favorite destinations.