NAT NAT BEACH

The next day Natalie, Merissa, Ricky, and I rented some kayaks and paddled out to Cadlao Island in search of Nat Nat Beach. After an hour or so we floated up to an empty stretch of white sand along the west side of the island. The bay was lined with a craggy jungle that tumbled down off of a solitary mountain, and except for a couple of friendly dogs and a few fisherman that lived in a little shanty on the beach, we had the entire place to ourselves. Bearing a few cans of mango juice as gifts, we approached the fisherman to see if we were in fact on Nat Nat Beach. And we were! We’d found Nat’s geographic namesake! That’s when Nat carved her name in the sand and posed for pictures.

The day was ours to be lazy, sauntering around the beach, relaxing in the shade, sipping rum cocktails, and floating in the sea. We considered kayaking up the coast to another beach, but realized that we were perfectly content where we were. As the afternoon came to an end, we hopped in the kayaks and paddled back to El Nido. The next day we made our way back to Puerto Princesa where I caught a flight back to Kota Kinabalu, and Nat and Mo to Manila. Only a week in the Philippines, what a tease! Over 7,000 islands and I only saw a handful. There will be a next time. I will return...

ISLAND HOPPING

By the time the typhoon blew over and the paradisal weather arrived, Natalie, Merissa, and I were itching to get out and explore the Bacuit Archipelago. The elements had kept us stranded in El Nido since we’d arrived, and the islands had been taunting us from stormy seas, but with permission from a picture perfect forecast we were finally free to play! A charismatic young Lithuanian guy named Ricky entered the scene, and was more than happy to organize a day trip with us. There were plenty of outfits in El Nido offering package tours, but being the wheeler and dealer that he was, Ricky cut out the middleman and nabbed us a cut-rate local guide. Our group total was six with the addition of a friendly French couple, and after picking up some lunch supplies from the market, we set out to explore the islands.

Forty-five minutes after leaving El Nido, we floated into a tranquil cove off Matinloc Island. With the exception of a few small beaches, the tiny inlet sat wrapped in steep and jagged cliffs. After some excellent snorkeling and a splash in the crystalline water, we slipped through a fissure in the limestone and swam into the Small Lagoon. Even at low tide the passage was tight, and one-by-one we entered the enclosed reservoir. The water inside took on a flat emerald hue and as we swam across we sent out gentle ripples that lapped into towering karstic walls. On the far side of the lagoon a partially submerged hole in the rock opened up into a small swimmable cave. A few beams of light poured in through a fractured ceiling and illuminated the cavern walls with shimmering reflections. After some aquatic spelunking, we left the cave, made our way back across the lagoon, and swam out to our boat. Incredible.

Before stopping to eat we took a cruise through a big lagoon and skirted around a few more islands. The Bacuit Archipelago was captivating. For lunch we picnicked under some trees on a small beach surrounded by limestone cliffs. There was another boat anchored off the strand when we arrived, but after they left we had the whole place to ourselves. We nibbled on sweet pineapple and sipped on rum punch while our guide grilled up a delicious fish, and with the addition of rice, some good company, and an amazing beach, it turned out to be an ideal meal. 

With full tummies we pushed back out to sea. And not long after that the engine decided to retire for the day. Our guide gave it a tinker but it was no use, and soon we were in search of a tow, with our next destination being at the mercy of whatever help came our way. This unplanned turn of events didn’t really bother anyone, and in fact, we all seemed content just drifting around among the karstic giants. But soon enough another boat came floating by and roped us along for a tug back towards the Small Lagoon, and from there we hitched another tow to Seven Commandos Beach.

Seven Commandos Beach ended up being our last stop of the day. Only accessible by boat, but not too far from El Nido, the beach was manicured and lively, and even had a little snack and beverage bar. A picturesque palm tree grove provided plenty of shade and the view out to sea gave way to a horizon speckled with islands. We were still without a motor, so when our ride was ready to leave, we took off for El Nido. We returned a little before nightfall, and after jumping off the boat we strolled down the beach and watched the sun as it melted into the sea. It was a perfect way to end the day...

PALAWAN

I seek out karstic landscapes when I travel. My list is growing, and right now I don’t have a favorite because they’re all awesome. With only a week to spend in the Philippines and so much to see, my karstic attraction drew me to Palawan. Like Halong Bay in Vietnam, or the islands of the Andaman Sea in Thailand, the Bacuit Archipelago in northern Palawan geographically juxtaposes precipitous mountains and limestone cliffs against a sea of turquoise blue. Of course I wanted to go there. 

Natalie and Merissa are two adventurous sisters from England on a yearlong journey around the world. (I want to travel the world with my sister!) I met Nat and Mo back in April when I first arrived in Kota Kinabalu and we were quick to become friends. We stayed in touch as they continued to circle the globe, and since they happened to be spending most of June in the Philippines, we decided to rendezvous in Palawan for a week. I’ve had great luck with travel buddies, and these two were no exception! The three of us met at the airport in Puerto Princesa and were greeted by mother nature with a wet smack in the face. Welcome to paradise, now why don’t you suck on this typhoon for a while!  Bleh. That night we matched the downpour by pouring down a storm of beverages at the local watering hole. And then danced on stage with the house band. That was fun. But after a dreary day in Puerto Princesa we caught a bus north to El Nido to do some island hopping and explore the Bacuit Archipelago. The bus ride was long, but like any trip through pastoral southeast Asia, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

El Nido sits wedged between massive limestone cliffs and a white sand beach. The town looks out across a glassy bay scattered with fishing boats towards a steep and jungly island rising from the sea. The crappy weather may have followed us north, but there was no escaping the allure of El Nido. And it's not just the scenery, but the people as well, with the town's laid-back temperament mirroring the quiet and gentle waves that lap its sandy shore. The scattered rain and dark skies were menacing and the glassy water we looked out across was a deceiving front, for outside the protected bay that El Nido faced, the lingering typhoon had been chopping up the sea and capsizing boats! Our plan to explore the Bacuit Archipelago was put on hold until the weather cleared up. But passing the time in El Nido was fine by me, especially since I was in good company. And it didn’t hurt that a bottle of local rum cost a little more than two bucks. 

El Nido literally popped after the typhoon blew over. It was like someone hiked up the saturation in my contact lenses. With the addition of blue skies and sunshine the scenery took on a whole new perspective and I was seeing colors that I hadn’t seen in previous days. I didn't think the water could get any more blue, but I was wrong. And the seas were calm once again. It was time to do some island hopping...