It all started with the then-Airphil-Express-now-PAL-Express seal sale in January 2013. It was the start of the year and the official holidays for 2013 are already out. I have my heart on booking a flight to Puerto Princesa because I learned that you can go to El Nido from there. So I booked. And I realized that I clicked July 4 to 8, 2013 which would fall under Jump and Lora's wedding. And I paid for it. Damn credit card. I don't know if Jeff got angry, but I'm pretty sure he's upset. So I said I'm gonna pay for the fare. The next day, I booked another Puerto Princesa flight. This time I clicked the correct dates -- August 21 to 27, 2013.
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| Success! Actually, our flights were rescheduled two times after this booking, so I just opted for an August 26 fly back. |
Our friend Paula, already went to El Nido via Puerto Princesa. She told us she's going to give us an itinerary to follow. I will be uploading a file here that you can download and customize for your own trip, depending on how many days you plan to stay in El Nido. I suggest you stay four days minimum. A 3D2N trip won't be enough. The trip from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is five to six hours by van. Yes, five to six hours! I also suggest that you get a very early flight from Manila (or from wherever you are coming from).
You can find the Eulen Joy vans just outside the Puerto Princesa Airport. Here are the schedules:
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| Let me help you reading that. |
DAILY TRIPS FROM PPC-EL NIDO AND VICE VERSA
1st Trip - 5:00AM
2nd Trip - 7:00AM
3rd Trip - 9:00-9:30AM
4th Trip - 10:00-10:30AM
5th Trip - 1:00PM
6th Trip - 3:00-3:30PM
Last Trip - 6:00PM
Their vans look new and neat. The fare is P600 one way. Yes, P600 from Puerto Princesa to El Nido for six hours. That's about a hundred per hour. The van can accommodate thirteen people but if you are lucky, they leave even if the van is not yet full. We realized that the fare was actually P500 only. I think the P100 goes to the referrer or the hotel that you're gonna be staying in if the hotel booked for your van trip. So here's a tip -- go directly to the van terminal. ;)
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| Eulen Joy van. |
So the drive starts and you think, 'Yeah, I woke up so early to take an early flight and the van trip is six hours so I'm gonna sleep.' But you are absolutely wrong. The first three hours of the ride is all curvy road. Not very conducive for sleeping, or even for napping. After about two hours and a whole lot of dizziness, the van will stop at Fort Wally at Roxas for lunch, or I dunno, like toilet break I guess.
It was around 11:30AM when we stopped here, just in time for lunch. I asked the driver, who seem to be a little cranky, how long we'll be staying here and he answered, '20 minutes.' I'm not sure if he's just hungry that's why he's cranky, or if he was dropped by his mother when he was still a baby -- head first. I ordered (the not spicy) Bicol Express, Buttered Shrimp, Ginataang Gulay, two rice, water and Sprite for P370.
After 20 minutes or so, we left Fort Wally. Four more hours to go! So apparently, there is supposed to be another stop in Taytay, Palawan, near the rotonda, but the driver didn't stop. I am not sure why. Maybe he was really dropped head first when he was a kid. Haha! If you think you can sleep going to El Nido, you are wrong again. The road from Taytay to El Nido, which is about two to three-hour drive, is a long stretch of curvy dirt road. Be ready to be shaken up! Entertain yourselves. Bring your iPad and play Plants vs. Zombies or Candy Crush. Oh please note that there is also no network along the way! Bring a book, or even a chess board just to keep you sane for the six-hour drive. Jeff and I, being our normal goofy self, just laughed and laughed during the last two hours of the drive. I also showed him what a cashew tree looks like!
The six-hour drive was finally over. We were welcomed by the towering limestone walls of El Nido, and a couple bunches of dark clouds hovering over paradise. We took a tricycle to the town for P50. Did I mention they have really cool looking tricycles?!?
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| Taken during our last day in Puerto Princesa. You will see this kind of tricycle Palawanwide. ;) |
My friend Cheska, whose mother worked in El Nido Resorts for a time, hooked me up with Ate Eva to help us with all our activities in El Nido. She helped us get a room for P1,000 a night. It has a mini veranda and aircon! No hot water though. :P It is also almost beach side. Almost! If you are going to El Nido and need some help, you can contact Ate Eva at 09264044304. I'm not quite sure if she'll remember if you mention me or Jeff, but you can try.
Anyway, we stayed at Anang Balay Turista. P1,000 a night, free coffee, and did I mention there's aircon?!? Oh yeah, I did. :P
I found out that there is no electricity in El Nido from 6AM to 3PM, and I was like, 'So hindi sila nakakapanood ng Be Careful with my Heart?' (So they don't watch Be Careful with my Heart?) My husband laughed at me because he thinks I'm insane. Haha! Here's a very important tip for you -- charge your phones at night while there is electricity. Turn off your 3Gs because it's just gonna eat up all your battery. ;)
After we've settled in our room, we went to Artcafe to have some snacks. Artcafe is like the tourist center in town. You can get anything there -- food, clothes, Off Lotion, tour packages, etc. Today, we just need food. Jeff ordered bruschetta and the Artcafe pizza which is tuna, mushroom, egg, etc. I will write more about Artcafe in a different post.
We walked along the beach after snacks. I am amazed by the simplicity of this town. I mean, here in Manila if there is a power interruption, we wait and wait and wait 'til the power comes back so we can watch TV or turn on our laptops, or charge our gadgets. But here in El Nido, the kids stayed outside and played, the neighbors are still chatting along the beach, and a dog sleeps on the sand. Seriously!
I'm going to be honest -- the trip was so tiring. Super tiring. But you know what, it is all worth it. Believe me. I shall start posting about the tours and other things about the town in a few days!
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