Surfing and More at El Nido Beach in Palawan
Posted By philippine evolution staff on February 10, 2012
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EL NIDO BEACH
El Nido Beach offers scuba diving, surfing, snorkelling, kayaking, and beginner rock climbing, among others.
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El Nido really is a magical place. From its ageless towering marble cliffs to its white sandy beaches with crystal clear water, many refer to it as paradise. There are over 50 beaches to discover, so many in fact that sometimes you feel as if you are on your own secluded private beach. You will also find enchanting lagoons with tranquil turquoise-green water, caves that can take you to hidden beaches, and a very diverse variety of wildlife.
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El Nido is a top destination for island hopping, book your boat, take some food, some drinks in a cool box and disappear into the heavenly marine reserve that is Bacuit Bay. It is a truly relaxing and inspiring place; Alex Garland wrote “The Beach” while living here. Scuba diving is also a popular activity here with over 30 dive sites for varying levels and skills; from taking the plunge and learning to dive for the first time, to perfecting your expertise and advancing your qualifications.
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Yet El Nido has so many different treasures to offer beyond the obvious. Further activities available include cliff climbing, waterfalls, kayaking, cave exploration, windsurfing, plus you can also hire a motorbike and discover the surrounding north of Palawan.
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The dry season is from around November to May with temperatures above 30 degrees centigrade and rain is rare. The most popular tourist times in El Nido are Christmas and Easter. With the Philippines being 95% Catholic the celebration of these two events in the Catholic calendar bring out another side to El Nido. Especially in Easter where there is a week long festival including town parades and markets.
Seafood is a local speciality, in fact many fish are exported to Manila, and on to other South East Asian countries. There are restaurants scattered around the town offering various foods to suit most palates. From seafoods to meat dishes, salads, pastas, stews there is something for everyone. Particular restaurants also have foreign influence including French, German, Swiss and Australian.
A number of bars offer different entertainment including billiard, dancing, live music, karaoke, and of course along the beach front the chance to unwind and watch the beautiful view as the day comes to a close.
Photo from: palawan-beach.landmarkss.co.uk
Photo from: tripadvisor.in
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Photo from: tommyschultz.com
Photo from: smarttravelasia.com
Photo from: gopalawan.com
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Miniloc Island is a forty-minute pump boat ride away from the town of El Nido, and derives its fame from its towering limestone formation and its two lagoons.
Photo from: elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com
The big lagoon is a bay carved into the island, with dazzlingly clear water and corals below; pointed limestone cliffs tower above you as you drift into the lagoon. Water and coral conditions have conspired to make this lagoon relatively free of marine life, but kayakers will find this a magnificent backdrop to paddle through.
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The smaller lagoon offers better snorkeling conditions. Another cove can be entered from this lagoon, although with some difficulty; at low tide, a four-foot gap in the cliff lets avid snorkelers into a cliff-lined chamber that feels entirely like another world.
Photo from: elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com
Payong-Payong Beach is somewhere on the east side of the island, offering great snorkeling opportunities.
For dive spots around Miniloc, try the Miniloc Island Dive Trail at the island’s southeastern side. Ranging from about 40 to 80 feet in depth, the Dive Trail will overwhelm you with its schools of fish and coral life.
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At Miniloc’s northwest end, Tres Marias is another popular dive site, up to 80 feet deep, right in the path of manta rays and marine turtles (pawikan in the native tongue).
Miniloc is the location for one of El Nido Beach Resort’s two high-end resorts in the area, the other being on the forested Lagen Island.
Photo from: philippineholidays.com.au
Text from: elnidopalawan.com
Related post: http://topphilippinebeaches.blogspot.com/2011/10/el-nido-beach-resort_16.html
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