Hello dear reader! For Part Two of my El Nido blog
series, we will review our recommended board & lodging at El Nido!
Let's go...
Introduction
Janella and I set three main
criteria for our board & lodging at El Nido:
- Affordable without compromising security, comfort and service
- It's near or within the town proper
- It's near the beachfront area (Janella loooves the beach)
In our research, we discovered that during peak months
(September-February), the town proper is very crowded and noisy. Our regular
fruit shake vendor confirmed it--the owner said that the roads are full
of tourists and camping sites at the beach. To avoid the clamor and party
atmosphere, we decided to look outside the town proper. We have two places to
choose from: Corong Corong and Caalan.
Out of the two, Caalan area is the best option since
it only takes a 10-15 Minute walk rather than a Php 100 two-way ride from Corong Corong to town proper. This is great when you want
to experience the night life but leave the hustle and bustle behind when you
want to rest! The only downsides are the poorly lit rough road (a bit muddy when it
rains), only motorbikes and Caalan tricycles can travel to Caalan (because of
the narrow exit at town proper) and the local cemetery on the second corner to
Caalan (a bit scary during the night).
Further browsing pointed us to one of the
best but reasonably-priced board & lodging at Caalan: Hadefe
Cottages!
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| Hadefe Cottages Logo |
Review Proper
Hadefe Cottages offers cottage rooms with free
breakfast at affordable rates! They also provide tour packages with
same rates to its town proper counterparts. The upside is the docking area
is nearby--no need to travel to the town proper!
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| Inside Hadefe Cottages |
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| Bamboo seats at the lounge area |
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| Our room is at the Left side (the one with hanging dry bags). |
Our room which costs Php 1,100/night has an ample
room space and all the basics like window-type aircon, Satellite TV, Wi-Fi
internet, water heater, soap & towel and adequate electrical outlets. All
rooms have a porch with table for two and practical items like clothes rack,
hangers & local broom as standard. The staff are hospitable and
all requests are dealt promptly with a smile!
The lounge and eating area is situated at the
beachfront where you will be greeted by the picturesque view of Helicopter and
Cadlao Island and soothing instrumental music in the morning c/o Mr. Hanny, the
owner. The shoreline may be rocky but the clean & clear waters and
leisurely walks along the beach during low tide compensates for it!
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| Beachfront view of Helicopter and Cadlao Island |
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| Helicopter Island up-close |
Set breakfast is served from 7-9am. It includes either
Hotdog or Longganisa, Egg (scrambled or fried), Steamed Rice, fruits and
unlimited 3-in-1 Coffee and Choco Malt. Hadefe Cottages has free drinking water
with 24/7 access which is nice if you want to stay hydrated. They also reheat
canned goods absolutely free so pack some to save extra money! Steamed Rice
which costs Php 15 ea. is available in the evening--just inform the kitchen
staff early.
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| Our breakfast for day one. |
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| They have unlimited 3-in-1 Coffee and Choco Malt in the morning. |
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| They also have hot & cold water dispensers with 24/7 access. |
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| Our affordable dinner composed of reheated Sardines in Tomato Sauce and Tuna with Steamed Rice at Php 15 ea. |
Conclusion
Janella and I recommend Hadefe Cottages to anyone who
wants a decent place to stay away from the noise with a great beachfront view
and homely service at a reasonable cost!
Hadefe Travel and Tours / Hadefe Cottages
El Nido Palwan, Philippines
Mr. Hanny M. Enor - Manager / Owner
Want to plan your El Nido vacation? Check out Part
Three first here--it will be all about tips!
Ikimashou!
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