El Nido: Lost in Words (Part 3 of 3: Tips 2017 Edition)

Hello dear reader! For the last part of my El Nido blog series, I will share some tips from Janella & I and from fellow local travelers for a hassle-free El Nido vacation!

Let's go...

The First Hurdle: The Airplane Ticket

The regular price of a one-way plane ticket from Manila to Puerto Princesa ranges from Php 2,500-6,000 which is darn expensive for most locals. That's why Filipinos perceive El Nido as a costly vacation proposition. The only solution is to buy a plane ticket via a seat sale promo! It may take some time but you will definitely save a lot of money! Our two-way ticket from PAL (Philippine Airlines) only costs Php 2,151 inclusive of in-flight snacks, 10kg check-in baggage and Php 200 terminal fee per head at Puerto Princesa airport—not bad isn't it!

When buying a plane ticket, avoid the peak months (September-February) or face the surge of tourists and bad weather. During peak months, there are many vacation destroyers: the crowd and noise is almost comparable to Divisoria (I think), board & lodging is scarce (if you can't find one, camping outside is the only option) and a high probability of halted tours due to bad weather—an absolute deal breaker if you ask me.

If you are unlucky in the plane ticket schedule, better get the next part right!

The Second Hurdle: Board & Lodging

Reserve ahead of schedule—period! Get a room reservation at least six and three months ahead for peak and lean months respectively. Get this wrong during peak months and you will definitely camp outside. You have been warned dear reader!

Warnings aside, a decent room will cost around Php 500-600 per head. Look for board & lodging that offers free breakfast to spare the hassle of breakfast on-the-go since tours start by 8-9am. Most board & lodging also offers tour packages—a convenient option if you prefer a single transaction.

During peak months, avoid board & lodging located near Serena Street and at the beachfront area where all the establishments are. Corong Corong and Caalan area are also good alternatives but with a penalty on transportation especially at Corong Corong. You can stay wherever you want during lean months since the crowd and noise is in tolerable levels.

Corong Corong is known for its scenic sunset! 

Caalan on the contrary is known for its best views of Helicopter and Cadlao Island!

The Budget Traveller

The best way to save money on your El Nido vacation is to travel in multiples of five. The main reason is the local tricycle's 5-seater capacity. There are also obvious reasons like group discounts on board & lodging and tours—the more the better. Another upside is sharing of bills if you simply want to sample the food at expensive restaurants.

Talking about food, you can save more cash by buying groceries such as bread & spread, instant noodles and canned goods at Puerto Princesa City. This may sound too frugal but the spare money can be spent on other items like souvenirs.

Inside a souvenir shop at El Nido
(Photo by Janella)

On souvenirs, purchase items with El Nido or El Nido, Palawan prints at El Nido only—the rest are available at Puerto Princesa City at a much lower cost. Basic souvenirs like key chains and ref magnets cost three for Php 100 while printed shirt costs Php 100. At El Nido, buy Pearl jewelries at authorized vendors only (they have a government-issued ID). Saltwater and Freshwater Pearls are cheaper at El Nido and Puerto Princesa City respectively. Lastly, haggle politely on everything for extra savings.

Health and Safety

Your health and safety must be a top priority at El Nido. Proper treatment and hospitalization for water & food poisoning and severe accidents can only be accessed at Puerto Princesa City—that's a 5-6 hour gruelling ride!

To avoid the escalation of minor sickness and injury, bring a basic first aid kit. Your kit should include over-the-counter medicines (for headache, constipation, LBM and allergy), disinfectants (either Alcohol or Povidone Iodine aka Betadine), mosquito repellent and bandages (you will encounter lots of Limestone rocks at tours).

Also make sure that your source of drinking water and food is clean. Stay away from uncooked food particularly with early signs of spoilage. In our experience, the drinking water at tours is okay—no stomach discomfort whatsoever. You may opt for bottled water if you have a sensitive stomach.

Theft is rare at El Nido but secure your valuables anyway. Store your money on inconspicuous items like chewing gum packs. Also check your items before and after the tour. The natural landmarks are so awe-inspiring it may lead to temporary memory lapse—like me (I forgot to return my life vest lol). Motorbikes at El Nido, whether personal or for rent looks almost exactly the same. To make your rented motorbike stand out, place a long cable tie at the handle bars—or simply remember the plate number lol.  

The Tour Essentials

If you hydrate like a V10 engine, bring extra drinking water. The drinking water on tours is good for lunch only. Apply sunblock protection on ALL exposed areas of the skin at least twice during your tour—period! If you detest the greasy feeling of lotion in your skin like me, I strongly recommend to JUST DO IT! Believe me, I was an instant convert overnight! A rash guard is a good alternative if you want to protect the upper part of your body from the Sun, the sunblock (for the lotion haters out there) and stings.

This is Janella
Janella uses sunblock to protect her skin from the Sun
Janella is smart
Be like Janella

All tours include a mask & snorkel set but there are comfort, penalty (Php 1,500 if you lost or damage either of the two) and hygienic issues. Why not upgrade your beach gear by investing in a decent snorkel set. Look for masks with Silicone lining for a comfortable fit even during long use.

My aqua gear (Left to Right):
dry bag, mask & snorkel and aqua shoes
(Check out where I bought my dry bag and mask & snorkel here)

If under a strict budget, take care of your feet by buying aqua shoes. It will protect your feet from Limestone rocks and Sea Urchins (if you encounter one). The aqua shoes must cover the entire feet—below the ankle is the minimum. Go with thick fabric upper and full rubber outsole instead of net fabric upper and wire mesh outsole options.

Photography Essentials

Don't visit El Nido without bringing a proper camera. What's a proper camera then—a smartphone perhaps? True, but if it's neither waterproof nor IPhone (let's face it Android users, the IPhone has the decent third party waterproof casings only) you miss out the breathtaking underwater scenes. A generic waterproof case may work a-okay but its waterproof-ness is dubious and picture degradation may be an issue to others. What's a REAL proper camera then: either a underwater or action camera is my answer! You’ll be able to focus on taking pictures and videos less the worries.

If you have a budget for a high-end camera, go with models that have a weatherproof feature. Take note however that a reliable weatherproof camera can only take a swift water submersion. For DSLR cameras, I recommend the Pentax brand since they offer an almost robust camera package (both body and kit lens) at a reasonable price. If your camera is not weatherproof, don't hesitate to bring it with you! You can make it splash-proof by using a high-end circular polarizer and resealable bag. A spare battery and SD cards will also be handy to keep up with any situations. Complete your kit with a compact monopod (tripod for sunset photographers) and wireless remote control.

Our photography kit (Top to Bottom & Left to Right):
phone & tablet resealable bag, camera remote, monopod with ball head,
underwater camera, mirrorless camera w/ circular polarizer
(phone selfie stick and mirrorless camera in splash-proof set up not shown)

I will discuss in a separate blog on how I made my camera splash-proof—please look forward for it!

There you have it reader! We hope that this blog will help you plan your El Nido vacation! Also check out Janella's take on our tips here which also includes our expense breakdown!

Look forward for another interesting blog! Ikimashou!