The Philippines | My experiences in Palawan and El Nido

If you want to go to paradise, you have to go to... Philippines are! The country I have always dreamed of, the country I have wanted to visit for so long. I always saw those beautiful pictures on Instagram and thought: “Now I'm going for it, because after all you only live once.” Why not chase your dreams? Below you can read about my experiences in the Philippines.

Follow your dreams!

For a moment I thought that the trip to the Philippines would not happen. I have to say that I backed off for a moment, because it is a bit more difficult to travel in the Philippines, as transportation is mainly by plane. But I knew if I didn't go to the Philippines, I would regret it a lot later. Luckily I went anyway!

Looking for the ideal itinerary for the Philippines? Then also read: Itinerary Philippines 3 to 6 weeks | Hints and Highlights

Flying with Etihad Airways

Since it is easy to fly to the capital of a country first, we first booked a flight to the capital of the Philippines, Manilla. We chose to fly with Etihad Airways. We have also flown with Etihad Airways before and were very satisfied. Are you flying with Etihad Airways? then you often have to make a transfer Abu Dhabi.

If you want to avoid jet lag, make sure you have a long layover in Abu Dhabi or fly with Emirates and allow for a long layover Dubai. We had already seen Abu Dhabi and Dubai before, which is why we opted for a short transfer in Abu Dhabi. After a short transfer we arrived in Manila and then (unfortunately) we suffered from jet lag. 

Also read: Skyscanner | How to save (a lot of) money on flights | 2023 UPDATE

The capital Manila

I had read that Manilla is not really a great city, but most tourists start their trip in the capital of the Philippines. The reason for this is because you can fly from Manila to the most beautiful islands.

We chose Manila for two days. We were very tired after the trip and therefore didn't do much. If you go to Manila, it is best to stay in the district Makati (Location here), this is a business district and I felt safe here.

From the airport you can hail a yellow taxi and it will cost you approximately seven euros to go to the Makati district. The currency in the Philippines is the Philippine peso.

What struck me was that there were security guards everywhere in Manila, even at our hostel. That gave a familiar feeling. I had not seen this before in other countries in Asia.

Safety in Manila

Even though I felt safe in Manila, I recommend not always using your phone on the street. It happens regularly that phones are stolen. It is also wise not to wear flashy expensive jewelry. Of course, it is not the intention to start your journey with an unsafe feeling.

Accommodation

We stayed at Lub D Phillipines Makati Hostel (click here), better known as Lub D. This hostel is centrally located, popular with the Dutch and has many amenities. There was even a DJ present in the hostel. You can also tap drinking water for free in Lub D.

Note: never drink water from the tap in the Philippines! This can make you very ill. They often also use the water for ice cubes, so order your drink without ice.

Food

The Filipinos love eating fish and meat. If you are vegetarian, like me, it can be difficult to find good places to eat. We regularly ate at Hummus Elijah (location here), where they serve incredibly tasty hummus and falafel. In addition, it is also pleasant.

Puerto Princesa

After our two days in Manila, we went to the airport for our flight to Puerto Princesa (Location here)! The reason we flew to Puerto Princesa first is because the flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa was many times cheaper than a flight to El Nido. We stayed in Puerto Princesa for two days. We were actually planning to... Secret prison (an open prison), but it was quite far and we still suffered from that annoying jet lag...

There is not much to do in Puerto Princesa. We stayed at Villa Skanderbeg guest house (click here). Near Villa Skanderbeg you have two restaurants where you can eat. For a delicious pizza, eat pizza at pizzeria Roma (location here), made by a true Italian. For more restaurants you need to take a tricycle and you will be at other restaurants within 20 minutes.

A hellish ride

After two days in Puerto Princesa it was time to continue our way to El Nido, the northernmost part of the largest island of Palawan. You pronounce it Pa-lá-wan. I was really looking forward to this and have been dreaming about it for so long!

We paid 700 Philippine pesos for a six-hour ride. That's about 12 euros, but what a hellish ride that was. Never, ever again!

The ride to El Nido had a lot of bends. It felt like I was on a roller coaster and it made me miserable. I felt so bad that at one point an Italian tourist stopped the bus so I could breathe. Once I arrived in El Nido I was deathly pale. My sister, who was traveling with me and is a doctor, noticed that I was about to faint. In El Nido I immediately lay down on the ground.

My advice is to skip Puerto Princesa and fly straight to El Nido, so you don't have to make such a long, terrible drive. It may cost a little more, but you will also have more comfort.

Helpful locals

The locals immediately helped me and tried to cheer me up by joking and pointing a fan at me. From that moment on I knew, even if I get sick here, I am in good hands. I have been to many places in Asia, but the people in the Philippines are very nice, helpful and... hospitable.

I have heard that family is very important to them and that they always take on a caring role. As a result, there are no nursing homes in the Philippines, family will take care of you. Fortunately, I recovered quickly by eating delicious mango, papaya and coconut.

Accommodation

We stayed at Ora Beach Resort (click here) which had recently opened. It was not just a resort, but a paradise! I was able to recover well here. Ora beach resort has a nice pool and the location is perfect. It is located directly on the beach.

By the way, they have delicious cocktails at Ora beach resort. Order a cocktail and watch the beautiful sunset! The facilities at Ora beach resort are more than excellent. They don't have a kettle in the room, but we always called reception and asked for hot water. They delivered it with all the love and a very friendly smile. From the resort you can reach the center of the city within 10 minutes by tricycle!

We would actually stay in a hut in nature, namely at Forest Camp El Nido (click here). However, when I got sick and had to go to the hospital, my sister started looking for a hotel near the hospital.

Island hopping

You can do various boat tours in El Nido. Do you want an active day? Then rent a kayak for about 7 euros for a whole day and go island hopping yourself! Don't forget to apply sunscreen, bring plenty of water and wear a hat! Bringing snacks is also wise, because kayaking can be really intense. There is not much food for sale on the beaches.

From Corong Corong Beach (Location here) we went by kayak to Honda Beach, Papaya Beach & Seven Commando Beach! Here you can take beautiful photos.

Of course you can also visit Napan Beach en Las Cabanas Beach not to be missed when you are in El Nido. You can hire a tricycle driver for a whole day to explore El Nido and it costs only 25 euros.