El Nido, Palawan is one of the dream destinations in the Philippines, and I have been dreaming about it for decades. I am beyond thankful that I was able to finally make that dream come true this month. (Yes, I am aware I used the “d” word three times in one paragraph.)
Never heard of El Nido? It’s about time you did.
El Nido is a municipality located on the northern tip of the island of Palawan in the Philippines. It is known for its stunning limestone cliffs, crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, and diverse marine life. It has been recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful destinations, consistently ranking high on travel lists such as Condé Nast Traveler’s “20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World” and Travel + Leisure’s “Best Islands in the World.” (No exaggeration here)
It offers a variety of activities for visitors, including island-hopping tours, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and rock climbing. It is also home to the Bacuit Archipelago, which comprises over 40 islands and islets that offer breathtaking views and a variety of marine life to discover. (This traveler didn’t make a dent, obviously.)
With its natural beauty and ecological significance, El Nido has been designated as a protected area by the Philippine government. The town is committed to sustainable tourism practices, with efforts to preserve its natural resources and promote responsible travel.
So, straight on to the lazy traveler‘s guide to El Nido—there are a LOT of places to go, lots of islands to discover. But since you’re looking for a laidback time and minimal effort, might I suggest a stay at the Lio Estate? They have several hotels/resorts housed on 300 acres: Huni, Casa Kalaw, Hotel Covo, Balai Adlao, Seda, and El Nido Cove.
I went for Huni (book through Travelbug World; they’ll take care of everything—and I mean everything), which has 50 rooms and is in the center of the long beach.
How easy was this trip?
On a scale of 0-10, I’d say 1 (only because 0 kinda means not leaving home in the first place).
- Book your flight and hotel through Travelbug World
- Get picked up at the El Nido airport for free
- Check in (get a refreshing drink while waiting…for 5 minutes)
- Read/sleep at the beach (don’t forget to change into your bathing suit first—or not; who cares?)
- Take a dip in the super clear water (though the waves can give you a run for your money sometimes)
- IF you really don’t want to move, book a room with pool access
- Order room service (the choices are limited but the food is good—I recommend the cheeseburger)
- If you’re in the mood to walk for two minutes, go to the nearby restaurants on the beach where you can get all sorts of food: tacos (Ay Papito), seafood (Crab something), coffee (Liam’s Cafe), gigantic halo-halo (D’Factory), drinks (Mambo Bar), and a couple of others
- Take a long, hot shower
- Sleep
- Wake up whenever
- Get breakfast at the buffet (included in the room rate)
- See #4
- When you’re ready to leave, just hop into the van, and you’ll get driven to the airport (10 minutes away). You can also ask for a late checkout, which was convenient for me since my flight (AirSwift) was at 5:20 PM.
Time for proof. As they say, pics or it didn’t happen. (Or, just check out my Instagram account: @soynumi.)
Believe me now?
What I like about Huni
👍🏾👎🏾 Not the rates 😅, but laziness has its price (book through Travelbug World for the best rates—yeah, I’m totally being paid for this)
👍🏾 It’s so close to the airport. Your bum won’t hurt being cooped up in a plane and then a van for hours.
👍🏾 Yummy yummy food—and a lot of variety, too!
👍🏾 The pillows. Look, I have six pillows at home. Huni had seven!!!
👍🏾 Relatively shallow water and super soft sand (no painful rocks and pebbles when dipping). I’m not a good swimmer, so this is a must for me. Let’s just say that my Fitbit Sense died on the last day of my stay. I guess it had enough of the surf. 😵💫
Take a look at the room.
Pro tips
🧘🏽♀️ For peace and quiet, go to the beach early in the morning (before lunch). Tourists from the town come over at lunch/in the afternoon and crowd the beach. If you can’t be arsed to wake up before lunch, you can still enjoy solitude by walking about 3 minutes down the beach, where you will find lots of tree cover. If you’re lazy but like to party, then wake up at lunch and have at it till the sun goes down!
🦟 Don’t forget to bring insect repellant if you’re planning on lying on the sand. Those sand midges/mites (nik nik) are not lazy at all. The buggers got me real good. I’m still putting tea tree oil all over my body as I write!
✈️ Take an early flight in and a late flight out to make the most of your time at the beach. I suggest a minimum of three nights/four days.
🪥 Bring your own toiletries. They only have handwash, body wash, and shampoo (towels, of course).
🚬 Smoker? Lio is a smoke-free zone, but they do have designated smoking areas along the beach. You will have to walk a bit to get there. Also, bring a stash for your stay since you can’t buy any from the shops inside the estate.
Show me the money
Well, the money you’re going to spend on the trip…
🤑 PHP10k (USD200) roundtrip tickets from Manila (AirSwift)
🤑 PHP10k (USD200) per night (this was a solo trip, so I am not sure how this will change for couples/groups) for a pool view room
🤑 PHP1k (USD20) per day on food (this depends on how much you eat, of course; also, I didn’t really do drinks on this trip, so if you like your beer/tequila/whiskey/cocktail/whatever, prepare double at least)
You didn’t expect a new post in the series so soon, did you? I told you, this lazy traveler is a good worker. 😜
One more video…I could have done this all day.
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