Palawan has no shortage of weekend getaway options. But we decided to visit El Nido, perhaps the most popular destination. El Nido is a small coastal town tucked away between mountains on the northwestern coast of Palawan. We left camp on Thursday night, and after nearly 7 hours of high speed turns and switchbacks we finally arrived.
It was not until the next morning that we discovered why El Nido was the go to destination. We awoke to a cute touristy town with all the shops and activity one would expect. But this was not what makes El Nido so impressive, everywhere you look, massive volcanic cliffs and islands dominate the skyline. Arriving at the beach for our island tour, we saw the deep blue water of the El Nido bay rise into these same cliffs. It was perhaps one of the most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen.
Our time was spent visiting beautiful beaches hidden away behind rock formations and paddling through a breathtaking lagoon. We ended the day with some friendly games of basketball and volleyball with some local Filipinos on another beautiful island beach.
Dinner was usually a challenge, as our group of visiting volunteers contained 17 different people from 7 different countries. Thankfully, El Nido is home to some beautiful beachfront restaurants, and our group bonded over the experiences of the weekend. While we all arrived as friendly acquaintances, we left El Nido as a close group of true friends, with friendships breaching all sorts of borders and ethnic issues. While El Nido provided incredible sights and experiences, nothing is more valuable than the friends and bonds we made there.
EGL Family Abroad 