The Philippines Experience
The Philippines Experience
Splash, Trek & Sail !!!
By Amber Nilabh May 13, 2026
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| Philippines - The Pristine Beauty |
Philippines Calling
Some destinations don't just call to you — they pull you in like a current you never want to swim against. The Philippines did exactly that to us.2026 was shaping up to be the summer of not going anywhere.
For the first time in years, April and May loomed on the calendar like two blank, uneventful months with absolutely no passport stamps to show for themselves. The Israel-US-Iran conflict had done a terrible job of inflating flight prices. Every destination we researched for — Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Southeast Asia — spit out the fares that made our budget crumble. We looked, we sighed, we looked again, and we sighed louder. Even Chitra and Tatva quietly accepted their fate, settling for a visit to her parent’s' place in the second week of April. Lovely, of course. But not exactly island life.
By mid April, we had made our peace with it. No trip this summer. The universe, however, had different plans.
I was at the office, minding my own business, when my phone buzzed with a message from Chitra. She had — and I'm using her exact word here — accidentally booked flight tickets to the Philippines. Now, I've heard of accidentally liking a photo from a person you are avoiding, or accidentally ordering the wrong food. But accidentally booking international flights? That takes a very specific kind of talent. A talent, I've learned, that Chitra possesses in abundance.
We were leaving in less than a week.
And just like that, the Philippines didn't wait for us to choose it. It simply added itself to our calendar and dared us to keep up.
Work was already hectic, so we had to burn a few midnight oils to accept the challenge. Itineraries were sketched, scrapped, and redrawn at midnight. Accommodation tabs multiplied faster than we could close them - and I absolutely hate multiple tabs. Internal flights between islands needed to connect like puzzle pieces — Cebu to Palawan, Palawan to Coron, Coron to Cebu — and the puzzle, naturally, had no picture on the box. We cross-checked ferry schedules, compared canyoneering operators, and read every TripAdvisor review ever written about El Nido & Coron.
We booked what we could — accommodations, internal flights, key activities, transfers — and made our peace with leaving a few things open. Some experiences, we decided, are best found when you're already there, spontaneous, asking a local about offbeat experiences. The itinerary wasn't perfect. But then, the best trips rarely are.
Our Itinerary
Day1: Arrive in Cebu. Day at Leisure. Stay at Hotel Elizabeth, CebuDay 2: Canyoneering in Moalboal.
Day 3: Fly to Puerto Princesa, Leisure day. Stay at Carpe Deim
Day 4: Puerto Princesa underground river tour
Day 5: Drive to El Nido. Downtown. Stay at Beehive El Nido
Day 6: El Nido Island hopping (Tour A)
Day 7-9: Boat Expedition
Day 9: Coron, stay at Discovery Island Rresot
Day 10: Flight to Cebu, city tour, stay at Mactan Golden Grand
Day 11: Fly back
Arrival in Cebu
Our journey to Cebu began the way all great adventures do — at midnight, bleary-eyed, dragging luggage through Kempegowda International Airport with the quiet determination of people who have no business being this excited at this hour. The route took us through Kuala Lumpur, four hours each way with a two-hour transit sandwiched in between. By the time we touched down in Cebu, it was early afternoon — around 1:30 PM. The flight had fed us well, so food wasn't our first priority stepping out of arrivals. No — our first priority was far more urgent. Cash.
If you've read even three travel blogs about the Philippines, you already know the golden rule: Cash is King. This is not a metaphor. This is a way of life. We had been warned by fellow travellers to hunt down an HSBC ATM, which — blessedly — charges zero withdrawal fees. Every other bank ATM, we'd been told, takes around 250 Philippine Pesos per withdrawal and caps you at 10,000 PP. We spottied HSBC sign outside the arrival terminal and withdrew generously.
A quick Grab taxi later, we were crawling through Cebu's traffic, felt exactly like Bangalore. Forty-five minutes to cover ten kilometres. We checked into the hotel, let the air conditioning do its healing work, and then Chitra got straight to business — calling SB Canyoneering and booking a private tour for three the next morning.
Here's the thing about Canyoneering in Cebu: it happens in Moalboal, which is a solid three to four hours away depending on traffic. Which meant a 5 AM start.
We headed to Ayala Mall for the evening, had a wonderfully satisfying local meal, picked up a few essentials for the next day's expedition, and made our way back to the hotel. By the time our heads hit the pillow, we weren't just tired — we were gloriously tired, the kind that only comes when a day has been lived fully and tomorrow promises something even better.
The alarm was set for 4:30 AM. Cebu had been kind. Moalboal was waiting.
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| View of Cebu city |
A quick Grab taxi later, we were crawling through Cebu's traffic, felt exactly like Bangalore. Forty-five minutes to cover ten kilometres. We checked into the hotel, let the air conditioning do its healing work, and then Chitra got straight to business — calling SB Canyoneering and booking a private tour for three the next morning.
Here's the thing about Canyoneering in Cebu: it happens in Moalboal, which is a solid three to four hours away depending on traffic. Which meant a 5 AM start.
We headed to Ayala Mall for the evening, had a wonderfully satisfying local meal, picked up a few essentials for the next day's expedition, and made our way back to the hotel. By the time our heads hit the pillow, we weren't just tired — we were gloriously tired, the kind that only comes when a day has been lived fully and tomorrow promises something even better.
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| Ayala Mall, Cebu |
Canyoneering - An adventure for the lifetime
Jenus, our driver, appeared at exactly 4:55 AM. We set off into a still-dark Cebu with packed sandwiches, boiled eggs, and sweet pineapple slices, winding through misty hills and tropical forests. We passed through Carcar, famous for its Lechon. We reached Badian's SB Canyoneering base by 8:00 AM, where we met our three guides — AJ, Jaguar, and Jake — lively, funny, and reassuringly professional.
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| Badian Zipline |
First things first — getting to the start point. You have two options: a 25-30 minute trek, or a zipline that gets you there in under two minutes. We looked at each other for approximately zero seconds before choosing the zipline. At 500 PP per person, it was worth every peso — lying flat, suspended over a sweeping valley of green, the cool morning air rushing past as the forest unfolded below. It was, as first impressions go, an excellent one.
Canyoneering in Badian is essentially a 5-kilometre trek through a river — not beside it, not over it, but through it. You swim, you wade, you slide over rocks - as if in an adventure park, and periodically, your guide points upward at a ledge and says, cheerfully, "Jump." The first was a 5-metre cliff jump — enough to make the stomach do a small somersault.
What followed was a glorious escalation of leaps ranging from 2 metres to 7 metres, each one announced by your guides with the enthusiasm of a carnival host - and 7m was the one where Chitra and Tatva hesitated for a few minutes before taking the plunge. And then it rained. Not a drizzle but a good tropical rain, hammering the river water and we gleefully swam.
At the end of the trek, Kawasan Falls delivers everything the hype promises and then some. Its turquoise pools are so vivid they look digitally enhanced. It is a three-stage cascade of clear turquoise water from mountain springs located in the jungles of the Cebu island. While Canyoneering, we go in reverse order. First comes Stage 3 and then Stage and finally Stage 1.
Stage 2 looks magical, its turquoise water so impossibly vivid it looks like someone turned up the colour saturation on the whole scene. The pool beneath the falls is cool, clear, and absolutely magnetic — the kind of water that doesn't let you leave. Lunch at Stage 2 — grilled meat cooked ahead by our guide Jake — was warm, smoky, and served with a waterfall view that no restaurant on earth can replicate. After filling our bellies, we headed towards Stage 1 and we were sure that we had enough swimming for the day. However, the grandeur of Stage 1 falls and it shiny brilliant pool attracted us towards it and we found ourselves in the pool in no time. The falls had a pull to them — literal and emotional — and leaving felt almost ungrateful.
By 1:30 PM, we were back at the SB Canyoneering office — scraped, soaked, sun-kissed, and deeply satisfied. After the shower we headed back to the hotel and reached around 6:00 PM. We were dead tired. After an hour of relaxation, dinner at Luzern Steakhouse restored us well. Then the skies opened again. We waited, gave up waiting, and sprinted back to the hotel like very unglamorous adventurers. The bed was immediate. Tomorrow, Puerto Princesa was calling.
Canyoneering in Badian is essentially a 5-kilometre trek through a river — not beside it, not over it, but through it. You swim, you wade, you slide over rocks - as if in an adventure park, and periodically, your guide points upward at a ledge and says, cheerfully, "Jump." The first was a 5-metre cliff jump — enough to make the stomach do a small somersault.
What followed was a glorious escalation of leaps ranging from 2 metres to 7 metres, each one announced by your guides with the enthusiasm of a carnival host - and 7m was the one where Chitra and Tatva hesitated for a few minutes before taking the plunge. And then it rained. Not a drizzle but a good tropical rain, hammering the river water and we gleefully swam.
The crown jewel was the swing jump — where you grab a rope, swing out over the river like a human pendulum, and release into the water below. It was great fun and we repeated it a few times until our hearts were satisfied.
At the end of the trek, Kawasan Falls delivers everything the hype promises and then some. Its turquoise pools are so vivid they look digitally enhanced. It is a three-stage cascade of clear turquoise water from mountain springs located in the jungles of the Cebu island. While Canyoneering, we go in reverse order. First comes Stage 3 and then Stage and finally Stage 1.
Stage 2 looks magical, its turquoise water so impossibly vivid it looks like someone turned up the colour saturation on the whole scene. The pool beneath the falls is cool, clear, and absolutely magnetic — the kind of water that doesn't let you leave. Lunch at Stage 2 — grilled meat cooked ahead by our guide Jake — was warm, smoky, and served with a waterfall view that no restaurant on earth can replicate. After filling our bellies, we headed towards Stage 1 and we were sure that we had enough swimming for the day. However, the grandeur of Stage 1 falls and it shiny brilliant pool attracted us towards it and we found ourselves in the pool in no time. The falls had a pull to them — literal and emotional — and leaving felt almost ungrateful.
Puerto Princesa and underground river tour
After two days of early alarms, cliff jumps, and sprinting through rain, our bodies were tired and begged for rest. With a late morning flight at 11:45 AM, we allowed ourselves the luxury of an extra hour of sleep and a relaxed breakfast.A Grab taxi to the airport, a smooth, on-time flight, and by 1:30 PM we were pulling into Carpe Diem — our resort in Puerto Princesa. We dropped our bags, headed straight to the in-house French restaurant for lunch, and let good food do what good food always does: make everything feel right with the world.
The poolside bar offered complimentary cocktail shots, which were, frankly, a delightful bonus. Small pleasures in paradise hit differently.
Sleep came easily that night — and for once, the excitement of the next day didn't feel like pressure. It felt like anticipation. The Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was waiting. And some things are worth looking forward to.
Since we had a 8:30AM start, we were in no hurry to wake up. Breakfast was pretty average, but good enough to last till lunch. The shared tour of the Underground river costs around 2200-2800PP, depending on how you bargain. As magnificent are the caves, the experience on the shared van and an indifferent guide was pretty opposite. It looked like she was trying to sell us a mangrove boating, ziplining on the excuse of big queues for the main attraction. After around 2 hours of boring and claustrophobic ride, we reached the Mangrove forests and did the boat ride while our guide claimed to be in the queue. We chose to do Mangrove boating, which was OK-ish.
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| Mangrove Forest, Puerto Princesa |
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| Sleeping Giant mountain |
It’s a 8.2-kilometre subterranean river winding through cathedral-like caverns, with stalactites and stalagmites so dramatic they look like nature was showing off on purpose. We are allowed to go only around 1.8km inside which is enough to provide a full glory of the natural caves, its living creatures and magnificent natural artwork. You paddle through it on a boat, helmet on, headlamp pointed at rock formations that are millions of years old, and the whole time you're just sitting there thinking — how is this a real place?
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| Underground river & cave view |
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| Entrance of underground river and cave |
Nothing really prepares you for the Puerto Princesa Underground River. You read about it, you see the photos, you know it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and then you actually go inside, and all of that prior knowledge becomes completely irrelevant.
The moment the boat glides into the cave, the world outside ceases to exist. What replaces it is something altogether different — a vast, breathing darkness, punctuated only by the beam of headlamp catching rock formations that have been quietly growing for millions of years. Stalactites hang like ancient chandeliers; stalagmites rise from the water like silent sentinels. Nature, it turns out, is an extraordinary architect when left alone long enough.
And then the boatman switches the lights off.
In that moment, the darkness isn't just visual — it's total. The screeching of bats echoes off the cave walls, cold water droplets fall from unseen rocks above, and your skin does something instinctive and involuntary. Goosebumps. The full kind. It is eerie and magnificent and humbling all at once — a cocktail of awe, wonder, and just enough primal unease to remind you that you are a very small creature in a very ancient place.
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| Nature's artistry over millions of year |
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| Tuk tuk ride |
We went to bed early, the Underground River still echoing faintly in the back of our minds. Tomorrow, the road to El Nido begins.
El Nido - Where Ocean becomes magical
Robert came at exactly 9:30 AM and with that, our five-hour scenic journey to El Nido began. We made one quick detour before leaving Puerto Princesa: an ATM run. We had heard enough horror stories about El Nido's perpetually cash-starved ATMs. Cash is King in the Philippines, and El Nido, preferred its guests to arrive cash-filled.By the time we hit the open road, it had begun to drizzle — and honestly, it suited the landscape perfectly. There's a particular kind of romance to watching Palawan's dramatic scenery through rain-flecked windows: dense tropical forests pressing in on one side, and on the other, the extraordinary confluence of mountains tumbling straight into the ocean, with picturesque villages nestled between them as though they were dancing on a blue platform.
We had planned several scenic stops along the way. The rain had other plans. Our first proper pause was in Taytay — a charming town that arrived slightly too early for lunch, so we wandered, picked up a few souvenirs, and let the town's quiet character wash over us. An hour or so later, we stopped for a proper Filipino lunch — warm, hearty, and exactly what a long road journey calls for. After that, it was another 1.5 hours before El Nido's legendary limestone karsts began rising dramatically on the horizon.
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| El Nido town - near our accomodation |
First order of business — confirming our boat tour for the next day. El Nido offers four iconic day tours: Tour A, B, C, and D, each covering different lagoons, beaches, and snorkelling spots. After considerable research back home, we had settled firmly on Tour A — widely regarded as the crown jewel of the four.
From there, we drifted towards the beach, arriving just as the late afternoon sun began softening. It was nearly 4 PM, and the entire shoreline was dotted with returning tour boats — a wonderfully chaotic, colourful scene that felt entirely alive. We strolled, watched, and simply existed in it for a while before wandering into the town square — a lively, upscale, unhurried hangout area lined with shops, restaurants, spas, and the kind of street food that demands to be tried. And a very special thing that I saw only there - shops had a "Boyfriend waiting area" - they know the pulse of their customers.
We spent two or three happy hours just meandering — dipping into shops, sampling whatever looked interesting, and soaking in El Nido's particular brand of laid-back energy. Dinner at Jeje was the perfect full stop to the day — the food excellent, the mood easy, the conversation light.
shoes” and if possible “snorkelling gear”. Chitra already had purchased aqua shoes, which managed to arrive on the last day before our departure. We had to rent a snorkelling mask here.
Secret Lagoon is a treasure well hidden.
The drizzle, which had threatened to dampen everything, somehow made the whole experience more atmospheric — more intimate, more other-worldly. We jumped into the water and our crew guided us toward what appeared to be an unremarkable stretch of limestone cliff. And then they showed us the entrance — a small opening beneath the water, barely two metres long, carved through the rock. You are not allowed to wear life jacket here as there is a risk of it getting stuck in protruding lime stones in this narrow opening. One crew member gently pushes you under, you hold your breath, kick through, and then—
Chitra and Tatva went in together without a second thought. I, on the other hand, stood outside the rock for a moment having what I can only describe as a quiet, private conversation with my courage. They came back glowing, encouraged me firmly, and eventually I went in. Absolutely glad I did. It's not a spot to miss — it takes you somewhere that feels genuinely separate from reality. Like Alice finding the door behind the curtain, except the Wonderland is made of limestone and impossibly blue water.
After the secret lagoon, our boat sailed towards Shimizu island, with a snorkelling stop on the way in crystal-clear turquoise waters, and vibrant marine life - going about their business in water so clear it barely felt like water at all.
El Nido, Tour A : Lagoons, Beaches, Snorkelling
We were supposed to report at 8:30AM for the Tour, so we could afford to sleep till 7:00AM. By the time we finished our breakfast, it had become overcast which made us feel a little sad. The next four days, we will be in and out of the ocean several times a day. So, one is advised to carry “aquashoes” and if possible “snorkelling gear”. Chitra already had purchased aqua shoes, which managed to arrive on the last day before our departure. We had to rent a snorkelling mask here.
Tour A consists of 4 highlights around Miniloc island- Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commando beach. The tour started at around 9:00AM. Water and lunch was included in the package.
Our first stop was supposed to be “Big Lagoon” but since it was crowded, our crew decided to do it later and headed to the secret lagoon first.Secret Lagoon is a treasure well hidden.
The drizzle, which had threatened to dampen everything, somehow made the whole experience more atmospheric — more intimate, more other-worldly. We jumped into the water and our crew guided us toward what appeared to be an unremarkable stretch of limestone cliff. And then they showed us the entrance — a small opening beneath the water, barely two metres long, carved through the rock. You are not allowed to wear life jacket here as there is a risk of it getting stuck in protruding lime stones in this narrow opening. One crew member gently pushes you under, you hold your breath, kick through, and then—
You're inside. A secluded, cathedral-like pool, completely enclosed by soaring limestone cliffs, hidden from the world outside. Silence, turquoise water, and the surreal feeling of having just swum into a secret.
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| Inside Secret Lagoon |
After the secret lagoon, our boat sailed towards Shimizu island, with a snorkelling stop on the way in crystal-clear turquoise waters, and vibrant marine life - going about their business in water so clear it barely felt like water at all.
The water in this part of the world is magical with exceptional crystal clarity, depending on the shallowness and brightness of the sun it varies from brilliant turquoise in shallow lagoons to sapphire blue in deeper parts. Every second the water invites you to explore the secrets it is hiding within itself.
Shimizu Island itself is a picturesque, dramatic little paradise — towering limestone cliffs, crystal-clear water, and a crew that had magically conjured a delicious lunch buffet on the beach by the time we arrived. We ate well, swam in those spellbinding waters afterward, and collectively agreed that this was not a normal Monday.
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| Lunch at Shimizu Island |
Post-lunch, we headed towards another highlight — Big Lagoon, accessed by kayak, an optional paid activity (300pp for 2-seater, 500pp for 3-seater) that is absolutely worth adding on. We hired a three-person kayak and set off into one of El Nido's most iconic landscapes —
a narrow channel flanked by towering limestone mountains, the water growing shallow enough in places to simply step out, stand waist-deep, and just be there for a moment.
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| Big Lagoon |
On the other side of the channel, things got properly adventurous. Small caves dotted the limestone walls, each one beckoning you inside to navigate narrow, low-ceilinged passages by kayak — part exploration, part puzzle, entirely thrilling. An hour of kayaking, swimming, cave-navigating, and enthusiastic posing later, we climbed back into the main boat with the happy, slightly dazed look of people who have had far too much fun.
Seven Commandos beach is a white-sand cove, lined with arching palm trees, turquoise water - absolutely breathtaking with limestone hills adorning the backdrop. The beach gets its name from a local legend about seven Japanese commandos who supposedly lived on the island following World War 2. We spent an hour here doing precisely nothing useful — sipping cold beer, dipping in and out of the water, and quietly acknowledging that this was one of those days that doesn't come around very often.
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| Seven Commando Beach |
The boat took us back to El Nido as the afternoon softened into early evening. We showered, recovered briefly, and then — because apparently we are not people who know how to stay still — headed straight back out onto the streets for shopping, wandering, and eating everything within reach
El Nido to Coron : Where journey is the destination
Expedition Day 1: We had been looking forward to this part of the trip perhaps more than any other — the 3-day, 2-night boat expedition from El Nido to Coron, booked with Sea Quest El Nido. If you're short on time, fast ferries can get you to Coron in roughly five hours. But why rush through paradise when you can live in it for three days?The expedition covers 4-5 islands each day filled with activities like snorkelling, swimming, cliff jumping, volleyball and chilling out on the boat and on the islands. Includes all meals, accommodation on island and snorkelling gear.
Our reporting was at 9:30AM from Townsquare parking, from where a van took us on a 45 minute ride to San Fernando port.
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| Embarking the boat |
Each island is beautiful, picturesque, has pristine, crystal clear, turquoise water and still every island has its own unique vibe that does not let you get bored. It’s like different sites in heaven and indeed here the entire journey itself is the destination. You are not in a hurry to go anywhere, wherever you go is mesmerizing.
Our first stop was Calibangbangan island - The anchor dropped, and within minutes aqua shoes were on, snorkelling masks adjusted, life jackets strapped. At which point I looked around and realised that apart from being the only Asians on the boat, we were also — with one honourable exception — the only people wearing life jackets.
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| Calibangbangan Island |
After a couple of stops, even Tatva left our company, shunned his life jacket and befriended a 5 member group of 19-20 years old German and spent most of his time either with them or sitting alone on the bow of the boat enjoying the wind, sun and sea . We also tried to be brave at least twice, but a strong current made us realise that we needed a lot of practice before really being comfortable without life jackets.
In no time we were in water, snorkelling for about 45 minutes - swimming among vivid corals, blue starfishes and a variety of fishes - and it did not feel that there was anything between this wonder and us - the water was so clear.
Back on board, the crew had laid out a generous buffet on the upper deck — fish, chicken, rice, vegetables, fruits, noodles — while the boat quietly sailed to the next stop. Eating well on a moving boat with ocean views on all sides is, I can confirm, an extremely good use of a lunchtime.
Tacling Island came next — soft white sand, pristine water, vibrant corals — and we swam ashore and explored for a happy hour. Then a snorkelling stop at Cobra Island, named after a local legend of fishermen discovering a treasure guarded by a golden cobra, which frankly only made the underwater exploration feel more dramatic.
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| Tacling Island |
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| Cobra Island |
The boat anchored 300-400 metres from shore, and everyone swam in. I took the kayak carrying our hand luggage. Chitra swam — and caught her leg on a coral on the way in, a sharp reminder that the ocean, beautiful as it is, plays by its own rules.
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| Our camp at Ginto Island |
The huts are basic, which could accommodate 1-2 people with very clean mattresses, linen, mosquito nests and a fan. There were 4 shared toilets and 4 bathrooms. The water, being salty, meant that showering was less a cleansing experience and more a symbolic gesture. We were essentially just swapping one ocean for another.
By the time we'd settled in, the sun had begun its descent — and what a descent it was. The western sky turned a deep, burning orange-red, the colour bleeding down into the sea until the entire horizon was on fire. Chitra and I sat hand-in-hand and watched it in silence, until the ocean quietly swallowed the last of the red sun. Tatva, meanwhile, was playing volleyball with his German friends and absolutely did not need us.
Evening drinks came out — beer, gin, whiskey — and the group gathered on the beach, strangers becoming friends the way travellers always do, quickly and warmly. We discovered that most of them were on multi-month journeys — three to six months, hopping through Southeast Asia with the kind of unhurried freedom that made us slightly envious and deeply inspired. Chitra and I looked at each other and made a quiet promise: once Tatva goes to college, we're doing a trip like that.
After dinner, someone started singing. The beach, the stars, the sea — it all felt entirely cinematic and completely unplanned. Eventually, we slipped away to our hut, the sound of the ocean just outside, and slept the deep, satisfied sleep of people who have lived a genuinely magnificent day.
Expedition Day 2: Chitra and I woke up around 6:30AM, probably the first ones to wake up. Finished our morning chores while people were still snoring in their huts, and took a slow stroll on the beach. There are few things as quietly perfect as an empty beach at dawn, the water absolutely still, sipping on a hot tea while sky warms up to the rising sun.
The crew setup the breakfast around 8:00AM and by 9:00AM our bags were loaded back on the boat, we did our first swim of the day to the board after which the boat set sail.
Our first stop was Cagdanao Island, and it delivered exactly the kind of unhurried beauty that makes you wonder why the rest of the world is in such a hurry. A long, sweeping stretch of powdery white sand — nearly half a kilometre of it — with shallow, crystal-clear water full of vibrant corals and marine life going quietly about their business just beneath the surface.
Tatva immediately gravitated toward the beach volleyball game forming with the group. A few others headed into the water with their snorkelling masks. Chitra and I did something different — we wandered along the beach until we found a quiet corner entirely to ourselves, framed by arching trees and scattered wildflowers, with nobody else in sight. We swam, we posed for photographs, we did absolutely nothing productive, and it was magnificent.
After an hour of having our own private slice of paradise, we swam back to the boat.
We all were looking forward to swimming with turtles and the boat took us to Inakawan Point. However, to our disappointment the crew - who always swam ahead to assess the conditions, came back with the news nobody wanted: strong currents, low likelihood of turtles. Collective disappointment settled over the boat like a cloud.
We went in anyway, because of course we did. The current was real and assertive, and the turtles were apparently elsewhere that afternoon. But the coral life going about its unhurried, colourful business beneath us was reward enough — a vivid, lazy underwater world entirely unbothered by our disappointment.
The crew had spread the lunch buffet by the time we came back on board. Next stop was Malubutglugut which is famous for cliff jumping. We were feeling lazy after lunch and having done lots of cliff jumping in Badian, we decided to give it a pass. Others went about it and we watched them feeling scared, few of the backing out at last moment while most of them taking that adrenaline high leap.
Next we headed to Mangelad Island, here we decided to take a break, found a rock in a shaded part of the beach and just listened to the sound of waves, watching what everyone else is doing. No snorkelling. No swimming. No posing. Just the sound of the sea and two people remembering what stillness feels like.
Our home for the second night was the Sea Quest campsite at Culion Island, and it announced itself with an aura. Elevated thatched huts perched along a hillside, not another soul in sight beyond our group, greenery tumbling down to a lagoon. It felt exclusive in the way that only truly unspoiled places can — not curated exclusivity, but the real kind.
Same setup as the night before — clean mattresses, fresh linens, fans, shared bathrooms, splendid sea views. With one glorious, game-changing exception: fresh water.
After yesterday's salty showers that were essentially just a change of ocean, stepping under actual fresh water felt like an indulgence we were deeply grateful for.
Today was a Karaoke night - people drank, ate and sang. It felt like a happy place where you always want to be at, free from all the worries of the world. We retired to bed at around 10 PM while may stayed back for little longer. Day 3 was waiting.
Expedition Day 3: The final day of our expedition which outdid all the days so far, exceeded all our expectations. After morning breakfast, we were onboard by 8:30AM, looking forward to day unfolding in front of us - and what a splendid unfolding it did (with some minor accident).
Araw beach was our first stop - “Araw” means sun and the beach takes its name from the fact that the rises on one part of the beach and sets on the other.
The description reads like every other stop on this expedition — powdery white sand, transparent turquoise water, vibrant corals just beneath the surface — and yet somehow it felt entirely its own. Every island on this journey had managed that trick, and Araw was no exception.
We snorkelled in, explored the corals, reached the beach, and settled into the rhythm of the place. Tatva, predictably, had already located his German group and was deep into a beach volleyball match.
We tried to be a bit experimental with our in-water video making capability which found our feet getting stuck among rocks - and the sharp rocks gave us a souvenir of bleeding scratches. We accepted this gift and continued as if nothing happened - it will many days for it heal though.
The beauty of the beach was not letting us move out of this place, however, the boat had to keep a schedule and with heavy heart we swam back to the boat and sailed to our next destination - Ditaytayan Island, and our feeling of longing for Araw vanished as soon as we saw the beauty of this beach. We spent sometime snorkelling here and getting back on board to find a sumptuous meal waiting for us. The lunch like the day was the best so far - the crew and chefs were trying to out do themselves every day.
After a hearty meal, the boat sailed towards the highlight of this expedition - Ditaytayan Sandbar. The star of the landscape is its iconic sandbar, a striking ribbon of powdery white sand that extends dramatically into crystal-clear turquoise waters. At low tide, the sandbar stretches even further into the sea, surrounded by shallow waters shallow enough to simply walk through.
We tried to satisfy our hearts by soaking into beauty of this place but any amount of time was not going to be enough. With a heavy sigh, we sailed towards the next destination, Malacory Island. We decided to Kayak to this island - Water so clear, it felt like boat was suspended few meters above the sea floor. There is a short hike (stairs leading to the top of the hill) which provides a panoramic view of surroundings. Huge carpet of turquoise blue surrounding this small hill island. A sight to behold. Every destination was trying to outdo itself.
An hour later, we assembled back on deck for group photographs — thirty people who had arrived as strangers and were leaving as something warmer than that. The crew, who had fed us, guided us, cooked for us on beaches, and quietly ensured that every single day exceeded expectations, gathered with us. Gratitude felt inadequate but was offered generously anyway.
The boat docked at Coron Port at 5:45 PM, and just like that, the expedition was over.
Our accommodation for the night was Discovery Island Resort — reachable only by ferry, arranged by the resort's own staff. We'd warned them about our delayed arrival and they accommodated it without fuss. A tuk-tuk for 400 PP got us to Coron Pier, where a boat was waiting in the fading last light of the day.
We arrived at the resort just as the sun completed its descent, and within approximately two minutes we understood that staying here for only one night was a mistake. The resort is scenic in that quiet, unhurried way that makes you want to cancel your onward plans and renegotiate with reality.
The pool, mercifully, had warm water — exactly what tired, salt-crusted, scratch-decorated legs needed. We soaked, we showered, we had a dinner that was genuinely delicious, and then we fell into the most comfortable bed of the entire trip with a regret that we needed to spend one full day in Coron but we had a flight back to Cebu next noon.
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| The morning tea |
The crew setup the breakfast around 8:00AM and by 9:00AM our bags were loaded back on the boat, we did our first swim of the day to the board after which the boat set sail.
Our first stop was Cagdanao Island, and it delivered exactly the kind of unhurried beauty that makes you wonder why the rest of the world is in such a hurry. A long, sweeping stretch of powdery white sand — nearly half a kilometre of it — with shallow, crystal-clear water full of vibrant corals and marine life going quietly about their business just beneath the surface.
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| Cagdanao Island |
Tatva immediately gravitated toward the beach volleyball game forming with the group. A few others headed into the water with their snorkelling masks. Chitra and I did something different — we wandered along the beach until we found a quiet corner entirely to ourselves, framed by arching trees and scattered wildflowers, with nobody else in sight. We swam, we posed for photographs, we did absolutely nothing productive, and it was magnificent.
We all were looking forward to swimming with turtles and the boat took us to Inakawan Point. However, to our disappointment the crew - who always swam ahead to assess the conditions, came back with the news nobody wanted: strong currents, low likelihood of turtles. Collective disappointment settled over the boat like a cloud.
We went in anyway, because of course we did. The current was real and assertive, and the turtles were apparently elsewhere that afternoon. But the coral life going about its unhurried, colourful business beneath us was reward enough — a vivid, lazy underwater world entirely unbothered by our disappointment.
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| Search for Turtles |
Next we headed to Mangelad Island, here we decided to take a break, found a rock in a shaded part of the beach and just listened to the sound of waves, watching what everyone else is doing. No snorkelling. No swimming. No posing. Just the sound of the sea and two people remembering what stillness feels like.
Our home for the second night was the Sea Quest campsite at Culion Island, and it announced itself with an aura. Elevated thatched huts perched along a hillside, not another soul in sight beyond our group, greenery tumbling down to a lagoon. It felt exclusive in the way that only truly unspoiled places can — not curated exclusivity, but the real kind.
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| Camp at Culion Island |
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| From the room |
After yesterday's salty showers that were essentially just a change of ocean, stepping under actual fresh water felt like an indulgence we were deeply grateful for.
Today was a Karaoke night - people drank, ate and sang. It felt like a happy place where you always want to be at, free from all the worries of the world. We retired to bed at around 10 PM while may stayed back for little longer. Day 3 was waiting.
Expedition Day 3: The final day of our expedition which outdid all the days so far, exceeded all our expectations. After morning breakfast, we were onboard by 8:30AM, looking forward to day unfolding in front of us - and what a splendid unfolding it did (with some minor accident).
Araw beach was our first stop - “Araw” means sun and the beach takes its name from the fact that the rises on one part of the beach and sets on the other.
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| Araw Beach |
The description reads like every other stop on this expedition — powdery white sand, transparent turquoise water, vibrant corals just beneath the surface — and yet somehow it felt entirely its own. Every island on this journey had managed that trick, and Araw was no exception.
We snorkelled in, explored the corals, reached the beach, and settled into the rhythm of the place. Tatva, predictably, had already located his German group and was deep into a beach volleyball match.
The beauty of the beach was not letting us move out of this place, however, the boat had to keep a schedule and with heavy heart we swam back to the boat and sailed to our next destination - Ditaytayan Island, and our feeling of longing for Araw vanished as soon as we saw the beauty of this beach. We spent sometime snorkelling here and getting back on board to find a sumptuous meal waiting for us. The lunch like the day was the best so far - the crew and chefs were trying to out do themselves every day.
The visual of standing on a thin strip of white sand with ocean on both sides is, unsurprisingly, one of the most photographed sights in all of Palawan.
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| Ditaytayan sandbar |
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| Ditaytayan sandbar |
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| Malacory Island on left |
The boat docked at Coron Port at 5:45 PM, and just like that, the expedition was over.
Our accommodation for the night was Discovery Island Resort — reachable only by ferry, arranged by the resort's own staff. We'd warned them about our delayed arrival and they accommodated it without fuss. A tuk-tuk for 400 PP got us to Coron Pier, where a boat was waiting in the fading last light of the day.
We arrived at the resort just as the sun completed its descent, and within approximately two minutes we understood that staying here for only one night was a mistake. The resort is scenic in that quiet, unhurried way that makes you want to cancel your onward plans and renegotiate with reality.
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| In front of our room at Discovery Island Resort |
The pool, mercifully, had warm water — exactly what tired, salt-crusted, scratch-decorated legs needed. We soaked, we showered, we had a dinner that was genuinely delicious, and then we fell into the most comfortable bed of the entire trip with a regret that we needed to spend one full day in Coron but we had a flight back to Cebu next noon.
Back to Cebu
After a leisurely breakfast in the morning, we had enough time to roam around the resort.
The boat dropped us back to pier around 11:00AM, from where a Van took us to Coron airport (Busuanga airport or Francisco B Reyes airport). Today seemed to be the hottest day of all. We needed an umbrella to navigate the hot sun from the terminal to airplane. The flight journey was exciting, with the aerial beauty of Palawan mesmerising for most part of the journey.
We arrived at Cebu at arround 2:30PM. Our driver Jenus was waiting for us to takes us around the city for sight seeing. Everyone wanted to taste Lechon, and Jenus obliged. He navigated throught the city traffic for almost 45 mins and dropped us to House of Lechon, to have the best Lechon that was available in Cebu. Quite a culinary experience, we ate to our hearts content.
Since it was already 4:30PM by the time we finished our dinner, we decided to skip Sirao garden and headed straight to Temple of Leah - a loving tribute from a billionaire husband to his wife. It’s inspired by a Greco-Roman architecture, located on the hill overlooking Cebu city.
From there we went to Tops lookout - spent rest of evening there. It provides the night view of Cebu city.
At around 8:00PM headed back towards to the last stop - a souvenir shopping. Jenus mentioned that locals will be close at this hour, but found a nice place for us to shop - Puso Village. We met a young 17 year old cute couple (who had 1 year old baby) who had setup a cloths stall - it was nice interacting with them.
Post that Jenus dropped us back to our hotel - Mactan Golden Grand. The hotels boasts of a very happening rooftop restaurant, where we had our final dinner of the trip. Next morning we had our flight back to Bangalore.
The boat dropped us back to pier around 11:00AM, from where a Van took us to Coron airport (Busuanga airport or Francisco B Reyes airport). Today seemed to be the hottest day of all. We needed an umbrella to navigate the hot sun from the terminal to airplane. The flight journey was exciting, with the aerial beauty of Palawan mesmerising for most part of the journey.
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| View from the Coron-Cebu flight |
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| House of Lechon |
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| Temple of Leah |
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End of trip - back to Bangalore
After breakfast, we took a Grab to the airport for our flight back, with lots of pleasant memories and having spent mesmerising 10 days, exceeding all our expectations. A trip for a lifetime with a lots of adventure, nature, sea and new resolutions.
Useful Tips:
Don’t forget to fill the Digital Arrival form before you board your flight to the Philippines. https://etravel.gov.ph/
“Cash is King” in the Philippines, so ensure that you withdraw cash at ATMs.
Tap water in El Nido is not fit even for brushing teeth, so exercise caution.
Carry aqua shoes, snorkelling gear if possible - else you can rent it.
Palawan islands charge an environmental fee which is valid for multiple days (mostly 5-7 days). Save the receipt so that you don't end up paying twice.
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