I'd read up on solo travel before embarking on this trip as I wasn't sure if I could stand being on an island all by myself for 5 days. To guarantee some company, I booked myself into a 2-bedder dorm with Our Melting Pot (OMP), a hostel with good reviews on Tripadvisor. El Nido is also well-known for its amazing island hopping tours so in the worst case scenario, I would join a tour every day!
El Nido is not the most assessible place to get to. First, you have to fly to Puerto Princessa, a sleepy town with nothing much going on, then take a bus/van for 6-8 hours to reach El Nido. I opted for the van option since it is supposed to be faster (forgot to negotiate and paid 600ps but my French travel companion paid only 500ps). The ride was so cramped and bumpy that I was exhausted by the time I checked in.
The next morning, I signed up for an island hopping tour. Was recommended Tour A (lagoons) and Tour C (beaches) and opted for the former. There were 3 of us from OMP who signed up for Tour A and we were combined with 10+ others from other guesthouses.
Enjoying the view while waiting to start our tour...
7 Commandos island
The beautiful limestone cliffs and walls
The boat crew preparing our lunch (which was delicious!)
Small lagoon
Big lagoon
On Day 3, I gave myself a break and headed to the beach to R&R. Nacpan beach was highly raved but since it wasn't easy to get to, I opted for the nearer Las Cabanas beach. It took me 75 min by foot to get there. Yes, I could have taken the trike but I could afford the time and wanted to take in the sights along the way.
A glimpse of Las Cabanas beach
On Day 4, I decided to join my new-found friends to hang out at Nacpan beach, instead of going for another tour which I'd originally intended to. That's another advantage of travelling solo; having the prerogative to change your plans as and when you wish without being accountable to anyone else.
Nacpan beach was devoid of the crowds at Las Cabanas so it felt very private and exclusive. We had a great time chatting, swimming, playing frisbee and flying a kite on the beach.
And later, we headed to Las Cabanas for the breathtaking sunset again.
Almost too soon, my island holiday has ended. I am thankful for the friendships made with these amazing people, especially my roommate Pauline.
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