Lagen Island Resort, El Nido

El Nido Island is a little gem; unknown to many but visited by few. I am blessed to be one of those who have stepped their feet on this haven in the Philippines.

Where We Stayed:

We spent our weekend in Lagen Island Resort, nestled between a lush forest and a tranquil lagoon. It serves as the sanctuary not just for the people but for various kinds of birds and mammals as well.

The warmth and hospitality of the staff made our stay an extraordinary and memorable one.

The Water Cottage located by the lagoon faces a clear and crystal blue waters, perfect for de-stressing from the busy city life. The rooms are very well-ventilated, truly suited for an island resort.

The pool, with tall coconut trees standing surrounding the area, is an eye-candy.

The resort's chef grilled us some tasty, fresh fishes, making our lunch one of the best.

Island Activities:

Aside from diving and snorkeling, we also visited the famous Big and Small Lagoon, an altar and a cave within the island.

We also got to see the Pacalsada’s Balete Tree. It’s famous for an old tale in which three young men serenaded the tree and two women in white appeared from the trunk. The women told the men they have such a wonderful voice and invited them to sing with the women inside the tree. Out of fear, the men ran off and said to be speechless for a month.

The balete tree was said to chime in sounds of different kinds, including ships passing, airplanes flying and bombs exploding which lead people to think about the World War II.

Not only that, we were able to paddle board under a very fine weather, too. We're so lucky to experience this paradise under the bearable heat of the sun, knowing Philippines in this time of year has a rainy season.

Our island hopping experience turned out to be very special because of the beautiful hymn of the ocean's waves.

Highlight of the Trip:

What I like most about my weekend escapade was the  early morning sunrise cruise.

From our resort, we sailed to another island and stayed there to witness the beauty of the sun coming out, alive and bright. Watching this magnificent view beside my beautiful wife and with a cup of coffee on hand was the time I thought to myself, what a terrific life I have.

Waking up as early as 4:30 AM was really hard but totally worth it.

Until next time, I’m your friendly global traveler, Johnny, encouraging you to step back, relax, and enjoy the wonderful gift our nature has to offer.

Traveling Johnny: Pangulasian Island, El Nido Resorts, Palawan, Philippines

My recent travels in the Philippines have left me unforgettable memories that up until today remain vivid. They remind me of how beautiful and one-of-a-kind the country is.

To celebrate our wedding anniversary, my wife and I decided to travel to Palawan, 2014-2015’s best island destination in the world according to the Conde Naste Traveler Magazine. 

Spending our special day there made us witness Palawan’s stunning islands, offering the optimum visitor experience in its world-class havens famously known as the El Nido Resorts.

Getting to El Nido Island:

From Manila, you board a private plane via a charter company called ITI situated in Airways Blvd. where all the private hangars are located.  It takes you 55 minutes to fly to El Nido airport, more commonly known as LIO airport. Once you land there, you board a private jeepney that takes you to the pier where a private speed boat is waiting to take you to your island of destination.

Where We Stayed:

We decided to stay in El Nido’s Pangulasian Island Resort where we were able to experience pure eco-luxury combined with matchless Filipino hospitality.

The island resort boasts of beauty that is almost out of this world. It is a place where the stunning view of sunrise and sunset can be enjoyed while having your breakfast or drinking your favorite cocktail. It stands brilliantly on a white-sanded shore with a lush, tropical forest as its backdrop. Everyone who comes here enjoys the breathtaking sight of the pristine beach with emerald to deep blue waters.

The resort rooms are well-appointed and are so luxurious. Being on the beach makes each area an ideal place to relax while relishing scenes brought by nature. 

You can kick back in your room, complete with modern amenities, or spend some quality time in your own veranda by the beach. 

End the day with a soothing massage in the resort’s first-class spa to make your stay more worthwhile.

Among the many highlights of our stay include having a private dinner on the beach with friends on our first night. 

Candles on the sand were lit as we enjoyed our scrumptious dinner. The sounds of the waves and the smell of the breeze made that moment truly unforgettable. 

On our second night, our private dinner was served by the poolside with a comfortable resort atmosphere, surrounded by lush forest. 

We were lucky to have Fred and Nora Tsai from Chicago to witness and enjoy not only our celebrations but the excitement and joy associated with our trip in this island paradise.

Island Activities:

When you stay at any of the El Nido resorts, you get to experience a lot of water sports and nature activities which include Hobie cat sailing and canoeing. The resort provides all of the gear you’ll need and even sends somebody to accompany you on a snorkeling trip close to the island.

Not far from Pangulasian Island is the other popular El Nido accommodation, the Miniloc Island Resort. While we were on this island, we took the opportunity to snorkel in the nearby ocean. While underwater, we saw a plethora of fishes in many forms and colors. We even fed the jack fishes, a kind of big ocean fish that weighs up to 80 kilograms and grow up to 170 centimeters.

Other awesome activities offered by the island are kayak tours to its big and small lagoons and an awe-inspiring cathedral cave tour on a motorized boat, showcasing the cave’s interesting rock formations, formed naturally by water and wind.

We also did an early morning hike on a 30-minute path through the Island’s forest that ended at the top of a cliff that towers over the Bacuit bay, giving you a fantastic view of the surrounding  islands. 

Here, you can see the Private Island sanctuary for turtles which is off limits to outsiders. Walking through the island lets you explore the thick forest foliage where monkeys and lizards roam freely. 

The island is also home to the uncommon yet interesting insect-eating plant.  

Another blissful experience we had was our visit to one of the most popular island destinations in Palawan, the place known as Snake Island. 

With its powdery white-sand and crystal clear waters, the island provokes a sense of wonder for everyone, especially to those who love spending plenty amount of time at the beach. Contrary to its name, the island isn’t actually a habitat for snakes and was only named ‘Snake Island’ because of its S-shaped sandbar that stretches across the waters, connecting itself to mainland Palawan. As beautiful as it sounds, you can only set foot on its shores during the low-tide. The feeling of soft sand and warm waters felt so good under our feet. Nature was truly at its best; we had nothing to complain about.

Being able to experience the beauty of these islands make me proud of not only being a Filipino who can visit any of these beautiful and stunning resorts at any time, but also being able to interact with the locals who are truly hospitable, friendly, and entertaining.

This makes me really proud of not only sharing this trip with my countrymen through this blog but being able to share this experience through Mango Tours.  

Until next time, I’m your friendly global traveler, Johnny, inspiring you to go places where you can collect memories that will last a lifetime.