El Nido, Palawan II

If there is one place I want to visit again and again, it is El Nido, Palawan. I was enthralled by its majestic beauty. The crystal clear water and the limestone formation of the islands are instagram perfect for travelers. El Nido is also a melting pot where you can meet and greet various people across the Globe, share experiences and take pride of the culture you can share with the other fellow travelers.

In a simple chat with foreign tourists,  locals can even discover new stuff related to new Philippine destinations such as the Port Barton in San Vicente, Palawan. While exploring the town of El Nido, you can have an idea  how the town's income is driven mainly by tourism. Various restaurants, hotels, inns, stores and travel agencies can be found in El Nido.

Gigantes Islands

Iloilo is known for its melodious language - the "Ilonggo". Hearing the locals speak their native language adds to their warm personality and hospitality, making Iloilo more attractive to the tourists.

I've been to Iloilo twice. Aside from the  famous lapaz batchoy (noodle soup) and sea food, my travels here were memorable as I got to visit various marine schools for a customer satisfaction study. Iloilo is one of the top sources of Filipino seafarers. In addition, Iloilo became my access point to visit Boracay for the first time.

This year, I had an opportunity to visit Iloilo again; not the city but the northern part of the region - Estancia, Iloilo. Our entry point is Roxas City since it is just 1 hour and 30 minutes to Estancia. What I loved about Estancia - the seafood!. I ate various sea shells, scallops, oysters, fresh fish and crabs. I described it as a seafood festival in a normal day.

One thing not to be missed in Estancia is the island hopping activity in Gigantes Islands. Travelling across the ocean all the way to Gigantes islands reminded me again of the strong waves in my Calaguas tour. The waves are big and strong; passengers on the front of the motorboat are literally soaking wet (including me 😂 ). All the anxiety brought by huge waves for more than an hour was all worth it when you reach the islands.

Sepoc Beach, Batangas

I have been visiting Batangas a couple of times already but it seems that there are so many tourist places left to wander in that province. It is just 2-3 hrs drive from Manila and it is the best option for travelers who wants to feel the ocean breeze.

Apart from lying on the beach, exploring the nearby islands  in Batangas is a good alternative. Sepoc Beach in Maricaban Island, part of Tingloy, Batangs, is a pivate beach where the main entry point is via motorboat from the Eaglepoint Beach resort in Anilao, Batangas. In this beach, you can do some sort of short hiking and you can take pictures of the flora in the island. It is definitely away from the crowd which is relaxing to the mind, body and spirit.