Three Day Island Hopping Boat Tour

Off to our Boat Tour

Today is Valentine’s Day. John and I celebrated yesterday because we aren’t sure what to expect on the boat.

We are taking a two night, three day boat trip from El Nido to Coron, stopping at many islands along the way. The tour company is called Sea Quest Expeditions . I must admit I am getting the shakes at the thought that we might not have internet or data for three days.

We pack our wetbags with what we will need for three days and the rest of our baggage will go into the dry storage area on the boat. It’s time to say goodbye to the lovely Angel Nido Resort in El Nido. We could have stayed longer.

In El Nido town centre our baggage is loaded onto a minibus and we drive 45 minutes north through jungles and a mountain to San Fernando Port where we get on our boat- the Princess Esmie.

Beginning of the Tour

There are twenty three of us from Canada (us), Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, United States, France, England, Norway and Wales.
Five of us are middle aged (yes, 50-60s is the new 40s) and the majority are in their twenties. There are at least eight crew members. Everyone gets along great.

The tour offers unlimited rum, gin, water, juice or pop as well as all meals.

There are literally thousands of islands in the Philippines, many uninhabited. Our first stop is for snorkeling. There are hundreds of starfish on the floor of the sea and of course many fish.

I have burnt the back of my legs and buttocks so many times while snorkeling that this time I come prepared with swim leggings and a water shirt.

I am delighted to find that every now and again I can get data and internet. However, it is very spotty. Yeah!

Throughout the five stops of the first day I see squid, parrot fish, clown fish, wrasses, triggerfish, butterfly fish and so many more. In one location I am surrounded by so many small neon blue fish. I only go in when I start being stung by teeny tiny jellyfish. The sea floor is covered in coral some are vibrant purple and golden yellow. There are a lot of healthy looking brain coral and many bright purple starfish. Some of our group are lucky to see a sea turtle on our last stop.

First Night at the Campsites

The sun is starting to set as we arrive at our first beach campsite which consists of small triangular thatched huts, each with a double mattress covered in mosquito netting. There are shared toilets and showers. We are taken by kayak from our boat to the site since we are not allowed to swim because it is a marine sanctuary. Also because there are a lot of sea urchins. Click here for a short video of the beach hut site.

Chickens, dogs and cats are also wandering around our site.

On shore I wash the sand out of my shoes at the waters edge. I notice a white lean snake-like creature swimming close by. It’s an eel. Very cool.

The sunset is gorgeous.

Our meals have been good. They lay them out buffet style. After supper, they treat us to a fire dance show on the beach which is fabulous. Click here for a short video.

John and I check out the constellations in the clear night sky with his “Stellarium” app. My constellation “Taurus” is right above us. We also see Orion’s Belt and Jupiter. The moon comes up and is shining so brightly it looks like a street lamp.

The group mulls around the bonfire. Our Dutch friends are playing drinking games with cards and explain the rules. Everyone mixes together. One by one we all head to bed.

We sleep well and I wake to the gentle sounds of our American fellow traveller, Chris, playing the hand pan on the beach. I can hear birds and wild pigs sniffling in the jungle behind us.

Returning to our hut after brushing our teeth, we find a rooster on the doorstep trying to break in. One of the roosters on the site gallops. Click here for a short video.

Soon we are kayaked to the boat where we have breakfast and continue island hopping.

Island Stops on Day Two

The first stop is snorkeling and beach volleyball. John walks the beach, passing a small group of goats. The snorkeling is great but it’s low tide so the current is a bit strong for me.

The second stop is for cliff diving. Most of our group give it a go. There is not a chance in hell that I’m doing that but it’s fun watching others do it.

They’ve run out of bottled water. There are containers of drinking water but I am unsure of its source and the last thing I want is digestive issues on a boat. Only other options for drinks are rum, gin, coke, sprite or fruit juices. I have fruit juice. The toilets are very basic; no seat and you put pails of water in to make them flush.

Our final island is snorkeling again and then we have a two hour trip to our second beach hut site.

Beach Hut Site Night Two

The landscape by our hut site almost feels like we are in the Muskokas back home in Ontario. It is a rocky beach.

After a shower, I join the group for drinks. No bottled water but there are one litre bottles of beer. I decide on the beer. We are all having a good time.

Supper comes at eight but by this time the beer has had it’s effect and I have a few bites and head to bed.

The party continues to the early hours apparently with drinking games, karaoke and table dancing.

Boat Tour Day Three

I wake early to the sound of crowing roosters and Tokay geckos saying “F You, F You”.

The group is a little subdued this morning after last night’s fun. We board the boat and after breakfast most people snooze on our 1.5 hour ride to our first stop. There are bodies strewn everywhere on the boat.

We snorkel on our first stop. The fish are great and the coral is fabulous. However I see a few jellyfish about the size of a golf ball and decide to head in.

Our next stop is the gorgeous white sand Paradise Beach. It’s surrounded by brilliant turquoise waters. We stop here for lunch on the boat and exploring.

Lunch is amazing, especially the crab done in a garlic sauce. We swim after lunch before travelling for a few hours to the Twin Lagoons near Coron.

The entrance to the docking site is gorgeous. We are told that we all have to wear our life jackets and we follow Gerry, one of the crew, down a boardwalk where we all climb into the water. We are told to make a congo line by holding onto the loop on the person’s life jacket in front of us and follow him. Click here for a short video.

   

We look ridiculous as our line of floating bodies snakes through the lagoon. We are all laughing and wonder if Gerry is playing us. We get to a low arch entrance to the second lagoon, where we let go and swim under. The lagoon is very deep and we float around chatting before heading back.

After our lagoon visit, we have a short 35 minute cruise to our final stop, Coron. We all get onto a WhatsApp group chat and take a group shot. The sun sets and we say goodbye to the boat, our fabulous crew and our great travelling companions.

Goodbye and off to Skylodge Resort

John and I take a tricycle taxi to the Sky Lodge Resort. It is on the edge of town high up on a steep hill. At one point I think even our tricycle driver is concerned whether the bike is going to make it. Partway up the hill we almost come to a stop. He revs the motor but we hardly move. Miracle of all miracles, we reach the resort at the top.

The resort has a phenomenal view of the city and port. We will sleep well tonight.