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EL NIDO |
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In the far northwest of Palawan is the small coastal town of EL NIDO
, which is the departure point for trips to the many islands of the
Bacuit archipelago. This is limestone island country, with spectacular
formations rising from the sea everywhere you look. Its beauty has not
gone unnoticed by developers, who have established a number of exclusive
and expensive resorts on some of the islands. If US$200 a night for a
taste of corporate-style paradise is too much for you, then you can stay
in rustic El Nido itself - where electricity cuts off at midnight - and
island-hop by day.
Buses and jeepneys from Taytay arrive in El Nido along Rizal Sreet,
which terminates at the shore. You'll find a tourist information counter
at the post office, beyond the church, on Calle Real. Tourism has
resulted in the establishment of a few moneychangers and the friendly El
Nido Boutique & Art Shop in Palmera Street is a good place to drop in
for unsolicited advice on where to stay and what to do. There's no
shortage of accommodation . Lally and Abett Beach Cottages ($25-40), at
the northern end of town on Calle Hama, has beachfront cottages. Cheaper
options include Bayview Inn, Marina Garden Resort and Tandikan Cottages,
all in the $5-15 range and all on the beach within walking distance of
each other. Roughly in the middle of the beach, Marina Garden Beach
Resort ($10-15) has some of the nicest nipa huts, many with a balcony.
El Nido is at the northern tip of mainland Palawan, but it is possible
to continue north from here across Linapacan Strait to Culion and then
to Busuanga. A ferry leaves El Nido pier every morning at 6am (P200) for
the four-hour trip, weather permitting. It arrives in Busuanga at the
pier in Coron town.
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