The Most Beautiful Place that No One has Ever Heard Of…

I have been to a few places in the world and as what other frequent travelers would say, each place truly has its own character and beauty. Some places may not be as visually stunning as others, but they can be beautiful and memorable because of the people and the uniqueness of the experiences made there. Some places hold unspeakable beauty – truly stunning  but may lack the adrenaline rush and rustic charm that other places can boast of. So for those reasons, I really do believe that no two places in the world have the exact same offerings.

This is what I found in El Nido, Philippines. It is a group of limestone-laden islands with hidden beaches, secret lagoons and scary open sea small boat rides that will leave you hanging off the edge of your seat, as big waves crash into your humble vessel and madly rock it back and forth, back and forth.

Sure, there is Thailand’s Koh Samui and Vietnam’s Halong Bay that are comparable to El Nido…

However, there was something in those islands that made me look into the horizon wondering how this place could have kept its beauty all to itself – and for how long now.

Not that I want it to be in the traveling world’s spotlight because tourists like me will eventually destroy the place. But it’s quite unfortunate that not everyone in the world have seen this sort of beauty – it’s just mesmerizing. Just have a look at the raw, unedited pictures from my Nikon point and shoot camera and tell me if I am blind.

However, if you agree with me, I wish that one day, you would see this beauty with your very own eyes just like how I did last week. It was amazing, truly unforgettable.

Note:

I did the trip on a budget. El Nido is not that easy to get to, as it is still relatively underdeveloped as a tourist spot (I think that’s a good thing!). I got there by booking a flight from Cebu to Puerto Princesa, Palawan via Cebu Pacific and hiring a van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. This is roughly a 6 to 7 hour ride, depending on how fast your driver is.

Once you get to El Nido, you’ll see signs everywhere of the tour offerings, or you can book through your hotel (more expensive). Most operators have the same route for each tour package and the only difference is that some operators have bigger boats and better food compared to others.