El Nido is a coastal settlement on the Philippines island of Palawan. El Nido comprises 45 islands and islets; limestone cliffs are also found here, which form a Karst backdrop similar to those found in Ha Long Bay, Krabi and Guilin.
I also see how El Nido (''the nest'' in Spanish) got its name. Halfway up one wall, there are huts and bamboo scaffolding, used to harvest edible swiflet nests that are exported to China for bird's-nest soup. Harvesters arrive at the walls by boat and climb up to the nests made by these sparrow-like birds; if the nests are unfinished, the men must stay, for days or weeks - in the huts or perched on wooden poles wedged in cracks in the rocks - to prevent other harvesters gazumping them. Nests can fetch $US5000 ($5080) each, so it's worth their wait.
It took about 5 hrs to get to El Nido from puerto princesa; however, the van had to fill up with people at different hotels so it became 7 hr long. I will use bus instead the way back. The views along the ride were gorgeous.
El Nido is more than just a stereotypical tropical paradise. Beaches, clear waters, jungle, steep limestone cliffs and stunning inlets make for one of the world's most beautiful seascapes.
I found a humble $10 fan single room with bath, shopped for cheaper tours, bought banana and cucumber from the local market, and then had a simple fish dinner.
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