Instead of celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in Manila, my wife and I decided to rekindle our love in two beautiful islands of Palawan.
Since we only had four days to ourselves before we had to go back to work—me as publicist of Perpetual Atlas and my wife as a nursing aide at the Philippine General Hospital—we made sure to be smart with our itinerary and logistics.
Day 1
We took a Skyjet Airlines flight from Manila to San Vicente in Palawan. We arrived at the newly opened San Vicente Airport at around 3:35 p.m. in the afternoon.
Before proceeding straight to El Nido proper, we first reveled in the beauty of the 14.7-kilometer Long Beach in San Vicente, said to be the longest in the country. After a three-hour trip from San Vicente, we arrived in El Nido at around 6:30 p.m.
We refueled at one of the famous seaside restaurants on the island, which served steamed lobsters and tinolang halaan with sayote, before we roamed around the bay area until we decided to get some well-deserved rest in our rented room on the beachfront.
Day 2
Making the most out of our day in El Nido, we took an early private tour to the Small and Big Lagoon, and Snake Island, which was booked with the help of our family.
Come afternoon, we headed to the port to board a Jomalia Shipping fast craft to Coron, which was jam-packed with foreign tourists also crossing to the province’s another paradise island.
We arrived at Coron port after a four-hour trip, and we rode a tricycle going to Palladium Hotel in Barangay 6—five minutes away from the port area—where we stayed for three days and two nights.
In keeping with its Santorini theme, which is evident in the design of the boutique hotel, its restaurant served one-of-a-kind Chicken and Beef Kebab Rice and local juice which we enjoyed for dinner.
Day 3
Palladium offers a kind of experience that makes guests feel like they’re in two world-class destinations—as in Palawan and Greece. It features the allure of Santorini with its whitewashed walls and cobalt blue accents seen in every corner of the hotel.
Buffet breakfast included Beef Gyro, Chicken Kebab Pita, Kebab Platter, Mediterranean Pizza, and Shrimp Carbonara.
We took a whole day island tour package that included trips to the famous Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin Lagoon, Siete Picados, Banul Beach, and Ship Wreck area.
After a full day of stunning views, we ended the night enjoying good food and music at Sharky Bar and Resto, which serves native dishes at affordable prices.
Day 4
Before leaving the island, we visited San Agustin Church in the town proper to give thanks for the safety and blessing that God gave us during our vacation.
We then went back to the hotel for early morning breakfast and headed to Francisco B. Reyes Airport to take a Skyjet Airlines flight to Manila. The boutique airline also flies to Camiguin and Batanes.
Despite our very tight schedule, we throughly enjoyed our vacation together.