seemehear

📖 Reading Tip – open in your device’s browser to see the photo galleries 📷 Just tap “Read on blog” at the top (they don’t work in email 😭).

Manila to El Nido

We landed in Manila and spent the evening running around trying to purchase what we needed for a boat expedition that we knew little about, apart from the packing list that we were supplied with. Attempting to travel light with only the essentials made me resent purchasing new items for a specific part of the trip, but I didn’t want to be ill-equipped for our voyage on the open seas. ⚓️ One thing you can rely on worldwide is that you’re never that far from a Decathlon store which stocks pretty much every possible outdoor activity accessory. We bought waterproof boat bags, aqua shoes, UV rash vests, and also loaded up on some delicious Filipino-Chinese food at a giant mall near Manila airport, where we’d be flying from.

We woke up as planned the next day for our flight to El Nido in Palawan, eastern Philippines, but had a nasty surprise when we arrived at terminal 4 of the airport: the building was being knocked down and a guy came out of the remaining building to explain that no flights were leaving from here. Our boarding passes very much said terminal 4, but it appears that no one had updated us that our flight would leave from terminal 2. We made a hasty dash in a taxi to get to the other side of Manila airport and made our flight. Nothing like a little airport chaos to keep you on your toes. 

El Nido airport is tiny and it has that tropical island charm; it’s pretty much one room and your bags instantly appear as soon as you land. We boarded a strange-looking tricycle – a staple across the Philippines – basically a motorbike and sidecar with a roof. Petrol fumes blowing in our faces and bags nearly falling out, we made it to our hotel where we’d meet Matt and Lloyd, who were on holiday and would be joining us on the boat trip. It was a good feeling knowing we’d be meeting friends; we’d had an amazing few months away, but it’s nice to share the experiences with people you know, and feel a little closer to home.

Easing in to Philippines life

There’s not much available for low cost in El Nido, so we opted for a slightly nicer hotel with a pool looking over the bay and mini bungalows for rooms. It was nice, if you ignore the brown water coming out of the taps 😂 (this did go away after a few hours).

We had a couple of nights to ease into tropical island life, and we didn’t waste any time tucking into our new favourite beer – San Miguel Light. We learned that Filipino San Miguel is in fact the original, and the one we’re so accustomed to from Spain was actually a later development when San Miguel Philippines sold the rights to the name and the Spanish brew was born. They have a San Mig light which is all the strength, but few calories (not that we’re counting). Beers were followed by daiquiris and then the Piña Coladas arrived. All consumed in the pool, looking at the sunset of the course. It was time for dinner. 

We took a trike into town and opted for a burger restaurant which had decent reviews. I ordered a veggie version and we all had margaritas on the side. One bite into mine and I realised that maybe there’s something not quite right with my ‘bean burger’. The waitress informed me that my ‘BEEF Rendang’ burger was as it should be. Language mix-ups 😅

After purchasing a few last minute items for the boat, namely aqua shoes for Matt and Lloyd, we ended the evening in a couple of bars on the beach, one with live music and the other playing club hits from the last 20 years. I mistakenly ordered a round of the strongest cocktail on the menu and we all felt the pain the next morning. 

The following day we attended a briefing about the boat trip where we met other passengers and understood the route. The boat expedition was run by a company called Tao, who have been hosting multi-day boat adventures for around 20 years. Founded by two guys, Scottish and Filipino, who spotted the gap in the market for high-quality multi-day boat expeditions which have minimal environmental impact but a huge impact on boosting localised economies. The Tao team is now over 200 strong, with around 8 boats sailing a few routes from Palawan to Coron. We would be sailing with 22 other passengers. We had opted for the slightly shorter version of 4 days, 3 nights, and would be joining a boat where everyone else had already done 1 night.

How much further, Dwight?

We spent the final evening in El Nido on the beach near our hotel, watching the sunset, and Carmen hunted out a good place for dinner “nearby.” After a long walk that ended with us scaling what seemed to be the biggest peak on the island, we found the hostel-cum-restaurant that would serve us dinner. It had a bit of a strange vibe, but we were fed, and they even drove us back to civilisation. 

Ahoy, shipmate, all aboard!

Tao Expeditions had been recommended by two different friends, so we thought it must be good, but none of us had really investigated what it included, so the element of surprise was high. We were transported to our departure location in a Jeepney— a bus you’ll see all over the Philippines, brightly coloured and part resembling a North American school bus. We arrived at a quiet beach and walked along the coast until we spotted our boat and the other passengers who were packing the boat after spending their first time in one of Tao’s camps. 

We waded into the water to reach the boat and were greeted by everyone on board. There was a good mix of countries— Algeria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, the U.S., and the Filipino crew. Everyone was very welcoming, and we felt at home pretty quickly. We were shown around the vessel by the youngest member of the crew, Jack, who was travelling with his parents. The boat also featured two dogs, Marcus and Sadi.

First item of business, breakfast. We quickly learned that the food cooked on the boat wasn’t basic as you might expect; the cook whipped up culinary delights for every meal we had. Loads of fresh fish, veggies, and mixed rices. It always felt like we had a balanced meal, and there were often afternoon or mid-morning snacks— spring rolls, deep-fried bananas, etc. 

Life on board

Snorkelling was a big part of the boat trip. I’ve never been the best snorkeler, perhaps due to a slight uncomfortableness under the water, but I was determined to improve my skills on this trip. Masks were available on board, and my newly purchased aqua shoes would be essential due to the amount of sea urchins and other underwater delights. We jumped into the crystal-turquoise water for the first time, and it wasn’t like any other snorkelling I’d previously been part of. Ultra-clear sea with coral visible and alive with a whole manner of brightly coloured creatures – all very Finding Nemo. I managed to hone my snorkelling skills over the coming days and become better at reducing the amount of the water getting into my goggles!

After our second swim, both Matt and I had sustained some nasty coral-based injuries – at least we thought it was from the coral. Leg grazes and other weird-looking marks on our legs. Nothing that can’t be solved by Carmen’s unlimited supply of skin care. I didn’t realise coral could cause such harm! I also had another issue – at some point during our time in El Nido, my feet had taken some battering (I blame cocktails in the pool), I had 5 cuts on my feet and ankles, which, when paired with salt sea water and needing to take aqua shoes on and off, equalled quite the annoyance. Nothing a few nautical beers wouldn’t fix, and we were pleased to discover the onboard bar was nearly always open for business, and drinks were constantly ice-cold. Payments on the trip were nice and simple too; everyone has a wristband containing an RF chip which can be scanned. The bill would be produced when we checked out on our final morning (please, please, please don’t let the bill be too big).

Time on board the boat was relaxing. You could sit and read, listen to music, chat to your new shipmates, or have a nap. The agenda was loose. The scenery was beautiful, we sailed by many islands that make up the Palawan archipelago, all covered in dense green forest with Conde Naste Traveller white sand beaches and the odd building. The plan was to camp at three different islands, but also make stops at a few others to eat lunch, swim, and explore. The sailing channels or routes weren’t busy. I can only recall seeing a handful of other boats, and some were the other Tao expeditions. We spotted people fishing in small traditional boats, not dissimilar to the structure of our boat – a main hull with what appears like two big skis strapped to either side of it, catamaran-like. 

Camp Tao

The Tao Camps have been carefully built to minimise environmental impact, but also to create a serene place to stay. They’re very in keeping with traditional Philippines island architecture, with the sleeping huts made from bamboo and shaped like upside-down boats. The huts were simple with only a mosquito net and basic mattress for comfort, but that’s all you really need when sleeping in the tropics and in such a stunning location. For some reason we were never given our sheets for the beds, but it didn’t really matter in the heat. Mosquito bites were minimal too. 

Each camp came with one of the crew moonlighting as a bartender, supplying a limited but equally perfect set of drinks – ice-cold beers, gin or rum, and what we became all too familiar with, Jungle Juice (rum and juice). Each evening the whole boat party gathered round for the first drink and raised a glass to the day, before sitting down for dinner around long tables. Dinner was as delicious as breakfast and lunch. Various card games ensued, with a few too many jungle juices and beers to follow. A game was introduced that I didn’t know but seemed a right of passage for our new Dutch friends – Kings Cup. The rules seemed to change frequently based on who was chairing, but it always ended up with too many drinks. We also had a good few games of UNO. Lloyd brought Harry Potter Top Trumps, which he’d been holding onto, following a spare of the moment airport purchase, but it didn’t turn out to be our favourite game of the trip 😂 At one point we even questioned whether it contained all the main characters of the franchise 🪄

We all woke around 6-7 a.m. and breakfast was generally at 07:30. A hearty mix of eggs, veg, sometimes porridge, and coffee was served before we set sail for the day. The Tao team have some smart systems for keeping everyone organised – all water bottles are stored in a box that is moved between land and sea; sandals and flip-flops also have their own box; and sunglasses have a string to hang from. All of this means you can track down your items pretty quickly when on shore or aboard. 

It was nice to be with other people from so many other countries. Some were travelling like us for long periods, some on holiday for a few weeks. It was also the first time on our trip where there was time to chat cameras! With a good few of us sporting the same cameras and drones 🤓 Island hopping in the Philippines is near-perfect for flying drones, weather and landscape-wise. Stunning scenery and colours everywhere, and not many people around. I was pretty happy with a few shots I got, and it was nice to see other people flying and sharing tips, etc. 

Our newly purchased dry bags turned out to be a wise decision, as water and sand did get everywhere, so it was handy to be able to store the essentials in something safe. Our main large luggage was stored under deck and we didn’t need to access it for the four days. 

We spent a delightful few days sailing from island to island, eating delicious food, while catching a glimpse of incredible sea life. It really did feel like a well-rounded, beautiful experience. And I’m pleased it was recommended to us. If you happen to be in the Philippines, you’d be wise to do the same thing. I was a little worried it might be a late teens, early twenties gap year booze cruise, but it was quite far from that, with our fellow passengers being a mix of ages and backgrounds. 

Our final night was at Tao’s most polished camp, where there was power and fans in the bamboo huts; a full bar and kitchen; and a house where the founders stay. We could also book massages. The Tao crew put on a great show for us, with a special meal produced from their full size kitchen; a fire poi performance for Britt, another Tao shipmate, who was celebrating her birthday that evening; and I seem to remember some dancing, but the memory is vague 

The freedom of a full bar started to take its toll. After a few too many rounds of Kings Cup, it was off to bed for me, but not being able to sleep that well (could I have drank too much?! 🤣) I needed to spend a little time on the beach regaining my strength. To Carmen’s horror, I wasn’t at the sleeping hut when she got back later, but I was quickly located a few metres away. Good night. 

Our last morning on the boat was a quiet affair, with everyone trying to recover from the previous night’s indulgences. We managed to make it safely to Coron without anyone being sick (I think). We waved goodbyes to our new Tao friends and we parted ways with Matt and Lloyd who would be spending a few nights on a desert island nearby. We had one night in Coron (in a very basic establishment), before our flight via Cebu to Siargao on the other side of the Philippines. 

And the bar bill – I’ve seen worse, but it still took a dent out of the travel budget 😛

The Island of Siargao

We’d pondered what to do after the Tao Expedition, and had shortlisted a few destinations in the Philippines to visit. Siargao was the winner, based on the pictures we’d seen and the articles we’d read. We’d also heard from many of the Tao group that it was incredible and well worth a trip. We’d opted to stay for 8 nights as we wanted to relax and not move around. What we hadn’t considered was one of the longest power outages the island has ever suffered 😂🔌

The undersea cables from the neighbouring island had been cut or damaged, and they couldn’t find the fault. We became aware of this while on the Tao trip but thought it would be fixed by the time we arrived. We’d assumed badly. We got lucky, and our hostel did actually have power at certain points during the day, courtesy of generators. Much of the island can’t afford such a luxury, so it felt bittersweet being there in a privileged position. We also hadn’t done that much research on the weather as it had been so good in Palawan. Turns out that the Philippines has many microclimates, and right now, it’s wet season in Siargao. It rained A LOT 😂

The hostel provided a daily briefing on the power outage with a timetable of when the generator would be running, so we based our activities around this. The particular hostel we stayed at had a bit of a monopoly on the local area, owning the nearby café, hotel, and restaurant, so they seemed to rotate where had power accordingly.

Our new Tao friends, Ryan and Sophie, were on the island at the same time, so it was a nice opportunity to hang out and relax together. Wet weather just meant more time undercover, and when it did clear up, we drove scooters around the island, exploring the beaches and restaurants. You can drive south (where we were staying in General Luna) to the north in about an hour. 

The food on Siargao was, on the whole, decent but fairly European-influenced, so it wasn’t like we were tasting anything exciting or new. Prices were fairly high too. Everywhere seemed to offer nearly the same breakfast: eggs Benedict in varying forms. I feel like a Canadian introduced Siargao to Eggs Benny, as it’s everywhere over there too. I laughed each day as Ryan would rate his morning coffee, with nowhere living up to expectations in delivering the right flat white. Maybe not the Siargao drink. 

Siargao is famous for one thing in particular – surfing. It’s known as the surf capital of the Philippines, and for good reason; the conditions are perfect and it attracts a diverse crowd from all over the world. Near to General Luna you’ll find Cloud 9, one of the most popular surf spots, which features an observation pier where you can watch the surfers catch a break. There’s also a nice beach and various places to grab food and drinks. We enjoyed an afternoon there hanging out with Ryan and Sophie. 

We booked a boat excursion to Sohoton Cove on the island next to Siargao, Bucas Grande.  It wasn’t quite the Tao experience, but it was still fun. My only slight gripe was that the engine of the boat was so loud we needed to wear ear defenders and it was still way above sensible decibel levels. It’s funny how the older I get the more worried I am about this; it’s probably the guilt of years 14 to 32 where many loudness crimes were committed.

We snorkelled to see stingless box jellyfish and swam into caves with fluorescent water. Carmen even jumped from a high platform into the sea (I did not 😅). We got to sample a Filipino lunch specialty – a Kamayan, or boodle, where food is spread out buffet style on banana leaves and everyone grabs what they want with their hands. 

Siargao had been fun, if a little wet and powerless. Two days before we left, full power was restored to the island, which was a pleasant sight after witnessing how many small businesses were impacted and struggling to trade. The Philippines being a predominantly Christian country, meant Christmas, which was just a few days away, could be celebrated normally for the islanders. 

Next up: Hong Kong for Christmas and New Year 🇭🇰