You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!

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Showing posts with label El Nido. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Nido. Show all posts

Saturday, January 30, 2016

El Nido Draws More Local Tourists


By: Raoul J. Chee Kee, Philippine Daily Inquirer 
With the reopening of Lagen Island last December, the four properties that comprise the luxurious El Nido Resorts are once again fully operational.
In the next few years, LiO—an Ayala Land development being constructed in phases in El Nido, Palawan—will complement the resort’s Miniloc, Apulit, Pangulasian and Lagen islands.
Once completed, LiO will consist of residences, commercial establishments and several bed and breakfasts (B&Bs).
Business has certainly picked up in this sleepy seaside town. There are now four daily flights in 50-seater planes that take off from the Island Transvoyager hangar in Manila. In the past, there were only two flights in tiny planes with a handful of passengers at a time.
El Nido Resorts group director of operations Marc Cerqueda said there are also more Filipino travelers now compared a few years ago when it was mostly foreign tourists. The ratio now is 45 percent Filipinos and 55 percent foreigners.
That Palawan has been awarded by Condé Nast Traveler as Best Island in the World for two years now has no doubt drawn more attention to this “piece of paradise.”
Pride
We would often hear this phrase during a recent visit to Lagen Island. It’s easy to understand, seeing how the staff takes great pride in their place of work.
Resort manager Jennifer Zafra narrated how she and her staff hand-carried the Machuca tiles imported from Spain to the different villas to avoid breakage. The tiles were then carefully assembled in the verandas of each villa.
Architect Conrad Onglao came up with the tropical colonial look that is more modern and easier on the eye. Earth tones abound, paired with slashes of graphic black and white.
Woven details like the solihiya headboard and lamp bases in the guest rooms, as well as the framed botanical prints by Father Blanco on the wall, complete the look.
“We knew that if there were too many breakages, additional tiles would have to be ordered and we don’t know when those would arrive from Spain,” Zafra said.
This admirable passion for work and determination to avoid wastage continues even in the company-managed small-sized farm in El Nido town that provides 55 percent of the resorts’ vegetable needs. Nine screened-off vegetable plots are devoted to growing pechay, arugula, lettuce and eggplant.
Nearby is a piggery. Vegetable cuttings, kitchen scraps and the pigs’ manure are composted and used to fertilize the plots.
“We started growing vegetables back in 2006,” said the resort’s marine biologist Marigs Laririt. “We supplied only 15 percent of the resorts’ needs at the time but we’ve been increasing that amount every year. We are also able to provide work for residents; 80 percent of our staff is from Palawan.”
Laririt later told Inquirer Lifestyle that “sustainability” is a word El Nido Resorts takes seriously.
“It’s important to come up with more activities for guests like line fishing, a process still used by local fishermen involving squid as bait, a length of nylon thread and a lot of patience,” Laririt noted.
El Nido also offers locally sourced dishes like seafood and bahay kubo vegetables. “Unlike the chefs of the past whose concept of five-star fare is steak and sea bass, younger chefs are more willing to experiment,”  she said. “They’re up for the challenge of taking these local ingredients and presenting them in a number of delicious ways.”
These and many other initiatives have made El Nido Resorts a favorite of a growing number of Filipino travelers. “We have entire clans, from grandparents to grandchildren, who book several villas,” Cerqueda said. “They make their first big family trip to Palawan instead of Singapore or Hong Kong; there are lolas who tell us they tried snorkeling for the first time at the resort or when they go island-hopping.”

Saturday, September 6, 2014

El Nido - World-Class Tourist Destination in The Philippines

El Nido is a world-class tourist destination located on the northern part of Palawan. Known for its breathtaking beaches and viewing spots for the most amazing sunsets, El Nido often falls on the list of “I-wish-I-could-afford-that” vacation plans that gets forgotten.

But what if we told you that you can tour this paradise for only 5,000 pesos? Sounds too good to be true? Start reviewing your El Nido bucket list as ‘Biyahe ni Drew’ offers you this rare sulit-package itinerary for your very own slice of heaven on earth!

Getting There
Excluded from the 5,000-peso budget is the airfare ---which you can avail at discounted rates during off seasons. Round trip flights between Manila and El Nido take about an hour and cost around P 12,000 per head. This is not bad considering the comfort and relatively shorter travel time.

But if you’re tight on your budget but not on your precious hours, you may opt to fly to Puerto Princesa and then take a six to seven hour drive from there. Airfare from Manila to Puerto Princesa will cost you around P 7,000. The best bit about this option: you don’t need to worry about spending more to get to El Nido because the transfer is included in the 5,000-peso budget. Hooray!


Activity no. 1: Island Hopping
Things to bring: shades, sunblock, and lots of stamina

Many islands comprise the paradise that is El Nido. One group, popular because of its proximity to the town proper, is included if you avail of a tour package. Aboard a motor boat, visit the islands of Small and Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, and Paglugaban.

Kayaking, swimming, and snorkeling are just some of the most common activities in the islands. For no extra charge, you may pretend to be an Indian chieftain atop a kayak, swim in clear waters ala-Michael Phelps, or go see the little fishies in their natural habitat. Nothing beats viewing nature up close, eh?




Because nature in its most virginal form is the islands’ main attraction, a trip to The Cathedral is something you should not miss. The Cathedral is a glorious rock formation inside a cave similar to the high ceiling of a cathedral. (Warning: Bats and swallows are part of the tour.)