3D2N Philippines! Palawan!

What can you do in a trip with only 3 Days and 2 Nights? I'm actually an advocate of a slower form of travel, enjoying even the laziest of mornings and afternoons or taking my time with a very interesting activity. If it were not totally up to me, however, I can definitely adapt to the pace of my travel buddies, push myself to the limits and almost always find something enjoyable. For this contribution, I'd like to share a 3D2N itinerary if you find yourself in El Nido Resorts, some you can still pattern if just live nearby or if the activity is available in your area. El Nido is a protected area and a municipality in northern Palawan, one of the provinces in the Philippines. I've highlighted the El Nido Resorts Miniloc Difference in my previous post and I will tell an in-depth story about my experience that led to this suggested itinerary in the next few posts. Of all the activities available and all-inclusive in your El Nido Resorts stay, these stood out for me.


SAMPLE 3D2N EL NIDO RESORTS ITINERARY
(Activities, boats, kayaks, guides, gear and meals are all-inclusive with the room stay)

Day 1
Morning
Group arrives at the El Nido airport. Jeep and boat transfer with your trip guide to El Nido hotel for welcome at the dock. Welcome drink and song by the hotel restaurant and introduction to El Nido, El Nido Resorts, guest reminders and participation. Check in and choose your activities for your whole stay. Go to your rooms and freshen up.


Afternoon
Buffet lunch at the hotel. Tell the front desk or your trip guide that you want to go kayaking and snorkeling for them to prepare the gear. Get ready with your beachwear and proceed to the diving place to fit your gear. Do some hat making while waiting. Hop on a boat with your trip guide to the Big and Small Lagoon. Proceed to the Small Lagoon and get ready to do a kayak race beyond the small opening with your friends. You can snorkel here (best to ask your guide due to changing weather conditions and water depth). Go to the Big Lagoon after and the boat will take you around. The remains of a Survivor Tribunal can be found here. Ask the boatmen about the monkeys, birds and other animal sightings here. You can do a sunset cruise after if you're still have energy, just tell your trip guide ahead. 


Or I super recommend swimming with the jacks and see a school of swirling fish in front of the hotel before it gets dark.


Evening
Buffet dinner at the Hotel. There was a cultural performance on our first night but you might chance upon other performances depending on the day you came. You can go to the diving place to watch the underwater sights. Decide if you want to go diving (pay is separate for lessons) and tell the front desk or your guide so that they can arrange accordingly. You can do a night dive too if arranged properly. You can stay outside your room for a while until nap time. Read the bedtime story they provided for the night and materials like the species checklist in your room. Eat some midnight snacks too.


Day 2
Morning
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Ask if you can have breakfast in nearby Lagen Island for you to see the difference to Miniloc or you can just proceed to do some island hopping. Choose Snake Island if you want to sit in the water or do some open water swimming or walk at a sandbar or hike to a view. Choose 7 Commandos to sit in the water or do some snorkeling. Do some caving too.


Afternoon
Buffet lunch at Dibuluan Island, only El Nido Resort guests can stay here. Activities are available like the riding a hobie cat, windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking (to the vanishing sandbar like we did), swimming and relaxing (or reading at the many covered beds there). You can do diving at this time (separate with your friends for a while to go to the site). You can also go to Lagen Island to swim or hike or catch dolphins (sightings near the dock). Come back to Miniloc for some fresh coconuts or happy hour (pay is separate for drinks).


Evening
Arrange for a private dinner near the Miniloc beachfront or have buffet dinner at the restaurant and watch another performance. Our dinner on the second night had acoustic performers. There was when bonding conversations happened until around 10 p.m.


Day 3
Morning
Kayak and watch the sunrise (you can ask the front desk to wake you up if the sunrise is visible and if not, to leave you sleeping). Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Members of the group have a choice of activities: jackfish feeding at 8:45 a.m., sunbathing at the beachfront or snorkel at Shimizu Island (maybe a picnic lunch there) or kayak near Miniloc (we were a little short of time and wanted to be sure we make our flight so we arranged for a boat to take us snorkeling near the hotel). 


Afternoon
Buffet lunch at the hotel or ask if you can have lunch in nearby Lagen Island. Check out. Watch the staff wave goodbye and leave for multiple boat transfers to get to the airport.


Extra Day
If you have an extra day in the resort, you might want to try going to Helicopter Island. Privately owned by El Nido Resorts, this is the site of a Survivor series, Piolo photoshoot rocks and turtle eggs.


This is my first ever contribution to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival. This month's topic is focused on providing readers with 3D2N suggestions, which is hosted by Eileen of Possibly Pinay. Click here for other 3D2N Suggestions all over the Philippines.