Miniloc Island, Philippines

I never visit the same place twice (at least outside of the US). I mean, why would I if there are so many places in the world I haven't been yet?! But there are very few places that leave me longing to go back. Miniloc Island, a small island in Palawan in the Phillippines, is one of them. 

I discovered the existence of this island by chance. I basically found a stock photo on the web after Googling "Philippines":

There was something dreamy about this photo. It must've been the clear blue waters that captivated me. Immediately, I had this burning desire to go that exact spot, wherever it was. I was determined to find out where it was and how to get there. The only thing I knew was that it was in the Philippines and somewhere in Palawan.

After hours of researching, I learned the photo was of the Big Lagoon of Miniloc Island, an island off the shores of a town called El Nido in Palawan. (Then later I discovered Google Images has a feature where I could just upload a photo and it will tell me exactly what/where it is within a few seconds. D'oh!)

To get to El Nido, you have to take a small propeller plane from Manila. Flights can be booked in advance via El Nido Boutique Art Cafe.

Upon landing, we were greeted with an ox and live music -- the most welcoming airport ever!

Our hotel, El Nido Beach Hotel, had the best view:

Kayaking trips to the lagoons around Miniloc island can also be booked through the Art Cafe.

You could even kayak through the crevices of the cliffs. 

The water was so still and clear that you could see the corals, and the surroundings was just as serene as I had imagined from looking at the original photo online. It was very quiet, so quiet that you could even hear a snorkeler breathing out of his tube nearby. 

Unfortunately, our time spent in the Big Lagoon was short-lived. We spent more time at the Small Lagoon because we were following our tour guide. I wish I told him I wanted to see the Big Lagoon first, but at the time I didn't know where we were. I also regret not jumping into the water and snorkeling. Oh well. This is why I want to go back!

Tips

• El Nido shuts off electricity during the day, which can be kind of annoying. Pack a small cooler bag if you intend on storing perishables (refrigerators in hotel rooms will shut off).
• Like any Southeast Asian country, don't forget medication for travelers' diarrhea! Be wary of un-canned juices. Mango juice in the Philippines is to die for, but I drank too much of it and ended up spending too much time on the toilet ;-)