Must have with your gadgets when on travel

Most of the budget inn that I have been, they only have two terminals for to be used. Some times only one, because the other one is busted. If you have more than two gadgets with you during your travel you really need additional terminal to give power to your gadgets to get connected, to capture image  or

batteries for your GPS.

Courtesy of AKARI Light&Energy 

One of the cheapest and lightest solution for the problem, (unless you want to bring extension cord) is the octopus plug. Many manufacturer produce this plug for multiple use.

How it was useful during our travel

Note: Manufacturer has a maximum power output on this device. So take note not to overload, it might cause accident for not following manufacturers standard.

Bread of Life in El Nido- Midtown Bakery

When on a budget in travel you need to trim your expenses by any means to save for other expense. One of many choices is not taking your breakfast.  But for us we can not omit breakfast because we have a child that constantly need to feed. And besides if their is a wheel their is a way. So we found this simple bake shoppe that is always full of local and tourist buyers in the morning and at snack time. 

View of Midtown bakery overlooking taraw cliff

Mid town Bakery was its name. It is popular for locals and even visitors  because of its reasonable price. Not to mention its accessibility towards the beach before island hopping. It is located conveniently on Rizal street, couple of corners going to Casa Buenavista where most island hopping meets.

At Rizal st. leading to the beach

What most write ups online says the best it the egg pie. But i proved it wrong when i accidentally tried there custard. Their egg pie was not that sweet compared to what i tasted before. Because of the delicious bread that jive with the leche plan. Egg pie cost Php 25/slice. Small muffins cost Php 3. The sophisticated look of blue berry was Php 40 but taste good. Pudding was little bit pricey with its small size at Php 2 a piece. 

Bread of life

 Above all, we save half of the expenses for breakfast by eating bread and bringing instant coffee, and ask hot water from the place we stay.

Never under estimate Taraw Cliff of El Nido

For my love of mountains and extreme sports, being in El Nido Taraw Cliff is the place to be added in my experience in this kind of sport. Though this is rock climbing, it is climbing. Research online on preparing for this climb makes me prepare physically to make the three hours climb(climb up and down) shorter to prepare for another activity of the day.

View of Taraw Cliff in the town

Taraw Cliff is two different cliff depending on your choice.The easy, were you will climb the higher cliff and the smaller, were you will assault the more difficult. In the smaller cliff which I did not try, is more technical in climbing. According to Totoy(my guide) part of the climb will be a trek on the side of a cliff without a rope or harness and even a tree to hold on.  

What 80 degrees mean

This adventure to the tops of El Nido is part of my itinerary. Unfortunately i did not meet any to come and climb the cliff. For a solo climber to this tour it will cost Php 500 and Php 300 each for 2. The guide for this tour can only accommodate maximum of two, to make sure the safety of the participants. 

Shooting the shooter

Torn like stone 

The most difficult part of the climb is not the 80 to 90 degrees climb up and down (not to mention rock climbing without any safety device)  but the torn like stone walking. Its like the Hillary step of mount Everest  Were when you walk you cant help but see 20 feet below. It is more or less 5 meters long.

yakap ka pare

It is to my advantage that it is not a rainy season when I visited taraw cliff. Stone might be slippery on rainy season. It is not a good choice to conquer this great wonders of God on bad weather.

Me shooting the breath taking view

Leaving the peak

going down the cliff

My Guide Totoy pick me up from were we stayed. At around 6:20 am were on foot on the streets of  El Nido. About three corners from the place we check in, was the jump off area.Were you will pass a lot of locals resident. Half way of the climb you will see a flat surface(not really flat but its like canyons). I thought my jogging for a month is enough to break the estimated time of the climb, but I failed. i took the ascend for exactly one hour, from 50 MASL to 170 MASL. And descended for the same time ascend time. Still on time with our next activity of the day, we finish conquering the cliff at around 8:30 am. With only staying at the peak of the cliff for 30 minutes. Important is i was safe and alive after the climb. 

serious business

Nature has its way to be treated. We should not underestimate nature and we should respect it not only by taking the golden rule of a mountain climber. People visiting such this place must get respect with their garbage.

Do you fell the thrill??

View from the top of taraw cliff

Raising the marker flag

Another view of the peak at 170MASL

Me on 170 MASL

Over looking Kabigsing Island

Hilaw Smile

Essentials to be taken on this trip:

• Head lamp-if you prepare to assault the cliff before sunrise

• Water- is important to keep you hydrated

• Shirt-extra would be needed if you sweat alot

• Camera-it is very important that you bring a protection for this gadget from dents 

• Food-trial/snack at the peak of the cliff

•  insect repellent-to keep away for malaria infected mosquito 

• headware-to keep your sweat away from your face.

View from the top going down

Small Taraw Cliff. Half way down.

Panoramic Shoot

NOTE:Some of the photos are low in quality due to it was taken from my Koday C123.

Place to eat in Nacpan

Left view

After hours sitting and swimming on the beach we felt that our stomach is complaining. According to some locals in town of El Nido there are place to eat in Nacpan. On our way to the beach we pass through a house that has a big  wooden veranda that has a sign on its side saying FOOD here.

right view with the big FOOD sign

When we arrive 2 group of foreign tourist are eating in the place called by the owner ate Mercy, Kyla Canteen. It has 4 small tables, enough for the days customers. When getting to the canteen, you can not miss because of the big food sign.

The Menu

Ate Mercy started it two years ago when tourist started to flack in Nacpan Beach grown. People usually stock there without food and even drinks. Then idea came out of putting up a canteen that serve sea foods and chicken.  According to ate Mercy, she also pursue her plan to help her husband who is a fisherman. Because of the lowering income now a days in fishing. The veranda is the new dinning place, before it is located at the side of their house with small space for comers to eat. Most of the food serve was a product of the nearby village like crabs, squids,fish and shrimps. Chicken demand is bought from the market in the town. Prices are competitive in the towns cheap place to eat, insuring the customers that you will leave gastronomically full without  putting a whole in your pocket.

The new dinning area of Kyla Canteen

This small place is operated by relatives; From mother, Father, nephew and even Kyla the first daughter of ate Mercy. They use the kitchen of the house to prepare food they serve.

The Old dinning area, now can use as parking area

Vegetable salad 

We ordered crabs,(because in the town it is more expensive,to save little hundreds)adobong squid, the vegetable salad and unlimited rice(i mean unmeasured plate of rice). Crabs were Php 400/ kilo (big ones) squid were cheap, a total of Php 350 with a can of soda.

Chloe praying for the crab.Yummy

After the full gastronomic lunch that we take, we rested for an hour and went back to the town.

If you want to reserve a seat or order in advance you can call ate Mercy at 09461965557

Chloe playing with the window of the house of ate Mercy

P.S. Actually our bill is Php 359, i haggled to pay Php350. It is also a help for your tric driver to have a free meal given by ate Mercy if the driver brought a guess to her canteen.Not bad diba for 2 1/2 pax?

Nacpan Calitang on Focus

fishing village of Calitang

This beach is known for its shinny white sand. And its long sea shore. The beach stretches for 4 kilometers.  One of the best attraction on this place that it is seldom visited by tourist and undeveloped beach. Adventurer who wants a silent place to relax and swim this is the perfect place to go in El Nido.

view facing the two islets

relaxing overlooking Lalutaya island owned by Manny Pacquiao

One local told me that the 14 kilometers shoreline was the witness of mining from the time of memorial.

best place to cool down to beat the heat

The motor cycle that we rented for this journey

Nacpan Beach

Sand Bar that divides Nacpan-calitang beach 

The fishing village of Calitang.  

If you plan to go to this gorgeous beach, please be responsible with your own disposals. This is mostly public   beach, so no body maintain except for some locals.

Locals

The road to the virgin beach of El Nido, Nacpan Calitang

As part of our El Nido adventure I am finding a road trip that could be done by a motorcycle. We stumbled to going to Nacpan-Calitang Beach. This beach is north of El Nido Town. At our speed ranging from 40-60 km/hr, travel time is 1 hour. 

Estimated 10 km is cemented like this

Another is hard core uncemented road.(this in on dry season)

The 1st turn, left going to Pasadena. Right turn goes to New Ibajay

Road and this bridge under construction

One and only metal bridge that I pass in Palawan

Half of the terrain is cemented, half is hard core dust road on dry season and muddy on the wet season. Fortunately when we visit the beach on the third week of November the weather in Palawan is dry. So the road is terribly dusty. Dusty that in some point it is like a mud.

 

Slippery dusty road on dry season

Another turn left going to Calitang elementary school

You can miss this turn because of the improvise road sign to Nacpan

To keep on a low budget we rented a motorcycle for the whole day trip. Usually rentals of motor cycle in the town is ranging from Php 800 to Php1200. But for us I found Php 500 for the whole day and replace the fuel that you used during your trip. It is customary in El Nido when you hire a motorcycle that it has a full tank and when you return it also with a full tank of gas. For a longer rent of the bike you might get lower fee. But always remember that you haggle every time you pay.

dusty road

You will pass a big farm of cashew again and again

protected from dust by headware

bumpy road on dry season, muddy road on wet season

Navigating towards it is not that difficult. Improvised road signs and willing locals will help you reach the 14 kilometers stretch of Nacpan Beach. This beach is popular because it is more silent, less tourist are coming and secluded from civilization. This place of El Nido does not have electricity except to the that locals that has a generator sets for their basic needs.

rap road will welcome you when you reach in Brgy. Calitang

dusty on dry season

muddy on wet season

When you see this waiting shed on the right. You turn right

Waiting shed that needs to turn right

Essentials to make you prepared for this adventure is sunblock to keep you protected to the burning heat of the sun; camera to capture and document the nice view; shoul/blanket to be use while loitering on the long stretch of the beach; clothes for swimming in the crystal clear water ; a lot of food and water if you want to stay longer. But if you don’t want to mind bringing food for the day there are small eateries in the area. To be exact four that serve lunch. And one house near the French own mansion sells drinks in can and bottle water. 

The french mansion and the hows of the caretaker that sells drinks

on Nacpan beach facing Lalutaya Island that is own by Manny Pacquiao