As usual, the Filipinos made their daily routine seem like it was their first time ever transporting people from one place to another. Simply loading the share vans took ages. The drive itself was actually shorter than expected and we reached El Nido around mid-day. El Nido is the busiest hub for island hopping in Philippines, but its "downtown" is surprisingly small. We easily walked the area and followed the crowds (mostly of schoolchildren) to the cheapest snacks and local eats next to the community basketball courts. We also once again stumbled upon free rum shots and appetizer samples! The long, wide expanse of white sand known as Nacpan Beach was well worth the 40 minute trike ride north of El Nido. We even enjoyed free iced teas on the beach! Our second stop was Lio Beach. We'd planned to head south of El Nido on the 14th, but our local negotiator had it included on this day for less than we'd have paid even without the further excursion. One relatively short stretch of coast covers three named beaches. McDonald's recently opened and now anchors the entrance to Vanilla Beach. A short walk along the beach takes one to Marimegmeg Beach and then on to Las Cabanas Beach. Our second stop was El Nido's most famous - The Big Lagoon. After cajoling my water-averse wife into participating in the Bacuit Bay island hopping boat tour, I felt bad that the swim to the Big Lagoon was rougher and longer than expected. There were many others visiting the lagoon, but not so many that it ruined the experience. In fact, I was happy to be warmly greeted by the Spanish couple from our Moalboal transfer! It was then time for lunch while anchored just off Shimizu Island. We headed to stop #4 - the Secret Lagoon. Reaching the tiny lagoon from the boat involved swimming through hundreds of jellyfish - predictably, Lisa passed. I was fortunate to reach the hidden lagoon ahead of my group so I had it all to myself. Even so, it was a disappointment, and I enjoyed exploring the small beach area nearby more than I appreciated the "Secret lagoon". We had one final stop to explore Payong Payong Beach. Having completed our planned itinerary two days prior, we had a relaxed Valentine's Day. We decided to first walk to the nearby Caalan Beach and then to spend some time in the bath warm waters off Corong Corong Beach. Beer, bakery items, & more local snacks completed the day.
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