Seven Commando Beach

The last part of our Island Tour A was to be spent at the picturesque and very laid back Seven Commando Beach which boasts the clearest beach waters in El Nido. Accessible only by boat, it is called as such because, a long time ago, seven soldiers (others say 7 fishermen) were stranded on the island. According to locals, their names can be seen printed on the rocks here.

Picnic huts along the beach

Store selling food and drinks

Ideal for swimming, beach volleyball, silhouette shots or just beach bumming, it has fine and clean but a little coarse white sands, turquoise clear waters, calm waves (very nice for snorkeling and swimming), fabulous rock formations and coconut trees.Despite having a souvenir shop, a stall that sells quite pricey smoothies, water, alcoholic drinks (beer, pina coladas, mango daiquiris, etc.)and food (chips and bananacue), and a restroom facility in this area, the wide, clean and white beach still retains its natural charm.

Swinging hammock

Sunset at Seven Commando Beach

For those who are not into swimming, you can just lounge around and have very refreshing halo-halo on a coconut shell (PhP150), fruit shakes, fresh coconuts (PhP50) and other thirst quenching refreshments at the store while enjoying the view, especially during sunset time. There is also a swinging hammock seat and sheltered beach tables which can be used for free.

The author (third from left) with, L-R, Meng, Osang and Melissa

Also within this beach is the 4-room Vellagio’s Resort which opened last January 2015. Full moon parties are held on this island in February. As the beach is only a 10-min. boat ride from the mainland, it is sometimes the first stop on the island hopping tour as it gets really crowded by beach bums in the afternoon.

Boats parked offshore during low tide

After lunch at Star Beach, we again boarded our motorized outrigger boat for Secret Lagoon, a part of Island Tour A. As it was low tide, our boat docked some distance from the shore of a white sand beach lined with coconut palms beneath a massive and towering limestone cliff face.  Alighting our boat, we had the choice of carefully wading on top of sharp rocks (aqua shoes highly recommended) or be pulled by our guides while floating on a life jacket. Most chose the latter while I did the former.

Being pulled to shore by our guides while floating on a life jacket

We came ashore a very beautiful beach, with huge alien-like limestone formations surrounding it, offering you majestic views of the open water between the cliffs and a peek of Shimizu Island. To the left of the beach is a huge cliff with a small opening.  That, my friends, was the entrance to the Secret Lagoon, also known as Hidden Lagoon of Miniloc Island.

The beautiful palm-lined white sand beach

Some of the huge alien-like limestone formations

During high tide, it might be impossible to access the Secret Lagoon as, due to safety reasons, tourists might bump their heads on the sharp rocks of the tiny opening while swimming through it.

Entering the Secret Lagoon via a small opening

Fortunately, since it was low tide, the opening was now above the water so we didn’t have to swim through it. We just had to carefully crawl in or twist our body, like a pretzel, into the Secret Lagoon, making it the trickiest attraction of the day to get into. The water leading to the lagoon was shallow, so we were extra careful with the sharp rocks and corals to avoid scrapes and wounds.

Limestone cliffs surrounding the Secret Lagoon

Once through, we were mesmerized by the majestic limestone rock formations and cliffs surrounding it, its shadows making the temperature inside much cooler. As it was low tide, swimming was not enticing since the stagnant water was quite murky. The water inside looked shallow, but it gets deeper as you go farther so we didn’t dare. As it’s quite small, there’s not much to inside. For the adventurous, there’s a small passageway meters deep into the water where one can deep dive into.

Group posing inside the Secret Lagoon

However, we just posed beneath the massive, quite photogenic cliffs then left as there were lots of tourists waiting in the wings. It’s hard to consider the lagoon a secret with dozens of other tourists milling around you. To avoid the crowds, pay a bit extra and go later in the day. However, its adjacent, quieter white sand beach is one great spot for swimming and snorkeling.

Back to the wharf, we again boarded our boat for the short trip to the simple yet pretty Star Beach, a small, secluded area of white sand nestled between two large rock outcroppings. It was named Star Beach because this is the place in El Nido where you can find a lot of blue starfish. Unfortunately, I didn’t even see one.

Star Beach

Located on one side of the narrow Tapiutan Strait, the relatively small Star Beach is nothing remarkable.  However, it offered rest and yes, food! Here, we had lunch of grilled fish, squid and chicken; steamed crab and fruits (pineapple, bananas and water melon).

An overhang, over a small cave, offered us protection from the noontime sun. Star Beach offered good photographic opportunities, with the towering limestone formation as a background, and the place is also good for snorkeling just a few meters off the beach without walking over sharp rocks to see different corals and plenty of species of colorful little fish and other marine life from its vast reef.

After lunch, we floated around the clear crystal blue-green waters. It was oh-so relaxing! The place can be littered with boats on peak season.

Matinloc Island

The next day, we commenced with our resort-sponsored grandiose Combination Tour A and C, an island-hopping tour, boarding a big outrigger boat from Las Cabanas Beach, a 5-min. walk or 69 steps down the hill from the resort. Set on a headland, the beach offers a panoramic view of the lush and lovely outlying islands we were to visit, the first of which was the heart-shaped Matinloc Island.  It got its name from the native (Cuyunin) word matinlo which means maganda in Filipino or “beautiful” in English.

Las Cabanas Beach

On our way …..

The weather that day was pleasant and the waves were gentler than usual. Along the way, we passed by several islands.  Upon arrival, we docked our boat at a small concrete pier.  Matinloc Island has gorgeous limestone cliffs, beautiful white sand beaches and a shrine to Our Lady of Matinloc, inaugurated and blessed on May 31, 1993, the Feast of Our Lady of Matinloc.

Making landfall

The concrete landing dock

The dome-shaped shrine, with 12 columns, has an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a cross on a circular altar.  This may sound kind of strange but this isolated, remote island also has a small “museum.” Inside this said museum are photos and newspaper clippings that explain the history of Matinloc Shrine, how it was built, and the miracles that supposedly occurred in the area after the shrine was constructed.

Matinloc Shrine

The author inside Matinloc Shrine

Beside the shrine are the ruins of the mansion of religious El Nido resident Jablon Fernadez, said to be a lodging facility for pilgrims.  It was abandoned to rot due to, according to different accounts by the islanders, lack of funds, family quarrels, broken heart, charges of tax evasion, etc..  Only debris and some toilet fixtures were left inside and a stainless water tank outside.

Ruins of the abandoned mansion

White sand beach behind the shrine

Some of the walls were demolished by scavengers to get the door jambs but a number of window jambs, with their glass panels still intact, remain.  However, its abandonment seems to add to the overall appeal of this mysterious place. Still, I hope that the ruins would be put into adaptive reuse and be functional.

The view deck

The long queue

We also climbed up a stair-like path, up a steep limestone cliff with sharp craggy outcrops, to a vantage point bordered by sharp, towering limestone rock faces. Here, we had a panoramic view of some of the limestone cliffs of the island, other nearby islands and beaches and the clear, blue waters of the Matinloc Channel. The awe-inspiring view and the great photo op, by itself, makes this island stop worthwhile.  We didn’t long here as there was a queue of visitors waiting for us to get down.

View from a crack in the rocks

Another view from the top

The Resort Bayview Hotel El Nido: Sitio Marimegmeg, Brgy. Corong-Corong, El Nido, 5313, Palawan.  Tel: + 66(0) 76 281 406. Fax: + 66(0) 76 384 369. Mobile numbers: (0915) 250-7368 (Globe) and (0920) 975-8690. E-mail: theresortelnido@gmail.com. Website: www.elnidobayview.com.