Some days are just too amazing to bundle in to a post about an overall area. Jen has control of our overall Palawan, Philippines story (coming soon) but I can’t help but saying a few extra words about our trip to Nacpan and Las Cabanas beaches from El Nido.
There are two ways you can do this trip, hire a scooter and brave it yourself (seemed doable but probably for those who’ve got a decent amount of off road motorbiking experience especially as you go through some seriously muddy roads) or jump in the back of a trike and hire a driver for a day. We picked the first trike driver that waved at us and paid him the full amount he was asking (P1500). Probably could have (… should have) played the negotiating game and got him down a few hundred but $US30 for driving us around for 8 hour seemed reasonable.
We had to make a quick stop at the petrol station and get 2x 1 litres of gas from Sprite bottles to fill up. I’m impressed by the super pragmatic systems used on the island. No taxis, very few cars (just vans and buses to get tourists to towns across the island) and everything else is motor bike, trike, boat or ox.
The trip from El Nido to Nacpan Beach took about 45 mins, great ride through the countryside dotted with farms, pigs, bulls, chickens and goats and the occasional ox bathing in a pond. A good step away from city life.
Nacpan beach itself is on what looks to me to be the start of a cat’s tail of the island.
Nacpan Beach is stunning, only a small number of people yet has a stall or 2 to buy snacks and water and hire one of the 15 or so deck chairs and umbrellas available (P300 for 2 after Jen refused to pay P400, we are learning).
Our trike driver was there when we were done and we went back on the adventurous hour or so drive through El Nido and out the other side (about 15 minutes beyond El Nido) to Las Cabanas. We arrived 2 hours before sunset to an almost empty beach (there were more dogs [wild but harmless] than people) and laid down listening to some great tunes coming from the empty bar at the end of the beach.
Things got a little busier as the sun went down so we strolled further along and found a perfect bar/restaurant to have a cheeky beer or 2 and watch the sun go down. There was a wedding going on in the restaurant, what a stunning place this would be to get married (hint to our almost-married friends)
If you find yourself in this part of the world do this as a day trip, you won’t be disappointed*
*HeyLookItsJaz take no responsibility if you have a %£^% day doing this trip.
Shoham
You guys look so great!
Just don’t drink from those sprite bottles 😉
Jen
Thanks Shoham! Having a great time. You guys must visit the Philippines some time! 🙂
Palawan – El Nido and Port Barton – Hey Look It's Jaz
[…] out the surrounding beaches instead. You can read more about this on Daz’s blog post El Nido: Nacpan + Las Cabanas = Awesome. We capped off the great day with a delicious meal (pizza and pasta) at L’Atrove restaurant […]