Finding myself in El Nido

MANILA, Philippines - The municipality of El Nido, located at the northwestern part of Palawan, has a sneaky way of showing its grandeur — it knows exactly how to pattern itself after the climate. Because even if my sundress is already feeling the weather’s betrayal, the torment of rain — pouring down the Island Transvoyager Inc. terminal from where we left less than an hour before — is becoming like a fleeting memory. It is slowly but surely being replaced by the view of the very serene Bacuit Bay, of islands whitewashed by the clouds hovering over them. The scene looks like a traditional Japanese painting, complete with the standard giant island blocks, and of birds gliding across the horizon, so simple yet so perfect.

Arriving at Miniloc Island Resort after a 45-minute boat ride, I think that the welcoming party starts and ends with the resort’s staffers who cheerfully serenade incoming guests. But a Palawan hornbill sitting atop a tree and a reef egret that swiftly darts for a fish on the house reef prove otherwise. Originally intended as a diving site and has been operating since 1981, El Nido Resort now consists of two island resorts –– Miniloc and Lagen Island Resort –– that have 100 rooms in total.

And as I stare from the balcony of my room at the line at which the heavens and the bay spell romance, I discover that staying in an El Nido Resort is a battlefield of sorts — a struggle to be still and immerse one’s self in the scenery, the forest scent, and the calming sound of the waves. The original thesis of this composition is just that: simplicity. Looking at the intricately designed interiors of my room doesn’t help, either. A cool and chilly ambience leaves you satisfied enough to stay indoors.

But this love affair is fickle and often betrayed by the call of the wild. El Nido Resorts, after all, has over 20 water activities that include kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving. And I, a self-proclaimed water enthusiast who doesn’t even know how to swim in deep water, cannot resist the temptation, and so I quickly find myself fitting into snorkeling gear and introducing myself to El Nido’s marine inhabitants.

Feeling like a prey with a huge snake slithering upon me, I see myself surrounded by a myriad of matang baka (Ox-eye scad) when I first enter the water. There are countless matang bakas swimming so closely together that they form a silver and black giant outline, a blatant wall contrast against the bluegreen water of Bacuit Bay. Moreover, every turn of my head is greeted by the sight of other water creatures — Giant Trevallies on the left and a blue starfish when you look down.

And just when I am starting to think that my visual bliss is sated through snorkeling, I am completely transported to another world when I try introductory scuba diving. Wearing what I called DartVader mask, I feel like a grade school student on a field-trip to Water World, pointing excitedly at every reef and creature. The only difference is that I am the diver in the giant aquarium, interacting closely with the different organisms.

My inner childhood is brought out, too, when I see an orange clownfish peeking from an anemone. A clownfish is a tiny fish, some are not even bigger than my own fist. But while in the audience of this tiny creature, I feel so small. The stare it gives me when I come close enough for it to feel threatened is so vicious that it brings chills. I learn from our tour guide that a clownfish and an anemone have a special symbiotic relationship. Anemones are poisonous to other larger fish but not to the tiny clownfish, making the anemone a perfect abode for clownfish; in return, clownfish protects and guards the anemone, not to mention staring defensively at curious divers like me.

And this special bond is perhaps the very notion that El Nido Resorts abides by — to protect its dwelling from damages brought by careless exploitation of Mother Nature for profit. A Green Hotel Recognition awardee at the ASEAN Tourism Forum held in Bangkok last January, the resort company prides itself with its active participation and campaign for a greener environment. From participating in El Nido Foundation’s Coral Reef Restoration to its Be Green (Guard, Respect, Educate El Nido) environmental practices, El Nido Resorts make sure that the beauty of El Nido stays well-preserved, even for the residents of this lovely town, for local and international tourists alike, new or frequent visitors, and for that little clownfish peeking from its anemone.

(For more information, visit www.elnidoresorts.com)