We just got back from three days in Lagen, El Nido. This was a family vacation, a gift from my parents. It was one of those rare vacations in which the family, i.e. my parents and their children, were complete.
If you've never been to El Nido before, it's one of those places you must add to your bucket list, or the 100 places you must see before you die. The scenery is dramatic--limestone cliffs that fall straight in to the sea. The wildlife is almost alarmingly close by--swallows darting in and out of the dining room, monitor lizards by the pool, hornbills on treetops over your cottage, and, my favorite, the hateful clownfishes ready to attack unsuspecting divers. And the resort? One of the best in the world: small (capacity of about 100 people), intimate, first-rate rooms, first-rate food, and the very best in Filipino hospitality.
The characteristic of the El Nido resorts that is either a plus or a minus, depending on how you like your vacations, is that it is remote. You fly by chartered plane to El Nido and then take a 45-minute boat ride to the resort. While in the resort, the range of activities is limited to hiking, bird watching, watersports, island hopping, sleeping, spa-ing, and eating. There's no clubbing. You can't go shopping. I know of people whose sentiment is that "after five minutes, beautiful gets old--I want action!" These people will not be happy in Lagen.
But we were happy. Three days was about the right amount of time. We were able to dive three times, gaping at schools of yellow snappers and jacks. We took long meals, over long, inconsequential chats. We sat by the pool at dusk, looking out for hornbills and monitor lizards while sipping margaritas, pina coladas, and beers. And, yeah, some of us worked.
If you're looking for a place to get away from it all (most of it, anyway), without compromising comfort or connectivity, consider El Nido. I would go back.
