Heading off to Miniloc Island’s Small Lagoon
Remember those gorgeous desktop wall papers or those java applets with crystal clear moving waters on WebPages with ridiculously beautiful looking beaches or scenery that led you asking yourself whether this place is real? Well, El Nido Palawan is like stepping straight into that screen and seeing it all for real with your bare naked eyes. Island hopping in Bacuit Bay showed us that Miniloc Island, the first island we’ll visit is just the tip of the iceberg and it keeps getting better.
A boat docked near the lagoon entrance
Miniloc Island is at the heart of Bacuit Bay and as we go deeper, I can’t help but remember Halong bay in Vietnam. The morning light cast numerous outlines and gradients of the islands on the horizon. El Nido only has 45 islands in Bacuit Bay in contrast to Halong Bay’s more than 2000 but our ocean waters are far more stunning than the later.
The Small Lagoon entrance
The boat ride to Miniloc Island took only around 20 minutes. We anchored on shallow water inside a limestone cove. Our guide Felix pointed to a small crack on a limestone wall and said it was the entrance to the Small Lagoon. We got ourselves ready and jumped into the water and began making our way to the crack entrance.
Melo, Ironwulf, Nina, Marc and Gail at the Small Lagoon
The water was deeper at the crack entrance but once inside it was only waist deep. I was curious as to what those bubbly viscous liquid over the water was that seemed to be scattered all over. Felix told us that it was from the heat. When the water is low it comes out from the ground. We saw a couple of foreigners on a kayak fumbling helplessly on their way out of the crack. It’s clear these people haven’t kayak before that they easily lose control of their kayak and kept hitting the rock walls.
At the 30meters drop swim to the cave
I thought the small lagoon was just that until Felix lead us to the deeper part of the lagoon. It may be small but it was deep. Around 30meters he say and I get jitters swimming on waters that deep. I usually imagine creatures grabbing me from below. He told us a foreigner already died there.
View inside the cave at the Small Lagoon
There is a small cave at the end of the lagoon with waters flowing through. I went inside and there was a small skylight illuminating the interiors. There were fishes as well that seemed to have lived there for some time that they already had a case of albinism and remain motionless in the waters.
Felix carefully watching the path
It’s a good thing we came here earlier as a good number of foreigners and boats started coming in. As soon as the small lagoon got a bit crowded, we headed out and made our way to the Big Lagoon about 10 minutes away. Our light and moderate sized boat carefully traversed the narrow channel leading to the Big Lagoon. Felix took the helm of the boat and carefully led the way. I could see it was also treacherous with the shallow water and rocks clearly seen at the transparent waters.
Water gradients at Big Lagoon
Going through the channel led by walls of limestones on each side, I knew we would be treated to something special. And as soon as we saw the waters graduate from crystal white to aquamarine and ending to a wider vista of deep blue waters and limestones on the horizon. We couldn’t help ourselves but exclaim “wow” in unconscious unison. We only toured around the lagoon but we were contented. Nina let her feet hang loose on the side of the boat feeling the gentle of pat the waves on her feet while I enjoy the sun and the view at the front of the boat. We each had our moments basking in the natural beauty of the lagoon.
Nina of Justwandering.org enjoying the waters patting on her feet
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this part of palawan specifically of el nido that i like to visit. i like passing by small channels of limestones. few more months before our trip there. excited na lalo.
These scenes are really excellent, magnified by the excellent photos. Hindi ka natakot na baka mabasa ang camera?
I’m excited for you Dom! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this place
Thansk Nids! I’m using a different camera here with an underwater casing so I wasn’t afreaid to take it with me on water.
I haven’t seen any sights in PI. But if I have only one choice of place to visit it would be this. It’s truly a paradise. Is this very crowded?
Hi Photo Cache! Hands down one of my favorite places now in the PI. It has some crowd but a lot less crowded like say Boracay
wow! what a gorgeous place. wish i could bring my family there someday.
BEAUTIFUL ! Great images as usual !
Thanks Docgelo and Sidney
This is one of the Philippine sights I’m truly proud of. An earlier Lonely Planet edition even proclaimed this better than Thailand’s Krabi and Vietnam’s Halong Bay.
looking at your images reminds me of the time i visited this place, it is indeed one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines
Hi Nomadic Pinoy! I haven’t been to Krabi but I know our beaches and waters are far better than the ones in Halong Bay!
Am glad to hear that the images brought back memories Clare. It became one of my favorite places now
[...] around Bacuit Bay numerous times before, we only went to a few must-see places. First stop was the Big Lagoon in Miniloc [...]
walang kakupas kupas pa rin ferdz. we hope that you would have your workshop/ photography tour here in Bukidnon someday or in Northern Mindanao. One of my dream places, Palawan and Romblon.
[...] around Bacuit Bay numerous times before, we only went to a few must-see places. First stop was the Big Lagoon in Miniloc [...]