Because it was the ultimate highlight of my trip, I thought I’d write a brief & delayed blog post on my sailing excursion with Tao Expeditions that took me from El Nido, Palawan, Philippines north to Coron. I spent several days hanging in El Nido prior to the voyage & enjoyed the tiny secluded town, snorkeled & kayaked the incredible surrounding islands & hit up Nacpan Beach, justifiably rated one of the top beaches in the world as it has no accommodations & requires a lengthy difficult trek to enjoy. I did my last diving of the trip in Coron including some incredible WWII wreck dives. But the real highlight here was the week long sailing trip. It began in El Nido, difficult to reach & minimally visited & then we really went off the grid, not seeing another boat the entire trip. We’d sail all day with stops for delicious meals (graciously cooked by the amazing crew), incredible snorkeling & gorgeous beaches, finally stopping each day around 4-5pm on an empty remote island where we’d “glam camp” in huts on the beach with mattress pads & mosquito nets & enjoy some drinks with a meal of freshly caught fish (or maybe a slaughtered pig). Overall just an incredible experience as the scenery was unmatched but so was the entertaining crew of 11 & the friendly 20 passengers. It’s something I intend to do again. In a heartbeat.
The boat is new in the last 2 years but modeled after old Filipino boats. It felt like a pirate ship in a good way.The crew of 11 included a bunch of fun young guys who were wild – nicknamed the lost boys bc they were essentially raised by the company as they were hyper active kids that proved to be too difficult for their parents. They were such incredibly hard workers & very helpful, but boy did they know how to have fun & let loose. Their infectious laughter & constant shenanigans made it impossible to not have a blast.
We stayed on this beach night one. We’d jump off the boat & snorkel in through phenomenal coral (saw turles, rays, etc.) while the crew would bring our dry bags, food, bedding, etc. to shore on kayaks. Full service. There really was a rainbow after an hour long storm.
This was one of my fave spots. Tiny island with a stunning beach that just disappears into the water. Prettiest place I’ve ever seen. And we had it all to ourselves.
Stern of the boat held the kitchen. It was real fun to sit back & watch the chef cook these ridiculous dishes with the bare basics. They also had fishing poles to cast off the back. Passengers never caught a thing. The crew just had that good luck. An example of the beach huts.A lunch spread. They fed us real well. Every meal included white rice, or “Filipino Power” as the lost boys termed it.This cute little guy surprised me in the shower the night before. I may have grown up in Iowa but this was the first time I showered with a pig. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to the passengers, this guy’s days were numbered as he surprisingly joined us on the boat after his nap, met his fate & was the guest of honor at the night’s BBQ. It was a little intense but a key part of Filipino culture & the chef & chef’s assistant took great care with him.
As many know, after returning from SE Asia in June, I’ve spent a lazy summer/fall enjoying Cubs games & my boat in Chicago, visiting with family & friends, taking the occasional road trip & certainly enjoying my mid-life retirement to its fullest. My travels to SE Asia certainly did not satisfy my wanderlust; rather, it’s more heightened than ever. So after I watch my Cubs win the World Series (knock on a big freakin piece of wood), I’m taking off to Cuba for nearly a month to beat the invasion of American tourists & then most likely South America come January.
I enjoyed the travel blog experience primarily as I now have a permanent record of my SE Asia memories. I’ve continued receiving follow requests & since I don’t think I’ve written anything too risque (purposefully perhaps?), I’m going to set aside my social media unease & make this thing public (there may be other motives as well as I look to legally travel to Cuba).
amusemusings 
