Paradise islands
and whale sharks
Philippines
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The Philippines is a paradise. Close your eyes and imagine amazingly beautiful islands with lagoons that you can see from the ocean side, white sand beaches, coconut palms and incomparable coral reefs. Feel like the hero of the novel "The Beach" on the islands of El Nido and Coron, walk through the Chocolate Hills and swim next to the largest fish on Earth - whale sharks, which reach a length of 12 meters!
The Republic of the Philippines owns more than seven and a half thousand islands, and about five thousand of them do not have permanent residents or even names! At one time, Magellan, visiting these islands for the first time, declared that if there is a paradise on Earth, then it is here! So he remained here, in Paradise, lying on the island of Cebu, having died at the hands of a Filipino leader. But do not worry: Filipinos today are very welcoming and friendly. We will also start our acquaintance with the country from the island of Cebu, because there is not much to do in the capital. Moreover, those who want to see the most densely populated city in the world will be able to do so after the end of our expedition.
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Just imagine, you and I are on the island of Cebu swimming next to 5-8 meter whale sharks, the largest of modern fish! Right here, we will learn what canyoning is, take a ferry to the island of Bohol, where we will walk among the picturesque chocolate hills, and also see the unique ghosts of the jungle - long-tailed deer.
However, the most interesting adventures await us on the uninhabited and uninhabited islands near El Nido. Yes, there you will find yourself in a real tropical paradise! The El Nido archipelago consists of 40 islands and is rightfully the true pearl of the Philippines! It was after the writer Alex Garland saw these places that he gave birth to the idea to write the book "The Beach".
Imagine lagoons that you cannot see from the sea due to the curved ridge of high cliffs, beaches with snow-white sand and coral reefs that have never suffered from fishing nets. On the islands, covered with three-tiered tents of leaves and virgin plants, birds with fancy plumage flutter and monkeys play in the trees.
Among this beauty, through the most beautiful islands and lagoons, we will travel by boat for three days. We will meet beautiful sunrises and sunsets, during the day we will swim with turtles and bright fish, and at night - under the light of the moon! And at the end of the expedition, stunning places, snorkeling, lagoons and lakes with the clearest water await us not far from the shores of Coron Island.
At the end of our trip, even if you fly to Boracay Island for a couple of days to relax, which is among the top 10 best beaches in the world, there will be nothing to surprise you!
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ROUTE PLAN
IN THE COST OF EXPEDITIONIT INCLUDES:
*two domestic flights, sea ferries between the islands of Cebu-Bohol and Palawan-Coron;
*accommodation in 3-4 star hotels;
*all transfers specified in the program;
*boat rental; boats;
*food specified in the program;
*permits and permissions by route;
*entrance tickets to the territory of reserves and private sanctuaries;
*snorkeling with whale sharks;
*canyoning;
*services of local guides, according to the program;
*the services of an expedition leader of the Paganel Studio team
EXPEDITION COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
*flight to the Philippines (arrival at Cebu airport, departure from Manila airport);
*visa; medical insurance;
*meals not specified in the program;
*additional activities and excursions;
*tips to local guides $50 per person;
VISA:
Price for citizens of Ukraine - 40 usd (independent submission)
Peculiarities of obtaining: filing through agents in Kyiv or independently
Other nationalities that do NOT require visas: Kazakhstan, USA, EU, Israel
Other nationalities that require visas: Moldova
ITINERARY
Day 1
07.03.2024
Arrival in Cebu Island. Meeting of expedition participants at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Hotel accommodation, free time, rest.
Day 2
8.03.2024
Today we will set out on an adventure from the port of Cebu by ferry to the neighboring island of Bohol. There, a trip around the island awaits us, more precisely to the incredible natural formation - the Chocolate Hills (Bohol Chocolate Hills).
On the plateau of the island, on an area of 50 square km, there are 1268 hills covered with grassy vegetation. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that they have a regular conical shape with a large angle of slopes, and, despite the fact that they are composed of limestone, there are no karst caves inside them.
The hills are called chocolate hills because of their brown-chocolate color in the spring, as well as their unusual shape, which makes them resemble a giant truffle. Locals say that these are the tears of the giant Arogo, who fell in love with a simple mortal girl named Aloya. After her death, Arogo cried for a long time, his tears, falling to the ground, turned into hills.
After the observation deck and a walk near the Chocolate Hills, we will go to one more, now tiny wonder - the long-heeled oskas. These are very rare nocturnal animals, and the first thing that attracts attention and is so touching in their appearance is their huge wings, like those of owls, but their feet are like those of geckos, their tails are like those of rats, plus to all this - the tiny body of a lemur. The weight of these babies is only 100-150 grams. Surprisingly, the eyes of the long-tailed deer are larger than the brains of these animals.
One can say, for such proportions, a person's eyes should be the size of a large apple! At night, tarsiers are active, descending from trees to collect insects for food. And during the day they sleep, occasionally waking up from the noise created by visitors, not just opening, but staring out their huge, kind eyes. After getting acquainted with the eye-shaped spirits of the forest, we will return to the island of Cebu by ferry. (Meals: breakfast and lunch are included).
Day 3
09.03.2024
An explosion of emotions and an extreme day await us today! First, you and I go snorkeling for whale sharks in the small village of Tan-Avan near Oslob. The whale shark swims quite slowly, near the surface of the water, usually no faster than 5 km/h, and does not pose any danger to humans. And the most important thing, the whale shark is completely indifferent to divers
Now judge for yourself: according to some data, there are no more than 5-10 thousand whale sharks left on Earth! If this information is true, then the whale shark is one of the rarest fish and is on the verge of extinction! Therefore, you will remember snorkeling with whale sharks as the most vivid adventure in the Philippines.
After snorkeling, another adventure awaits us: canyoning at Kawasan falls. You and I will make our way along a tropical mountain gorge along a river brook with turquoise water and many waterfalls, into which we will often have to jump (if desired).
Therefore, we will pass and swim through 10-12 waterfalls from two to twelve meters high. The descent will take 2 to 3 hours and will end at the foot of Cebu's largest and most famous Kawasan Falls. There we bathe in mountain water, rest and with many emotions closer to the evening we will go back to the hotel. (Meals: breakfast and lunch are included).
Day 4
10.03.2024
Breakfast, then transfer to the airport and departure via Manila to the island of Palawan. Arrival in Puerto Princesa and quick transfer to the hotel. Vacation. (Food: breakfast included)
Day 5
11.03.2024
Today we are going on a journey through the unique underground river of Puerto Princesa, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It flows in a cave on the island of Palawan and it is considered the largest underground river in the world. The walls and ceiling of the cave widen as it moves away from the mouth of the river, reaching 80 meters in height and up to 140 meters in width. Inside the cave, karst outgrowths form whimsical figures on the walls, differing in shape and size.
The length of the underground river is about eight kilometers. However, tourists can take a way of only one and a half kilometers inside the cave, due to narrow passages, access to distant corridors that go to the right and left of the main river is quite difficult. In addition, there is a lack of oxygen in the depths of the cave. Such cave labyrinths are the perfect place to observe bats hanging overhead throughout the journey, as well as the famous stalactites. After returning with many emotions from the cave and swimming in the underground river, you and I will go to the town of El Nido and on the way we will visit the local residents to get to know their way of life and traditions. In the evening, a hotel and well-deserved rest await us in El Nido. (Food: breakfast included)
Day 6
12.03.2024
Today we begin our adventures in Bakuit Bay. Get ready to experience the adventures of the heroes of the book "The Beach", only we will have this experience in reality!
Early in the morning, we will go to the beautiful Miniloc Island, where we will visit two hidden lagoons, Small Lagoon and Big Lagoon. Here we will climb into the cave, dive near the steep rocks; make our way to the Tunnel of Love. Then we will visit the Secret Lagoon, to which the entrance leads through a cave that opens at low tide.
Finally, we will rest and swim at Shimizu Island, where we will have lunch and time for the best snorkeling today. Closer to the evening, we will go to Seven Commando Beach on the island of Palawan, where we will swim again. Return to the hotel, rest. (Meals: breakfast and lunch included)
Day 7
13.03.2024
In the morning, we will head to Hidden Beach. Here you can snorkel or enjoy the beauty of a lost tropical paradise.
Then we will pass by Matinloc Island, enjoy the beautiful scenery and swim next to an incredible coral wall.
After that, we will visit another secret beach, Secret Beach. To do this, we will have to wait for low tide and prop ourselves up in the grotto. There, behind the stonewall, a completely different world will open up to us. A world of beauty and harmony. After that, we will have lunch on the boat and return to El Nido. On the way, we will stop at Dilumacad Island, also called Helicopter Island. This is where we finally dig in. Return to the hotel, rest, relaxation. (Meals: breakfast and lunch included)
Day 8
14.03.2024
In the morning, a transfer to the port of El Nido awaits us. We say goodbye to the wonderful world of paradise islands and go by sea ferry to another wonderful world with turquoise water and white beaches, to the island of Corón (Isla de Corón).
We are waiting for a walk to the central market, a hot spring and an easy trek to the top of the hill with a picturesque observation deck, return to the hotel, rest. (Food: breakfast included)
Day 9
15.03.2024
In the morning, we leave for the village of Salvasion, where we have breakfast and after another hour, we go to the town of Macalachao. Then we transfer to a boat and ten minutes later, we land on the island of Calauit. During a boat trip near the mangroves, the guides do not advise you to put your feet in the water, because there are many crocodiles.
You and we will step into a real wildlife reserve, Calauit Island. Its size is 3,700 hectares. In the late seventies, several species of herbivorous African animals were introduced into the park. Here you and I will walk among zebras and famous giraffes, now there are 23 of them, and they love to be fed, for that, they do not mind even taking a selfie with you.
Then transfer by bus will wait for us again, and boats, and landing on one of the two islands. It will either be North Cay with its gorgeous beach and white sand or Pamalican/Maltataioc Island, there is excellent snorkeling in crystal clear water, beautiful corals and colorful fish that live in them. In the evening, return to the hotel on Coron Island.
In the evening, return to the hotel on Coron Island. (Meals: breakfast and lunch included)
Day 10
16.03.2024
Our day today will start from the Port of Coron Island. We will get into the boat and after 15 minutes, we will drop off at Balinsasayaw reef. Here is a very picturesque coral wall; we will meet butterfly fish and clown fish. Then a boat trip to Kayangan Lake awaits us. Amazing: its fresh, crystal-clear water gives incredible visibility. If you swim away from the shore to a place where the depth exceeds 20 meters and the bottomless blue is below you, a strange feeling of peace arises. Here we will do a light trekking to admire the view of the Philippine Islands.
After the photo, we will go down, swim, and snorkel in the water, which is more like an aquarium!
Next, you and we will go to beach 91, where we will have lunch, rest and a siesta. Then we dive and look at the remains of the Japanese warship sunk by the Americans! After that, we will have another snorkeling trip near the Mulvaway Coral Garden.
This is one of the best coral reefs in Corona, if we are lucky we will see moray eels and turtles on the reefs.
Finally, we will visit the amazing Twin Lagoon. These are two lagoons connected by a tunnel in the rock. At low tide, you can swim through the tunnel without diving. At other times, you can dive and swim 5 meters or climb the stairs on one side and descend on the other. If, while swimming, you keep close to the rocks, where there are many beautiful corals, and look down with a mask, you get the feeling that you are hanging over an abyss, because the bottom drops off sharply from the narrow ledge of the rock. After such a busy day, we will return to the hotel, have dinner and rest (Meals: breakfast and lunch are included)
Day 11
17.03.2024
Today we say goodbye to the pearl of the Philippine Islands - Coron Island. In the morning, we will be transferred to the airport and depart for Manila, the capital. Sightseeing tour of Manila, and after lunch return to the airport and flight home. (Food: breakfast included)
Important!
The order of visits to the islands may change slightly due to weather conditions or if some islands and bays are closed (for example, due to filming or protests by local tribal groups. In this case, an alternative replacement will be offered.
We are unique
For many years, we have been traveling the world to our small planet's most remote and unusual places. We do not use the services of domestic travel agencies. The trips we invent and carry out are always unique and have their unique zest, charm, and adventurous spirit.
WHY WITH PAGANEL?
Creation
The first thing that interests us is creativity in everything. During the expeditions, we shoot a lot of videos, take pictures, write stories, draw pictures. If you are interested in a creative approach to life and travel, then WELCOME... we are very happy to meet you!
Interest
By joining our team, you join a kind of club-family, which already consists of several hundred people who are interested in discovering the world with us.
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Since most of the expenses for the organization of the trip are air tickets and travel documents for other types of transport, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. are not refundable in case of your cancellation of the trip. We simply have no way to return it.
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