Palawan Island- El Nido- the amazing beauty of the Philippines

The El Nido area is a 6 hour drive, the last stretch of which is over some very rough road, from the Puerto Princessa airport on Palawan Island, but what you'll discover upon arrival will make more than worth it. 

Tucked away on this mountainous isle is the small, touristy town of El Nido. The rock formations here are similar to those found in one of my favorite spots in the world, Krabi, Thailand, and while perhaps not quite as spectacular, the water here is cleaner, lighter, and more transparent.
The main economic staple- definitely tourism, and rates compared to other tropical paradises such as Hawaii or Tahiti are incredibly cheap.
Not too far from town, are beaches of unbelievable beauty, only much less crowded and built up. I spent an afternoon by myself, swimming and playing in the surf, then meditating on the beach, opening my eyes every so often to appreciate the exquisiteness around me.
There is little to do here besides water activities, but it's tremendously fun to sail away with a group to the surrounding islands, snorkeling at each stop.
Below you'll find photos of such an expedition. If you know of a prettier place on the planet, leave a comment and let me know where.

maybe my white shirt reflects light creating the halo-
that's the sciency explanation at least

clown fish, underwater I believe :)

them there rock formations- a lot like Krabi

Are we clear?

Crystal! 

a little slice of paradise

look how clean the water is

amazing beauty!

if you can show me a prettier place on earth, I'd love to visit- leave a comment!

This concludes my three month trek for the summer of 2014, til next time, happy travels and may you live in a state of joy, excitement, and gratitude!