LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

El Nido is a municipality lcoated at Northwestern tip of the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is about 430 kilometers southwest of Manila, and about 238 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princessa, Palawan's capital. El Nido is bordered by the Linapacan Strait in the north, the Sulu in the east ant South China Sea in the west

El Nido is named after the edible nests of Swiftlets (Collocalia Fuciphaga) found in the crevices of its limestone cliffs. These nests "nido" in Spanish, are the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup.

El Nido is considered as a showcase of Palawan's geology and diverse wildlife. Its majestic limestone cliffs stand guard over clear waters, with hundreds of species of tropical fishes and corals, and three species of endangered sea turtles. El Nido's forests are host to more than 100 species of birds, a large number of which are endemic to Palawan

Being one of the most important sites of biological diversity in the country, the Philippine government elevated the status of El Nido from a marine reserve to a protected area

TECTONIC ORIGIN

The limestone cliffs of El Nido were formed 250 million years ago when layers of coral deposits were thrust up from the bottom of a shallow sea in the area that North Vietnam and South China now occupy. 

Palawan is a part of the Eurasian Plate, which is entirely separate plate from the Philippine Mobile belt, where the rest of the country belongs. A proof of this is the fact that Palawan has no active volcanoes, unlike the rest of the Philippine Archipelago. Another is that limestone cliffs similar to those in Palawan can be found in Ha Long Bay in Vietnam and Guilin in China, countries which are part of the Eurasian Plate. It is estimated that Palawan was detached from the Southern China 30 million years ago and finally linked up with the rest of the Philippines some 15 million years ago

MARINE LIFE SANCTUARY

At El Nido thrives one of the country's richest reserves of marine life. El Nido's clear waters are home to hundreds of species of marine life, from the smallest nudibranchs to the gentle whale sharks that have been spotted in its waters. The entire Caribbean has only 50 species of corals while El Nido has an estimate of 100 species

El Nido is likewise the nesting are of three species of endangered se turtles : the Hawksbill, Green Sea, and Olive Ridley. Eight varieties of sea grasses have been identified in these waters, some of which are the kind dugongs (sea cows) feed on. Around the bay, sightings of dolphins, whales, whale sharks and manta rays have also been recorded.

The El Nido Resorts occupy two of the four islands where tourism development allowed. Located in Lagen Island and Miniloc Island, the El Nido Resorts provide fast and convenient access to the many interesting and unique facets of El Nido.  Snorkeling areas, dive sites, lagoons, secluded beaches and picnic sites are all within easy reach of the resorts

Having been operating in El Nido since 1981, the El Nido Resorts have gained extensive knowledge of the area. From this knowledge and experience evolved a distinct quality of service that allows guests to have an enriching holiday 

A DIVERSE DESTINATION - ENCHANTING ISLANDS

El Nido is composed of 45 islands and islets, each with its own unique features. Most of the islands in El Nido have pockets of fine white sand beaches and coves perfect for sunbathing and picnic lunches. Within some of the island of El Nido are ancient caves with fascinating dripstone formations formed by millions of years of weathering action by rain water trickling into crevices and cavities, hallowing out large portions of the emergent limestone layer. In other islands, stretches of limestone walls conceal a world of calm lagoons. At Miniloc Island, the Big and Small Lagoon's varied depths present different shades of blue and green

NATURAL TREASURE COVE
The wildlife of Palawan draws its origins from Borneo, to which Palawan was still connected by land bridges about 20,000 years ago. When the water level rose, the wildlife that crossed over from Borneo evolved into Palawan's very own such as the Palawan Bear Cat, the Stink Badger, and the Palawan Tree Shrew.

At least hundred of species of birds have been documented in El Nido, a number of which are endemic to Palawan. These include Palawan Hornbill, the Palawan Shama, the Palawan Tit, and the Palawan Peackok Pheasant.

El Nido boasts to thick forests with trees of majestic height and whose roots are often taller than a full-grown man. The rich tropical forest is also a source of local materials, like a palm leaf called "nipa", which is used as roofing for houses, and the roofs of trees, sometimes used as rudder for the local outrigger boat or banca.

Interesting to find throughout El Nido are plants that grow between the cracks and crevices of limestone cliffs, able to survive harsh conditions of little water and limited soil, occasional saltwater sprays and exposure to direct sunlight.

Lush mangrove forests are found in certain areas of El Nido. Mangroves have dynamic ecosystems which constitute the prefect sanctuary for birds, fishes and hundred of other life forms.

ACCESS TO EL NIDO

ISLAND TRANSVOYAGER, INC. ITI engages in air taxi and air charter operations utilizing two German-made 19-seater Dornier 228-212 aircraft. We have an aircraft maintenance hangar and an exclusive passenger lounge. ITI operates a private airport at El Nido, Palawan and is the air service provider for the El Nido resorts guests. We also serve the local community in El Nido. ITI is committed in helping protect the environment and conserve the natural resources and beauty of the El Nido area.

ITI is located at the A. Soriano Hangar at the corner of Lima Road and Andrews Avenue, Domestic Airport, Pasay City, Philippines.  More details here
 

South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) is a pioneer in Philippine aviation. Since 1995, we have been bringing you to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Consistency, quality and reliability characterize SEAIR’s operations • Awarded as the “Best Airline of the Year” for two consecutive years (2002 and 2003) by the Philippines’ largest Consumers Excellence Award • Serves a total of 18 sectors nationwide • Employs over 350 people ready to provide excellent service to our passengers • Our fleet is made up of 4 Dornier 328 and 7 LET 410 UVP-E aircraft for use in scheduled and chartered flights.  Download Southeast Asian Corporate Profile here