I've crossed the desert for miles
Swam water for time
Searching places to find
A piece of something to call mine
A piece of something to call mine
Pure Shores, All Saints
Feeling adventurous and all tired out from island hopping, we asked the locals what else there is to do in the town of El Nido. Our friendly boat man and the bartender at Pukka Bar told us about this secret beach the locals call "mini-Boracay" that you can only get to via land in a span of an hour or so. We thought they were referring to the popular "secret" and "hidden" beaches included in one of the tours but apparently, this island is not included in any of the island hopping stops, hence making it virtually unknown to tourists. And because we felt like Leonardo Di Caprio's character on The Beach that day, we set out to find this secret piece of paradise.
After half an hour of riding in a tricycle through rough roads and another half hour of trekking through the mud, I was ready to give up and cry. I cannot count the number of times we had to push our tricycle or dig through the mud to locate our Havaianas. I kept telling our guide the beach had better be worth all the pain and effort.
And man, was it worth it.
Most people think the only beaches El Nido has to offer are located in one of the many islands surrounding the town. Little do they know that this hidden beach the locals call Calingit or mini-Boracay exists unknown by tourists and even most locals find it hard to get to. The shoreline is longer than Boracay's three stations and twice as wide. Literally. We wanted to explore the whole shoreline from end to end but it stretched for miles and miles.
The waves were perfect for splashing around. We were the only ones there, except for a handful of locals who were walking on the far end of the shore.
You can swim naked, do cartwheels, sleep on the shore, and no one will bother you.
Finally, we found our secret island.
He loved it there. Who wouldn't?
A piece of something to call mine.
We were like cast-aways. Good thing our tricycle driver/guide waited for us.
Feeling like an island girl.
bikini by Topshop
He loved those waves. I was too scared.
I asked our guide who owns the only house on the island. He said it belongs to one of the politicians in El Nido. Typical. I hope no one ever discovers this place. This is how I imagine Boracay used to look like when it was still a secret kept by the locals.
After swimming, splashing around, and lying on the shore, we headed back to the town. Of course, the trek back was just as hard, even harder. We pushed and pulled our tricycle, walked barefoot in the mud, slipped a couple of times, and even encountered a couple of pigs and a carabao in the side fields.
Happy? You bet I am. I just discovered my own beach.
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