Journey 03 · Philippines
Boats, Lagoons, Grilled Fish
Palawan island-hopping
Published 17 Jul 2026 · Travelled 23 May – 3 Jun 2026
- 8 moments
- 12 days
- 427 km
- Spring
- Philippines
- Pixel 9 Pro · main · dry bag within reach
- 11.1800° N, 119.3910° E
- El Nido beach
- 08:15
- 30°C, bright, flat sea
There is no jetty; there is a crewman named Jun-Jun holding your dry bag over his head while you wade to the ladder. The bangka's bamboo outriggers spread like water-strider legs. By day three I could board with the shameless efficiency of a local auntie, which Jun-Jun rated 'okay na okay'.
- Pixel 9 Pro · ultrawide, shot from the bow
- 11.1735° N, 119.3167° E
- Big Lagoon, El Nido
- 10:05
- 31°C, sun, green water
The boat slides between two karst walls and the water turns that green that makes everyone stop mid-sentence. The crew cut the engine and the loudest thing left was a kayak paddle. Limestone straight up on both sides, warm water underneath — I floated on my back in the middle of it and let the phone stay in the bag for once.
- Pixel 9 Pro · main, greasy thumb, worth it
- 11.1900° N, 119.3500° E
- Off Shimizu Island
- 12:30
- 32°C
Lunch was laid out down the middle of the boat on banana leaves: rice, grilled fish still hissing, liempo, mango, sawsawan of soy-calamansi-chilli mixed to each person's argument. No plates, no forks, everyone's hands in, the boat rocking gently like it approved. Best restaurant in the Philippines; seats eleven; reservations impossible.
Overheard · Between islands, Bacuit Bay · 14:20
"Ma'am chef, this beach is number one. The one this morning was also number one. In Palawan we have many number one."
- Pixel 9 Pro · main
- 11.9812° N, 120.2027° E
- Kayangan Lake, Coron
- 09:40
- 31°C, humid, blue
Three hundred steps over the ridge and down, single file, everyone breathing like accordions, and then Kayangan Lake opens below — fresh water over drowned karst, clear to an unreasonable depth. The viewpoint on the way up is the most photographed spot in Coron and the lake itself is still better. Swim first, photograph after; the order matters.
The plate · Coron town · 19:10 · 29°C
Sisig, the sizzling argument
Back in town, a cast-iron plate arrives still shouting, pork sisig with calamansi and a raw egg you stir through fast before the heat sets it. Crispy edges, soft middle, chilli where it counts. The Kapampangans invented this and the whole country said thank you and put it everywhere, including this island, thankfully.
- Pixel 9 Pro · main
- 10.4803° N, 119.2233° E
- Port Barton
- 16:50
- 30°C, soft afternoon
Halfway down the coast there's a village where the sand streets run under the palms and the fastest thing moving is a bicycle with a surfboard. Electricity keeps its own hours. I ate silog breakfasts, learned the sari-sari store's dog by name, and did absolutely nothing of note for two days. Highly recommended, all of it.
- Corong Corong beach, El Nido
- 18:20
- 29°C, clear, gold to red
- Last frame
The bay faces west, so every evening the anchored bangkas turn to silhouettes in order, like a shadow-puppet show about boats. I bought grilled squid on a stick from the last cart and watched the sun go. Twelve days, thirteen islands, seven whole fish. Hanoi will want the full report and the full report is: yes.
- Pixel 9 Pro · main · squid in other hand
- 11.1660° N, 119.3890° E
The route
8 stops
Journey completed
Twelve days, eight stories
- Distance walked
- 43 km
- Frames exposed
- 2700
- Islands stepped on
- 13
- Grilled fish, whole, personal
- 7
- Times the phone went swimming in the dry bag
- daily
- Favourite moment
- The crew cutting the engine inside Big Lagoon and the sound just... stopping
- Best food
- Kamayan lunch on the boat — grilled liempo and fish on banana leaves, eaten with hands, standing, in a swimsuit
