Photo: Katie Mora
When 2025 started, I knew I needed to get out into the world and leave the comfort of my apartment in Canada. I needed something fresh, exciting and completely different than what I was used to back home. It’s for that reason that I chose to take a leap of faith and travel over 10,000 km to the beautiful country of the Philippines to do Contiki’s Philippines Island Hopping West trip, and it was the best decision I had ever made.
I wanted to highlight my favourite experience on the trip, the jeepney tour. This is an included experience that takes you to three of the most spectacular beaches in El Nido using the Philippines most popular method of transportation. From the white sands of Lio Beach to hiking up to Bulalaco Falls, this day was one I wish I could relive.
Lio Beach and it’s Beauty
Our day started at 9:30 am with an included breakfast before making our way to the Jeepney. It was a fun ride over to our first stop with music courtesy of our amazing trip manager and his Bluetooth speaker. When we arrived at Lio beach, we were greeted with palm trees as far as the eye can see and a pier to walk down where we could watch planes flying in and out of El Nido airport. There were also plenty of spots for coffee, drinks and snacks while going for a swim or sunbathing.
Image source:Katie Mora
Mangos for Lunch
We then hopped back into the jeepney to drive to our second beach stop: Nacpan Beach. This was another gorgeous Filipino beach with turquoise waters, hammocks to rent and fresh fruit smoothies. There were 2 hours spent relaxing and eating an included lunch, where I ate more mangos than I could count. There’s a reason the Philippines is known for this sweet fruit! After days spent running around, having time to lounge on the beach and swim was the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Chasing Waterfalls
After getting a nice tan on the beach (or for me a nice burn), it was time for our third stop to hike up to Bulalacao Falls. The hike was moderate and scenic; we had to walk through shallow rivers and up rocks to the falls. The view was worth the hike; we swam in the falls, jumped off the rocks and ventured even further up to check out a mini sister waterfall. The water was so cool and refreshing, I almost didn’t want to leave this mini paradise. The journey back to the jeepney was bittersweet as we drove off to the final stop on our adventure.
Image source:Katie Mora
Sunset at Las Cabanas
Our one-of-a-kind day trip was not complete without watching the sunset from one of the most stunning beaches in the country, Las Cabanas (otherwise known as Vanilla Beach). After a day of excitement, we were treated to one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen while having a few drinks and dinner. It was the best way to end the most incredible day!
Overall, touring the best of El Nido on a jeepney was an experience I will never forget. I loved each unique stop on this day trip and couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of my time in the Philippines. A special shoutout to my trip manager and local guide who made this trip even more amazing. I could not recommend this trip or visiting this country enough, mabuhay!
