Miniloc is a private, secluded island located along Bacuit Bay, about 30-minutes by speedboat off the western coast of El Nido.
El Nido Resorts Miniloc comprises the area occupying the middle eastern coast of Miniloc Island.
Getting to the island from Manila involves taking a direct flight to Lio Airport in El Nido, followed by a brief 10-minute land transfer to the Lio Jetty (wharf), and finally a 30-45 minute boat ride to Miniloc Island, depending on the tide and weather conditions.
The resort organizes all these transfers effortlessly for its guests. Prior arrangements with the resort reception include downloading a copy of their pre-departure document, which is a list of things that guests need to be aware of.
As per the details of our e-ticket, our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:30am, so we all agreed to meet at the airport by 5:00.
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| 5:12am. Baggage check at the airport. My brother Roland, my daughters Kristina and Janice, and me. |
After checking in our luggage and obtaining our boarding passes, we were guided to the AirSwift passenger lounge that was exclusive to El Nido Resorts guests. The lounge was surprisingly cozy and welcoming, with complimentary coffee and light snacks for its travelers.
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| 5:29am. At the AirSwift passenger lounge. |
Shortly after, we were led to a shuttle that would transport us from the terminal to the AirSwift boarding area.
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| 6:01am. Onboard the shuttle heading to our plane’s boarding area. |
After passing by a nearby terminal to pick up more passengers bound for El Nido, our shuttle finally reached the tarmac where we would board our aircraft.
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| 6:11am. Arrival at the boarding area. |
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| 6:11am. Boarding. |
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| 6:15am. Waiting for takeoff. |
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| 6:31am. The view from my window just after takeoff. |
About an hour and twenty minutes later, our aircraft began its gradual descent, and I could now spot some islands of the Bacuit Archipelago scattered across the bay.
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| 7:50am. The view from my window minutes before landing. |
Not long after, we finally touched down at Lio Airport.
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| 7:52am. Touch down at Lio Airport. |
It was raining that September morning when we arrived, as we traveled during the monsoon season. While summer might be the ideal time to experience Miniloc, the downside is that peak season tends to attract larger crowds.
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| 8:01am. Deplaning on a moody Friday morning. |
At the terminal, we were welcomed by staff from the resort, who also assisted in checking out our luggage. Moments later, we were escorted to a shuttle that will take us to our next stop.
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| 8:07am. Our ride to the jetty waiting area. |
From Lio Airport, we were driven to a designated waiting area close to the jetty, where we would be boarding a speedboat that will ferry us to the island.
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| 8:08am. On our way to the jetty waiting area. |
Upon arriving at the waiting station, we were greeted with complimentary Filipino-themed light snacks.
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| 8:17am. Arrival at the jetty waiting lounge. |
And like the AirSwift lounge at the airport in Manila, it was clean and cozy, yet more refreshing as it was designed with open spaces.
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| 8:19am. My two daughters and their friend, Chrisma. |
During this time, the weather was slowly worsening, so we were advised to stay at the station a bit longer for our safety, perhaps to wait for the rain to cease or at least to subside.
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| 8:38am. Still at the waiting station, together with other resort guests. |
After about fifteen more minutes, we were finally guided to the wharf to board our boat.
As we set out for the island, the sky remained overcast with a gentle drizzle, but the weather seemed okay enough to travel.
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| 9:12am. Our ride to Miniloc. |
We were instructed to don raincoats over our life vests, though, to keep us dry in case the wind conditions change unfavorably.
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| 9:14am. Raincoat over life vests on our ride to Miniloc. |
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| 9:14am. Smiling and wishful thinking they would let me keep this raincoat. |
And change it did, as we ventured farther out into the open sea. The wind began to intensify and the rain started to drench us from every direction.
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| 9:22am. Fog, mist, and an intense cloudburst greeted us as we headed out into the open sea. |
This condition persisted for a while, transforming this ride to the island into an unforeseen adventure by itself.
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| 9:38am. The ride to the island became an adventure in itself. |
At some point, the rain began to gradually ease off into a light drizzle, but the sky remained gloomy as we neared our destination.
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| 9:42am. Our guide informs us that we will reach Miniloc soon. |
Eventually, our spontaneous sea adventure finally came to an end, as the vessel docked in a location where we could now see our destination ahead. We would then be transferred to smaller motor launches that would ferry us to the shore.
Feeling a sense of relief after the challenging experience, guests eagerly queue for our final stop.
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| 9:54am. Finally, off to our destination |
The rain hasn’t stopped and the waves were a bit aggressive, yet I found solace in the fact that we had at last arrived at what would be our home for a few days.
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| 9:56am. Being among the last to get off, I took the opportunity to capture the moments. |
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| 10:06am. The view as our ferry approached the resort. Hello Miniloc! |