430 kilometers southwest of Manila, in the northern-most tip of mainland Palawan, lies the archipelago of El Nido, one of the most rapidly developing tourist destinations in the Philippines. This 923-square kilometer municipality is remotely situated from the most populous regions of the country. Nonetheless, it is still one of the top picks for both local and foreign tourists.
In fact, El Nido is so popular that Red Bull chose it as the venue for the recently concluded World Cliff Diving Series of 2019, using the slogan “DIVE INTO PARADISE”.
Accessibility
Compared to other tourist spots in the Philippines, El Nido requires quite a bit more effort to get to. The most common way of traveling to El Nido is by taking a 55-minute plane ride from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Palawan’s Puerto Princesa International Airport. Upon arrival you can take a 4.5 to 6-hour van ride to finally get there.
On the other hand, the fastest way to get to El Nido is by flying directly to the island, unfortunately there is only one company that offers just several flights a day, AirSWIFT. It is also, as you guess, the most expensive way of traveling to El Nido. AirSWIFT Transport Inc. or AirSWIFT, formerly known as Island Transvoyager Inc. or ITI Air, is a duly registered Philippine-based airline which had obtained its recognition from the Philippine Civil Aviation Board as both a scheduled and non-scheduled domestic air operator wholly owned by Ayala Land Inc.
Lastly, the longest yet the most unique way of traveling to El Nido is by sea, a ship ride directly to the port of El Nido. This might take quite some time, depending on where you’re coming from. Coming from Manila it will take approximately around 15 hours. A long ride such as this is truly inconvenient for quite a lot of people, but it is for sure, the cheapest and the most enjoyable means of transfer to El Nido.
El Nido People
As far as culture goes, El Nido has one of the most conservative practices in Palawan. Marine knowledge is the most consistent aspect of their culture, it has been passed on from hundreds if not thousands of generations. Communication, travel, and food were all accessed through sea, and everyone used to rely a hundred percent to their ecosystem alone, although eventually, traditional cultures were superseded by modern lifestyles. Regardless, El Nido is still part of a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) biosphere reserve renowned to be a global model of sustainable relationships between man and the natural world.
Geophysical Data
When it comes to safety, the whole province of Palawan is known to be the safest place in the Philippines. The nearest active fault line to El Nido is approximately 220 kilometers away i.e., the Southern Mindoro Fault. There are no existing fault lines under the whole landmass of the province, thus it is renowned to be ‘earthquake-proof’. Despite that, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) says that Being clear from fault lines doesn’t necessarily mean that earthquakes are not a threat. PHIVOLCS says that earthquakes are still considered as a threat as it has the tendency of causing tidal waves.
Data Summary (2015)
Zonal Land Value
If you are planning to buy your own property, there are multiple things to consider. Among the factors that affect property procurement decisions, of course, land value is the most significant for the majority of buyers. In fact, land value is greatly paid attention that it tends to overshadow all the other factors to consider when buying a property. Should that be the case? Of course not! Here’s one of the most underrated factors to consider when acquiring a property, Zonal Value.
Zonal values are set by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), these values vary from one area to another. Zonal values serve as a basis of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, City Assessor’s Office and Register of Deeds in computing the respective taxes due on the property. As either a buyer or a seller, you can use these values to compute for the real estate taxes you will pay upon buying or selling a property. This applies to all properties, foreclosed or otherwise, or even as you own a property in the form of real property taxes (RPT). This is part of due diligence and aims to mitigate just one of the risk of real estate investing, like paying too much for a property by not considering expenses like real estate taxes.
Population of Palawan per Municipality (2015)
Source: Philippine Statistics Office
Annual Tourist Arrival
Source: El Nido Municipal Tourism Office
Annual Regular Income Growth
Source: Bureau of Local Government Finance
Places of Interest
- Lio Beach
Lio is an isolated area in El Nido, it is surrounded by virgin beaches, breathtaking landscapes, and turquoise waters. This Beach is the crown jewel of El Nido in the making. It is currently being revamped by Ayala Land to be an ecologically sustainable tourism destination. Lio will soon be home to eco-hotels, restaurants, and residential communities that will follow world-class standards to preserve the natural beauty of El Nido. The most anticipated development in Lio is the ongoing Lio Eco-tourism Estate project of Ayala Land. It is located beside the only airport that flies directly to El Nido and just 15 minutes away from the main town.
2. Vanilla Beach
Vanilla Beach is on a 5-hectare beachfront property located in Corong Corong, El Nido, Palawan, which in turn is a major tourist destination known for its pristine beaches, water sports, and extraordinary ecological splendor.
3. Nacpan Beach
Nacpan is a 5-kilometer stretch of cream-coloured sand beach. It is said to be the most beautiful beach among all the beaches of El Nido. It is also the most popular destination among foreign tourist visiting Palawan.
4. Miniloc Island
Miniloc island is an Eco-Discovery Island in El Nido. It is the gateway to discover and explore the popular attractions around El Nido, such as the Big and Small Lagoons and Snake Island. One of the most popular island resorts in El Nido is located in Miniloc Island, El Nido Resorts.
5. Big/Small Lagoon
These lagoons are best known for their picturesque entrance that is probably the most photographed backdrop of anyone who have gone to El Nido. The most common activity here is kayaking.
Potential Developments
Hostels and Boutique Hotels
El Nido was just recently reported to be over crowded by the Department of Tourism. The community is rapidly developing as the place just doesn’t run out of tourists every day. Putting up a hostel in El Nido will not only help the community economically, but also environmentally. If done properly and hygienically, Hostels can be one of the keys to sustainable tourism.
Here are some of the most popular hostels and hotels in El Nido
- Hostels • Hotels
Spin Designer Hostel El Nido El Nido Bayview Resort
Happiness Hostel El Nido Mahogany Beach Resort
Frendz Hostel El Nido Matinloc Resort
Laule’a Hostel Cadlao Resort
Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach Buko Beach Resort
Big Paul Hostel The Nest El Nido Beach Resort
Kame House Hostel Seda Lio
Big Mike Hostel Casa Kalaw
Kings Landing Hostel Last Frontier Beach Resort
Pawikan Hostel El Nido El Nido Cove Resort
Restaurants and Fast Food Chains
There is only one fast food chain (McDonald’s) in El Nido and it is still under construction until now. Franchising a different brand of fast food chain would be a great idea.
Hospitals and Clinics
There are several hospitals and clinics within El Nido, but eventually it could not cope-up with the growing number of tourists and local residents in the municipality.
Here are the only medical facilities in El Nido
- Palawan Medical City El Nido
- El Nido Health Center
- El Nido Rural Health Unit
Business Application
When you’re caught up in the excitement of starting a new business, it’s easy to overlook the need for required documents. However, these documents are mandatory, and before you can legally start to operate your business, you need to have all its licenses and permits in place. Moreover, you also need to register with the taxing authorities. Requirements vary by industry and depend on how and where you conduct business.
In El Nido, here are the primary documents that you will need to prepare for your business:
Business Registration
Business registration is the process of incorporating a company under a particular jurisdiction. It is the most important and crucial stage in obtaining a business license. Business registration is a necessary legal act that must be conducted within most if not all of the appropriate authorities.
In El Nido, the steps in registering a business are listed in the flowchart below.
Aviso Valuation & Advisory Corporation is part of an industry that mainly demands attention for stationary properties, hence the opportunities to explore the beauty of the Philippines. Traveling in pursuit of serving the ceaseless needs of our clients, such as Feasibility Studies, Market Studies, Special Studies, etc., gave us the chance to appreciate the value of a relatively wide range of amazing tourist destinations within the country.
This Article is part of our #Beyond7107 campaign – an online series of content that aims to promote Philippine tourism by featuring tourist destinations and help boost the economy by luring more investors to settle or expand in the Philippines.
