Palawan Escape: Spending Sunset in El Nido

Exploring the rocky side of El Nido

One of the best experiences for me is ending the day in El Nido. As the sun goes down, the water subsides and revealed the rocky seabed at its low tide. From the resort, it's just a few steps down and you can literally walk far from the shore. 

We saw some locals, mostly kids also taking their chance to walk the seabed as if they are looking for something. We heard some children giggling, small talks but then all focus searching.

While searching for something useful

I guess, the locals have their own ways to kill time and maximize their resources.  Hal and I decided to explore on our own and get a chance to speak to some of them and see what they are doing.

We realized that they are collecting shells for dinner. We tried to find too however, we mistakenly took the “non-edible” shells instead.

All busy for work

We thought it was very easy to spot one but my determination to find one didn’t work. 

Especially the little “hermit crabs” are confusing us too, so we just ended up watching them how they do it.

Her bag is almost full and she smiled at us.

We also saw a small crab on its camouflage. It's quite hard to catch the little crab but we did it. We immediately put him back after taking a picture.

A cute crab in weeds.

A group of kids was caught throwing a stone attached to a string a far. We heard them boasting at each other. We went towards them and saw a kid holding a slimy creature while trying to pull the tentacles away from his hand.

Creepy eyes, telling that he is not good for dinner. 

It was a small Octopus, we didn’t notice it at first but we saw how strong the tentacles are and literally sucking their skin and you’ll hear a pop once they pull it and the sucker was pull off the skin. We asked if it hurt him by dragging it on his bare hands but he said it was not. I tried touching my pointed finger into one sucker and I felt how it tried to stick and suck my finger. It popped out of my finger and it sounded like popping a plastic bubble wrap after I pull it out. It was creepy. Hal tried to touch it and manage to do so but he gave it back after a few seconds.

A big catch so far.

They said that the rock that they throw is the bait as it immediately catches anything that falls near them. Then they pull it out after. Then they have their dinner.

Poor little Octopus :(

And that how they spend dusk in a very laid-back province. It's not very easy dinner but they are seems ok with it. They also welcomed us with a smile. As soon as the light visibly fading out, we said goodbye and headed back to the cottage.  

"If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Sunset picture~from Sol, Thanks!