Experience a luxurious vacation at Miniloc Island Resort. It may be too pricey to spend some time there but it’s worth it especially if you are after the best water adventures here in the Philippines.

How to go to Miniloc Island? From Manila, there are straight flights going to El Nido (maybe through Island Transvoyager Inc.) which will land you directly to the airport. Travel time spans up to an hour and a half. From there, you will take a boat ride to Miniloc Island.

This is of Oriental origin and has become popular in Palawan because of the bird specie called swiftlet that can be found in this region, a bird from which the main ingredient of the soup comes from. This selected swiftlet specie is called Aerodramus fuciphagus or in the native language, balinsasayaw.

The balinsasayaw are often found nesting in dark caves of El Nido. The nests of this bird specie are made of the male balinsasayaw’s saliva. Quite exotic. Dating back some centuries ago, Chinese herbalists found that the balinsasayaw nests are rich in potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium. So eating the nido soup could really be benificial to your health.

Although there are ready-to-cook nido soup in convenient packs straight from the supermarket, I suppose it’s a different experience if you would witness how the nest was harvested and then you cook it yourself. That’s one-of-a-kind Palawan adventure!

Here’s how to cook the nido soup:

Let the nest softened by soaking it in cold water overnight. The next day, take off the twigs and other unnecessary particles from the softened nest. Boil it in chicken stock with cornstarch then add some ingredients like ham and egg and a dash of salt to taste.

Visit El Nido and have this balinsasayaw experience!

El Nido, Palawan is a popular nature spot that boasts of diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. El Nido has continued to lure both local and foreign tourists because of its breath-taking natural beauty, making this place one of the country’s premier tourist destinations.

El Nido, is named after the edible nests of Swiftlets birds (Balinsasayaw) found in the crevices of its limestone cliffs. These nests, “nido” in Spanish, are the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup. Blessed with extraordinary natural scenery, El Nido is, the sanctuary of various forms of wildlife.

Meanwhile, the waters of El Nido is considered a home of one of the rarest marine mammals locally known as dugong and all other marine species like sea turtles and manta ray. Its luscious green forest on the other hand, is a sanctuary of more than 100 species of birds in which a large number of it are endemic to Palawan.

This magnificent place is also one of the country’s top destination for island hopping and scuba diving with over 30 amazing dive sites ranging in depth from six to 30 meters.

It is El Nido’s picturesque setting, crystal clear waters, and relative isolation that attract and fascinate most travelers. The 45 islands and islets and the surrounding sea can offer endless opportunities for adventure, nature appreciation, and even just simple pleasures among tourists. Kayaking in secret lagoons, mangrove tours, snorkeling or diving with colorful tropical fishes, trekking to the peak of an island, fishing, bird watching, exploring uninhabited islands, picnic lunches or sunbathing in a white sand beach are only among those one of a kind adventures that travelers can indulge into.

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