Hunt for Beach Paradise

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The original title for this page, as I was on a year long quest across South East Asia to find a property I could develop into a resort. A burning dream. When I stumbled on the beautiful area of the Philippines.

I started masterminding that I could arrange connections with local fishermen to take tourists from one island to another, always a different fisherman from one destination to another.

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My beautiful wife I met along the way on my journeys.

I bought portable solar panels and set myself up in the beautiful and tranquil Sibaltan for a journey of exploration through the 52 islands in the area. Once I was ready to go, I was given the contact to one fisherman who could take me to my first destination, Pical Island.

We drank heavily together, I told him my plan to walk across his island to the next village and find another fisherman there. He said there is practically nothing to see in that village and asked me to join him instead, as he was headed anyway to another island, Linapacan.

I later found out that he was the Captain of Pical Island, owned a hotel, many boats, and had to go to Linapacan once a month for business purposes.

I stayed at a hotel and quickly made friends with his best friend there and who also owns a boat. He suggested I stick around for a while and that he could take me around to the many islands over the weekend. This allowed me to continue with my online work during the week and in comfort.

The hotel owner later informed me he owns property on several nearby islands. He took me there and I immediately fell in love. Built a bamboo hut, worked off solar for a couple of years and started developing a makeshift resort on paradise island. My dream came true, but the boat tours business was easier and more lucrative. Eventually I married and now we are on a quest to develop a resort elsewhere, this time on property we own.

The quest is still on and the adventure exhilarating, but this story of my quest has ballooned into a sitemap for all we know of the Philippines, where we have explored, info on our boat tour services, and at the bottom the story of my life, which one day I hope to put down into a book. Life is an adventure!

Country by travel path
Country by region

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  About our boat tours

El Nido to Coron Island Hopping Tours

Combination El Nido and/or Coron boat tours with multiday expedition in between

Combination multiday tour with El Nido tour

Speedboat tours between El Nido and Coron

Luxurious Catamaran Yacht Boat Tours Around El Nido And Multiday Boat Tours From El Nido To Coron

Why An Island Hopping Tour Through Palawan?

14 days 2 weeks Island Hopping Adventure Itinerary

Sample Itineraries of our Custom Private Boat Tours

Plankton And Stars In The Philippines

Romantic Getaway Vacation Destinations In The Philippines

Discover The Tropical Paradise Of Coron: Your Ultimate Vacation Destination

Party boat tour between El Nido and Coron

Possible boat tour accommodations

Special accommodation offered by our boatmen

Sizes of our boats

All-inclusive ten day return trip from Manila to Palawan for 10,000pesos ($200)

Wakeboarding by Speedboat in the Philippines, Linapacan and Wakeboarding and Water Skiing by Speed Boat

Marriage proposal package in Palawan, Philippines
Private boat tour is a great way to spend a romantic vacation

Recommended itinerary for the Palawan area, our suggested itinerary for our boat tours between El Nido and Coron – ferry and boat details and schedules how to get to Linapacan

Let me book an itinerary for you for the Palawan area

Boat Tour Negatives and How to Ensure a Successful One

Boat Tours Weather Forecast

Our old promotional page

Multi-day tour spots

Possible boat tour stops

Maosonon Island: Unspoiled Tropical Island

Magransing Island: An Underrated Tropical Island in Palawan

Spanish fortress and cliff diving

Eli Caves near San Miguel, Linapacan

Sibaltan (our usual start or end point), where we can also organise local tours.

About Linapacan

Things to do in San Miguel, Linapacan

Coron

Coron and rural Coron
Local boat tours in Coron only
Coron Multi-day Island Hopping Boat Tour Expedition
Top 5 Spots You Must Visit In Coron, Palawan

Kayangan Lake
Twin Lagoons
Barracuda Lake
Malcapuya Island
Banana Island
Atwayan beach
Bulog Dos
Ditaytayan Island
Siete Pecados
Banol Beach
Skeleton Shipwreck
Smith Beach
Coral Gardens of Coron
Dibutunay Island, Coron: Travel Tips
Exploring Caves and Shipwrecks in Black Island
Tips on choosing tours around Coron
Calauit Safari Park
Rural Coron
Diving reefs and shipwrecks
The Majestic Limestone Cliffs and Rock Formations of Coron
Best restaurants in Coron
Coron expedition
Coron escapade tour
Coron Island
Good dentist in Coron
Obra Bar

El Nido

El Nido
Best spots and tips before you go to El Nido
Sibaltan island hopping eco tours
El Nido lagoon tours
Big Lagoon
Secret Lagoon
Seven Commandos Beach
Payong-Payong Island

Balabac Island

Balabac Island

Kitesurfing related

Kitesurfing and kiteboarding sites in the Palawan area
Custom private or group kitesurfing or kiteboarding boat tour expeditions between El Nido and Coron

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  Other pages

Travel Tips for the Philippines

Comparison between Thailand and the Philippines

Information on individual regions and cities

Best and most beautiful places to visit in the Philippines

Family Vacation Holiday Destinations In The Philippines

Different Locations Where To Find Adventure In The Philippines

Camping and campsites in the Philippines

The Ultimate Adventure Expedition Excursion Exclusive Private Boat Tour Between El Nido And Coron

Hoping for Island Hopping in the Philippines

Island Tours in the Philippines

Best Snorkeling Sites In Palawan

White sand beaches in the Philippines

Covid regulations and rules

Philippine cuisine

Photos of the Philippines

Best food in the Philippines

Tips for a month plus trip through Palawan

Opening a bank account and atm cash withdrawal for foreigners

Crossfit personal trainer on the beach

Sunrises and Sunsets

Services offered at my lovely Patoyo project (and 2 and 3)

Volunteer program and invitation to Rainbow Gathering

Affiliate pages

Promotional pages

Seeking Yoga retreat teacher

Natural highlights of the Philippines

My wife’s experience with world travelers

Multi-language affiliate program

Suggestion letter to the president

Complaint review about Smart Communications Mobile Phone Operator

Write for us and submit a guest post article to our travel related website

Our pics on Pinterest: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08,

Log of our customer queries: 01

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  Other Places

Luzon

Luzon
Manila
Banaue Rice Terraces
Batad Rice Terraces
Hundred Islands National Park
Manila Ocean Park
Mount Pulag National Park
Sagada
Sumaguing Cave Spelunking Adventure
Vigan

Mindoro

Apo Reef Natural Park
Mount Halcon
Puerto Galera

Palawan

Palawan
Calamian Islands
Puerto PrincesaUnderground River Tour
Port Barton
San Fernando
Pical Island
Calibangbang Island
Takling Island
CalaCala Island
Magransing island
Maosonon Island
San Miguel, Linapacan
Araw Beach
Culion Island

Resorts

Busuanga Bay Lodge
Sangat Island Dive Resort
Two Seasons
Linapacan Tourist Camp
Banana Island
Coco Beach Resort
Cayo Coco Resort

Visayas

Visayas
Resorts
Boat tours and Island hopping
Tourist attractions

Panay Region

Panay Island
Iloilo City
Carles Gigantes
Guimaras
      Things to do in Guimaras
      Taklong Marine Reserve
      The wind farms
Boracay Guide
      Things to do in Boracay
      Where to eat in Boracay
      Motorcycle roadtrip in Boracay
Seco Island near Antique, Panay
Bulubadiangan Island
Marbuena Island
Jawili Falls
Igpasungaw Falls
Hinulugan Waterfalls
Kataw Waterfalls

Resorts

Evelyn’s Beach Resort

Negros Region

Dumaguete
Sipalay
Siquijor
Campuestohan Theme Park
Suyac Island Mangrove Eco-park
Carbin Reef, Sagay Marine Reserve
Lakawon Island Resort and Spa
Kanlaon Natural Park

Tourist Attractions

Taj Mahal of Negros
Mambukal Resort Waterfalls

Cebu Region

Cebu – Things You Need to Know
Bohol Travel Guide
      Panglao Island
Mactan Island tours
Malapascua Island

Mindanao

Mindanao
Siargao

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  Story of my life

 

This following section is a compilation of different chapters of my life, and each page has a link at the bottom pointing to the next page and looks like this (at the moment work in progress):

Next Previous page

Start of the book: A Gypsy is Born

Treeplanting escapades in Canada before leaving for Europe.

My life in Prague.

Grew tired of Prague and officially caught the travel bug, now to turn dream into reality.

The first Euro trip turned into a second. The travel bug entrenches.

Let’s take this a step further for a multi month trip in van from Vancouver to Mexico!

My five years of travel through Europe in a camper van

Stories of a Travel Goof

My Thailand pages

Original plans for this site

Instigation to Finding the Dream Paradise Beach Island

A New Tease: Kitesurfing Paradise

A change of tack? – Community-Wide Eco Aspirations

And kitesurfing it is! – startup costs only $600.

Getting Set Up – and letter to mom with more details – and an invitation to the Hash House Harriers with update to mom – planning construction of the first hut

Second shopping spree – main hut and first kiteboard on its way

Party in Manila, Ozzie brings 2 kiteboards

Move to another island, and Update letter to mom – First Kitesurfing Lesson and Rekindling of Old Online Business

Heading back to the island

Owner Who What?

Some ventures off the island

Successful kitesurfing at last!

Five months of development

Five months of rain, typhoons, bugs and misery

Finally met the property’s caretaker!

The high season is a success

The shit finally hits the fan

On the road again

Opening bank accounts in North America (required for my business here)

Start of a new big chapter, end of an old

Last months in the Philippines

Researching about self-sustaining technologies for our eco concept

How to set up off grid electrical system

While building this resort I even tried to start an Annual music festival

Visa extension and requirements for the Philippines

Wedding vow to wife: take her around the world and start a Wanderlusting Family

My wife’s experiences of world and local travels.

Covid hit, resulting in a crazy trip around the world.

Wife is my new partner in this business, but sparks can certainly fly!

Synopsis pdf letters to friends

2002 since I started traveling in Europe until the end of 2022, twenty years blast

Synopsis of 2023

This page in Czech, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese (Traditional Chinese)

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But even while traveling and raising a family, we continue to serve our customers for the boat tours I started while building the nature camp above. This is now our primary source of income.

Palawan-boat-tours

Experience the thrill of island hopping in the Philippines


Home » Palawan » Hunt for Beach Paradise

hotel luci del farohotel luci del faro
08:13 31 Jan 24
We booked the 3 day 2 night expedition, from Coron to Sibaltan.First of all the booking part was really simple. I organized this trip to the Philippines last minute for my family (my parents and my uncles) but Karel answered all my questions very quickly and really made everything easier for me. It was an incredible experience. Albert, our tour leader, is a wonderful guy, always smiling and ready to help us. They assisted us in everything and really took care of making everything go smoothly. The accommodation on the islands is as spartan as you expect but the location of each hut alone is worth the trip. The wonder of nature was then added to the goodness of cuisine. It's really difficult to argue how you can cook all that goodness on a boat.If you are looking for an authentic experience, in contact with nature, off the beaten track, this company's private expedition is certainly for you.
Kate BrownKate Brown
00:22 27 Oct 23
What an unforgettable experience! We did a two night (3 day) island hopping tour from Sibaltan to Coron. Everything was so well organized and the boat crew were amazing and really made sure we had a great time. The accommodation was rustic, but added to the authentic experience of the Philippines. Karel always responded to any queries we had promptly. Our boatman, Albert, was the most amazing chef and we enjoyed every meal. The crew taught the kids how to fish with a line which was their highlight of the trip. They took us to the most unbelievable snorkelling spots along the way. Would highly recommend this trip.
Ian PascualIan Pascual
02:43 10 Aug 23
One of the most amazing, unforgettable things you can do in your life
Lou PrataliLou Pratali
11:04 25 Jul 23
This is a must to do!!Super ultimate tour is the best with Kayangan and barracuda lake, twin lagoons (my favorite), coral garden (blue fabulous coral) were the best. It’s really worth it to pay for private tour (3500 to 4000 PHP). You will also have to pay for entrance fees (150 to 200PHP by location) and eventually shopping at the market - must do (count 300 for 2 for fish, pork, fruits and vegetables, water).
Gérard BENOITGérard BENOIT
16:11 07 Feb 23
I was looking for a personalized excursion to the stunning Bacuit Gulf.Based on the comments, I contacted Mel.Very responsive, very efficient and perfect organization.The on-board staff were very friendly and very helpful.And I'm not even talking about the meal on board...a marvel.In all fairness, this excursion will remain an excellent memory and I cannot recommend Mel and his team highly enough.A big thank-you.
Alyse TarbottonAlyse Tarbotton
23:48 30 Aug 22
This tour went well above all our expectations! I couldn't recommend this enough! The boat crew, captain and tour guide were nothing but amazing, everyone was so kind, helpful and friendly. The crew knew the best spots to visit that weren't overcrowded with tourists, 3 times we were lucky enough to have whole islands to ourselves! It was my partner's birthday while away and everything went above and beyond, bonfire, cake, birthday card, singing and celebrating with us.If you love camping this is definitely a tout you should do, it has been the highlight of our trip!!
Danish KayaniDanish Kayani
10:24 31 Oct 19
Coron is the best place i have ever seen.. picturesque. Beautiful. Peaceful
We booked a 4 days/3 nights private boat trip from Coron to Sibaltan. The organization went very well from the beginning, the owner answered to all my questions, and we were able to choose which islands to visit and where to sleep. The first night we slept in a bungalow in Banana Island, the second we camped in Araw beach and the last we slept in a seafront bungalow builded on a tree in Pical on Iloc Island.The islands in that area are the most beautiful islands I have ever seen, with clear water, lots of coral reef and fishes to see, white sand and almost deserted. The crew was very friendly and polite and they organize every single meal and for camping they give you a tent which was just perfect! This was our highlight in our 2 weeks in the Philippines and I wish I had booked a longer trip. A private trip gives you the freedom to decide where and when to go.
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Gérard Benoit
Gérard Benoit
2023-02-08
recommends
I was looking for a personalized excursion to the beautiful bay of Bacuit. Seeing the comments, I contacted Mel. Very responsive, very efficient and perfect organization. The crew were very friendly and very helpful. And I'm not even talking about the meal on board...a marvel. In all fairness, this excursion will remain an excellent memory and I can recommend Mel and his team highly enough. A big thank-you.
André Mardoñal
André Mardoñal
2019-10-22
recommends
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The island world of Linapacan between Coron and El Nido with the clearest waters in the world is truly a dream for itself! Without a boat you won't be able to see it! But what this boat trips makes so amazing is the crew! Once you come on board they might be shy in the beginning but will make you feel welcome and home from the first moment. Not only that they are looking that you sit comfortable all the time, they will prepare fresh and delicious food what the buy from local markets. They know the best spots and most beautiful islands and will bring you to places where you get this "Robinson Cruisoe feeling". Every day you visit 3 to 5 spots for snorkeling, enjoying a beach or exploring a little island. The accommodation we had was good and simple. We slept in bungalows and tents right at the beach. Sheets and towels were always provided and sometimes towels. After a while you feel like a family on board. We loved living the boat life didn't wanna leave! If you doubt take a longer than shorter trip! For any questions please message me.
Sarah Uhan
Sarah Uhan
2019-01-31
recommends
All in all it was a really great experience. It's a once in a lifetime thing to do and you won't get more authentic and basic Philippino experiences anywhere else. We were not so lucky with the wind and waves so we couldn't do all the stops we wanted to unfortunately. So be aware that especially the months from January to May can be very rough on water. But we still saw some great places Benji took us. Benji and his family was very nice and they did everything they could. The food was amazing - always freshly made in authentic Philippino style and way too much for the 2 of us. Make sure to bring enough cash - many of the islands cost extra (entrance fee) and be aware that any kind of accommodation and food (200php per meal) is not included in the boat fee. Also the deposit and commission fee for the agency are a little over the top, especially since the crew does not get any of it. The costs all in all are rather high for phillipino circumstances especially given the basicness of it all. However if you think about that all 5 boat people (in our case) live off of the boat fee alone, you spent the money willingly. Be aware though that accommodation and sanataries are very basic if even existant. So you gotta have the right mindset. Bring tissue, sanatiszer and earplugs to get some better sleep. Another feedback I have concerning the size of the boat. I don't think it is sufficient for more than 4 people. If the weather is like it was these days, you always have to sit on top and it was already a little squeezy with us 2 and 5 boat people. So I guess 4 guests can be fine but more than that won't have the space. There is different boat sizes but make sure to talk about that with Karel in advance. Other than that it was really worth it and we got to see so many great beaches and reefs which we could have never been able to visit without the tour.
Eric Liu
Eric Liu
2018-03-15
recommends
It was scary to book a 5 day trip with no places to stay confirmed or a strong itinerary. And in the Philippines, communication is difficult. But that is part of changing mindsets to a rural island mindset. In the end, everything worked out. We had some tough moments with bugs. But we also had some amazingly beautiful secluded beaches, the best snorkeling in the world, relaxing on the beach, and freshly made food on the boat while docked at beautiful places (better than being on land). Note, we went with Benji. Recommendations: - you must get a local SIM when you arrive to make sure pickup and everything works out - some islands have bugs - use bug spray! Pros: - a fraction of the cost - away from the crowds - can customize what you want - just ask! - a truly local experience - saw a REAL rural town Cons: - locals aren't really polished tour guides - if you don't ask for it, you won't get it, need to be pretty proactive - pretty simple "activities" - no frills like bathrooms or kayaks etc.
Ángela Deand
Ángela Deand
2017-04-26
recommends
We can't be more grateful to have had the opportunity of experience the peace in Patoyo Kitesurfing Camping! Spending two weeks in Dimancal Island, gave us the chance to experiment the rural and traditional way of life, in touch with the nature and people. We have learnt how to cook with fire, how to open a coconut and how to survive in an environment where for a time we forget about unnecessary needs, just to focus on enjoy the small details and pleasures of life. Mentioning too the amazing snorkeling and beautiful islands around this place, which make it unique​ and special. It is a lovely option if you are running away from tourists and overcrowded places in the Philippines. You will find yourself in the middle of virgin beaches and nature, surrounding​ by charming people. We will definitely come back!
Caroline Danielle
Caroline Danielle
2017-02-13
recommends
We haven't done a Tao tour, but I would suspect that this is a cheaper version of the same thing. Our boat operator (Benji) and the entire crew were were fun, friendly and made an effort to ensure we had a good time. If you get a large group of people together it can be a really inexpensive alternative to other Coron-El Nino and vice versa island hopping tours. The food was good, but more expensive than as advertised by Karl. The price quote we got was 100 php a meal, but the boat charged us 200. Since the food was good we didn't mind the extra expense, but it is important to keep in mind if you're on a budget. Definitely plan for some incidental spending. Our boat did have some mechanical issues and as a result we ended up being stuck in the same place for longer than we wanted to be. That being said, little could have been done about it and the trip was fun nonetheless.
Hauk Are Fjeld
Hauk Are Fjeld
2017-01-01
recommends
If you believe that doing the touristic tours in El Nido and going to "The hidden beach" takes you off the beaten path, you are wrong. There are lots of beautiful places in Palawan, but few of these places are without any other tourists. If you want to spend some extra effort on getting away from the tourist places, and don't mind a little "primitive" living, Island Hopping in the Philippines is definitely something you should check out
Arnold Cabiguen
Arnold Cabiguen
2015-05-08
recommends
The snorkeling in this area is phenomenal. Clearest waters in the world. I guess it's because there is relatively such lower tourist traffic through here, and the locals really protect the reefs!
Karel Kosman
Karel Kosman
2015-05-08
recommends
Love it so much, just had to say it twice!

2 thoughts on “Hunt for Beach Paradise”

  1. Hello,

    I am interested to come on your island to practice kite surfing on beginning of February.
    I am intermediate level.
    Do you have instructor?
    If yes what’s the price per hour? Or do you have package discount?
    And what’s the price for accommodation?
    Thank you,
    Samuel

    Reply

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