El Nido Lagen Island Resort, Palawan, Philippines

FACT SHEET

LOCATION
Northernmost portion of Mainland Palawan, Philippines

Bordered in the north by the Linapacan Strait, in the south by the municipality of Taytay, in the east by the Sulu Sea, and in the west by the South China Sea

El Nido is approximately 430 kilometers southwest of Manila and about 238 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princessa City, the capital of Palawan.

CLASSIFICATION Municipality composed of 18 barangays

LAND AREA Approximately 50,000 hectares

POPULATION
Approximately 23,500

Mix of Cuyunon and migrants from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao whose major sources of income include fishing, farming, nido (nest) gathering and tourism. Common languages spoken are Cuyunon and Filipino. English is widely understood and spoken particularly within the town proper.

TOPOGRAPHY
The western side of El Nido is characterized by two major coastal areas- an expanse of coastline to the north and a large embayment to the south (Bacuit Bay) separated by headland.

There are 45 islands, islets and cays within Bacuit Bay. The bay is dominated by karst limestone formations that thrust out of the sea to create tiny islands with dramatic seaside cliffs. The shorelines of most of these tiny islands consists of vertical undercut cliffs, occasionally interrupted with small pockets of sandy beach carved out of the limestone. Some islands are fringed with coral reefs.

TOPOGRAPHY
The limestone cliffs in El Nido were carved out of extensive and thick layers of coralline deposits which were formed 250 million years ago in a shallow sea covering the area that North Vietnam and South China now occupy. These layers slowly rose from the sea as a result of the collision of India with mainland China about 60 million years ago. As soon as the layers became emergent, the destructive agents of weathering and erosion started working on them to form deep crevices, caves and underground rivers, sinkholes and other features that widen over time to break the layer's continuity.

Continues collision between India and mainland China caused the formation of the Red River Fault in North Vietnam. At the termination of this fault, a northeast rift zone began to develop some 40 million years ago. At the southeast side of the rift is a narrow strip of land that slowly drifted southward as propelled by forces from the continuing collision between India and China. That strip of land, which is now called Palawan, arrived there about 15 million years ago.

ENVIRONMENT
El Nido is one of the most important sites for biological diversity in the Philippines.

An area within El Nido was declared a marine turtle sanctuary in 1984. in 1992, the Phlippine government expanded the area and elevated the status to a Marine Reserve. In 1999, El Nido was declared a Managed Resource Protected Area.

BIRD SPECIES
Among the bird species endemic to Palawan which are found in El Nido are:

Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron emphanum)

Palawan Racquet-tail Parrot (Prioniturus platenae)

Palawan Hornbill (Anthracoceros marchie)

Sulphur-bellied BulBul (Hypsipetes palawanensis)

Yellow-throated Leafbird (Chloropsis palawanensis)

Palawan titmouse (Purus amabilis)

Palawan White-vented Shama (Copsychus niger)

Palawan Hill Blue Flucatcher (Cyornis Pempieri)

Palawan Flycatcher (Ficedula platenae)

Blue Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone cyanescens)

Palawan Flowerpecker (Prionachilus plateni)

A number of species of migratory birds are also found in El Nido at certain times of the year. Palawan is part of the East-Asian Flyway, a major route used by birds to migrate back and forth from their winter feeding grounds in the tropics and their summer breeding grounds in the north. Among the birds species sighted are the Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotesa), a globally threatened species, and the Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis), which is a small bird that flies from the Philippines back to Arctic Asia (Siberia, China) and even up to Alaska to breed.

One of the most significant bird species known to everyone in El Nido is the Edible-next Swiftlet (Collacalia fuciphaga; locally called balinsasayaw). The nest of this species of swiftlets is an ingredient in the Oriental Nido soup and is bought by traders from the nest gatherers for up to P120,000 (USD3,000.00) per kilogram.

MARINE LIFE El Nido has a diverse marine life with 200 species of tropical fishes and more than 100 species of corals. It is the nesting ground of three species of endangered sea turtled (Green Sea or Chelonia mydas, Hawksbill or Eretomochelys imbricata, and the Olive Ridley or Lepidochelys olivacea), and the feeding grounds of marine mammals such as dolphins, whales, and the elusive sea cow (Dugong Dugon). Different species of sharks, including the world largest fish, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), have also been sighted in El Nido.

FLORA
There are four distinct types of vegetation in El Nido:

1) beach forests
2) mangrove forests
3) vegetation on limestone cliffs
4) lowland forests.

The vegetation growing on karst limestone enscarpments include mostly litophytic plants adapted to low water, little soil, low nutrient content, occasional saltwater sprays, direct sunlight and slightly acidic soil.

CLIMATE
The climate in El Nido is generally characterized by two seasons: dry, from December to May (although passing rainshowers may be experienced from time to time), and wet, from June to November. April and May are usually the driest months, while the heaviest rainfalls occurs around August.

The Northeast wind blows from December to March, occasionally interchanging with the North wind during December to February. The South west wind is felt from June to October while the West wind, the mildest of all winds, blows during the months of April and May.

TEMPERATURE
The average surface temperature ranges from a low of 22 deg celcius to a high of 33 deg celcius. The coolest temperatures are usually experienced during the month of January, while the hottest temperatures are felt in April and May.

The average water temperature ranges from 24 deg celcius to 26 deg celcius during the months of December to March and 26 deg celcius to 29 deg celcius during the months of April to November.

WATER CURRENT The current in el Nido varies from slight to moderate depending on tidal conditions. Divers and snorkellers can swim back to the boat without difficulty since currents are generally very manageable.

WATER VISIBILITY Water visibility ranges from 3 meters to 10 meters from December to February, 10 meters to 30 meters from March to May, and 10 meters to 15 meters from June to November. The best time for diving at El Nido is during he months of March to May, as surface conditions are good.

El Nido Lagen | El Nido Miniloc

LOCATION	Northernmost portion of Mainland Palawan, Philippines Bordered in the north by the Linapacan Strait, in the south by the municipality of Taytay, in the east by the Sulu Sea, and in the west by the South China Sea El Nido is approximately 430 kilometers southwest of Manila and about 238 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princessa City, the capital of Palawan.

CLASSIFICATION	Municipality composed of 18 barangays

LAND AREA	Approximately 50,000 hectares

POPULATION	Approximately 23,500 Mix of Cuyunon and migrants from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao whose major sources of income include fishing, farming, nido (nest) gathering and tourism. Common languages spoken are Cuyunon and Filipino. English is widely understood and spoken particularly within the town proper.

TOPOGRAPHY	The western side of El Nido is characterized by two major coastal areas- an expanse of coastline to the north and a large embayment to the south (Bacuit Bay) separated by headland. There are 45 islands, islets and cays within Bacuit Bay. The bay is dominated by karst limestone formations that thrust out of the sea to create tiny islands with dramatic seaside cliffs. The shorelines of most of these tiny islands consists of vertical undercut cliffs, occasionally interrupted with small pockets of sandy beach carved out of the limestone. Some islands are fringed with coral reefs.

TOPOGRAPHY	The limestone cliffs in El Nido were carved out of extensive and thick layers of coralline deposits which were formed 250 million years ago in a shallow sea covering the area that North Vietnam and South China now occupy. These layers slowly rose from the sea as a result of the collision of India with mainland China about 60 million years ago. As soon as the layers became emergent, the destructive agents of weathering and erosion started working on them to form deep crevices, caves and underground rivers, sinkholes and other features that widen over time to break the layer's continuity. Continues collision between India and mainland China caused the formation of the Red River Fault in North Vietnam. At the termination of this fault, a northeast rift zone began to develop some 40 million years ago. At the southeast side of the rift is a narrow strip of land that slowly drifted southward as propelled by forces from the continuing collision between India and China. That strip of land, which is now called Palawan, arrived there about 15 million years ago.

ENVIRONMENT	El Nido is one of the most important sites for biological diversity in the Philippines. An area within El Nido was declared a marine turtle sanctuary in 1984. in 1992, the Phlippine government expanded the area and elevated the status to a Marine Reserve. In 1999, El Nido was declared a Managed Resource Protected Area.

BIRD SPECIES	Among the bird species endemic to Palawan which are found in El Nido are: Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron emphanum) Palawan Racquet-tail Parrot (Prioniturus platenae) Palawan Hornbill (Anthracoceros marchie) Sulphur-bellied BulBul (Hypsipetes palawanensis) Yellow-throated Leafbird (Chloropsis palawanensis) Palawan titmouse (Purus amabilis) Palawan White-vented Shama (Copsychus niger) Palawan Hill Blue Flucatcher (Cyornis Pempieri) Palawan Flycatcher (Ficedula platenae) Blue Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone cyanescens) Palawan Flowerpecker (Prionachilus plateni) A number of species of migratory birds are also found in El Nido at certain times of the year. Palawan is part of the East-Asian Flyway, a major route used by birds to migrate back and forth from their winter feeding grounds in the tropics and their summer breeding grounds in the north. Among the birds species sighted are the Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotesa), a globally threatened species, and the Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis), which is a small bird that flies from the Philippines back to Arctic Asia (Siberia, China) and even up to Alaska to breed. One of the most significant bird species known to everyone in El Nido is the Edible-next Swiftlet (Collacalia fuciphaga; locally called balinsasayaw). The nest of this species of swiftlets is an ingredient in the Oriental Nido soup and is bought by traders from the nest gatherers for up to P120,000 (USD3,000.00) per kilogram.

MARINE LIFE	El Nido has a diverse marine life with 200 species of tropical fishes and more than 100 species of corals. It is the nesting ground of three species of endangered sea turtled (Green Sea or Chelonia mydas, Hawksbill or Eretomochelys imbricata, and the Olive Ridley or Lepidochelys olivacea), and the feeding grounds of marine mammals such as dolphins, whales, and the elusive sea cow (Dugong Dugon). Different species of sharks, including the world largest fish, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), have also been sighted in El Nido.

FLORA	There are four distinct types of vegetation in El Nido: 1) beach forests 2) mangrove forests 3) vegetation on limestone cliffs 4) lowland forests. The vegetation growing on karst limestone enscarpments include mostly litophytic plants adapted to low water, little soil, low nutrient content, occasional saltwater sprays, direct sunlight and slightly acidic soil.

CLIMATE	The climate in El Nido is generally characterized by two seasons: dry, from December to May (although passing rainshowers may be experienced from time to time), and wet, from June to November. April and May are usually the driest months, while the heaviest rainfalls occurs around August. The Northeast wind blows from December to March, occasionally interchanging with the North wind during December to February. The South west wind is felt from June to October while the West wind, the mildest of all winds, blows during the months of April and May.

TEMPERATURE	The average surface temperature ranges from a low of 22 deg celcius to a high of 33 deg celcius. The coolest temperatures are usually experienced during the month of January, while the hottest temperatures are felt in April and May. The average water temperature ranges from 24 deg celcius to 26 deg celcius during the months of December to March and 26 deg celcius to 29 deg celcius during the months of April to November.

WATER CURRENT	The current in el Nido varies from slight to moderate depending on tidal conditions. Divers and snorkellers can swim back to the boat without difficulty since currents are generally very manageable.

WATER VISIBILITY	Water visibility ranges from 3 meters to 10 meters from December to February, 10 meters to 30 meters from March to May, and 10 meters to 15 meters from June to November. The best time for diving at El Nido is during he months of March to May, as surface conditions are good.