After our many transfers to get to El Nido & looking at our Seaview Family Loft Room, we were surprised that it was barely after 10am and we could actually make the Jackfish feeding schedule at 10:30am. So we headed to the dock area.
We could actually have done a tour in morning and the afternoon, but we were pretty tired, so we decided to stay in the resort and be very relaxed on the first day.
JACKFISH FEEDING
Be sure to ask for gloves to handle the raw fish & shrimps at the reception area before heading to the dock. Read more information on why & what Miniloc feeds the jackfish.
There are usually 2 schedules for Jack Fish Feeding:
- 8:30am
- 10:30am
In the afternoon, there are no more Jacks in the area.
The jacks or giant trevallies (Caranx ignobilis) are beloved and iconic residents of Miniloc’s reef. They are also known as talakitok or mamsa, a popular staple in Filipino food. Jacks can grow up to 1.7m long & weigh between 35 to 80kg.
Always ask for gloves from the reception before heading to the feeding, so you can comfortably hand the chopped raw squid and fish. They do not ever feed them with processed foods like bread, which are not good for them. They are never fed more than 3kg a day.
Read more about why Miniloc feeds the jacks here.
Time to head to lunch! my poor baby has outgrown his toddler cap! We couldn’t even close it anymore!
FIRST LUNCH SEATING
Angela our travel coordinator asked us if we wanted first or second seating for lunch. They have 2 seatings so the open air dining area isn’t to packed. We asked for the earlier 11am seating because we were hungry from the early start. First we chose a table.
I was really happy they had bug zappers around the resto and there was very little problem with bugs. I think all resorts should have these in their dining areas coz it makes a huge difference for guests like me who are allergic to bugs.
The full board meals are assisted buffet, which felt safe yet still enabled us guests to have the buffet experience. I usually ask to see what they are serving, and if it looks/sounds appetizing, I ask for a very small portion first to taste to reduce food waste. If I like something, I go back for more.
When we got back to the table there was a generous bread basket with butter. Their freshly baked rolls and focaccia are oh-so-soft! So yummy with the butter
The sizzling chicken & fresh fish grilled fish were highlights for me.
The salad and dessert plates are usually prepared, and you just grab them from the chiller display. It’s usually fruits with kakanin or cakes. The fruits were so sweet and the papaya (not pictured) were exceptional. This kakanin or local sweets made of glutinous rice and coconut milk one was yummy biko.
Biko is a sweet rice cake from the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and glutinous rice. It is usually topped with latik (either or both the coconut curds or the syrupy caramel-like variant).
WIKIPEDIA
After lunch we found out that our luggage was already in the room, so we were super excited to get dressed for some pool and beach time!
I loved passing by all these local flora on the way to the room!
OOTD
I got asked a lot about what I was wearing when I posted this on IG so sharing it here!
AVIATORS: IC Berlin Ph finest quality screwless eyewear that’s super flexible & fits extra wide heads. Made in Berlin but purchased locally.
MOTHER OF PEARL NECKLACE: Purchased in Berlin, but you can find similar in Kultura
CRYSTAL BRACELETS: Gold, Jade & Pink Tourmaline from Accessory Lab
COVERUP: Old Navy Swim Cover-up which I shipped here via ShippingCart
PLUS-SIZE SUIT: Violeta by Mango. They used to ship to the Philippines from Barcelona.
WOVEN BAG: Free with room
Ready to swim!
DIPLOBABY SWIM SUITE: Comfy Swim Warmers that regulate his temperature & gives him 50SPF protection. They also have it in a longsleeved version. It costs Php2,000 with Amazon Global Shipping to the Philippines and takes 1 week on average to get here.
DIPLOBABY CLASSIC WOODEN SUNGLASSES: Carter’s USA which I shipped here via ShippingCart
TD’S SWIM TRUNKS: Uniqlo
RESERVED POOL TIME
Pool time has to be reserved for each family/group ahead of time. You can only reserve for 1 hour. However if nobody is using it, you can ask to book again or extend.
They aren’t as strict about it as I thought, as long as there are not more than 8 people in the pool at a time.
We were amazed that nobody was really using the pool but when we dipped into it, we realized why! The pool was so cold. Good thing DiploBAby was using his Cressi Warmer and we had our own warmers with us!
Before swimming we couldn’t resist but take a few pics with the 2021 signs. We were just so grateful to greet the new year in one of the most beautiful places in the world!
Before diving in we washed up in the showers nearby.
They also have a convenient wash basin so we can wash as often as we would like.
We didn’t end up using our swim warmers because after swimming awhile it was totally fine. There is a shallow pool for kids and the adult side was only 4 foot deep. Thankfully DiploBaby has been swimming on his own since he was 3 years of thanks to his amazing swim instructor!
This pool is a huge plus after Miniloc renovated. It has a gorgeous view of the Miniloc Cove.
All over the resort there are bins, but for plastic that aren’t recyclable, we brought them back with us to Manila so we can drop off here.
After an hour of swimming, we dried off our tadpole and were hungry for merienda!
MERIENDA OR AFTERNOON SNACK
Snacks and evening bar chows are not included in the full board rate of Miniloc. My in-laws brought some snacks and bread with them, but we preferred to have merienda by the bar.
The Philippines has the sweetest mangoes in the world so we always look forward to enjoying Mango Shakes for merienda when we are at the beach! On our 3rd day though, they ran out of mangoes so we had pineapple and watermelon shakes instead. The latter was really yummy & refreshing!
Cheers!
Their french fries are really yummy & crispy. It’s what DiploBaby would have for merienda everyday in Miniloc.
TD and I then split a cheese burger with fries. Their cheeseburgers are pretty yummy too. Always ask for it to be crispy on the outside. I always wondered why they served merienda in disposable containers. I think a proper plate is better for the environment even if the containers are biodegradable.
Crazy beach hair! Don’t care! I love being in the beach because it’s a time to be messy yet still feel fabulous and healthy. The salty air is so good for our health! My asthma and allergies clear up and my skin clears up too!
BEACH TIME
The beach of Miniloc is nowhere near as fine as Boracay’s famous powdery fine sand, however we still managed to enjoy! Aqua shoes are a must because the bigger rocks/coral can dig into your feet. My favorite brand for kids and adults are Leguanos which are made in Germany. They are wet and dry shoes so it’s not just for the beach, it’s also for hiking, running, walking, playing and so much more! We can use them in the beach or traveling Europe so it’s worth every cent!
We always bring our favorite Beach Toys when we go on vacation. I found these Quut Beach & Bath Toys in a local online shop before, but the online shop closed. So I got more on Amazon.
TD and DiploBaby love creating kingdoms with moats, rivers, underwater rivers with these bath & beach toys that can also be used on snow!
DINNER
For dinner I usually like to throw on a caftan. It’s so comfortable and forgiving, yet still pretty glam! It flatters any body type too! I was asked a lot about this black and white caftan.
I found this fabric while I was living in Jakarta and tried to DIY a caftan. The fabric is silky so as an amateur sewer, I couldn’t finish it. It lay unfinished for years until I came back to the Philippines and was able to ask my MIL’s seamstress to finish it for me.
I love it for beach travel because it can be used as a beach cover up during the day and then for dinner at night!
We were early seating again at 6:30pm for dinner because that’s what happens when you are a parent to a young child and with seniors!
They were very accommodating and cooked special dishes for DiploBaby. He had chicken nuggets and fries for dinner. It’s good to request in advance because it takes time for them to cook it.
I enjoyed the mango kani maki and shared the bolognese pasta with TD.
NA-NIGHT!
After waking up at 4am and all the travel and swimming, DiploBaby fell asleep watching tv on our bed.
This was a bit tought because we had to wake him up to climb the stairs. The next nights we let him watch on the iPad in the loft so that he would not have to be woken up to climb when he fell asleep. It’s impossible to carry children up the steep loft stairs.
I hope you enjoyed reading along the safety protocols as we traveled to El Nido, pictures of our family seaview room and our first day in Miniloc El Nido! Up next I will be writing about:
DAY 2: Island Hopping & Small Lagoon
DAY 3: Swimming with Jackfish, Big Lagoon, Snorkeling & Paddle Board
DAY 4: Guided Snorkeling, Secret Lagoon
Departure from El Nido
RELATED READS:
THE REST OF THE TRAVEL BUBBLE TO MINILOC EL NIDO
PLACES I’VE TRAVELED TO IN THE PHILIPPINES
If you have any questions feel free to ask me in the comments below or on Instagram!
BOOK EL NIDO RESORTS
Miniloc • Apulit • Lagen • Pangulasian
Ten Knots Development Corporation
+63 917 553 8004 +63 917 584 1576
holiday@elnidoresorts.com
3rd Floor Alveo Corporate Center, 728 28th St., Bonifacio Global City, 1634 Taguig, Philippines
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