◇Hidden gem

Matinloc Shrine and Secret Beach

On Matinloc Island, an abandoned shrine built into a limestone cliff overlooks the sea from a terrace reached by a short scramble. Below the shrine, at water level, swimming through a narrow hidden passage in the cliff face opens into a perfect secret cove — a sandy pocket beach enclosed by sheer rock on all sides, accessible only through the water. The contrast between the abandoned religiosity above and the wordless natural perfection below is El Nido's most layered stop.

📸 Say Bernardo (CC BY-SA 4.0), Romelyn17 (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Ito Villaflor

Surf, mountains, and a really good cup of coffee.

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