It's time to explore the beauty of the islands off the shores of El Nido, with businesses offering island tours, you can choose tours – A, B, C, or D. In our quest for a snorkeling adventure, we opted for Tour A, booked conveniently through our front desk.

Although instructed to be ready by 9 am, we arrived at 8:30 to rent snorkel gear. Surprisingly, flippers weren't available, so we geared up with masks, snorkels, and water shoes, which everyone else also seems to do.

Tour Mix-Up: while waiting on the beach for our tour, there was a mix-up as we were herded onto the C Tour instead of A. They told us A locations are too busy anyway, so we'll take you on C. They were willing to fix it, but unfazed, we embraced the change, ready for new experiences regardless of which tour we were on.

Kayaking in Cadlai Lagoon:  Tour C  started with kayaking around the picturesque Cadlai Lagoon. Norm and I enjoyed a leisurely paddle around the lagoon. Oddly, some others on our tour opted not to kayak and stayed on the boat.

Secret Beach: Stop 2, Secret Beach, is not so secret due to its crowded nature. A swim through a small opening in the rocks, the reason for its name, revealed a bustling spot with a mix of tourists and guides assisting non-swimmers into the area by pulling them by their life jackets. While not secluded at all, we snorkeled while swimming in the boat.

Matinloc Shrine Lunch: At Matinloc Shrine, an abandoned shrine,  we ate lunch and walked around but did not snorkel.

Hidden Beach Closure: The usual next stop, Hidden Beach, was closed for a Survivor filming, altering our itinerary.

Helicopter Island: Our final stop, Helicopter Island, offered a beach stroll and some relaxation on the beach. We opted out of snorkeling, as it was windy and rough.

While the day presented beautiful scenery and lovely boat rides, the lack of snorkeling opportunities was disappointing, but the day was still enjoyable.

Post-island hopping, we shared a fun evening with friends Jen and David, catching
To finish the day, we took a stroll around town, enjoyed a refreshing fruit smoothie, and called it a night.