If you enjoy a semi-private relaxing experience but at the same time also accessible to shops and the beach, i would say Lio is the place for you. traditional estate developments would have cut down the trees by the beach for better clearing yet Lio managed to retain much of it - making the place lush yet chic.Away but not far. let me give you more reasons why i love this place.
[1] Outdoor life
You have the entire 325 hectare estate to explore. you can play frisbee, beach volleyball or kayak, paddle board, skimboard, run or jog. you will be surprised that the place has so much to offer. my personal favorite is the bridgeway in this mini forest. you will notice this immediately once you've reached the estate. it's like you're entering an untouched forest. make sure to make time to walk your way to this spot.
You get three resorts just few steps from the others and two more within a range of 5 kilometers of the estate. offering you awesome options whether on the high side or on a budget. we stayed at Casa Kalaw during our entire stay there. it has a swimming pool and a balcony with a view of the three-resort complex. the other two resorts are Balai Adlaw and Hotel Covo.
if you want an even more secluded place, go for El Nido Cove Resort or the newly opened Seda Lio which can accommodate bigger groups and even conferences. if you're undecided here are some of the essential factors you might want to consider:
[3] Eat, Relax and Swim
Imagine tree shades from towering palm trees, beach-perfect restaurants, relaxing night music, some buri mats and beach beds. the restaurants come with awesome food choices, each with elevated wooden dining areas giving a soothing view of the beach. we tried Globy Traveling Chef, Fat Choy and D'Factory.
You have all the options for a 3day 2 nights stay at the estate. you get a good range of other options and here's the complete list of restaurants and bars:
Globy Traveling Chef - Fusion food
Fat Choy - Chinese food
Pizza&Amore - Italian food
Shaka Cafe - Vegetarian and healthy alternative
El Nido Grill - Seafood fiesta
Seafood Island - Seafood fiesta
Pair-a-Dice - Burgers and Fries
Manille Beach Bar - Liquors and pica pica eats
Pukka Bar - Beers and pica pica eats
Bead Cafe - Coffee, Frappucino, hot chocolate drinks and pastries
[4] Sunset View
Sunset by the beach and the lazy transition from an active day to a more relaxing night life. with a view of the islands of Bacuit archipelago particularly the giant Cadlao island where the sun sets down from this view. People at this point choose their own spot to see the changing colors of the sky and the sound of the waves. Highly recommended spot would be at Lio's jetty where you can also see small planes landing from the nearby airport. Makes you wish sunset happens at a longer time.
[5] Artworks Everywhere
If you are a fan of artworks, you will have a great time moving around the estate. you can see art pieces almost everywhere. beside the restos, beach shade areas and even the designs of the restaurants. that's if you have a keen eye. with a short walk, you can reach Kalkye Artisano. Lio's own home to several local crafts and great display of artworks to feast the eye. you can buy these native crafts at the shops or just enjoy the place.
[6] Connectivity
We understand that on our vacation, we wanted to spend most of our time bonding with one another. But Lio won't let you also totally disconnected from your families or relatives. In fact, during celebrations we also wanted our families and friends to also get in touch on those special moments. The entire commercial complex provides free WIFI access. So you won't really need to go back to your hotel just to get connected. Of course access via 4G or LTE also has good signal there.
[7] Just a boat away from Paradise
You need not to book your island hopping tours at El Nido town, El Nido Yachting Club offers specialized tours with options of Speedboat or the chich looking Catamaran cruise. Packages includes tour to popular island destinations like the Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, Helicopter Island, Star Beach, Secret Beach, Shimizu Island, Seven Commandos. You can book it at the second floor of Kalaw Suites within the commercial area.
Contact:
Email: bookings@elnidoyschtingclub.com
Mobile: 09152654636/09494268783
Website: www.elnidoyachtingclub.com
[8] Night Sights
You are miles away from the noisy Karaokes and Videoke places. So you will enjoy instead acoustic bands at night. Apart from these, the shops are also open until night time. Pick your spots for night shoots or just chill by the beach and restaurants. Or if you had a tiring day from the activities, go for a massage at Mayana Spa. nights are not meant to be boring. Go out, chat and enjoy the night vibes of Lio.
That's it. I think I've given you much of what to expect. There's no other way but to experience it yourself. A place with the goal of sustainability and eco-tourism. So book your next El Nido adventure at Lio Tourism Estate. You'll love it there.
How to get to Lio Tourism Estate:
Access and Transfer
By Air:
Via El Nido Airport: There is a transport vehicle assigned to bring guests directly to Lio Estate which only takes 5 minutes.
Via Puerto Princesa: Take a van or bus from Puerto Princesa airport to El Nido public terminal. From the terminal you can take a tricyle to Lio van/shuttle terminal at the main town of El Nido. The Lio terminal is just beside the EL Nido Resorts main office (Real Street corner Osmena St). From here you can take the Free van/shuttle service to Lio (10minutes away). See FAQs for van/shuttle schedule.
Airswift Ticketing Office - flight booking from Manila direct to El Nido vv
El Nido Yachting Club - island boat tours
El Swift Travel and Tours - other tour and travel package bookings
FAQs
[Q1] What is the schedule of the Free Van/Shuttle from El Nido Town to Lio Estate and vice versa?
Van Shuttle schedule El Nido Town to Lio Estate
0900H/1000H/1100H/1200H/1300H/1500H/
1600H/1700H/1800H/1900H/2000H/2100H/
2200H/2300H/0030H
Van Shuttle schedule Lio Estate to El Nido Town
0930H/1030H/1130H/1230H/1430H/1530H/
1630H/1730H/1830H/1930H/2030H/2130H/
2230H/0000H
Free shuttle service is on first come first serve basis. I recommend that you be at the terminal 15-20minutes before your planned departure time.
[Q2] What if we miss out the Free van/shuttle schedule from Lio to El Nido vv?
The resort where you are staying or the guard at the van terminal at Lio can help you book for a tricycle to El Nido town. Current rate is P300/tricycle one way. can only accommodate 3 persons/tricycle.
[Q3] How far is Lio Estate from El Nido town?
It is just 5kilometers away. Van/shuttle trip takes only 10-15mins. No traffic congestion expected as it does not pass by the busy area of El Nido town.
[Q4] Is there and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in the area?
Yes. Currently they BPI ATM at the shops at Lio. Bldg D
[Q5] Can we just go at Lio and do walk-in booking for the resort there?
Yes but I dont recommend this as most of the resorts are already booked ahead particularly for weekends. It is best to book online at least 3 months ahead. You may check links below to corresponding resorts websites or you may also use online booking apps:
Casa Kalaw - www.casakalaw.com
Balai Adlao - www.balaiadlao.com
Hotel Covo - www.hotelcovo.com
Seda Lio - lio.sedahotels.com
El Nido Cove Resort - www.elnidocoveresort.com
[Q6] What if we have run out of rooms and some of our friends had to book to other resort withinn Lio Estate, would it still be ok?
Yes. In fact, the three resorts Casa Kalaw, Hotel Covo and Balai Adlaw are just few steps away from another.
