There are soooooo many things to write about El Nido and I thought it would be wonderful to write on each island we hopped in but I thought it would be too much of an effort so I made this travel summary instead
According to our boatman con guide
Our assistant boatman Rickneil from Northern Hope Tours told us a telling story.Nil,as he is nicknamed,is a 20-year old boy who is new on the job but knows so much about the islands.He speaks with so much passion and sureness that you would think he's an old man trapped in a boy's body.
I am not a fan of shrines.Seriously.Especially in deserted islands.I find it really creepy.I was eager to climb the stairs leading to an elevated portion of Matinloc excited to see the view of Tapiutan Strait but Rickneil persuaded us for a little tour around the Shrine with him.
It's not clear really why the place ended up abandoned.According to Nil,a woman from Manila had a dream which eventually sparked his conviction to search for a heart-shaped island.She eventually found it in Matinloc.We were imagining the shape of Matinloc Island and we were debating with Nil coz the island doesn't look heart-shaped at all based on google maps.But when we shifted to satellite view,we learned that the Northern tip of the island is indeed heart-shaped!
Okay.so that was the motivation.Back to the question,why was it abandoned?I guess that will remain a mystery.
While climbing the steps of the largest concrete edifice in the Shrine which looks like a worn out hotel,Nil continued his story about attempts to revive the building and use it as accommodation.It again failed.What was left according to him was a guard to secure the property.And that didn't last as well."One night" said Nil, the guard saw something he could't bear (perhaps a ghost) so he crossed the strait swimming towards the other island.
My wife,friend Rupert and I were joking about stationing the guards on the other side immediately facing the shrine would have been a better idea.And then someone imagine a "white lady" floating across the strait towards the other island.Mas creepy!!!hahaha
Whatever the real story is,this island is creepy and mysterious.It was already around 4pm when we got here and I couldn't imagine staying here until it gets dark.We hiked up a few steps to to see Tapiutan Strait strait from another angle.
View here is amazing!
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#ElNidoSummer2013: COMBINATION TOUR A and C.
There is one island though (or should I say "spot"), that I would like to specifically discuss for the reason that I find it mysterious.And by saying mysterious,I mean creepy. It's MATINLOC SHRINE.
Approaching Matinloc Shrine via a concrete dock similar to an old port in the middle of nowhere,I didn't know exactly how to feel.I know there are three exclusive (expensive) resorts nestled among some of the islands of El Nido and I like that fact but to find an abandoned shrine here in Matinloc gave me mixed feelings.I somewhat don't like the idea.So what is a shrine doing here?Why is it abandoned?
There is one island though (or should I say "spot"), that I would like to specifically discuss for the reason that I find it mysterious.And by saying mysterious,I mean creepy. It's MATINLOC SHRINE.
Approaching Matinloc Shrine via a concrete dock similar to an old port in the middle of nowhere,I didn't know exactly how to feel.I know there are three exclusive (expensive) resorts nestled among some of the islands of El Nido and I like that fact but to find an abandoned shrine here in Matinloc gave me mixed feelings.I somewhat don't like the idea.So what is a shrine doing here?Why is it abandoned?
According to our boatman con guide
Our assistant boatman Rickneil from Northern Hope Tours told us a telling story.Nil,as he is nicknamed,is a 20-year old boy who is new on the job but knows so much about the islands.He speaks with so much passion and sureness that you would think he's an old man trapped in a boy's body.
I am not a fan of shrines.Seriously.Especially in deserted islands.I find it really creepy.I was eager to climb the stairs leading to an elevated portion of Matinloc excited to see the view of Tapiutan Strait but Rickneil persuaded us for a little tour around the Shrine with him.
He lead us to a secret passage under the concrete which contains photos chronicling the construction of the Shrine.It looks like a creepy museum to me and the black and white photos ad to the scare.I was surprised to learn the shrine was constructed just recently.If I am not mistaken,construction was completed in 1993.It has barely been 10 years.What went wrong?
It's not clear really why the place ended up abandoned.According to Nil,a woman from Manila had a dream which eventually sparked his conviction to search for a heart-shaped island.She eventually found it in Matinloc.We were imagining the shape of Matinloc Island and we were debating with Nil coz the island doesn't look heart-shaped at all based on google maps.But when we shifted to satellite view,we learned that the Northern tip of the island is indeed heart-shaped!
Okay.so that was the motivation.Back to the question,why was it abandoned?I guess that will remain a mystery.
VIEW FROM THE ABANDONED BUILDING
My wife,friend Rupert and I were joking about stationing the guards on the other side immediately facing the shrine would have been a better idea.And then someone imagine a "white lady" floating across the strait towards the other island.Mas creepy!!!hahaha
Whatever the real story is,this island is creepy and mysterious.It was already around 4pm when we got here and I couldn't imagine staying here until it gets dark.We hiked up a few steps to to see Tapiutan Strait strait from another angle.
View here is amazing!
ALSO READ
other posts in my #ElNidoSummer2013 Series
#ElNidoSummer2013: COMBINATION TOUR A and C
HOW TO GET TO EL NIDO via Puerto Princesa.......in Style!
other posts in my #ElNidoSummer2013 Series
#ElNidoSummer2013: COMBINATION TOUR A and C
HOW TO GET TO EL NIDO via Puerto Princesa.......in Style!
late afternoon swim in NACPAN-CALITANG Twin Beach
#ElNidoSummer2013: BLESSED INN
NORTHERN HOPE TOURS: El Nido Island Hopping Rates
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yaick that sure is creepy sa itsura pa lang nung shrine ee
ReplyDeleteBaka naman lack of funds kaya inabandoned. Sayang din for development.
ReplyDeletei was here in 1994, the altar at the shrine was still revolving and the place wasn't creepy at all..too bad it's abandoned now... :-(
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteLast November of 2014, my husband and I visited El Nido and one of the spots we visited was the Matinloc Shrine. As I remember, the place used to be a dorm for the priests.
May Kaibigan ako dito sa China (china ako nagwowork). Apat silang pumunta sa lugar na yan last year 2015. nang dumaan daw sila diyan,ay may naikuwento yung guide nila na may misteryoso kaya naging curious sila at hindi naniniwala. kahit pinagbawalan silang pumunta sa loob mismo ng bahay na 3 Storeys na yan. binigyan nila ng tip yung boatman kaya pumayag kasi nga ayaw. nang pumasok daw silang 4 sa bahay ay madilim at may naramdaman na raw silang kakaibang feeling. itinuloy nila ang pictorials.... pag balik nila ng china. yung dalawa nagkasakit ng mataas na lagnat, yung isa naaksidente sa sasakyan. yung isa ay natanggal sa matagal niya ng pinagtrabahuan. ewan ko kung nagkataon lang pero ok na silang lahat ngayon. sa takot nila ay pinag dedelete nilang lahat ng pics na nakuha nila diyan. gusto pa rin nilang bumalik ng pinas pero baka hindi na mismo sa shrine na iyan.
ReplyDelete