el nido . palawan . philippines
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The most striking feature of El Nido is its scenic landscape -
massive limestone islands of varying shapes
and sizes
scattered about the sparkling sea.
The limestone cliffs of El Nido were naturally
carved out of
extensive and thick layers of coralline
deposits. They formed
250 million years ago in the shallow sea
covering the area
that North Vietnam and South China now
occupy. These
layers slowly rose from the sea as a result
of the collision of
India and mainland China about 60 million
years ago.
separate plate from the Philippine Mobile Belt to which the rest of the
country belongs. A proof of this fact is that Palawan has no active
volcanoes, unlike the rest of the Philippine archipelago. Another is that
limestone cliffs similar to those in Palawan can be found in Ha Long Bay
in Vietnam and Guilin in China, countries which are part of the Eurasian
Plate. It is believed that Palawan was detached from mainland China
some 40 million years ago. Palawan drifted southward and linked up with
the rest of the Philippines around 15 million years ago.
El Nido is composed of 45 islands and islets, each with its own unique features. Most of the islands have pockets and
coves of fine white sand beaches, perfect for sunbathing and picnic lunches. Within some of the islands are ancient
caves with fascinating dripstone formations. In other islands, limestone walls open up to lagoons. Weathering and
erosion created and continue to shape these interesting geological formations.
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