Island Hopping Through El Nido

El Nido's lagoons are the kind of turquoise that looks fake in photos and somehow more unreal in person. We spent most days island-hopping by outrigger boat, swimming into hidden lagoons through gaps in limestone cliffs barely wide enough for the boat.

Snorkeling off Shimizu Island turned up more fish than we could name, and lunch cooked right on the beach by our boat crew, grilled fish, rice, and fresh mango, was better than most restaurant meals we've had anywhere.