Enchanting El Nido episode 7 - Snake Island
Click to viewComing from Miniloc or Lagen Island Resort, it takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to reach Snake Island by boat. The boat ride is the perfect opportunity to fully appreciate El Nido's wonderful seascape as you pass by one majestic limestone cliff after another. In fact, it would seem that in no time at all, you'll arrive at your destination.
The island gets its rather menacing name not because it is riddled with snakes, but because of the S-shaped sandbar that snakes its way from the island and connect it to the mainland. The sand bar is more clearly visible during low tide and people can actually walk across from one end to the other if the tide is low enough. It was formed by two opposing currents that met and deposited sand at their meeting point, giving it its characteristic shape.
The soil in Snake Island is very rich in heavy metals, making it toxic for the majority of plants. It is also quite poor in nutrients. Thus, only plants with a high tolerance for phytotoxic metals can survive. Also, carnivorous and parasitic plants with supplementary forms of nutrition aside from photosynthesis, such as the pitcher plant (Nepenthes philippinensis) and devil's gut (Cassytha filiformis) can be found colonizing the area. The forest is dominated by stunted trees of Palawan mangkono (Xanthostemon speciosus). These trees, also called Palawan ironwood, are endemic to Palawan and produce some of the hardest woods in the Philippines, making them valuable sources of timber. After a five-minute hike and
without even breaking a sweat, you reach the view deck which offers a stunning view of Bacuit Bay.
El Nido Resorts
Miniloc and Lagen Islands
El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
http://www.elnidoresorts.com