View of Bacuit Bay from El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

View of Bacuit Bay from El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Just across this stretch of Bacuit Bay in the Philippines, beautiful Matinloc Island holds a ‘secret’. Beyond the island’s steep, rock walls and through a small underwater crevice is the entrance to an isolated beach. Intrepid adventurers who brave the swim are treated to a small, pristine piece of paradise. It’s said to be the same beach that inspired Alex Garland to write his 1996 novel, The Beach, a cult classic which was adapted into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. But if getting there sounds a little too adventurous, don’t worry – just about any beach here in El Nido is going to be worth the trip. White sand, coral reefs and gorgeous sunsets abound.