Palawan is a regular on any list of the world’s best islands and for good reason. The Bacuit Archipelago off the coast of El Nido is full of dramatic rock formations, limestone cliffs, secret beaches and hidden turquoise and emerald coloured lagoons. The film ‘The Beach’ with Leonardo DiCaprio was actually based on a book that was inspired by El Nido.
It’s of no surprise that island hopping is the most popular activity to do here and it truly is a highlight for anyone visiting the Philippines. There are four different island hopping tours to choose from called Tour A, Tour B, Tour C and Tour D. I know they weren’t very creative with the naming of the tours. Each tour takes you to different islands and lagoons, so it can be hard deciding which tour to book if you only have time for one. Tour A is said to be the most popular tour because it offers a great selection of lagoons, beaches, snorkeling and includes a visit to the famous Big Lagoon.
Things to Know About Island Hopping Tours in El Nido
We booked our private boat tour through Colz Travel with our group of 6 friends. The tours start around 8-9am and finish around 4-5pm. All tours whether you’ve booked a private tour or group tour will meet at the main beach where you’ll sign in and register. There’s an additional environmental fee of 200 pesos (US$4) that all tourists are required to pay and is valid for 10 days. This means if you take another island hopping tour, make sure to bring your ticket so you aren’t charged twice. Visiting the Big Lagoon also requires an entrance fee of 200 pesos (US$4), which we paid at an office along the beach before starting our tour.
All tours also provide a buffet lunch, drinking water, snorkels, masks and life jackets. Beach towels aren’t included so you might want to bring your own. If you need any waterproof phone cases, water shoes or waterproof bags you can find these from vendors selling them along the beach before you start your boat tour.
Is it Best to Book a Private Boat or Group Tour?
This really depends on your budget and how many people you’re traveling with. We had a group of 6 people, so we were able to split the cost between all of us. Prices for Tour A on a group tour with entrance fees included are 1050 pesos. Tour A on our private boat cost each of us 1950 pesos with entrance fees included. This is roughly US$20 vs US$40.
One of the main problems with group tours is the strict schedule you need to stick to. If you have a private boat you can of course decide how long you wish to stay in each place. It also meant we had a lot more room to spread out and lay down on the boat.
El Nido Tour A Itinerary
Island hopping with Tour A will include visits to Cadlao Lagoon, Seven Commandos Beach, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Big Lagoon.
Tour A: Cadlao Lagoon
When I first visited El Nido 5 years ago the island hopping tour boats were allowed to enter the lagoons. However, now they have to anchor outside the entrance and you’re required to hire a kayak in order to explore any of the lagoons. I think this is a much for sustainable approach to tourism at these natural wonders and will make such a difference to the environment in the long run. Kayaking is also really fun and costs about 250-300 pesos depending if the kayak fits 2 or 3 people.
Tour A: Seven Commandos Beach
This is a really beautiful long stretch of beach with rows and rows of palm trees. There are also a few cute little beach huts to sit and eat your BBQ lunch, plus a basketball hoop and sand court to play a game. Our guide had spent much of the morning getting lunch ready and cooking on the grill at the back of the boat. Most tours will have very similar lunches, which include some grilled fish, pork, chicken, rice, salad and fruit.
Tour A: Secret Lagoon
On this occasion we didn’t actually swim to the lagoon and instead just took some photos on the boat with the view of the island. To reach this lagoon you have to swim through a small hole in the limestone cliffs until you enter an enclosed lagoon surrounded by limestone cliffs.
Tour A: Shimizu Island
We actually anchored a little off the island here and went snorkelling in the ocean instead of heading to the beach. The water here is incredibly vibrant and turquoise.
Tour A: Big Lagoon
Big Lagoon is a very well known sight and has likely featured in many of the photos or postcards you’ve seen of El Nido. This was our last (or maybe our 2nd last it’s hard to remember) stop of the day so lucky for us there were only a few tour boats anchored at the entrance of the lagoon. We only saw another 2 kayaks in the lagoon, which definitely made it the most peaceful and magical location we visited. Once you wrap up your last stop it takes about 45 to 60 minutes to return back to town.
The lagoon is also perfect for drone footage, but you might have issues with the signal because of all the limestone cliffs. Many of the locations in both El Nido and Coron are referred to as drone graveyards. It’s best to fly the drones from where the boats are anchored on the edge of the lagoons and cliffs.
Is El Nido or Coron Better?
Coron is better for underwater adventures with the main activity being the day tours that take you snorkeling, scuba diving or free diving to the lakes and shipwrecks. So if you’re a free diver or scuba diver then you will likely prefer Coron.
El Nido is perfect if you’d rather explore beaches all day and kayak through blue lagoons. El Nido town also has more restaurants, hotels and bars and is therefore busier than Coron. I also found El Nido to be more expensive than Coron, particularly when it comes to island hopping tours and accommodation. This is because it’s better known and attracts more foreign tourists. El Nido also has a beach in town and plenty of beaches a short tuk tuk ride away. In comparison, Coron doesn’t actually have any beaches in town so you’ll need to take an island hopping tour if you want to sit on a beach.
If you have the time I would highly recommend a visit to both, as they’re only a 4-hour ferry ride from each other. Overall though, Coron is cheaper and best for snorkeling, freediving and scuba diving. El Nido is more expensive, busier, more lively and best for beaches, lagoons and island hopping.
Best Time to Visit
According to all my local Filipino friends who regularly visit El Nido, the best months to visit are between February and March. Dry season runs from October to May, with April and May being the hottest months of the year.
Where to Stay in El Nido
Staying in El Nido town is probably the most convenient as it offers the largest choice in accommodation, restaurants, nightlife and is also central for any activities you’ll be doing. It’s also where all the island hopping tours leave from and the ferry to Coron.
If you’ve got a few spare days I’d recommend relocating to one of the beaches such as Las Cabanas Beach, Lio Beach or Nacpan Beach. You’ll be further from town so you’ll want to just spend your time at the beach and eat and do activities around there rather than keep coming back into town.
Frendz Hostel is newly opened hostel offering both private rooms and dorms. It has a rooftop swimming pool and bar and is a central location in town. This is perfect if you’re traveling solo and want to make friends.
Nacpan Beach Glamping is definitely one of the coolest and trendiest places to stay. If you’re looking for over the water bungalows then El Nido Resorts Miniloc Island is gorgeous.
How to Get to El Nido
Although El Nido has it’s own airport, flights here can often be very expensive. I’d recommend checking flight prices and comparing them with Peurto Princessa International Airport, which is a 5-hour drive from El Nido. There are tourist buses and mini vans that run between El Nido and Peurto Princessa almost every hour and cost roughly US$15. The mini vans are more cramped but will take you directly to the airport. The buses on the other hand are more spacious but will drop you at the main bus station in Peurto Princessa. If you’re coming from Coron there will be a ferry that takes about 4-5 hours and costs roughly US$30.
