Author: Matt and Danielle
14 August 2024
El Nido is a small seaside town in Palawan, Philippines. Even though it is a small town, El Nido is constantly packed with tourists looking to jump on a boat tour to see all the best things in the area. There are some truly incredible things to do and see in this part of Palawan. From beautiful islands with breathtaking white sand beaches to stunning tropical lagoons... there is no wonder why El Nido is one of the most popular places to visit in The Philippines.
Here is everything you need to know if you're looking to plan the perfect trip to El Nido.
Similarly to Coron, El Nido is famous for it's boat tours. There are a bunch of tour operators who all tend to follow the same routes. You can book Tour A, Tour B, C, D etc and all packages go to the same places. Private island-hopping tours are more expensive, but you get to plan out your own trip. If you don't have long to spend in El Nido, and you want to tick off specific places in one trip then a Private Tour is your best option. If you are happy to stick around a few days and take multiple tours, then a group tour is still an incredible way to meet other adventurers.
It really comes down to what you want. We took a full day private tour, as we had specific places in mind that we wanted to visit, and they didn't all fall on the same package tour. Also, we like to get to places earlier than the main tours so we can have them more privately. On a group tour your start time is set, but a private tour is more flexible.
With so many beautiful places to see, what are the best things you absolutely need to see in El Nido, Palawan? Here are all our top things that you need to add to your Philippines Itinerary.
The main thing you need to make sure you do not miss is Big Lagoon. This is the thing mot people want to see on their El Nido boat tour, and a lot of people's reasons for visiting the area. It's a stunning lagoon filled with crystal clear water, towering limestone cliffs, rock formations, greenery and caves to explore. It's the perfect place to kayak around and explore and your tour guide should be able to arrange a kayak for you. Being one of the best places to visit in the area means it gets very busy. If you are on a private boat tour then we would suggest setting off early to beat all the tours and get this stunning place as quiet as you can. We had only a handful of other people here when we visited, which made it such a magical place to explore. As we were leaving there were hoards of people on island hopping tours all kayaking into the lagoon.
This is one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen, let alone best beaches in Palawan. Entalula Island is a must for your day trip. This is where our guide prepared a delicious lunch of seafood, various dishes and fresh fruits, which we ate on the white sand beach. Since we started our tour earlier than most popular tours we managed to get the best beach on the expedition tour all to ourselves. It was amazing running into the crustal clear blue water, laying on the soft white sand and enjoying this lush tropical paradise. It's a small island, but an absolute must on your trip to El Nido. It was easily our favourite spot of them all.
Spend some time snorkelling in the crystal clear waters around Miniloc Island and spotting all the marvellous marine life. This was one of the busier places we visited on the tour, but it was still a great spot. We loved jumping off the boat with our snorkel, swimming into the coves and lagoons and exploring the area. It feels repetitive to say, but like everywhere in Palawan, Miniloc island is a tropical paradise. This whole part of The Philippines really is a dream.
After snorkelling here we got back onto our boat and bought a cold coconut from a man in a small boat with a cold box. It was brilliant to sit back and sip our coconuts while taking in the breathtaking views as we sailed around the El Nido area.
Papaya Beach is the perfect final stop and a great way to end an amazing trip. This beautiful beach is lined with coconut trees, has calm waters to swim and snorkel in as well as a bunch of activities. There's a beach bar here, volley ball, swings and walks to enjoy. After a day exploring all the pristine beaches, islands and lagoons on one of the island-hopping tours, you will be glad to have some time to sit back and enjoy this blissful paradise. Papaya Beach is attached to the main island, so only a short ride back to El Nido afterwards. You can only reach this beautiful beach on one of the local tours or by paying a fisherman to bring you here for the day.
That concludes the perfect El Nido Private Tour. If you're not done island-hopping and want to stick around for a few days covering all the best spots around beautiful El Nido, then here are some other nearby islands and beaches you will want to include.
Matinloc Shrine - Also known as the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This stunning picturesque island is not only beautiful, but shrouded in mystery. This shrine is said to have been built as a cover-up after the owners of this island discovered treasure.
Shimizu Island - A popular snorkel spot due to the colourful marine life in the area. This small, but beautiful island can often get busy packed out with boats as it is one of the stops on Tour A.
Snake Island - Don't worry, this island gets its name from its shape...not for it's inhabitants. You won't find snakes here thank fully, but you will find a blissful tropical paradise. There is a sandbar here that connects this small island to the mainland, and at low tide is when you can see it's distinctive shape and walk along it.
Seven Commando Beach - This is right next to Papaya Beach, but behind some limestone cliffs so you can't walk between the two. It's just the same palm tree lined paradise.
Cadlao Island - This island is the closest to El Nido Town, boasts the highest peak in the region and is packed with white beaches, lush greenery and amazing water to swim and enjoy. Yet, strangely it is one of the least visited islands in the area. If you are looking for a hidden gem, or a secret beach all to yourself then this is a great place to find it.
Dilumacad Island - Also known as Helicopter Island because of it's shape from a distance. This is a beautiful island to relax on and explore. You can sometimes find sea turtles here due to the green sea grass that grows just off the coast. If you want to visit on a tour package then book Tour C.
That covers the beautiful places you can visit around El Nido from one of the island-hopping boats, but what about the mainland and El Nido Town Proper? If it's your first time in Palawan then we understand you may want to leave no stone unturned. Here are the best places you can visit from the main town centre.
This was our favourite spot near El Nido. It is a stunning beach lined with palm trees which faces out to a beautiful blue ocean, and it's only about 25 minutes from the main town. You can hop on a scooter and drive here yourself, or get a tuk tuk to bring you as It's very easily accessible. There are beach restaurants at one end and not much else at the other, but if you are looking for more of a hidden beach then you can walk along the white sand to somewhere more secluded. That's what we did and we had a huge section all to ourselves.
Further up from Nacpan Beach you can find Duli Beach, so if you're working your way up that way then it's ideal to pair these two together. It's a long 2km stretch of soft white sand and a top spot for anyone looking to find their own secluded paradise. The further away you get from El Nido Town, the fewer and fewer tourists you'll find as most settle for somewhere easier to reach.
Lio Beach is the main beach within El Nido Town. It's an easy access beach as you can walk here if you are staying central and one of the best places to come for a beautiful sunset. This beach is lined with amazing restaurants, which make the perfect place to grab some food and a drink as you watch the colours paint the sky overhead, while listening to the water roll on the shore.
Between December and May is The Dry season, and the best time to visit. April and May are significantly quieter, so if you want to enjoy this beautiful part of The Philippines with fewer tourists, then this is the best time. You may also get some rain as the later parts of The Dry Season can cross over with The Wet Season.
We recommend staying in Central El Nido, especially if you want to party, enjoy some delicious local food and not have to worry about getting tuk tuk's or taxi's back at the end of the night. There are a lot of restaurants and bars in the centre, there are beaches too so you can always enjoy a beautiful sunset at one of the beachside bars. Here are some places we recommend staying if you are planning your trip to El Nido.
Frendz Hostel - A popular hostel with mixed dorms and private rooms. Very clean, great reviews and a beautiful rooftop pool. This place gets booked quickly so don't wait around if you they have availability!
Happiness Hostel - A central hostel with a popular bar. It's always full of travellers, backpackers and holiday-makers enjoying the vibes of the town. Again, it is gets booked fast so act if your ideal dates are available!
South Anchorage Inn - A really great hotel. No hostel rooms, just hotel rooms so it is a little more expensive. It's got great reviews, it's clean and is in a perfect location.
If you are planning on getting to El Nido by boat, then you are in luck. There is an EPIC 3-day island-hopping that run between Coron and El Nido, this is the way we did it. You can get a quicker boat if you are on a deadline, but if you are planning to fly then there is no direct flight to this part of the island. The nearest airport is in Puerto Princesa, so you will need to get either to or from there by minibus if you are wanting to fly to or from any other islands in The Philippines. The drive is not great! it's around 5-hours and if you can pay more for a private car, or get a public minibus. This will stop often and pick up as many people as it can physically hold along the way. It's a tight fit for a long journey.
That covers everything in our El Nido Travel Guide. If you are looking at visiting other parts of Palawan during your trip then make sure to see our Ultimate Guide for Coron too. If you are wanting to see more places throughout The Philippines then you can see our Ultimate Guide to The Philippines here too.
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