Ahhh El Nido! I could not even start this article without pausing at the thought of all El Nido island-hopping tours we did in the Philippines. As our small outrigger boat cut through the blue waters off Corong-Corong beach, I couldn’t help but gape at the towering limestone cliffs surrounding us.
This is the famed El Nido in Palawan, Philippines.
El Nido is famous for its group of islands, islets, and sandbars dotting Bacuit Bay where you can see beautiful white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, coral reefs, and awesome limestone rock formations.
Getting to the Island Paradise: How to Reach El Nido?
You can reach El Nido from typically anywhere in the world through Manila or Cebu. Several flights to Palawan operate daily from these two big cities in the Philippines.
Yes, it may be a long trip with several layovers if you are coming from outside of Asia but the experience you will get from visiting the island is worth it!
Puerto Princesa to El Nido
We flew into Puerto Princesa International Airport on the southern end of the island province from Manila to reach El Nido. From there, we took a van transfer directly to El Nido which took around 5-6 hours (including 1 stop for a coffee break). These vans are available at the airport and are usually parked within the vicinity of the airport just outside of the arrival area. To easily find them, please seek guidance from any airport personnel so that you will not have a problem finding them.
Alternatively, you can take a local transport called a tricycle from the airport (cost varies by distance) and request the driver to bring you to the nearest van transfers to El Nido. From what we know, these vans leave every hour so regardless of the time of your arrival at Puerto Princesa airport, there will always be a transport taking you to El Nido. One-way transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido costs Php 700 (~USD 12).
Tip: Book your van transfer in advance to have a chance to reserve your preferred seat. Try to request from your transport service after booking.
Direct Flights to El Nido from Manila or Cebu
To get to the island paradise quickly, you can also take the 1-hour direct flight from Manila to El Nido Airport (ENI) or Cebu to El Nido. This airport is owned and solely used by AirSwift Airlines.
We initially wanted to take this direct flight however, the airfare is way higher as compared to the Manila – Puerto Princesa flight which was around half the price of the direct Manila – El Nido flight.
Other Option: Getting to El Nido from Coron
An alternative way to get to El Nido is by boat from Coron. Several shipping lines like Atienza, Jomalia, and Montenegro Shipping Lines operate this route which takes around 3.5 hours. You can check out this site for the updated schedules or if you want to book your tickets online. Another option is to book your tickets through tour agencies or via your hotel in Coron.
Whichever route you choose, as soon as you catch your first glimpse of El Nido’s breathtaking landscapes, you’ll know the journey is worth it.
Where to Stay in El Nido?
El Nido offers a variety of accommodation types suitable for different travelers. From luxury accommodations to stays suited for those on a budget, El Nido has something to offer.
We stayed at Spin Designer Hostel located in El Nido town. We liked its location in the quiet part of town but not too far from commercial establishments. It is a hostel that offers private rooms and serves a good breakfast.
If you opt for luxury and exclusivity, you may check out the resorts of El Nido Resorts located in Lagen, Miniloc, and Pangulasian Islands. Our boats often passed by these resorts when we island-hopped in El Nido.
Seda in Lio is also another option. If you want convenience, Seda Lio may be the best alternative accommodation for you as it is located near El Nido Airport and Lio Beach.
El Nido Island-Hopping: The A, B, C, and Ds of this Exhilarating Adventures
El Nido has become synonymous with island-hopping tours and for a good reason. You will get a chance to discover and experience the different islands, white-sand beaches, and kayaking in lagoons through these tours simply named Tour A, B, C, and D. Each El Nido island-hopping tour is unique on its own as it covers different stops offering different experiences to each traveler. Since it was our first time to be in El Nido, we completed all four tours to fully see and experience what El Nido has to offer – because why not?!
El Nido Tour A
On our first day, we joined El Nido Tour A which is considered the signature experience as it gives you a taste of all the experiences you will get in El Nido – snorkeling, swimming in turquoise waters, kayaking in the lagoons and enjoying a sumptuous lunch in a white-sand beach.
Our awesome experience started as soon as our boat started sailing the blue waters of Bacuit Bay. While en route to our first stop off Corong-Corong Beach, we were welcomed by the beautiful view of the bay dotted by different islands. It is just a marvelous view!
Our first stop was Papaya Beach just next to Seven Commandos Beach. These two beaches are separated by a giant limestone rock so you cannot hop between them as you please. As Papaya Beach is privately owned, fewer boats have access to it so there is more room for us to swim its clear waters. We stayed here for around 40 minutes – a good time to start our tour, enjoy its waters, and just appreciate the serene nature around us.
Next was Big Lagoon, a more open sea lagoon flanked by those famous karst formations. The only way to enter the lagoon is by kayak. There are kayaks by the lagoon entrance (for a fee) so no worries about finding one. As we paddled through its calm and clear waters, we could not help but gaze at the natural archways surrounded by limestone rocks. The highlight and the best thing we did here was to stop in the middle of the lagoon and have a 360-degree view of the whole place – just awesome! We were also lucky to see a turtle swimming out of the lagoon into the open sea – very cute!
After the paddle exercise at the Big Lagoon, it was time to hop onto another island for lunch. Our stop was at Shimizu Island where we, again, snorkeled and swam before eating our sumptuous lunch. Our lunch was composed of pancit (a local noodle dish), chicken adobo, grilled fish, cooked vegetables, and some fruits – perfect to re-energize ourselves after doing several activities.
Our next stop was the Secret Lagoon. We forgot to ask why it was named as such but maybe because you cannot see its entrance during high tide hence secret. This lagoon is small in size compared to the Big Lagoon. We had to queue when we arrived as it could accommodate only a certain number of people inside. We enjoyed floating around once inside the lagoon despite the number of tourists inside.
The last stop of our El Nido Tour A was at the Twin Rocks, quite close to the Big Lagoon. I can still vividly remember how I was in awe of the color of the water and the different types of fish in the area when we snorkeled – it was just beautiful!
El Nido Tour B
Tour B was the last tour we had in our El Nido island-hopping adventure. As it turns out, this tour was one of our favorites. It was the same as with the other tours where we went to white-sand beaches, one of which was in Entalula Beach which is becoming popular for its powdery sand. But what is special with this tour is the visit to unique places such as the Snake Island whose sandbar disappears when it is high-tide.
Small Lagoon was our next stop and what a surprise! This lagoon is just enchanting! Like Big and Cadlao lagoons, Small Lagoon is surrounded by karst formations. But unlike the other two famous lagoons, this lagoon has more serene and deep waters that makes it more enchanting.
Another stop worth mentioning was the sandbar near Cathedral Cave as it has the best view of the islands dotting the Bacuit Bay, in my opinion. We will not forget how we were left in awe upon seeing the view of the islands – a paradise.
El Nido Tour C
In retrospect, we noticed that all El Nido island-hopping tours usually start on an island where you are given around 30 – 40 minutes to swim and enjoy nature.
Like in the case of our El Nido Tour C itinerary, it started at Helicopter Island for swimming after which we went to Cadlao Lagoon. Similar to Big Lagoon, we had to kayak going into the lagoon. After staying for an hour in the lagoon, we went to Hidden Beach for another swimming activity. And after 45 minutes at Hidden Beach, we head off to Secret Beach for our last stop.
Cadlao Lagoon is part of Tour D but our group opted for this stop instead of Matinloc Shrine which was originally part of El Nido Tour C itinerary.
El Nido Tour D
Our El Nido Tour D itinerary started at Paradise Beach, another beautiful beach with pristine waters and white sands. We went to Cadlao Lagoon afterwards where we enjoyed kayaking and swimming in the lagoon. This stop was the highlight of this tour. What we liked about this lagoon is that it has a shallow part and a mini beach where tourists can enjoy swimming around.
El Nido Attractions Besides Island-Hopping
You can do something more in El Nido besides island-hopping. Perhaps chasing sunsets on the following beaches?!
Nacpan Beach
Nacpan Beach is a long stretch of beach located in the northern part of El Nido. There is no entrance fee to enjoy the beach but you need to pay around Php 500 if you want to use one of the little cottages. You can go to this beach by renting a motorcycle, taking the scheduled van transfers, or renting the local tricycle transport. We opted to take the tricycle instead so we do not need to worry about getting lost.
We enjoyed our stay here at Nacpan Beach. You can swim, walk along the shore, and wait for the sunset. We were lucky on that day as the sunset was amazing!
Marimegmeg Beach
Another beach on El Nido mainland that is worth visiting is Marimegmeg Beach. The beach is a 15-minute ride from El Nido main town. Unlike Nacpan Beach, Marimegmeg Beach has plenty of commercial establishments around so there is a variety of food choices. We also enjoyed our stay here at the beach as it has one of the nicest views of Bacuit Bay.
Lio Beach
Lio Beach is located in the northern part of El Nido close to El Nido airport. It is closer to El Nido town than Nacpan Beach so you can also reach the beach via local transport or by renting a motorcycle. Restaurants are aplenty in this area so getting hungry should be the least of your worries.
After doing all the island-hopping tours in El Nido, visiting Nacpan, Marimegmeg, and Lio beaches is a good way to unwind, relax, and have some downtime. As sunset lovers, we could not miss visiting them to chase the beautiful sunsets of the Philippines.
How long should you stay in El Nido?
Seven days is our recommended stay in El Nido. You will have enough time to complete all of the island-hopping tours A, B, C, and D plus you will get the chance to have some downtime and enjoy Nacpan, Marimegmeg, and Lio beaches.
El Nido provides the perfect island-hopping playground. It’s the unmissable crown jewel of any Palawan adventure and a tropical paradise that will create lifelong memories of experiencing some of Mother Nature’s finest work in the Philippines.
