Things to see and do El Nido

The handy all-in-one address! For up-to-date information on accommodation and transportation. To book a whole range of excursions: island tours, kayaking, hiking or fishing. For a nice souvenir store, welcome to the Art Café. Because they also serve as a currency exchange office. And the restaurant serves vegetarian dishes. All in all, it's the place to go to plan your stay if you haven't planned ahead.

It is a long white sand beach quickly accessible from the center of El Nido, by tricycle or even on foot. There are a lot of boats and swimming is not ideal, especially at low tide, but people come here mostly for the beautiful sunsets, the picturesque view of the surrounding islands and its length, more than 600 meters, is conducive to a pleasant stroll. However, several restaurants, bars and hotels have settled along the beach. It remains a beautiful beach where it is interesting to make a stop.

On the east coast, in the village of Ibajay, on the road to Sibaltan, it takes about 45 minutes by scooter. The road to get there is a bit rocky. The Ille Cave has a special historical significance since archaeologists discovered animal bones, pottery and tools that attest to a human presence on Palawan 12,000 years ago. The cave is open to the public and can be reached via a challenging path accompanied by a guide who knows the area and will give you the necessary explanations.

Nacpan Beach is located 20 km north of El Nido. This huge paradise beach, once deserted, is becoming more and more popular with tourists, but it is so big that its new popularity does not yet affect the pleasure of basking there. We advise you to rent a scooter to get there. On the way, make a stop at Nagkalit-kalit waterfalls. Duli Beach is located even further north, 45 minutes from El Nido by scooter. It is even wilder than Nacpan, not very crowded and with nice waves to surf. There is a restaurant on site.

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful beaches in El Nido. Hurry there to enjoy the sunset and especially the beauty of this picturesque site, its white sand and crystal clear waters. Ideal for a day of relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of the city. On the spot, some restaurants, bars and resorts have settled, distorting a little the beach. However the atmosphere is still peaceful, simply you will not be alone to enjoy it.

At the end of a beautiful road surrounded by palm trees, 15 minutes from El Nido, Lio Beach is a surprisingly charming little beach, away from the crowds and yet offering a host of services. On site, several bars and restaurants, the possibility to rent kayaks and paddles, a volleyball court and deck chairs to relax. In the evening, there are regular concerts. Don't miss the sunset, with the silhouette of the surrounding islands in the distance, simply sublime. A good spot to spend a fun and relaxing day.

A trip to the Bacuit Archipelago(island hopping) is often THE reason to come to El Nido and maybe even to the Philippines. The bay of Bacuit and its small and large islands are indeed breathtakingly beautiful. Between the incredible verticality of the dark gray karst rocks, the turquoise lagoons, the pristine beaches and the lush vegetation never touched by man, it is simply a unique mix of colors, one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world that you have before your eyes.

It is very easy to make a tour of the islands. Most hotels can organize it and many agencies have swarmed in recent years. There are four different standardized tours that allow visitors to be spread out over the different sites. A typical tour leaves at 9am and returns at 4pm. Lunch - often very good (vegetables, fresh fish, fruit) - is always included as well as the transfer to/from the hotel. Snorkeling or kayaking equipment is either included or extra.

The prices are generally aligned, even if some agencies try to sell off their prices to attract customers. We advise you to stick to the suggestions of your hotel or to the official agencies spread out in the center of El Nido. We generally leave on a large banca from the port of El Nido, enclosed in its cliffs, it is already incredibly picturesque. Be careful, to reach the boat that leaves most often from the "beach" of El Nido, you often have to walk in the water (keep your shoes on) or even swim, better be warned. Some providers offer speedboat tours: it is faster, you go further and you spend more time in the water or on the beach. The ideal would be to make a circuit in banca and another in speedboat. You can choose to do a group tour (15-20 people) or a private tour. A private tour is certainly more expensive (about 65 € per person for a group of 4) but is synonymous with privacy and freedom.

Tour A: Seven Commando Beach, Big Lagoon, Shimitzu Island, Paayong Payong and Secret Lagoon. 1,200 PHP/person/group; 12,000 PHP/2 persons/private.

Tour B: Entatula Isla, Snake Island, Cudognon Cave, Cathedral Cave and Papaya Beach. 1,300 PHP/person/group; 11,500 PHP/2 persons/private.

Tour C: Helicopter island, Hidden Beach, Cagbatang Island, Secret beach and Matinloc shrine. 1,400 PHP/person/group; 12,000 PHP/2 persons/private.

Tour D: Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Pasindigan Cove, Buka Island and Small Lagoon. 1,200 PHP/person/group; 11,500 PHP/2 persons/private.

The Petit Futé's opinion. Tours A and C are the most popular (especially because of the Big Lagoon in tour A and the Hidden Beach in tour C), so you will not be alone, far from it... Tours B and D allow a little more solitude even if it is rare - non-existent, let's admit it - in this dreamy archipelago. If you can afford it, we recommend a private island hopping, you won't regret it, your guide will not hesitate to move away from the tourist spots because he knows the crowded hours. The cherry on the cake would be to leave very early in the morning to arrive on the sites before everybody! In any case, even if you choose the option in group and in daytime, it will not take anything away from this unique experience which will remain magical.