El Nido is probably what your mind jumps to when you think of the Philippines. It is easily the most popular tourist destination in the country. The reason for its popularity mainly stems from the numerous islands that lie just offshore of the town itself. These islands are known as the Bacuit Archipelago and are absolutely stunning.
Places like this really have to be seen to be believed. While island hopping tours are definitely the main attraction here, there are actually loads more incredible things to do in El Nido.
The town of El Nido, which means “the nest” in Spanish, gained its name from the tiny swiftlets that build their homes in the surrounding limestone cliffs. It’s hard to picture a more beautiful backdrop for a place as cliffs tower around the town while looking out to sea offers a small glimpse into the island paradise that awaits once you venture out on the water.
Due to the booming popularity of El Nido and Palawan island in general, it’s worth noting that it is an insanely busy place. Both domestic and foreign tourists flock to this town to enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty of the region. Although it is busy, it’s absolutely worth going to as the crowds do nothing to diminish just how spectacular this place really is.
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Where To Stay In El Nido
There are some really amazing places to stay at in El Nido. The best part is that these options are in all budget ranges.
Buko Beach Resort – Luxury
⭐️ Rating: 9.2/10 (112 Reviews) Price: $266 per night 📍Location: Lot 10, Sitio Lugadia, Barangay Corong Corong, Palawan, El Nido Details: Read more on booking.com now!
Buko Beach Resort is one amazing beach front location. The whole place has been done up with native designs. This can be seen in the rooms, the terrace and even in the outdoor bathroom reflects this. It even has an outdoor swimming pool.
If you don’t want t head out and eat, you should head over to the on-site restaurant and bar. The room service is also pretty cool.
“The staff were the best – very welcoming to my family and accommodated our needs. They even did something special for someone’s birthday in my family. The Grand Villa was incredible and the location is right off the beach to watch the beautiful sunsets from Corong Corong. The breakfast and restaurant food was very delicious too! Highly recommend this place.”
Jeckoy (read more reviews now!)
Oh and while we are still on the topic of food, Buko Beach Resort offers an amazing breakfast that comes included in the price of the room.
The rooms are large, comfortable and has air-conditioning which is so important on those hot days in El Nido. The super comfortable rooms are perfect for relaxing and perfect for a nice peaceful vacation.
Bale Cabugao Cottages Rental – Budget
⭐️ Rating: 8.8/10 (281 Reviews) Price: $29 per night 📍Location: Elnido Palawan, Masagana, El Nido Details: Read more on booking.com now!
This is one of the cool budget options when it comes to accommodation in El Nido. It has a garden and amazing city views. Some of the rooms even have sea or mountain views. Unlike many of the budget options in the area, here you will have a private bathroom which for me is sooo important. I honestly have stayed in places where I shared a bathroom but I personally am not a big fan.
Another one of the best things about this place is that it is walking distance to the city and many of the attractions so you don’t need any additional transportation in the city.
1. Island Hopping Tours In El Nido
Island hopping tours are some of the most popular items on most people’s things to do in El Nido list.
This is easily one of the best things to do in El Nido and quite possibly in the whole of the Philippines. The El Nido island hopping tours around the Bacuit Archipelago are a once in a lifetime experience.
The islands are mainly formed from jagged, limestone cliffs that protrude from some of the clearest and bluest water in the world. Add in some white sandy beaches, hidden lagoons and caves and you have got a very special place.
Once you have had your fill of the mesmerising views above the water you can venture into the ocean and see just how incredible this place is below the surface as well. The region is famous for its colourful coral reefs and wide range of wildlife. As well as enjoying the multi coloured coral gardens you can expect to come across turtles, fish, squid and so much more.
The coral reefs here are home to one of the most famous and beloved fish in the sea, the clownfish. These brilliant orange and white creatures can be found swimming around their homes in the anemone. The ecosystem in the ocean here is fascinating and you will have the chance to snorkel amongst the wildlife several times on an island hopping tour.
Island Hopping tours in El Nido are now split into four standardized tour packages labelled Tour A, B, C and D with each tour visiting a different set of islands. These tours typically visit the same places no matter which company you decide to go with.
One of the other great things about the island hopping tours here is that the prices have been standardised as well meaning you don’t have to spend time comparing prices and haggling for the best deal possible.
The price for an island hopping tour does not include the 200 PHP environmental fee that is due, although once the fee has been paid, keep hold of your receipt as it is valid for ten days. This means if you go on several different boat trips here you will only have to pay the environmental fee once.
2. Nacpan Beach
The gorgeous Nacpan beach definitely deserves to be added to your list of things to do in El Nido.
Nacpan Beach is the best beach in the Palawan. It is a 40-minute drive from El Nido town centre so you will need some sort form of transportation to get there. The easiest way to get here is to rent a scooter in El Nido which should cost around 350 pesos ($6.84 USD) for the day. If you don’t feel comfortable riding a scooter you can take a tricycle (the Philippines version of a tuk tuk) out to Nacpan Beach.
Nacpan is actually one of the nicest beaches in the Philippines. The golden sand is lined with palm trees and the beach stretches for several kilometres. The crystal clear water here is a beautiful deep shade of blue. It has become more popular in recent years so don’t expect to have the place all to yourself but due to it’s size it never really feels crowded.
Restaurants and bars line the main section of the beach where you can rent a sun lounger for the day and enjoy some delicious fresh seafood and cold drinks. If you want to get away from the crowds you can head a couple of hundred meters in either direction and you will be able to find a patch of sand all to yourself.
3. Watch The Sunset At Las Cabanas Beach
If you love sunsets then Las Cabanas is a great spot and is one of the popular things to do in El Nido in the evening.
The most popular beach in El Nido is probably Las Cabanas due to its close proximity to the town itself as well as having lots of accommodation along the beach. It is one of the few spots in the area where you will get a truly great sunset over the water. It faces to the west and isn’t blocked by any of the outlying islands which ensures it offers the perfect sunset view.
There are plenty of beach bars here which means you can watch the sun set with an ice cold drink in your hands. It doesn’t come as a surprise that this is one of the most popular things to do in El Nido in the evening.
4. Rent A Paddle Board At Las Cabanas
Paddle boarding is one of the more exciting things to do in El Nido.
One of the best ways to truly appreciate the wonders of El Nido is to see it from a different perspective. Rent a stand up paddleboard right from the beach at Las Cabanas and enjoy the breathtaking views from the water.
Paddleboard rentals are just 200 pesos ($3.91 USD) per hour and are a really fun way to explore the nearby coastline. If you want a really special experience take a paddleboard out at sunset and enjoy the serenity out on the ocean as the sun disappears below the horizon. It is one of those fun things to do in El Nido.
5. Kayak To Seven Commandos Beach
Another one of the more adventurous things to do in El Nido is to Kayak to the 7 Commandos.
If you choose an island hopping tour that doesn’t include the Seven Commandos beach then don’t fret, you can still visit this beach if you are willing to put a bit of hard work in. As this beach is only accessible from the water you can rent a kayak from Corong Corong Beach and paddle to Seven Commandos. Kayak rental should cost around 100 pesos ($1.95 USD) per hour.
The water in this area is usually fairly calm so it is quite an easy paddle although it will take around 30-minutes to reach Seven Commandos. Keep this in mind if you start to get tired as it is the same distance back again. Hug the coastline on your right hand side and you will eventually find yourself well rewarded for your efforts with a stretch of gorgeous white sand and tropical palm trees.
6. Lio Beach
The picture of Lio beach speaks for itself and tells you why you should add it to your list of things to do in El Nido.
You will find Lio Beach just ten minutes outside of El Nido. The good news is you won’t need to rent a scooter to visit here as there is a free shuttle bus from the town centre. Lio Beach is not quite as picturesque as Nacpan, but it is still very pretty and has an amazing view of the karst cliff islands from shore.
It has a large resort built right on the beach so it is less rugged than Nacpan, but it does offer much better amenities. There are free sun loungers on the beach, new and modern cafes and some boutique shops here as well.
El Nido airport is right behind Lio Beach so you will have a chance to watch the planes fly in and out of what has to be one of the most spectacular airports in the country. While the flights do disturb the peace and quiet a little bit, they are infrequent enough to be interesting rather than annoying. If you have a few days in El Nido we definitely recommend making your way out here for a couple of hours.
7. Surf At Duli Beach
Surfing at Duli beach is an awesome way to spend a day. From November until April there is pretty consistent swell here and the sandy bottomed wave makes it a safe spot for beginners. There are loads of companies in El Nido that offer surf packages for Duli so you can get transport, surf rental and even an instructor all organised for you before you go.
If you would prefer to ride a scooter out there yourself then Duli Beach Resort also offers surf rentals and lessons. The drive out to Duli Beach takes around 50 minutes and the roads to get out here are a little bit bumpier and sketchier than the rest of the area.
Even if you don’t surf or there are no waves when you visit, Duli Beach is still a great spot to hang out at and the distance from El Nido usually thins out the crowds.
When I arrived in El Nido I pretty much had one thing on my mind – island hopping. Our island hopping tour left me in awe of this stunning place and had me wanting more. While this is definitely number one on the list of things to do in El Nido there is so much more that this region has to offer.
You could quite easily spend up to a week here exploring all the different beaches, surfing, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking. A visit to El Nido should be right at the top of your Philippines bucket list!
About The Author
Luke Storey is one of the two faces behind The Coastal Campaign, a couple of twenty something adventure travellers. The Coastal Campaign is all about exploring off the beaten path destinations and once they get there, ripping round on scooters, cliff jumping, hiking, finding amazing beaches and other epic locations.
Luke blogs about his adventures at The Coastal Campaign. You can reach out to him on Facebook and Instagram.
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** The photographs in this post are not the property of Globetrove and have been provided by the author.