Despite becoming travel-media sensation in recent years, Palawan still remains untouched and undiscovered by big crowds (who prefer seascape of other South East Asian countries and the islands of Thailand). Palawan is not the easiest to get to, which is its big advantage and if you wander further from the main hubs, you will find the real wild and untouched paradise. what to do in el nido
El Nido, meaning the nest in Spanish, is the primary base for exploring Palawan’s number one attraction – the stunning Bacuit Archipelago, famous for its crystal clear blue waters, colorful coral reefs, limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons and white beaches. It is an incredibly beautiful area and even though it is not so easy to get there, your effort will be greatly rewarded with stunning nature. The town itself is lined with beach, restaurants, fresh produce markets and different accommodation options, but even though it’s filled with travelers, there’s not as much to do – it serves more as a base for exploring the surrounding islands, beaches and waterfalls. what to do in el nido
We spent in El Nido 4 days (one of them was raining all day long, how lucky), but I wish we stayed at least a week. Here are some travel tips for your trip to El Nido.
Getting to El Nido
El Nido has got an airport with daily flights from Manila or Cebu, but if you are looking for a cheaper option, van is your mean of transport! You have to pre-book it, which we did in Puerto Princesa (actually, we did not do anything, because Erven arranged it for us, but I am sure that they will happily assist you in any hotel you’ll stay in. Filipinos are very nice people). The price per person is only around 480 pesos = 12 AUD / 7.50 EUR for one way trip.
I will not lie, the ride is long and bumpy – it takes approximately 6 hours to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido (230 km). On the way you will be probably questioning your choice of travel and if the driver has got a driver’s license at all, but as I said, your struggle will pay off because El Nido is absolutely stunning! (If you have motion sickness, have some pills ready, you will need them).
Where to Stay
There are all sorts of accommodation on El Nido – from luxury resorts with over-water bungalows, through water-front Airbnbs to colorful hostels – there is something for everyone!
Because we considered this trip as our small honeymoon, I picked a really nice eco-friendly hotel at the beginning of the town – Buko Beach Resort. There were only 6 bungalows, open-air restaurant and reception area and one small souvenir boutique (the resort is quite new and some parts were still under construction, however we didn’t hear any noise). It is located right on a small beach with the traditional fishing outrigger canoes, but still close enough to the main road from where we could hail a tricycle and get to the town in about 15 minutes for 50 pesos. I really loved Buko, the wooden touches, high ceilings, lots of little details here and there, rocking net on our balcony (which was under the roof so I could relax there even when it rained), plus they had really nice open-air bathrooms.
Island Hopping Tours
Island hopping is the most popular activity when you are in El Nido. There are many tour operators and travel agencies that organize these trips and they are all offering the same tours – A, B, C or D for approximately the same prices. We chose the tour A, which is the most popular together with the tour C.
The prices for the tours range from 1500 to 2500 PHP per person, which is around 40 – 60 AUD / 22 – 35 EUR.
They are full-day tours with 4 to 5 stops and lunch (made on a small barbecue right on the boat) and snorkeling gear are included. On the day of our tour we were so lucky, because the weather was beautiful and sunny!
The tour A takes you to the Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commando Beach. This day was my favorite on Palawan, we had lots of fun on the boat with other fellow travelers from different countries, we bought some beers right on the boat from a local man on canoe, we were jumping from the rocks into unbelievably clear waters in the Big Lagoon, hired a canoe in the Small Lagoon for only 300 PHP (approx. 7.50 AUD), from which we could explore its hidden coves and had the best lunch on one of the beaches.
(Note – We visited Palawan in 2017 and since then the tour itineraries and prices could have changed slightly. However, they still offer the same places to visit so if you have any particular spots in mind and you are not a solo traveler, maybe hiring a skipper with a boat for one full day to make you a personalized itinerary would be a things to consider.)
It started to rain while we were on the 7 Commando Beach, but I was glad that the rest of the day was beautiful and we made many life-long memories.
You may be asking how and why the 7 Commando Beach has got its name… Well, our skipper told us a story about seven soldiers, who during a war (he didn’t mention which war) got lost on the island and had to stay there for few months until they were found and rescued. I was interested in the story and wanted to know more so I was browsing the Internet and found nothing. Obviously there are many different versions, some of them do not even include soldiers. They have got one thing in common though, and it was a huge sing on one of the rocks saying 7 COMMANDOS. Whoever left it there probably did not expect that the beach will be named after it. The sign is either no longer there, or it is well hidden because we couldn’t find it. Anyway, maybe if you visit, you will have a better luck with a better story.
Fun fact about the 7 Commando Beach is, that it is actually not located on a separate island – it is on the main island of Palawan but accessible only by boat. There are few bungalows to rent, a small hotel and three beach bars. It is truly stunning beach, no matter what the story behind its name is.
Nacpan Beach
Nacpan Beach is a hidden gem of Palawan and surely my favorite beach of all the beaches I have ever been to. The same as with El Nido, the journey there is an adventure itself. The beach with golden sand is 3 km long, lined only with palm trees. There were only very few beach bars (at the time we went there I could count them on the fingers of one hand) and on the further end, there were few local fishermen cottages with Filipino kids playing football and having fun in the water, while their parents were cooking on the open fire right outside of their homes.
I am afraid that it will not remain like this for too long though and soon it will be a tourist spot number 1, not a hidden gem anymore. We traveled in wet season, so there was almost no one around. I am glad I could experience it like this, before hordes of people will find it and change it forever.
And why is the journey adventurous? Well, I don’t want to spoil you too much, because we also didn’t know what we were up to, until our tricycle sank into ankle deep mud after the heavy rains and we had to help our driver to push it out (it is not recommended to hire a motorbike to get here in wet season for this particular reason).
The drive by tricycle should take around 45 minutes, but in reality was about an hour. The first 16 km of the road are paved, but the last 4 km are just mud. But it is absolutely worth it. I was laughing all the time and I am sure that our driver must have thought I lost my mind (tricycle hire with driver for a round trip was 150 PHP).
More Attractions
TARAW PEAK
The peak rises approximately 230 m above the sea level and offers stunning views over the Bacuit Bay. The round trip take only about 2 hours.
NAGKALIT-KALIT WATERFALLS
Two waterfalls with a small natural pool between them, where you can take a swim. It should be only about an hour hike through the jungle to get there, and it is a good stop on your way to Nacpan Beach. I wanted to visit the waterfalls a lot but the rain ruined our plans. Well, maybe next time! Hopefully you’ll get better luck!
ZIPLINE
It is a 750-meter long zipline that connects El Nido and Depeldet Island and allows you “to fly” above the sea. I can’t imagine how amazing this experience it must be! I have done zipline once before in Cairns and I loved it, so this one was on my “to-do list” if only weather was kinder to us.
REPUBLICA SUNSET BAR
The bar at the beginning of El Nido that is well known for its amazing view over the ocean and it is the most packed for sunsets, so you will have to come much earlier to catch a good spot. It is not only the amazing view, but also their delicious food that makes it so popular. I’ve had the best ceviche in my life here. We came only for dinner, so unfortunately not amazing sunset for us (it was cloudy anyway), but I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place, their cool drinks and yummy tapas.
OTHER ISLAND HOPPING TOURS
- Tour B – will take you to the Snake Island (just a strip of sand in the middle of the sea), Pinagbuyutan Island, Entanula Beach, Cudugnon Cave and a popular snorkelling site on one of the reefs. I liked this itinerary a lot and if we had more time, this would be my second choice after tour A.
- Tour C – covers Helicopter Island, Mantiloc Shrine (this place used to host a convent and a school, but nowadays are abandoned and, according to legends, haunted by shosts), Secret Beach, Star Beach and Hidden Beach.
- Tour D – has got 6 sites – Ipil Beach, Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Pasandigan Beach, Natnat Beach and Bukal Beach.
All of them are navigated by traditional outrigger boats and include lunch, water and snorkeling gear. You can also do a combination of tours, but those are usually more expensive, as you have to hire a private boat.
However, as I mentioned before, these are info as per November 2017. The itineraries might have changed and you will do the best if you book your directly in an agency in El Nido.
Have you visited Palawan or would you like to go? Have you been to other parts in the Philippines? If you are planning a trip here, check out my articles why it is worth to stay in the capital of Palawan – Puerto Princesa, and some general travel advice to help you planning!
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