El Nido sits at the northern tip of Palawan and is the gateway to Bacuit Bay – a stretch of turquoise water dotted with towering limestone karst islands, hidden lagoons, and white sand beaches. The town itself has grown from a sleepy fishing village into one of the Philippines’ most sought-after destinations, but it hasn’t lost its natural drama.
Bacuit Bay is the headline act – over 45 islands and islets, many only reachable by boat, with limestone cliffs rising straight out of the water. For those wanting a different view, the Canopy Walk up Taraw Cliff offers a steep but rewarding climb with panoramic views over the town and bay.
El Nido is also a serious diving destination. Submariner Diving Centre and other local operators run trips out to dive sites around the bay, with visibility and marine life that draw divers back year after year.
But the main event for most visitors is island hopping – El Nido runs four standardised tours (A, B, C, D), each covering a different set of islands, lagoons, and beaches. Full breakdown below.
El Nido Island Hopping Tours – A, B, C & D
Island hopping in El Nido isn’t run by one big operator – local boat crews are organised through barangay-based boat owners’ associations, and the municipal tourism office standardises the stops and pricing for each tour letter. That means it doesn’t matter much which hotel, agency, or pier-side stall you book through (Calle Hama pier, your accommodation, or online via Klook/GetYourGuide/Discover El Nido) – the itinerary and price for a given tour are consistent.
| Tour | Main stops | Best for | Duration | Water conditions | Best time of year | Price (shared boat, pp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A – The Lagoon Tour | Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon (kayak entry), Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, 7 Commando Beach | First-timers, families, photographers | ~7-8 hrs | Calm, sheltered – most reliable year-round | Nov-May, but runs reliably most of the year | ~₱1,200-1,500 (+₱150-200 kayak fee for Small Lagoon) |
| B – The Cave & Cathedral Tour | Cathedral Cave, Cudugnon Cave, Snake Island sandbar, Helicopter Island, Entalula/Pinagbuyutan Island | Cave exploration and snorkelling, generally less crowded than A | ~7-8 hrs | Mostly sheltered, some exposed stretches | Nov-May | ~₱1,200-1,500 |
| C – Hidden Beach & Matinloc Shrine Tour | Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Tapiutan Island, Helicopter Island | The most dramatic scenery of the four – but the longest and most exposed tour | ~8-9 hrs (longest) | Most exposed to open water of all four tours. Highest cancellation risk in rough weather. | Dry season (Nov-May) strongly preferred. Book with a flexible mindset Jun-Oct – rough seas regularly force cancellations or reroutes on this leg. | ~₱1,500-1,800 |
| D – The Quiet Beaches Tour | Cadlao Lagoon, Bukas Island, Paradise Beach, Pasandigan Cove | Least crowded – good if you’ve already done A/B | ~7-8 hrs | Mostly sheltered, similar to A/B | Nov-May | ~₱1,200-1,500 |
A note on Tour C: this is the one that goes furthest out of sheltered Bacuit Bay into open water on the way to Matinloc and Tapiutan Island. It has the most spectacular scenery of the four tours – but it’s also the longest, the most weather-dependent, and the one most likely to get cancelled or rescheduled if conditions are rough. If Tour C is on your list, book it early in your trip so you’ve got room to reschedule if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
All tours include boat transfer, life jackets, boat crew/guide, beachside lunch, and drinking water. On top of the listed tour price, expect roughly ₱300-400 per person in mandatory environmental/tourism fees. All-in realistic total per person: ~₱1,600-2,200 depending on tour and fee structure at time of booking.
Private boat options are available for all four tours if you’d rather skip the shared-boat crowd: private outriggers run roughly ₱13,000-14,000 (covers 2 people, ~₱1,200-1,400 per extra person), private speedboats roughly ₱19,500-20,000. Tour C sits at the top end of both, being the longest and furthest route.
Dezza’s Tip
El Nido’s airport (Lio) is small and can get busy in peak season, so don’t cut your connection too fine. Keep in mind all the flights in and out are turboprops, not jets, so they’re a bit more weather-dependent than what you might be used to. If you’re coming from Clark rather than Manila these days it’s actually more convenient, since AirSWIFT’s route moved north in 2026.
How To Get There
Fly Clark → El Nido direct with AirSWIFT (ATR turboprop, several flights daily). Alternatively, fly PAL to Puerto Princesa (Manila, 2x daily, ~50 min) then take a van or bus for the 5-6 hour drive north to El Nido. AirSWIFT also flies El Nido direct to Coron, Cebu, Bohol, and Boracay if you’re island-hopping without heading back through Luzon.
