Last updated: 9 MARCH 2020
Here’s our diy EL NIDO PALAWAN travel guide BLOG! In this post, you’ll find sample EL NIDO ITINERARIES, breakdown of expenses, and recommendations on hotels, resorts, tours, and things to do. hope this helps you plan your next Palawan trip!
When I was a child and conjured up an image of a tropical paradise in a daydream, this looked exactly like this world.
When our boat glided through the waves, it was as though we sailed into a karst world straight from a fantasy film. As we moved closer, the cliffs appeared to magically part, as if ushering us in, inviting us to come in and see what the island had to offer. As we moved, these splendid huge rocks slowly revealed white, sparkling beaches adorned with coconut trees. In this world, “ugly” is either banned or non-existent. (Then I thought, “Holy eff, what am I doing here?”)
“This is my Narnia,” I mumbled to myself, thinking that the numerous years I had spent in the closet finally paid off. I chuckled.
How I got here was a matter of fate. El Nido was nowhere under my radar at the time. I was under a foolish impression that only the dirty rich could afford it. but as I was simply browsing the web, I chanced upon a piso sale. I wasn’t enslaved by travel then. A full-time corporate job had the whip in a tight grip. but it was the ideal moment. A classic corporate-slave-meets-freedom moment. Every tension that work had brought me over the past few weeks was blown away by the wind, washed away by the waves of El Nido.
Back then, El Nido was a bit different. It wasn’t as crowded or as developed. I could walk down the length of the town’s main street without running into another tourist. Back then, it wasn’t easy to reach. There weren’t that numerous flights, and the ride from Puerto Princesa would eat up over seven hours on a half-unpaved road.
But as I stood in the middle of it, I knew this would be the first of my numerous affairs with El Nido. Over the next few years, El Nido would be my go-to place whenever I needed a little bit of uplifting, even despite not being easily accessible. I returned practically every year. That’s the thing about El Nido: it’s playing hard-to-get. but it’s the kind of destination you’d want to marry.
WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?
UNDERSTANDING EL NIDO
WHERE TO stay IN EL NIDOBest area to stay in El Nido
Top budget Resorts & Hostels
Search for much more El Nido Hotels!
HOW TO get TO EL NIDOManila to El Nido (Direct Flight)
San Vicente airport to El Nido
Puerto Princesa airport to El NidoBy Van
By Bus
Coron to El Nido
EL NIDO TOURSTour A
Tour B
Tour C
Tour D
Tour E: Nacpan beach & Nagkalit-kalit Falls
Taraw Cliff
WHERE TO eat IN EL NIDO
SAMPLE EL NIDO ITINERARIES4-Day El Nido Itinerary
3-Day El Nido Itinerary
OTHER suggestions FOR THE poor TRAVELER
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSIs El Nido safe?
When is the best time to check out El Nido?
Are there ATMs in El Nido?
Are there money changers in El Nido?
Can I check out small Lagoon and big Lagoon in one day?
Where can I book combination Tours?
How’s the connectivity in El Nido?
What type of electrical plug is used in El Nido?
More suggestions on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️Related Posts:
UNDERSTANDING EL NIDO
The municipality of El Nido encompasses the northernmost suggestion of the main island of Palawan and the 45 rocky islands dotting Bacuit Bay. A protected area, El Nido is a treasure trove of marine life and spectacular seascape, earning it a consistent place among the best beach destinations in the world.
Although a first-class municipality, El Nido remains a quiet town. The town proper is tiny, with very few big establishments other than small travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, and stores. The nearest city is Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, which is five hours away.
Together with Coron and Puerto Princesa, El Nido is part of the popular tourism triumvirate in Palawan. These are the three many went to destinations in the province. El Nido sits in the middle, available from both Coron to its north and Puerto Princesa to its south.
My pals enjoying the beach, the sea, and the view!
More info you need to know:
Language: Tagalog is spoken by the majority. but English is widely understood and spoken. A significant fraction of the population also speaks Cuyonon and other Visayan languages.
Time zone: UTC+8 (Philippine conventional Time). same time as Singapore and Malaysia; one hour behind Japan.
Currency: Philippine peso (PHP, ₱). PHP100 = USD 2, EUR 1.75, SGD 2.75, MYR 8.25, IDR 28,200 (as of March 2020).
Modes of payment: Cash! many establishments choose cash. only a few resorts and restaurants accept credit report card transactions. numerous trip agencies are on cash-only basis.
WHERE TO stay IN EL NIDO
Best area to stay in El Nido
El Nido’s poblacion is composed of four barangays (villages): Buena Suerte, Corong-Corong, Maligaya, and Masagana. Together, they occupy two small peninsulas that jut out into Bacuit Bay.
What many people refer to as the “Town Proper” is actually the settlement parallel to the beach in Brgy. Buena Suerte. just next to it is Brgy. Masagana, best known for several much more resorts and Calaan Beach. Corong-corong lies on the southern cape, with its nooks and crannies filled with fine sand.
There are four main areas where you can stay:
Town proper (Buena Suerte). This is where many of the action is. Its streets are flanked with trip offices, small hotels, and restaurants. Of all these areas, it was the first to be developed. It also has a teensy bit of nightlife.
Corong-Corong. tucked in the southern beaches of the poblacion, it has that isolated tropical paradise feel. It’s the area nearest the bus terminal.
Calaan beach (Masagana). Resorts have also begun flourishing in the area, but just like Corong Corong, it doesn’t feel crowded either.
The Islands. Accommodations on the islands are mostly luxury resorts, which are completely expensive, so let’s pretend they don’t exist. LOL
If you’re in El Nido for some peace and quiet, stay in either Corong-Corong or Calaan. but if you just want convenience, the town proper is still the best choice.
Top budget Resorts & Hostels
My favorite place to stay in El Nido is spin designer HOSTEL. It’s clean and well-maintained, has friendly service, and an environment that is conducive to forging friendships with other travelers. because it’s in the town proper, practically everything I need is within easy reach.
Coincidentally, spin HOSTEL is one of the top-rated properties on Agoda, so I guess I’m not the only fan. here are the rest of the highest ranking budget accommodations as scored by online users. note that not all of these are in the areas we think are ideal, but they have the best scores among the budget-friendly properties.
Spin designer Hostel. town Proper. Our best hostel experience in El Nido. ideal for backpackers and solo travelers. provides dorms and private rooms, with wonderful common areas. check rates and Availability! ✅
Cabanas de Nacpan camping Resort. check rates & Availability! ✅
The Cavern Pod hotel & Specialty Cafe. check rates & Availability! ✅
Pawikan Hostel El Nido. check rates & Availability! ✅
AngelNido Resort. check rates & Availability! ✅
David’s guest House. check rates & Availability! ✅
Aside from these, you can find basic, no-frills dormitories that offer beds for P800 and below per night. one of these is at The moment Hostel in the town proper and Dormitels.ph in Corong-corong (P800 per night), but I haven’t tried either.
Search for much more El Nido Hotels!
HOW TO get TO EL NIDO
Manila to El Nido (Direct Flight)
AirSwift is the only airline that flies from Manila directly to Lio airport in El Nido. They operate up to four flights per day.
An off-peak one-way fare is at P5100 (including taxes, a meal in Manila, and welcome snacks El Nido). An additional P200 is collected for 10kg baggage allowance.
At the airport, you can travel by tricycle to the city center. travel time: 30 minutes. Fare: 200.
San Vicente airport to El Nido
Another way to access El Nido is through the newly opened San Vicente Airport, located in a neighboring town. Philippine Airlines flies daily from Clark to San Vicente. travel time is 1 hour 40 minutes.
At San Vicente Airport, you can ride a van to El Nido departing at 1pm. Fare is P400.
It will terminate at the station in El Nido. From there, you can take a tricycle to your hotel or resort. Fare is P50.
Puerto Princesa airport to El Nido
If Airswift’s rates are a bit taller than your budget, you can fly to Puerto Princesa instead. then travel by land from there.
Puerto Princesa (PPS) has an international airport that is now much bigger and much more equipped. Flights to PPS are typically less expensive than direct flights to El Nido. and they can go incredibly low during seat sales. AirAsia and Cebu Pacific Air offer the lowest fares but the published rates don’t include baggage allowance, seat selection, and meals. Philippine Airlines’ have all these add-ons included in their published rates.
To reach El Nido from Puerto Princesa international Airport, you have two options: by van and by bus.
By Van
This is probably the most popular option among tourists because it’s slightly faster. If you book in advance, the van can pick you up at the airport and take you straight to El Nido in 5-6 hours.
Klook provides two transfer services: regular and DayTripper.
Regular Van
Multiple trips are available from 5:30am to 8:30pm.
Fare: P500.
✅ RESERVE A SEAT HERE!
DayTripper Van
DayTripper is a respectable travel agency in Palawan. Their vans are slightly much more comfortable with bigger legroom and headroom. They are also known for their outstanding service (with seatbelts!), and they only need 5 passengers to go. There is only one DayTripper van available on Klook, scheduled to leave at 10am as of this writing. (Double check the time before you book because this might change.)
Fare: P850.
✅ RESERVE A SEAT HERE!
If for whatever reason you can’t book with Klook, here are the companies providing this service:
Eulen delight Express
Contact No.: +63 915 829 3735
Facebook page
Lexxuss Shuttle
Contact No.: +63 917 686 1118
Facebook page
Fort Wally travel & Tours
Contact No.: +63 917 276 2875
Facebook page
Travel time is typically 5-6 hours. based on experience, these vans are fast. That’s both a good thing and a bad thing. I in some cases find myself saying a silent prayer in the middle of the journey. and I’m not even religious!
Regular fare is typically between P550 and P600. However, Fort Wally in some cases brings the cost down to P450 when they have a promo. Locals typically get a discount.
Some of these vans don’t leave until they’re full. but it doesn’t take that long these days.
All van journeys stop halfway for a quick restroom and snack break.
By Bus
The bus is another option. It’s my preferred option, actually. Buses are much more comfortable now than before, much more comfortable than the vans (at least in my opinion). larger legroom, cooler temperature, and just bigger breathing space overall. Haha. The downside: it’s slower, taking 6-7 hours. and there are fewer journeys per day. but if you’re not in a big hurry, it’s a terrific option.
Here’s how to take the bus to El Nido.
Walk to the gate of the airport.
Hail a tricycle and ask to be taken to San Jose Terminal. Fare is P120 per ride. Split the cost if you’re a group. Alternatively, you can take a trike+jeepney combo, which is cheaper. but because I’m guessing you have heavy bags in tow, just go straight to the San Jose Terminal.
Board a bus to El Nido.
Two bus companies to choose from: RoRo Bus and Cherry Bus.
RoRo Bus
Ordinary: P290
Airconditioned: P380
Operating hours: 5am-9pm
Frequency: Every 2 hours
Cherry Bus
Ordinary: P385
Airconditioned: P480
Operating hours: 4am-10pm
Frequency: Every 2 hours
Both buses will make several stops along the way to pick up much more passengers, the longest will be in Roxas.
The bus will terminate at the station in El Nido. From there, you can take a tricycle to your hotel or resort. Fare is P50.
Coron to El Nido
Montenegro Fastcraft launched in September 2016 a new Coron-El Nido (and vice versa) route, which cuts the travel time to only 4 hours. schedule and rates below.
EL NIDO TOURS
One terrific thing about El Nido is that many essential attractions, especially the islands and beaches, are grouped into trip packages. The trips are also regulated and standardized. Boatmen and travel agencies should abide by the guidelines and guidelines that they set in purchase to offer a smoother and much more consistent service to tourists. A price ceiling is in effect, which implies trip operators cannot sell trips at rates higher than what has been set by the government.
The two many went to spots in El Nido are the small Lagoon and big Lagoon of Miniloc Island, both used to be part of trip A, which covers Miniloc Island. For the longest time, trip A was the most popular island tour, attracting much more tourists than all the other three by a mile. In effect, these sites are prone to overcrowding. To address the problem, in November 2018, the local government split the two apart and reassigned small Lagoon to trip D.
If you’re alone or a small group, you will be merged with other smaller groups to fill a boat. If you want a private boat, you can charter one too.
These guidelines apply:
You can check out only one premium spot per day. premium spots are: big Lagoon (Tour A), small Lagoon (Tour D), and secret beach (Tour C). You can’t check out big Lagoon and secret Lagoon on the same day. You can’t check out secret beach and small Lagoon on the same day, either. combination trips are now prohibited.
Pre-registration is required for visitors going to small Lagoon, big Lagoon, or secret Beach. This allows the government to monitor and manage the volume of tourists. To register, just give your name and contact details to the trip operator when you b