The 49 best beaches in and around El Nido

Lovely beach just 30 min from city center, perfect for walking trough all the beautiful palm trees that surround it or either have a swim or just relax with a drink. There’s a volleyball net at the entrance and often people playing to join or in the right day you can do some bodysurf with the waves

Clean, Pristine, and Priceless. Nacpan Beach truly deserves its recognition as one of the world's top 10 beaches. I was appreciative to witness its stunning beauty firsthand. The wider beach landscape, complemented by gorgeous turquoise waters and exceptionally fine sand, creates a perfect tropical escape. The experience is further enhanced by the incredibly hospitable local folks. It is a must-visit destination that is well-deserved to be recommended to any traveler.

Definitely one of my favorite beaches I’ve been to!!! The water was so calm and clear. Nice place to just chill and relax without the crowd.

The most beautiful beach I've seen in my life. Cristal clean water, long sand beach and a lot of bars for cocktails. Definitely one of my favorite.

We went to El Nido and rented a bike going to Nacpan Beach — the ride was scenic, and the beach was absolutely worth it! If you’re planning your trip, make sure to book with Travel and Tours by Shai. Super smooth transactions and hassle-free arrangements! ✨💕

One of the loveliest beaches I’ve visited in the Philippines. Water is super clear. Very long so plenty of space and doesn’t feel crowded. There are day beds you can rent ranging in price from stupid amounts like Angkla’s price of 3000 pesos (1000 for the two beds, then 1000 each on top of this as you have to buy food from them as well) to 500 for two with no other extra requirements on top. Was a bit of an effort to get to from El Nido town, but luckily we rented a bike and it took about 40 mins. Roads getting closer to the beach aren’t particularly great (super muddy or full of pot holes).

Such a nice stretch of high quality white sand beach with barely any crowd. Top notch for swimming with calm, warm, shallow waters and a spot for Turtle hatchlings during its season. The best part is the view of the sunsets!!!

Just 10/12 mins away in Tricycle from El Nido beach. One of the best sunset experience of my life. After the driver drops you in front of the beach plaza…..just walk through for 5 mins to the beach. Once you reach there walk to the right side of the beach and go to extreme corner to view the spectacular sunset. The beach and water is clean, so you can swim too. Number of beach side cafe and hotels are also available. After the sunset, you can chill any of those. Must Visit for Sunset.

Best sunset in El Nido. You have to pass by a mall .At the end you turn left and walk a mile along the beach. There are restaurants and bar nearby. Perfect to watch sunset. We had our dinner while waiting. The beach area was crowded during this time.

Las cabañas fruit mini store lady is a liar. I asked multiple times to make sure mango was sweet. And she said yes charged 300 for 2 mangos that taste bitter and water. Horrible don’t lie don’t be a horrible person and steal that’s theft!

I’d give this a 3-star rating. It’s good, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations based on how others described it as a 'must-visit' beach. We rented a tricycle for a day tour (around 1.5k php) and visited three beaches: Nacpan, Lio, and Las Cabañas. This one was definitely the least impressive of the three. It was the only beach with a lot of seaweed along the shoreline. While this may be for a reason, the other two beaches had people cleaning the shore (and by the way, all three beaches have free entrance). It’s about a 10-minute ride from the town proper to McDonalds, and from there, you walk about 3 minutes to reach the beachfront. We went in the afternoon which most of the stalls were closed. I’m assuming they open later in the evening, but our experience wasn't impressive. On a positive note, there is a zipline activity available here. The zipline pass over the beach and land on Depeldet Island (i think its what they call it?). To get back, you can walk along a sandbar, which is nice. Locals around the beach actively promote this activity and can help you book it on the spot.

Las Cabañas is a really beautiful and huge beach! It is perfect for suntanning or a leisurely stroll along the shore. There are a couple of restaurants at the beach that offer scenic views while dining. Love the atmosphere and vibes!

Such a gorgeous beach with a few restaurants/cafe's. The sunset is beautiful here and you can take part in a zip line from one island to another!

One of the best beach ol El Nido

This beach has been chosen as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world a few times. The beach is extended, and there are some basic amenities for tourists. Consider that many tours bring people here and it can get very crowded. Nonetheless, that would not deter you from appreciating the beauty of the beach.

🌴 A dream beach! Seven Commandos is a slice of paradise – turquoise water, soft white sand, and stunning wild scenery. There’s also a small beach bar where you can enjoy a cold drink in the shade with a perfect sea view. It’s not crowded, and the place keeps an authentic, laid-back vibe. Perfect for relaxing, swimming, or just daydreaming. Highly recommended!

Nice place. Nice view. IG worthy place. There’s a net for volleyball and 2 resorts at the end of the beach.

Such a great spot — crystal clear water, soft sand, and just a really chill vibe. Totally worth a visit, and the boutique hotel right on the beach makes it even better. Perfect place to relax and enjoy El Nido! One of my favourite stops in Philippines

Beautiful Beach soft Sand Nice to Swim there really nice we got there with the tour A. A must visit in my opinion. you can play Beach-Volleyball Enjoy, a Drink from the Bar.

A beautiful beach with fine sand. It's picturesque and a great place to swim/snorkel. It's a part of Tour A so it gets quite crowded. If you have a private tour try to get here early

We visited this beach as a part of tour A. It’s just beautiful and snorkeling here is also great. I saw a squid, a lion fish (for the first time) and other fishes. The water is clear and the beach is beautiful ❤️‍🔥

More port than a beach to me. Shallow water. Beach is not very clean and not good for relax and swimming. Has few nice bars for sunset fotos. Thats it.

This beach is not for swimming, it is so shallow especially during the low tide, I saw a lot broken glass so be careful. It is really nice during the sunset but if you are sitting in the restaurants. There are many restaurants at the beach, they are opened and you can enjoy in fresh breeze and cold drinks! 🍹

Nice spot for a stroll and explore the wonderful restaurants. It's particularly nice in the morning on a high tide or sunset. Some island daytripping hoats leave from here too. A much more chilled vibe than el nido beach.

I don't understand why people give such a bad ranking. This beach is good! It's not the best if you want to swim as there are a lot of boats and water is not deep, but you can walk a few hundred meters to find spots with no boat, a lot of bars, and a lot of space for you alone. You can easily rent cheap kayaks to get to other beaches from here. If you stay on that beach, know that there are a lot of beach sellers there.

Beautiful spot with gorgeous views of the bay. Makes more sense to visit this beach if you're staying nearby or planning to snorkel or kayak. Also a great spot for drone activities as it's out of the restricted airspace zone over El Nido proper. Quieter here than the main beach in El Nido, good spot to relax and enjoy the views.

Quiet beach, not many tourists, Fisher boats, very warm water, beautiful view to the mountains. Not a paradise beach but at least quiet.

A quiet beach cove just over a kilometer from the busy el nido town beach. Waves here are calmer because it is in a cove surrounded by a number of islands. Quieter because there are less establishments at the beach area and there are less tourists as this area has been just recently developed. Down side of the area is that there are so many boats that are there to hide from the waves or are being dry docked.

Lio Beach is hands-down the best beach in El Nido. The area is beautifully maintained — clean sand, clear water, and a relaxing atmosphere that instantly puts you in vacation mode. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, so you’ll never run out of good food options, and the overall vibe is just perfect. Chill, safe, and well-designed without feeling crowded. If you want the ideal blend of comfort and natural beauty, Lio Beach is the place to be.

Really lovely beach with surfboards for hire! No coral or rocks or any scary fish ahha. Lovely beach bars too and you can see the planes fly!

the best beach in el nido! by far! everything is free: showers, sunbeds, parking. you can rent a surf board for 500php, the conditions for surfing are ideal! there’s fun, big waves. an area for surfers is separated from normal swimmers by buoys. there’s also planes and helicopters landing and taking off right next to the beach about once an hour. a lot of food options, but I found it quite expensive. free wifi didn’t work.

This beach was great! Not crowded at all. Chairs are first come first serve and free. A nice variety of food and drink options.

Beautiful and quiet, water is perfect and you can leave your stuff unattended, nobody will take it

A beautiful beach with great little eateries around. Definitely worth a visit!

Beautiful beach near El Nido airport, from where you can see the takeoffs and landings

With sand that’s more brownish than white, Duli Beach still manages to attract quite a lot of people for surfing and the general relaxed lifestyle. It’s a very picturesque, coconut tree-lined beach, offering a laid-back vibe. Although most parts of the beach feel quite secluded, there’s a pretty decent choice of bars and restaurants at the northern tip.

Off the beaten track .. costs a lot to get there but it's worth it. The beach is stunning and the water is clear and it's not just for surfers. There is a lovely swimming area by Duli Beach Resort with good snorkeling too 🥰

Worth the 55 min trip from town! Dont get there by Tuktuk, rent a scooter or a dirt bile preferably. IMPORTANT, if you had a lot of rain in the morning please be careful, the road a is a mix of muddy spot with slippery concrete downhill. If you are not an experienced driver or a hot head like me dont get there when it rains. Or do it and rock on bro PS, you can drive up the beach with your bike, you will only get a warning from a guy without authority

Duli Beach is a real hidden gem! The 45-minute motorbike ride can get a little wild—especially when it rains (expect puddles and muddy surprises!). But once you arrive, the view and calm vibes make it all worth it. It’s the perfect spot to chill, surf, or just escape the crowd. You can even take a surfing lesson for only ₱700—such a steal!

Don’t underestimate this spot! You can get some fun waves almost all year round! It is also a beautiful beach.

Worth the scooter out to this beautiful and chilled out beach. Very cheap surf lesson/hire and the sun loungers are free which is a bonus compared to Nacpan Beach.

Nicest beachwithout crowd, water is clearer, and no garbage. Only a few surfers. I like it.

Incredible place! One of the most beautiful beaches I have been to, 100% recommended.

The beach is called hidden because it's hidden under water 😂 beautiful place very strong waves but our tour guides helped us pass through the waters ❤️

This is a popular spot of the daily tours operated from El Nido to the islands nearby. You have to swim a bit to get to this beach. The beach, the formation of rocks, and the whole setting are absolutely serene.

Gorgeous views, beautiful place. You have to swim from your boat to get there. If you don't know how to swim, your guide will help you. Good swimmers don't need a life vest. You'll get to snorkel on your way there.

Fantastic spot for photographs and exploring the tidal pools full of fish and critters. Even in the shallow pools you can spot a few anemones inhabited by cute little clownfish.

Stunning. Be careful if you go into the jungle though you get eaten alive by mosquitos! It is a shame to see so much dead coral though, it’s obviously happened due to over tourism but I guess it’s too late now so might as well continue 🤷

Hidden behind the gigantic rocks of El Nido, Hidden Beach is a precious gem of Philippines. You can visit the hidden beach through island hopping tour C from El Nido. You have to swin for few meters from the deep seas to reach the Hidden Beach. You will surely experience a different kind of adventure here.

The beach is amazing, with stunning views of rocks, greenery, and absolutely beautiful water. Consider that since many people come here, the beach can get crowded. However, it would not minimise your appreciation of the setting.

An unbelievable hidden gem! Secret Beach can only be reached with Tour C, and it’s worth every moment. Accessible only when the weather is good and the sea is calm but once inside, it’s pure magic surrounded by towering limestone cliffs.

On all 4 island hopping tours this for me was a standout, way better than secret lagoon and up there with small and big lagoons. There is another secret part of secret beach where you can swim under some rocks and end up in a small 1m² chamber, a dome like structure that has sunlight coming in the top. Not everyone can fit, but if you can go spend a minute in there and just relax, it was brilliant.

We had lunch here beautiful small beach till the rains poured down extra soup with our food 😂

As the name says, it lies secretly secluded by the limestone landscape. I recommend this nice place a lot!

A hidden treasure of El Nido Palawan. Avail of Tour C if you want to visit this beautiful place.

Don't get turned away by waves making it harder to get to this beach trough shallow water full of slippery rocks and sharp corals. The beach is really nice, untouched nature, with a jungle full of monkeys right above the beach, making this one unforgettable experience.

Clean fine sands beach not the best but ok and as you walk towards Las Cabanas beach where the zip lining is, more rocks and corals. Can get very crowded after noon time. Note: Signs of warning for box jellyfish and sea urchins can been seen.

Love love love this beach but only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because there isn’t any rubbish bins anywhere. Even when you walk through the shops from the main road there’s nothing around to dispose your rubbish, soon this will become a huge issue as tourism grows and grows.

Beautiful beach with soft sand, clear water, and stunning sunset views. Relaxed atmosphere with bars and restaurants nearby. For a bit of adventure, try the zipline that takes you over the water and lands right by the beach an unforgettable experience!

All of the food and drinks were good! ONE OF THE BEST RESTOS WE TRIED IN EL NIDO. Nice place too. Good service. Raspberry daiquiri was the best.👌🏻 Mai tai tasted like 4 seasons. Piña colada was milky. The pizza was cheesy! Really good. Happy hour is at 4-6pm.

By far our favourite beach around El Nido! It’s a pretty beach, the sea is warm although a bit murky so not the best for snorkelling in many spots but I still saw some fish. We didn’t see any jellyfish or sea urchins. There are lots of lovely bars and restaurants and it’s only a two minute walk from a popular spot to watch the sunset on the corner of Las Cabanas, we enjoyed a week in this area. It can be quite pricey in this area but the pitchers are Miro beach club are good value and everywhere does happy hour. The beach has lots of dogs but they’re friendly and won’t bother you, although you might get some puppy dog eyes for your food.

One the best beach of El Nido, entrance via vanilla beach, a lot of shadow from big trees.

Busy beach, not that exceptional. Unless you're staying nearby it's probably not worth the effort to come here. Beachgowers have to walk through a weird empty mall to get to the water which is a drag. Looks nicer from the highway than it is when you get down to the sand... But a nice safe beach for kids and for sunbathing.

Another great beach to kayak to from Coring Corong beach. It can be a bit choppy if the wind is up. But their is a vendor on the beach that sells cold drinks and snacks. The snorkelling is fantastic nice corals,fish and turtles. Lots of shade and silica white sand with a dramatic cliff and rainforest backdrop. Highly recommend visiting this beach!

Great beach is part of tour b. We have a free ride from our hotel. But you can do it with kayak or ask in the port a boat

Fantastic beach way less crowded than 7 Commandos

Accessible by kayak, we were the only people on this beach. This site is incredibly well maintained and clean.

It’s beautiful, but if you’re not very fit, I’d recommend **not** renting a kayak to go there on your own. The return trip took 40 minutes of nonstop paddling without even stopping at a beach — it was *really* exhausting! I’m not sure if it was because of the wind and waves, but it felt especially hard to paddle, and the sun was blazing hot! You can’t just stop paddling either — otherwise, you won’t make it back to Corong Beach, so I had to push through, and it became really painful toward the end 😂 My whole body was sore afterward. Joining an island-hopping tour is a much better choice — the boat takes you to beautiful spots, and lunch is included!

Beautiful beach, not crowded because you can get there only with boat or kayak. Personally we rented kayaks and we went over there by ourselves, trip wasn’t that long and I recommend that ! There is little shop so you can buy some drinks and chips, also there is a playground for basketball and volleyball at the sand, people over there are super nice !

We were here on 27th of December 2024. Beautiful fine sand, water was perfect - not too hot or too cold. A nice surprise for us was that there were lots of butterflies on these flowering trees. In the water that’s not too deep, we even saw many clownfish. I was very happy as I’m not a good swimmer and still panic in deep water even with life jacket on. But here, I could snorkel for a long time in relatively shallow water with lots of sea life to see. The water was quite calm as well so it’s a good place for beginners to snorkel. We hired kayak for 600php from Corong-corong beach (no time limit) so you can take your time here in Papaya beach, Lapus lapus beach and Seven commando beach. The only downside at Papaya beach was that there were lots of small jellyfish so I felt a small sting here and there but no harm done.

Staff are kind. That's one of the reasons we stayed. The view is really beautiful for pictures but the resort is awful ... too much mosquitos, and there's no activities. You still need to go out from the resort to find good food and bars ..can't swim because of jelly fish around ...

A great place if you want to get out of the crowd’s and switch off from social media, but I can’t recommend in case of emergency. Electricity is off from 4-5am till 6pm “make sure to bring solar/power banks”, bring also insect repellent as mosquitoes comes out at dark. No wifi in the cottage, so it’s better to bring old phone and buy local SIM card. If your doing island hopping ask for the boat captain Jeffrey and his colleague. Sure they will assist you well and they will cook you a nice lunch. Resort Restaurant I am not sure “food sometimes are salty, once I need to ask to replace my food it was too salty, raw fried egg in breakfast. They need to improved the quality and quantity of food as nearest restaurant to the resort is about 15-20minutes walk or ask for golf cart to bring you vanilla beach and take the trike(150pesos) to the town. Staff are helpfull

One of my most beautiful beach in El nido

Silent beach, no people and a lot of trees for shadow. On some places maybe shoes needed. Be careful about jellyfish season!

The best beach in El Nido to spend the evening to watch the sunset!

Beach is amazing! There was no people, we were alone. The spot is very peaceful with an amazing view. Only road is a bit scary at first (even if you are with a scooter). But worth it.

Beautiful place 🤩

1/5 as it sadly now a private island with signs saying ‘private island, no trespassing.’

I soooo love the beach 😭 it's so pretty

I loved the scenic view🔥

a paradise

Good

YT: DoDo Men❤️

(Translated by Google) Dudu people were here (Original) 嘟嘟人到此一遊

White sand beach, but in water is big rocks, so swimming with waves can be difficult. Also someone lives in that beach. No toilet!

Fine, white sand beach, peaceful and serene. One of the stops of Tour C. Perfect place for swimming but not for lunch buffet/boodle flight since shaded areas are fewer.

We had our lunch here. We did swim and snorkle while they were preparing our lunch. The shoreline is soft fine sand with clear water.

Helicopter Island is a feature of El Nido, Palawan. As of 2022, it is still part of Tour C, which is one of four series of tour packages offered in Palawan. This tour starts from about 9am to 5pm. Price varies from tour agency or hotel since some hotel also offer tours as part of their promotional package. But I do recommend getting a tour package with a hotel so you can get a hotel as well as tour for a cheaper price compared to getting them separately. This island offers one of the best snorkeling sites in El Nido. There is a protected area so you can enjoy snorkeling and watching living corals, thousands of marine animals, and much more. I highly recommend visiting this place especially if you are an ocean enthusiast. We really enjoyed our time here.

This place is beautiful nice white beach and also very nice place for snorkeling,water is very clear, you can see fishes even in shallow water,a store is available here,this is our last stop from EL Nido tour C.

This helicopter shaped island has a beautiful white (cream) sand beach. You can visit this when you avail of Tour C of the El Nido Island hopping tours. Make sure that you visit this place in the afternoon or early in the morning because it is quite hot by noon time.

Visited this island since it was part of a tour package I availed. The beach line was superb! Visitors can take a shed at the trees if it felt so hot.

Nice and protected from wind and swell. Decent snorkeling area and lunch spot. When the tide is high it gets a bit crowded with no room for people to sit on the beach. Gorgeous area with unreal backdrop.

Amazing natural beauty and wildlife here. Canoeing, swimming, snorkeling and walking trails are available here.

Your stop for lunch on Tour C. There were lots of people and ships. There is beautiful water and sandy beach. This is a quite small beach so there is nothing interesting to do.

It's your stopover for lunch! It's actually a small beach with places to explore.

The beach was nice. It is good for relaxing and sunbath.

Talisay Beach was the lunch stopover for our Tour C trip. It's a beautiful strip of white sand with shallower, calmer water than most of the places in Tour C. Across the strait, you could see Matinloc Island. There are vendors on boats selling drinks (even liquor). There were also toilets if I'm not mistaken. A great place to wait while waiting for lunch to be prepared.

Talisay beach is an island considered as a stopping point for the Island hopping activity in El Nido. Most of the cases this is where the tour guide give you the lunch meal. It has an excellent landscape and the water is very clear with a lot of aquamarine life.

An impressively arranged, extraordinary experience!!! First and foremost I would like to highlight the amount of professionalism and enthusiasm our tour guide Emerick and his crew put into taking care of us. Our experience was their number one priority; from taking us to the most beautiful islands between Coron and El Nido specifying the best places to snorkel and rest at each one, to carrying us by canoe whenever we got tired of swimming, to singing and dancing with us at night, and making us smile the entire way through. My gratitude goes out to you guys. Second, the activities, among which snorkeling/freediving/cliff jumping/canoeing/supboarding/beachwalks/volleyball/karaoke/etcetera, were perfectly arranged and spaced out in time, despite lesser weather conditions at times. Not to mention, the absolutely gorgeous locations at which these activities take place (after 3 weeks of traveling the philippines we were still amazed). In terms of food, this was by far the best philipino cuisine we have had in our 4 weeks stay in the Philippines. The buffet style breakfast/lunch/dinner was very diverse and differed each day. For those interested, they take allergies/vegans into account when preparing the food. Then, as for the ship, we had a very beautiful and practical 2 story boat, with plenty room to chill and hangout on, with comfortable bean bags and shade spots everywhere. Concerning the accommodations at which we stayed, they were more than fine, not the most luxurious but you have everything you need (toilet/shower/mosquito net/decently soft matress) and the locations we stayed at were absolutely outstanding. All in all, despite the somewhat hefty price tag (which is more than justified for what you get), the 3d2n coron-elnido with SeaQuest was more than worth it, so much so, that I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!

An unforgettable 3-day island adventure! We had an amazing 3-day trip with El Nido Sea Quest, sailing from El Nido to Coron – and it was truly the highlight of our travels in the Philippines! The experience was a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. We explored countless beautiful islands, swam and snorkeled in crystal-clear waters, and saw incredible marine life at various snorkeling spots. Every stop felt like a hidden paradise. The accommodations each night were simple but very charming – staying in beach huts right by the ocean added to the whole island vibe. The food was delicious and fresh, with plenty of variety each day. What really made the trip special was the crew. They were super friendly, helpful, and made sure everyone felt safe and had fun. They created a relaxed and positive atmosphere the whole time. If you're looking to truly enjoy the beauty of the Philippines, disconnect from the busy world, and have 3 days of pure island bliss – this is the trip for you. Absolutely recommended!

Our 3-day, 2-night cruise from Coron to El Nido with Sea Quest Expedition was absolutely unforgettable. From the moment we boarded, the crew’s warm hospitality made us feel right at home. The itinerary was perfectly balanced with incredible island hopping, snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, and stunning scenery at every stop. The boat was comfortable and well-maintained, providing a relaxing atmosphere after each day’s adventures. Sea Quest Expedition’s team went above and beyond in ensuring safety, comfort, and fun throughout the trip. The meals served on board were delicious and plentiful, showcasing fresh local flavors. Highlights included exploring hidden lagoons, pristine beaches, and vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life. This cruise is truly a must-do for anyone wanting to experience the natural beauty of the Philippines in a unique and intimate way. Highly recommended for both adventure seekers and those looking to unwind amid breathtaking seaside landscapes. We left with wonderful memories and a strong desire to return!

We thoroughly enjoyed our 3D2N boat expedition with Sea Quests. Although our original tour date was cancelled, rescheduling for the following day was quick and effortless. The company also arranges onward travel into El Nido town at the end of the tour—I assume they offer the same for Coron if you’re heading that direction. The whole experience was close to flawless. The staff were incredible—fun, friendly, and a huge part of what made the trip so memorable. They were constantly checking that we were okay and gave their all into providing us with the best possible experience. We spent so much of the expedition laughing, and it was wonderful to truly switch off from our phones and the outside world for once—something that feels rare these days. Our fellow passengers were just as fantastic; we bonded quickly, and many of us even met up with the crew in El Nido afterwards for drinks. The food on board was outstanding. You definitely won’t go hungry with such a wide variety: chicken, curry, vegetables, potatoes, fish, pork, spring rolls, noodles, rice, pancakes, fresh fruit, and more. The tour also includes unlimited rum and gin (and yes, it really was unlimited if you wanted it), plus soft drinks like Coke, Sprite, water, and fruit juices. The boat itself was spacious—even with around 30 people on board, it never felt crowded. We loved the bean bags on the upper deck, and the speaker kept the vibe lively between island stops. Every stop offered something different: beaches, snorkelling spots, shipwrecks, volleyball, sandbars, and even a cliff-jumping site (although conditions were too rough for us to jump on our trip). The turquoise waters really are as stunning as the photos. It never felt repetitive. Each night’s accommodation was unlike anything we’ve experienced while travelling—simple but incredibly special, right by the sea. Evenings were spent enjoying karaoke, card games, chatting with everyone, and bonfires, with absolutely no pressure to participate or drink. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone considering it. It was truly an unforgettable experience and a highlight of our 3-month backpacking trip in Asia!

I joined the 3-day, 2-night expedition with Sea Quest Tours in El Nido, and it ended up being one of the best experiences I’ve had while travelling in the Philippines. If you want more than the standard day tours and you’re looking to actually live on the islands for a couple of days, this is 100% the right choice. From the start, the crew were friendly, organised, and genuinely fun to be around. They made everyone feel comfortable, kept the atmosphere relaxed. The group vibe was great as well — a mix of travellers from different places, and the crew did a good job helping everyone connect without forcing it. If you’re looking for adventure, nature, and something that feels more authentic than hopping on a boat for a few hours, I highly recommend Sea Quest. It’s perfect for solo travellers, couples, or anyone who wants to experience El Nido in a deeper way.

It was really cool. We had the best guide, Ronald, who was like the good father of the trip — very wise and funny. I met a lot of nice people, and the boat was great as well. The food could have been a bit better and not so fatty, but apart from that everything was perfect. 👍🏻 I can recommend it.

This was an amazing experience with great food and guides. The snorkeling exceeded my expectations. We met some great people on our tour too! We felt safe the whole time. Accomodation in huts was comfortable with great views!

Was surprised with El Nido Beach, it was CLEAN despite being in town. Water was clean without any garbage floating, the beach side was clean also, did not see garbage littered along the beach. Whatever they are doing they should keep on doing. I dont know if Swimming is allowed since there are No Swimming signs, but there are quite a number of people swimming and no one is asking them to leave.

Stunning landscapes: Towering limestone karsts, turquoise bays, and pristine reefs. Iconic lagoons & secret coves: Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, hidden coves reachable by kayak or boat. Snorkeling and beginner-friendly diving amid vibrant corals and tropical fish

Ok beach. No swimming sign and plenty debris from the storms and boats. Would look great on a clean day. A fee nice places to sit and watch the beach.

Very nice beach, a lot of fun to walk and many cosy bars. You're not allowed to swim in it for some reason, though lots of people do it anyway. There may be some trash lying around, but the locals organise cleanups every saturday which is a great initiative!!

The place is beautiful with the tall mountains surrounding the bay and the colored wooden boats but the beach in itself is dirty, I would'nt swim here because there is so many boats and when it rains all the dirty water coming from the city and the streets end up on that beach

Nice beach but no swimming allowed mainly for picking up passenger for island hopping Beautiful natural harbour There's many bars restaurant along the beach to choose from 👍💗

What an amazing island that you need to visit if you are in Philippines, great food and the place is very amazing

Cadlao Island is the largest island in El Nido and boasts 12 different beaches many of which are perfect for snorkeling. For those wishing to beat the crowds and have beaches to themselves, Tour D provides the perfect itinerary for tourists.

The most well-known island of El Nido. Cadlao Island is visible from the town proper which always feature a majestic sunset background for your selfies

Climb the vine filled mountain if you’ve got good shoes. We started where the shack looking thing is at the back right of the lagoon.

such a beautiful island! would love to visit the place again

Such a gorgeous island

Beatiful white sand beach hardly explored with towering mountain inhabited by wild animals.

A stopover with my Tao Expeditions trip..

🌊 Secret Lagoon, El Nido – A Hidden Gem with a Bit of a Challenge Our visit to the Secret Lagoon was truly unforgettable, though getting there wasn’t easy. During our trip, the tide was high and the waves were quite strong, making the entrance a bit tricky. You have to kneel or crouch down to squeeze through the narrow opening, and I even got a small wound on my knees along the way. Once inside, the lagoon itself was smaller than expected, and there wasn’t much space to stand , probably because of the tide at the time. But despite the challenging entry, the experience was still magical. The hidden beauty of the place, surrounded by towering limestone cliffs, made it all worth it. It’s a raw, natural adventure, not the most comfortable, but definitely memorable. Just be prepared and wear proper footwear!

We were very fortunate to enter the secret lagoon when it was empty and really loved it. You have to enter it through a small hole in the rocks. Best to wear water shoes. There was a quaint beach which was fun to hang out in. There was a very cute cat who was a major attraction! This is a part of the Tour A

This is very nice small lagoon. When you there in the morning is better. Very less people.

The most beautiful place I've ever seen in my life. Nothing more to say really.

Among all the attractions of Tour A from El Nido, this one will be ranked 2. Not very deep and getting into this hidden lagoon is bit of an adventure. The beach is also a nice one. Big boats cant go near to beach so you need to do a little bit of swimming and then walking over coral/stones. But be very careful while walking in the water, found many got hurt.

It's a beautiful site. The Secret Lagoon itself is OK. It was a squeeze to get into it, and that was compounded by the fact that there were so many people trying to get in at the same time. The guides did a great job of making sure there were no issues, but in the end, the site was just OK. The beach next to it was amazing, and I wish I had we had more time to explore that

The Secret Lagoon is a thrilling spot but tricky to access with waves crashing at the narrow entrance. Inside, two wave openings add excitement , just be cautious and use a waterproof case for your phone. A challenging yet rewarding experience!

Stayed at various beaches on the island. There is amazing snorkelling spots with turtles and coral. Highly recomend adding this to your island hopping tour. There is some places with currents so you need to know how to swim well to enjoy this place.

We've left today this hotel and was extremely disappointed with the food. Not only was it very expensive, but the quality was so poor that my entire family ended up feeling sick and vomiting for three days straight. It was a terrible experience that seriously overshadowed our vacation. On a positive note, the view from the hotel is quite beautiful, and the staff are friendly. However, these few positives don’t make up for the loss of health we experienced. I would not recommend staying here if you value both your well-being and your wallet.

Magnificent views Part of Tour “C” is a visit to Matinloc Island, about 20 boat ride from El Nido. Arriving at Matinloc, our boat docked on a little platform, with a narrow runway over the water, where we were greeted by a sculpture of Jesus Christ in a small cave and a concrete gazebo, a reminder that this is also a religious, or at least spiritual, place. Having paid the 100Pesos per persons Entrance fee, we followed our boatman, who invited us to climb a limestone cliff standing mightily on the beach. The top of the cliff offered a magnificent view of some parts of Matinloc Island and other nearby islands and beaches. We were the only people in the area and we felt like we owned the place. A word of caution, by the way, the cliffs are quite steep and the rocks are pretty pointed that one wrong move can bring you in trouble. Watch your steps.

After leaving Helicopter island and its beautiful white sand and rocky beach, we will land on Matinloc Shrine. This place used to host a convent and school which are now abandoned and that you can walk around. The island is now surrounded with legends and the word is that it is haunted with a ghost… Just ask and your guide will be happy to tell you more about this uncanny but charming place!

Matinloc island or shrine is also a very beautiful island for me. The beach is so the seaside is so clean, the water on the sea is also very clear. The view on the top is very beautiful where you will see the very beautiful view of sea and mountain

The views are great from here, this is such a cool island

Went here for a kayak and tent sleep over. Magnificent place and very quiet. Simple and basic.

Trivia: Shimizu is a Japanese word for pure water. Stopped here for lunch as part of Tour A. Awesome place for Scenic photos and Snorkeling little away from the island. Most of the boats stop here for lunch... either in the island or on the boat. Prefer eating on the boat to avoid swarm of mosquitoes while eating.

One of the stop on TOUR A where you can swim and do snorkeling. Calm water and beautiful panoramic view. We stopped here to eat our buffet lunch.

Shimizu Island is a wonderful and stunning Island in the Bacuit Bay. It was our second stop after big lagoon and so there were not many people. We skipped the Secret Lagoon as a part of our private tour „A“ and went to Entalula Island instead. A great decision. On Shimizu Island you can relax shortly and you can go snorkeling (isn’t that good). There are also some small shops to buy soda, water and so on. The beach is little and so try to go there when not many people are there. From above it’s much better.

The beach looks lovely. It is very small though and it gets very crowded around noon since this is the place all boats from the tour A go to serve lunch. The is not much to do at the beach (even swimming is not advisable due to the number of boats). The facilities on the beach include the toilet and small kiosk selling buko juice and soft drinks. The is some interesting rock formations at the right end of the beach - good for photo-op. We spotted water monitor lizard 🦎 when we visited the beach. He kept distance but seemed accustomed to the presence of the people.

Shimizu Island is another stunning destination in the El Nido archipelago, Palawan. It's known for its pristine beaches, clear waters, and excellent snorkeling opportunities. The island is a popular stop on island-hopping tours in El Nido, and you can often explore its underwater beauty with colorful marine life and coral reefs. Enjoy the crystal-clear waters and marine biodiversity when you visit Shimizu Island as part of your El Nido adventure! (ChatGPT)

Our 4th stop is Shimizu island..we stop here only for lunch..you can buy coconut here and you can swim also..note:make sure you wear shoes from the port to rent..as you walk by here there so many rocks and coral..so better to wear shoes!

Super clean and clear blue water. Picture perfect, no filter needed. The locals and the tour guides means business when they said they will protect the marine life.

We visited Matinloc Shrine on 2nd April 2023. You're probably on Tour C now and are here to try to figure out whether or not to pay 200 pesos to enter Matinloc Shrine. My advice is don't bother. There are a couple of concrete effigies of Jesus, a concrete statue of Mary, a bizarrely constrasting concrete effigy of Marcos, and some unfinished ruins of buildings. They clearly need the money to complete the construction works, so there is absolutely no need for you to contribute to the building costs. We loved Tour C, and the natural world we experienced with the beaches, views and photo opportunities. In my opinion you can skip Matinloc Shrine and you haven't missed anything. Oh it does have a lovely viewpoint between the rocks from up fairly high. That's the only nice part though, and not even worth 40 pesos never mind 200 pesos. I have genuinely no idea how this tourist attraction is getting nearly 5 star reviews on Google. Hope this helps!

Total waste of time. This is part of Tour C, but an extra 200 pesos per person are asked. Not worth it. You only step up a few stairs and the view isn't much better than simply from the boat, the shrine does not offer anything to see. Better to just swim a little longer in the water at other stops.

There's a separate entrance fee of 200 pesos on top of the Tour Package. I hope they could renovate and improve their restroom. Nothing special other than overlooking view of the nearby islands.

This is one of the best spots in El Nido!! My boyfriend and I loved how beautiful the view is on top. As you can see on the photos, this spot really represents so much beauty of El Nido. I hope the people the would visit it won’t abuse the place instead they would help take care and treasure it. I’m blessed to see this wonderful place. 😍❤️

Part of tour C, this spot was the reason that I planned for my El Nido travel, not for Big Lagoon or Small lagoon or for any other reason. This place looks like it's out of this world, magnificently beautiful, you will be at a loss of words in describing the beauty of this place. Definitely a must visit if you are going to El Nido, you can't afford to miss visiting Matinloc Shrine. The only downside is the entrance fee of 100Php

There's a nice view if you climb the stairs and some cool, shaded spots to rest after lunch. Just keep an eye out for monitor lizards looking for scraps...

Used to be a place of worship but now a tourist destination at El Nido. The shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a welcome sight to all tourist. Beautiful!

A stunning spot in El Nido! The island has that postcard-perfect setting — limestone cliffs, clear waters, and amazing snorkeling right off the beach.

Sixth visit and still loving it! Wonderful Staff Great service Good food Even If one stays for four days, One doesn't get bored. 🥰😘

Lots of great snorkeling spots plus you have to visit the big lagoon to complete your experience here. Would be great to spend the whole day at big lagoon.

What a beautiful island!!! My favorite part was being able to go big lagoon and small lagoon without the crowds. The snorkeling right in front of our room was absolutely mind blowing. We loved our stay and the kindness and friendliness of all the staff. The beds could be a little more comfortable.

probably one of the most beautiful places i’ve ever been. i love the philippines. went on a island hoping tour with my friends. the colour of the water is nothing like ive ever seen before. so crazy. so much to explore.

This island is where you'd find two of the most beautiful lagoons in El Nido Palawan. Its karst walls also give a nice backdrop for your photos.

Had a fantastic stay in Miniloc Island Resort. Staffs are very helpful and will assist you with your whole itinerary during your stay. You could request from them to take you to other island resort such as Lagen Island where they have swimming pool. All for free. Things to improve are their wifi connection, internet speed (which is actually okay for me taking into conaideration their location) and the installation of exhaust fan inside the bathroom.

Small Island in between Secret Lagoon and Big Lagoon. This island is also part of Tour A (most famous island hopping tour from El Nido). We had our lunch here on boat, most boats do the same and did some snorkling here. The water is so clear and blue , just loved it. Many varities of fish out there.

First time to visit here, the shimizu island this place is super awesome and its even more captivating and beautiful than the pictures itself, white sand clear water you can see the bottom of the sea, sorrounded by beautiful water and rock formation..you need to ride a boat to get here...

Amazingly Beautiful Island with breathtaking rock formation and crystal clear water...the beach is also nice and is full of local and European tourists

Beautiful island and nice place to swim. We had our lunch in the boat and we did some snorkling around. Water was clear and saw some corals. I think most of the island are beautiful here.

The island is named after a Japanese pearl diver who lived in the area in the early twentieth century. It is an uninhabitable island but a very popular tourist spot on tours operated from El Nido.

I recently visited Shimizu Island as part of the popular El Nido Tour A, and it exceeded expectations. The island features a stretch of soft white sand with dramatic limestone cliffs framing calm, clear waters perfect for swimming. A floating boat shop sells coconuts and drinks.

The picturesque island is part of Tour A island hopping, definitely more than a place tourists have their lunch.

Absolutely stunning!! One of the best places we’ve seen in the world. Highly recommend visiting as part of the island hopping tour!

One of the best secluded private beaches in El Nido. Virgin Island

A slice of paradise that feels almost unreal. Crystal-clear water, towering limestone cliffs, and a peaceful vibe that’s hard to describe. Entalula Island is a must if you’re in El Nido – pure magic

Very nice secluded beach! Has some toilet facilities and a store where you can buy snacks and drinks. The store takes cash or Gcash for payments.

It is one of the many great swimming spots that El Nido can offer. I like that it's actually not well-developed with limited options for you to buy anything. When we went there, there was just a local who was selling drinks and I think that makes you want to just enjoy the place as it is. The water was cool and very inviting.

More than 5 stars for this island. Super clear water, untouched nature, not very crowded.

Definitely one of El Nido's hidden gem, this island and beach is part of El Nido's Tour B package. There are few people here since most tourists avail Tour A and Tour C. If you are extra time to spare in El Nido, tour B is something you must consider.

Booked this gem during their promo period and I was so glad I did. I was lucky enough to have the 4-bed hostel all to myself for the 2/3 days that I stayed and it felt like I booked the entire room. The room was clean and the bed was a double, so imagine my surprise. Only downside was that time I was in the shower and there was no water so I had to improvise. Still, I was able to rinse off in the end. I was also happy that I had a free breakfast included in my booking, that way I no longer had to think where to eat early in the morning before the tours. The entire place, though a bit situated a few hundred meters from the town itself, it was perfect because it was not that busy. A perfect place tucked in the perfect paradise. The staff were so accommodating, they even booked my tricycle to the airport because I will be leaving early. Overall, if I were to solo travel again, would definitely book this hostel again and again and again.

I stayed at two other places in El Nido before coming to Spin (one hostel and one hotel), and Spin was by far the best choice — I even extended my stay. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made a big difference. They serve a very complete breakfast (considering that even a simple omelet in town costs around 220 PHP, this is a great value). The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and well-maintained. On top of that, Spin makes everything super convenient by offering tours and scooter rentals directly at the hostel. The location is also perfect — close to the port, restaurants, and bars, but still quiet enough to relax. Definitely the place I would recommend in El Nido

Amazing Hostel and Staff! Breakfast is incredible. Very clean, nice swimming pool. Also you can rent scooters at best price from reception. Spin the wheel and get a free something on arrival ;)

Nicely designed hotel with somewhat unconventional setup geared towards a young crowd of backpackers. Private rooms are small and “economical” with lots of light and a nice shower. My bed light didn’t work, the toilet had a leak at the bottom and the plasticky duvet came unhygienic without a duvet cover or flat sheet. The price clearly exceeds the spartan interior of the room despite the nice design elements and proximity to downtown.

I can give 10/10... the place is wonderful.. the staff are like family.. they take care of you fully .. when we visited there was a typhoon.. but staff Tata made our stay wonderful and memorable by offering us the best rooms... please contact her and she will go out of her way to help the customer..

Excellent breakfast. Around 500 meters from the beach and bars but it's worth it's money. Bed is comfortable and the staff members are well mannered.

Stayed here in Dorm 27 for 3 nights. Arrived a 2 hours earlier than official check-in, but was asked to wait. It was lunchtime anyway, so I wasn't too bothered. The rooms was very spacious and could easily have fitted more than the four beds. The room had A/C and a ceiling fan, so it was really nice to be able to have a higher temperature on the A/C and use the fan to circulate air. Each bunk had a locker and the hostel even provided a lock. Each bunk had privacy curtains, a private light, a thin blanket and a towel. Check bunk also had a plenty of storage attached to the bunk if you didn't want to put stuff in the locker. There were plenty of sockets, but were located about half way up a wall, so it was harder to use if on the upper bunk. The mattress felt like they were extra wide than a single and were very comfortable. Another oddity is that the upper section of the walls have windows facing out into the hallway, which is lit at night. I had a sleep mask, so I was less bothered. There was I think one shared bathroom with 5 toilets and 4 showers. The toilers were generally clean, but the number of people using them meant that they should've been cleaned more often. The showers were fine except that 3 had broken soap/shampoo dispensers and always filled. Breakfast was provided and the options were a cut above the standard offered in other hostels. The staff even make pancakes and omelettes fresh. Fresh fruits, toasts, tea, juice and coffees are also available. Location wise, the hostel is located about 5 minutes walk from from the main centre, but that's fine for me as I prefer to be away from the noise. Overall, I had an excellent stay. The staff are magnificent and provide impeccable service. The design and services offered by the hostel is a cut above. However, the aforementioned annoyances meant I dinged one star.

The beach 🏝️ looks great. The snorkeling is disappointing though. Not many fish, mainly dead hard corals, very few soft corals a a lot of small pinky jellyfish so to snorkel it is advisable to wear full protective gear.

The beach on this helicopter-shaped island is quite decent. The beach is neither very long nor very wide, and though the sand is soft, it is not the softest. The real upside of the beach are the waves; they are substantial in size and pack quite a punch. Also be careful of the steep drop near the shore, it gets real deep real fast. The saving grace is the approach to the beach is not so rocky compared to other beaches in the area.

This fine white sand beach is perfect for sunbathing and beach strolling. It is also perfect to go snorkeling on the waters around it that is teeming with marine life.

One of the loveliest experiences I have ever had in my entire existence. This place is simple to look at but once you look under the water, the magic begins. ❤️

A decent beach that is a destination for one of the daily boat tours from El Nido. I guess you could come here on a private boat, but because so may tour boats come here, you'd never have this place all to yourself.

Nice wild beach. Great place for snorkeling (you can find coral snakes close to big rocks).

Nice place. The first stop during tour c. Take pictures when u can :)

Beautiful beach and with only few people as outside of the main tours. We reached by kayak from Corong Corong, easy 15min paddling to get there. You can snorkel here but no shack or anyone to rent it, so better come equipped if you intend to spend more time here. Otherwise, another 15min paddling to get to Papaya beach where there is someone selling drinks.

*PLEASE BRING DOGFOOD* On the beach are two dogs who are (if i read the past reviews of this place on google review) not fed or taken care of 😣. We brought some food (you can find dogfood at the Drugman or the petstore!!) which they ate within seconds. They where very hungry. They are the sweetest dogs ever so please lets make sure together that they get enough food!!! IMPORTANT NOTE: When dogs are not used to eating a lot you could kill them by feeding to much as there stomach is to weak for that. It's better to feed them small portions every hour / 2 hour!!

Lovely quiet beach to kayak to from Corong Corong beach. The water is clear and you can sometimes see turtles and dugong here.

After the Big and Small Lagoon, this place is a great last stop. Very fine sand and serene.. there were dogs asking for food as they got used to visitors giving them food.

Definitely worth going! you can rent a kayak in corong-corong beach for around 500 pesos. In the morning, there aren’t many people, so it is very calm and the water is super clear. Around 3pm the tourists boats, island hopping ones start to come and the beach is filled with people, so if you go by kayak, go in the morning. There is also a few dogs, two grown and three puppies that are very cute and nice with the people. If you can give them some food, they will be grateful👐

One of the best beaches, and the good news is it’s free! The bad news is the dogs are starving and when you visit, please please bring dog food for them. So starving they eat anything even just rice. I teared up seeing their state, even after leaving el nido I still think abt them. We brought food and the dogs were crying, eating even before we put the food down. And all food gone in 3seconds! But if you want to buy dog food for them, dry food are available at the pet stores in the town center.

The two dogs had a Christmas menu (beef & liver) on 26th :) If you can, please don’t forget to bring something for them (food and water). In El Nido there is a pet store or the Prince market to find something.

Better than big lagoon for me 😍 Insta : @carinowanderers

Small lagoon is arguably more picturesque than large lagoon; but the downside to that is that you'll have to be patient with all the kayaks to get an unobstructed view of the lagoon and cliffs. Still a worthy destination, though.

Absolutely stunning We stayed at Miniloc resort and paddled over at 7 am before the crowds. It was MAGIC <3

Wooow, soo beatiful! I was fortunate that it wasn't so much people there and really got to enjoy that beatiful nature

I highly recommend for tourists to rent kayaks if the boat parked far from the big lagoon so that you would reach it faster. just be mindful from entering the hole going to small lagoon because you might fall down on the water. Overall the view is awesome!

You can ride a kayak or just swim around the small lagoon. In big lagoon you’ll definitely need a kayak. When it’s low tide, big boats can’t come in so rent your own kayak to get close the deep part of the big lagoon.

There's place was surreal, like imagine getting off the boat and then being able to just jump in a kayak and enjoy the views, we had someone in a seperate boat selling coke cold from his canoe which was a cool experience and we had fresh fish and bbq on the boat.

Rented a kayak in El Nido and paddled about 20min to get here, we had the whole beach to ourselves for 45min before we decided to move on to the next one! Definitely recommend it’s paradise like the name suggests 😎

Nice secluded little beach, I did the El Nido island hopping tour D which makes a short stop here. On the beach there was a starving pregnant cat that was just skin and bones, going around at the beach screaming for help. You could feel her bones when petting her 😢. If you are going to this beach please bring her food and help her.

We got there by kayaking. The beach was super dirty. Full of trash. Maybe during dry season, it is better. ** if you go there, bring some extra foods for two skinny dogs. They seemed like they were not fed for more than a week.. I fed them some bread. **

We brought food for the cute dog that lives on the island. Hes a but shy at first, doesn't like dog biscuits but will smash back lechon and canned corned beef. Do this and you will soon have a new friend that will follow you around for the next couple of hours 😂

Nice secluded beach with big trees for shades. Decent snorkeling (sight of turtles). Some garbage in the back at some spots unfortunatly.

Super nice beach! Really good snorkling here. Dont miss this! You can take a kayak here it takes 30min från town😃👍

Good place for picnic,sandy area..and not really far from el nido town,so it is really also good for kayaking....

Very quiet section of beach. Not really possible to swim even at highest tide. during low tide it’s not very pretty. it’s a nice spot to read a book or take photos of the mountain.

It loses a star because there are wild dogs that roam the beach, they always run up and down barking, they don't seam dangerous but it's annoying. The beach is nothing special but it's not busy and you can find a spot easy. Water is warm, but shallow, but it's good for a float and swim, bring swim shoes for the rocky sand in the beach and in the water. Sunsets are good here.

Lovely but need more sand 😅 . View is nice. Not crowded . Jot a place to swim but to relax.

Not beach at all ! Lot of corals everywhere and small piece of dirty sand with rocks where is not possible to sit on. In the morning, sea distance is about 40 meters from the narrow bar of sand and between the sea and sand are corals which is not possible to walk through. Sea height is about 20 cm only. Not possible to swim over the corals.

Not the best beach but a better view of the sunset than in El Nido.

The beach itself is not particularly nice but the place is good for early evening walks to watch the sunset skies (it is not possible to see the actual sun set).

Just a walking distance beach from the El Nido town proper. We stayed at the beach in front of the cemetery at the Balete tree. Its a perfect spot for swimming because unlike the other rocky parts of caalan beach the area in front of the cemetery has a good beach area.

I visited this island as part of the island hopping Tour B. The island is amazingly photogenic. The twin peaks are outstanding in a photo

Very nice resort for relaxation, food were average. Disadvanteges: 1) Expensive tours with the resort 4000 peso/ person while in the town is 1200 peso, same boat with less time (just 4 hours while in town from 9 am to 5 pm) 2) The resort doesn’t have any scheduled transportation to El nido town, if you want you should book a privte boat which cost 7000 peso (135 $). 3) The beds were extremly uncomfortable and small. 4) The big lagon (most popular place) in not included with regular tours which cost 4000 pesos, you should book a private boat. 5) Something i didn’t like, even when you pay for regular tours or private, they don’t provide you with water !! Finally, coming her is a trap, you’ll not able to see the town and buy any thing outside the resort(resuturants, super market,tours) I Recommends to come here and relax for 1 night, then transfer for the town and do the activities.

It was our third time in Lagen island but our first time to experience the travel bubble. While there are restrictions on movement, the place is still amazing. You feel safe all throughout the journey. They have managed to maintain the beauty and the personalized service. Try out the trek and experience forest bathing. They also have a cove nearby which offers good snorkeling and stunning views.

Breathtaking, stunning ambience with a touch of luxury. The food really needs to improve, though.

Dinner by the pool while watching the kids swim. Wonderful staff Great service

Mega expensive resort, that is worth every $. I really enjoyed my time there! The island is amazing and the facilities are embedded in the nature in a very beautiful way. Other than that, the room was very luxurious and well kept. The food was also very good but not exceptional ,IMHO. The staff were very nice and helpful and even returned to my possession a lost pair Vuarnet sunglasses!

My family and I were missing the beach so much after not being able to travel since Mar 2020, and we were looking for a resort that can cater to our wants & needs without sacrificing the strict covid protocols we were used to following. I'm so glad Lagen Island covered that & more. Romi, Athena and all the employees made sure to take the extra step to make our stay comfortable & safe. They also made sure that all our requests were catered to. When it comes to food, they can maybe offer more varieties, but I honestly didn't mind since we really came for the beach. The group we came with were all friendly too, and we're so happy we took that break from the city life. Lagen Island is an excellent place to visit if you want a safe space with a relaxing ambiance to stay at. All covid guidelines were strictly followed. Also, please bring some bug sprays if you have sensitive skin. I had bug bites after our stay here, my family members were fine though. Def not the hotel's fault :) Tl;dr will definitely come back! Thanks to all the staff who made this experience a blast!

What a stunning place. My boat tour stopped just next to Star beach to snorkel. It was amazing. A great number of fish and sea life. We also saw turtles. Best spot so far to snorkeling 🥰

This is a private beach but you can go snorkeling there as part of Tour C package. Still beautiful as compared to the nearby beaches ❤️😍

Star Beach, clear water and amazing views but you can’t go closed to the island because is a private property…

A place like no other: enjoyable snorkelling site with a priceless view of the island/s!

a phenomenal beach. walk across to the other side for beautiful, unspoiled views. the water is crystal clear!

Had lunch here. Unfortunately there was a storm we weren’t able to see it’s true beauty

Just a small beach. Nothing special. It is called Starfish as you can find lots of starfish around. But don't touch them, please.

Carries the typical high quality beach and waters of El Nido

Remote quiet clean clear water

Very beautiful and lonely beach. There is no one except for one house on Ipil Beach 1. I would recommend renting a kayak (half a day for 300 pesos, about 6€) and paddle there. It takes about 45min depending on the wind.

Too much algae and rocks to really enjoy the beach. Nice view.

Beautiful beach, basically had it to ourselves. Kayaked around 40 mins here from Corong beach

Beautiful sands and clear blue water. They are doing a good job conserving the environment by limiting the number of boats and tourists.

Not crowded like 7 Commandoes beach, I prefer this one more!

Dirty beach , from a distance picturesque , but walking on the beach so much rubbish , worst was the volume of broken glass , alarming . Unsuspecting barefoot bathers beware do not swim here.

Its not really a beach, all occupied by local boats. But the view is amazing and if you go around the corner, you find a small, round, very rocky bay with amazing snorkeling!

Ordered a brownie and iced spanish latte while watching the sun set behind Cadlao Island. It was a perfect spot to recollect what had just happened on your day tour all while sipping your coffee. Would have loved to try their Greek Food next time.

Waited for more than 30 mins for our order. 👎🏻 The resto was not even full at that time. Taste was ok. I liked the yogurt dip. Nice view. They only accept cash. Restroom was not clean. Service was ok. Spent ₱605 for chicken souvlaki and a soda in can (with service charge).

Went for lunch on a Friday in May 2025. Weather was treat and so was the view in this restaurant. They are in the beach front, situated in the heart of El Nido town. The food, amazing! The servers were all nice and accommodating. Shoutout to Ate Michelle 😊 We ordered Pita and Hummus, lamb chops (big serving), Salmon pasta, Souvlaki (they were so nice to allow me to have both chicken and seafood), lamb salpocao (must-try). Price per head: ~1,000 pesos including our drinks.

Such a lovely café! The breakfast was delicious, the coffee was good, and the view was absolutely amazing. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better.

Cafe Athena offers a nice mix of Mediterranean flavors in El Nido. I tried the Prawn Aglio Olio which was simply seasoned with garlic and olive oil over garlic parmesan pasta and it was decent. The Mediterranean Dips were enjoyable with hummus, htipiti, and baba ganoush served alongside pita bread that was thicker than usual, making it hearty and filling. My favorite of the lunch was the Cafe Athena Chopped Salad with mixed greens, blue cheese, pears, walnuts, and a Greek vinaigrette. The blend of flavors from the cheese, vinaigrette, and crisp greens came together beautifully and made this dish stand out. Overall, a pleasant spot for Mediterranean food in El Nido - specially if you sit in front of the sea.

You can't expect somebody to cook perfect greek who has never been in greece. The chicken souvlaki and chicken gyros was quite okay. The bread is just different and more sweet than in Greece or Europe. The yoghurt sauce is also a little bit strange but tasty, just not like tzaziki. The Sangria is good here.

We had the flaming cheese as a starter to share followed by a chicken souvlaki! Delicious flavours and great quality meat and the roasted vegetables and sauces were very garlicky and flavourful! Lovely view out to the sea and friendly service- relaxing atmosphere listening to the sea! Great choice of fresh juices I had the pineapple and mint juice which was very refreshing!!

My fiancé and I had a wonderful time at El Nido Outpost Hostel—we were greeted with warmth and care the moment we arrived. We stayed for a week, and somehow, each day topped the last. The highlight for me was without a doubt the staff. Every single person working there goes above and beyond to make the space feel like home. You can tell they genuinely care and take pride in creating a welcoming, fun, and supportive atmosphere. It felt less like a hostel and more like a vibrant little community. The views are unmatched—watching the sunset every evening with a cold (and affordable!) drink in hand, surrounded by new friends, was something we’ll never forget. The nightly events and activities were all super well thought-out and an absolute blast. Whether you’re traveling solo or as a couple, it’s such an easy place to meet people and make memories. We’re already dreaming of coming back. Couldn’t recommend Outpost enough—if you’re heading to El Nido, this is where you want to stay. The people truly make the place, and they made our trip unforgettable.

Easily the best place I’ve ever stayed at! All of the members of staff were incredibly welcoming and lovely, they’re like a big family and it definitely shows. The view from the hostel is beautiful and all of the food/drinks were amazing. Big big shoutout to Jyrie, Lance, Edna and Jasmine! Green bean🌱

We were welcomed warmly, the whole stay felt like home, and the staff are like family. Special mention for Kim who is always full of energy, positive vibes and made the stay at Outpost even more fun! Would happily stay here again, in fact if I visit El Nido again I probably wouldn't waste my time searching for another place to stay and just go straight to booking Outpost. We also stayed at the Frendz Hostel for half our time in El Nido, and Outpost wins by a country mile! No hate towards Frendz, but Outpost is the best spot.

Outpost hostel has good vibes, good food, a friendly and social atmosphere, and it’s located on the beach. The staff was constantly cleaning and working while also being friendly. Hands down, the best part was the staff. I took some time to know their names and be friendly and they welcomed me with open arms and smiles for my entire stay. Bring your good vibes and you will experience true Filipino warmth from their amazing staff. Shout out to Edna, JV, Patricia, Jay, Lika, the bartenders and the kitchen crew 🙌 Thanks everyone. I hope to see you all again!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing people, amazing vibes – Outpost is a must in El Nido! We stayed at Outpost Hostel and absolutely loved it! The atmosphere, the people we met, and the care from the staff made it such a memorable experience. The reception team is incredibly kind and attentive, always there to help with anything — whether it's recommendations, booking activities, or just sharing a smile. You truly feel welcomed and looked after from the moment you arrive. It’s located about 10 minutes from the center of El Nido, which we really liked — you get a peaceful vibe while still being close to the action. There’s also a scooter rental spot just steps away, which made it super easy to explore the area on our own. The people we met here were just amazing — friendly, open, and full of good energy. Outpost isn’t just a place to sleep, it’s a place to connect and enjoy the El Nido lifestyle. Thanks to the whole team for making us feel at home! We’ll definitely be back 💛 Megan - Laura - Antoine & Greg

What a hostel! Our stay was simply amazing. The staff is incredible, truly welcoming and friendly. The night activities are perfect to get to know people and have a good time. Karaoke night was by far on of the best highlight of my travels so far - the staff is incredibly talented!

Fun place and social with nice staff but in hindsight I’d prefer to stay in town as this is not close to anything (could come here for sunsets). Alternatively you need a scooter or it would be difficult to get around. A few things that could be improved: - fix up the ‘back entrance’ as often you can’t access the hostel from the beach entrance due to tides and are then forced to enter / exit through a sketchy, dark and dingy path. - meals we ordered seemed to take an hour or more (not always at peak hour). - boat tour was fun with a good group from the hostel but seemed quite unorganized. It took 3 trips in a tiny dingy town get everyone to the boat then we had to wait longer while staff took trash from the previous days tour off and loaded all the new supplies on. All in all e sat on the boat about an hour when the prep could have been done in advance of us boarding.

This place has incredibly kind staff and a stunning private beach. You can see lots of corals and fish in the clear water. A cute dachshund family even greets you on the shore! It’s perfect for snorkeling, and they also rent out kayaks. The staff are so friendly that we wanted to come back every day. We weren’t staying at the resort, but we spent two days of our trip just visiting here — and it was completely worth it. It was such a happy and memorable time. They even served us some kimchi when they found out we were Korean — such a touching gesture!

We spent an amazing day at Vellago Resort. We booked the day pass, and from the pick-up at Corong Corong Beach to the relaxing sunbeds, lunch, and drinks, everything was excellent. We can definitely recommend this place! If you don’t go, you will miss out. Also, visiting 7 Commands Beach is just a 2-minute walk along the beach

This is a slice of paradise. My husband and I have stayed in a number of luxury resorts around the world and can confidently say that this resort is a standout! From the time you arrive you are greeted with the warmest hospitality by the staff who will go absolutely above and beyond to ensure that you have a comfortable and enjoyable stay. The views are insanely beautiful and the restaurant and cabanas add to the beauty of the resort. Everywhere you look you feel like you are viewing a tropical paradise out of a postcard. Breakfast was served on our deck in the morning and it was always so good and always exceeded our expectations. An incredibly romantic locations for couples with the prettiest sunsets in this location. Would go back in a heartbeat.

We had an amazing romantic dinner , Bambi and the rest of the staff made our night Aamazing, I reccomend this resort to anyone. You can also book a private dinner even though you’re not staying at the resort they will arrange pick up and all. Amazing

An extraordinary experience, the staff are amazing, we had a perfect romantic dinner on the beach. The view from the room is truly unbelievable, the sunsets are the prettiest we have ever seen. You should totally book a few nights here for superior and special time🙌🏼

My review of Vellago resort could not be any higher and When I plan to return to El Nido, Palawan, Philippines, this is exactly where we will stay again. First and foremost, Bambi deserves a complete review on its own and I honestly might consider the rebooking if I would find out that he wouldn’t be there. He is what hospitality should be and everyone should strive for. He goes above and beyond and even when small mistakes are made, he corrects them and makes sure every thing is perfect from there on out. If you wanted something or something done, Bambi would be finding a way and with a huge smile on his face. That is enough of a reason to write a review but I could go on and on about the resort on its own. It is a complete 5 star resort and you often feel like you rented the entire place for your own. I kept saying, am I getting engaged again? Am I renewing my vows again? It was That good. We booked a boat island hopping day trip with the resort of Bambi’s recommendation and it Completely Exceeded our expectations and I would book with the same gentlemen again. The room was incredible, we had massages in our room, a romantic dinner on the beach, and honestly every single dinner at the resort the staff went above and beyond what they needed to do to make us feel special. The food was outstanding and always fresh and the specials for dinner were changing every night. I said this a whole lot while on our trip, but every resort Needs a Bambi. He was fantastic and made the five star resort even better. I cannot forget to mention the snorkeling in this area, we went snorkeling in a few different areas and this resort’s beach was the Best around. We were lucky enough to see two different sea turtles and every single fish species you could imagine! Couldn’t recommend Vellago Resort any more.

Beautiful. Comfortable rooms and a great service. A wide variety of choices for lunch and dinner. Especially at dinner time. Every night the wonderful staff prepared for us a great setting for dinner. I would definitely recommend this place.

Mad Monkey El Nido hostel, was a great stay experience! The location is insanely beautiful, literally on the Napcan beach. The service was great, and the people working there are very warmhearted. Also, their cocktail and food selection is very enjoyable. Not to mention, their cabana rooms are such a vibe, and make you want to live on an island forever. It’s a very social hostel with many activities and opportunities to mingle. I will be coming back for sure :)!

We had an amazing stay! It was low season so pretty quiet but all the staff made us feel so welcome and we had a great time with them! Absolutely stunning location right on one of the most amazing beaches I’ve ever been. I would go back in a heartbeat!!

Amazing location. Sadly it wasn’t crowded at all when I want there but im sure if its full Booked the plage would be different in high season. Its hard to get there if you have your own motorcycle or scooter, really narrow trails as there is no main road to access the hostel. I strongly recommend getting there by the beach, as shown in my video, its legal to ride as fast as you can in this beach! Go get it tiger

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mad Monkey Nacpan – Tropics, music & barefoot vibes Coming from New Caledonia, we’re used to tropical heat, sunsets and beach life — but Mad Monkey Nacpan still gave us something special 🌴 Right on one of the most beautiful beaches around, this place is all about good vibes, simple moments, and awesome people. We were lucky to be there for karaoke night, and it turned into a full-on free concert under the stars. So much fun, everyone singing and dancing — no need to know anyone, the energy brings you together naturally 🎤🌙 The staff is super chill, always smiling and ready to help without ever being pushy. You really feel like you’re part of a beach community. Now, just a couple of tropical tips: No AC, but hey — we’re used to that kind of heat 😉 A few sand bugs around, so bring your repellent just in case! But honestly, that’s all part of the raw, barefoot beach life. If you're looking to disconnect, meet beautiful souls, and dance in the sand, Mad Monkey Nacpan is calling.

My stay at Mad Monkey Nacpan was truly unforgettable. The location, atmosphere, and vibe were incredible, and what made it even more special was meeting Shanel. She was so nice, helpful, and welcoming from the very start, making sure I had everything I needed. We connected so well that we’re still talking even after my stay — and I’m happy to say we’ve actually become friends. Can’t wait to come back!

One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, one of the worst services I have ever had. No hot water. No hair drier. Dirty towels. The staff is highly unmotivated. 40 minutes to get some scrambled eggs (multiple times and with no other customer). Rooms are poorly cured, energy outlets not working, no key to get in the room. You can do better.

Nice hostel to stay in Nacpan beach. The staff was friendly and never had any issues; the wifi was good and the beds o. The sared rooms were actually big. The host girl working there made sure to include everyone on the activities they had and her good vibe was contagious. The food was also good, I had the eggs with the tomato sauce and onions, it was amazing! The burger was also very good and they have deals every day, like free beer with any burguer. I heard it’s more fun during the busy season, but can also be a good time during low when you’re just looking to chill and relax. Now I want to try the other Mad monkey places and see how that goes

This time, I visited Panorama Beach Bar during the low season. I've been coming to El Nido since 2010 and have been there more than 40 times. The day before, we were also at Panorama, and there were only 3 other guests in total. We had some drinks and snacks and were lying on the front row of sunbeds. Today, we decided to go back to Panorama. When we arrived, there were 7 crew members just hanging around because there was absolutely nothing to do. We were planning to have a nice dinner and some drinks, and I walked over to the sunbeds, not knowing what scene would unfold later. The crew immediately approached me to say that their supervisor had instructed them it was not allowed for us to use the sunbeds without paying for them. The day before, they had let it slide (I had no idea there was even a charge), but now I really had to pay. If it were high season, I’d understand, but during low season — when we were literally the only guests that afternoon — I would be happy if a customer wanted to spend money on food and drinks at the club. And let’s be honest, it all looks nice, but it’s obviously not Ushuaïa in Ibiza, where I’d happily drop a few thousand euros on a VIP table. Naturally, we left immediately without spending a single peso. Advice to Panorama: try to appreciate the few guests you get during the off-season.

A huge thank you to Panorama for such an incredible stay. The location, ambience and staff were all nothing short of incredible. Our time in El Nido wouldn’t have been as amazing as it was without Edralin and Reno at the Beach club each day and Eunice and Aires at the front desk. Every interaction with them, they went above and beyond to make sure we were well looked after and having the best time possible. Great service isn’t easy to come by, so when one hotel has so many quality staff it really stands out. Can’t wait to return!

Loved the vibe at Panorama — cozy, laid-back, and that view? Unreal. Food was super tasty, and yeah, it’s a bit more expensive than the rest of El Nido, but honestly worth every peso. Oh, and they have the sweetest little house cat just chilling around. Instant favorite.

Wow. What an amazing experience at Panorama. We can’t fault it at all. The staff are absolutely amazing and made our stay super special. The room and the facilities were well looked after and clean. You can really tell that these people care. The food was AMAZING - even if you don’t stay there, you have to check out the food especially the Gambas de Ajillo. The staff really went above and beyond. Hopefully we will be back one day❤️

Such an incredible place so peaceful with amazing views. Service was above and beyond any expectations. Nothing is a problem with a great mixologist and great food! Thanks to our server Christian for being such a welcoming and friendly face!

We didn’t stay at the hotel but visited the restaurant for sunset. The food was quite expensive, but the atmosphere was beautiful, making it a great place to enjoy the view. However, we were disappointed that booking the poolside beds with a sunset view cost an additional 1,000 pesos. While the setting was stunning, the extra charge felt unnecessary, especially considering the already high prices for food and drinks. Overall, a pricey experience, but the ambiance made it enjoyable.

The rooms and grounds are always kept very clean and the staff are super nice. the food is a bit hit and miss. we stayed here for almost three weeks so tried a lot of the menu.

The El Nido Canopy Walk is one of the most enjoyable short hikes I experienced during my trip to Palawan. The entire trail is guided, which makes the hike feel very safe and well-organized. The path itself is not too difficult, and most travelers, regardless of fitness level, should be able to complete it without much trouble. What makes the experience special is that it combines a bit of adventure with absolutely stunning views. The hike takes about thirty minutes round trip, which is the perfect length if you want to do something active but not overly time-consuming. Along the way, you get to cross a suspension bridge, and while it is completely secure, it definitely gives you a small rush of adrenaline. The bridge adds a unique thrill that makes the canopy walk stand out from a regular hike. The real highlight, of course, is the overlook at the top. From there, you get one of the best panoramic views of El Nido town, the coastline, and the dramatic limestone cliffs surrounding the area. It’s a perfect spot to take pictures, and the guides are very helpful in capturing great shots for you. Overall, the El Nido Canopy Walk is well worth the visit if you’re in town. It’s safe, fun, relatively easy, and rewards you with breathtaking scenery that you won’t forget. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy both adventure and views in a short amount of time.

We came at 9:30 and it was booked out so got told to come back at around 11. Original experience was booked out so needed to get combined which was fine but we would definitely recommend booking in advanced! The canopy walk itself was great, wouldn’t recommend bringing young kids as it’s not as safe as you would think (lots of gaps) but it was a really enjoyable experience and the views were incredible. Our tour guide was great and took plenty of photos!

a place where nature’s raw beauty takes your breath away. The earthy surroundings and towering limestone cliffs give off pure, grounding energy. The canopy walk offers a safe, thrilling path to one of El Nido’s most spectacular views. From the top, the scenery is absolutely stunning turquoise waters, lush islands, and the town below, all wrapped in peaceful silence. It’s the kind of view that makes you pause, breathe deeply, and just feel grateful. A relaxing yet adventurous experience that perfectly blends nature, serenity, and a touch of adrenaline.

El Nido Via Ferrata was a bit disappointing. For someone who does via ferrata regularly, this experience doesn’t really compare. The walk is a short ten-minute climb where the safety equipment isn’t truly necessary. The views are stunning and the surrounding nature is beautiful, but the activity itself feels more like a quick tourist attraction than a real outdoor adventure. The active part took less than twenty minutes, and the gear seemed old and rusty, with helmets that were sweaty and damp.

The canopy walk was a fun experience to do in our El Nido - Even though it was in the rain, it was super fun! Our guide Lieann was fantastic! We enjoyed her company as we climbed to the summit. There is a great view from the top. It was £8 each which I guess is quite expensive for the Philippines, but it was a super safe and fun experience to see the whole of el nido

Enjoyed this activity for what it was. Quite a nice, easy hike with some beautiful views of El Nido at the end. Walking across the long suspension bridge was pretty cool. Wouldn’t say it’s a must do if visiting El Nido but still happy I got to do it.

the canopy tour would be interesting for someone who hasn’t done it before, but if you’ve did similar stuff anywhere else - it won’t impress. firstly, it’s quite expensive (400 just for the viewpoint, 700 to get to the “net” looking ropes that are on all pictures), then you always have to go with a guide, I don’t understand his purpose other than prevent you from jumping off a cliff. then, if there’s a senior in front of you who can barely walk straight - then you all stand in line waiting for him to climb 1 step per minute. the view from the top is alright, but nothing crazy in my opinion. this is only worth it if you have seen everything else. take SPF with you cause the sun on the top is brutal.

Nacpan Beach Glamping is the best! The beach is absolutely beautiful, and swimming there feels amazing. They also have a swimming pool, and my friends and I really enjoyed it. The staff are incredibly kind and friendly. The food spots around are also great! Special shout-out to Miss Vanyah from the front desk — she's super nice and very accommodating — and to their front desk supervisor, Sir Marv, who was very attentive to all our needs! I’ll definitely recommend Nacpan Beach Glamping to my family!

We had an incredible time at Nacpan Glamping. We didn’t expect the actual place to be as stunning as it was, especially since the bumpy and muddy road leading to it felt challenging. It truly felt like a hidden paradise. The long journey was absolutely worth it. Nestled in nature with breathtaking views, the location made me feel completely relaxed and at peace. Highly recommend Nacpan Glamping for anyone looking for a fantastic, family-friendly escape with great food, awesome amenities, and exceptional service!

We stayed at Nacpan Beach Glamping for a wonderful getaway surrounded by nature. The tents were incredibly comfortable and well-equipped, with great air conditioning which was a real bonus in the tropical climate. The location is just breathtaking, right on a beautiful, pristine beach with stunning views and amazing sunsets. The staff were warm, friendly, and very helpful, making us feel truly welcome. It was a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, ideal for those who enjoy the outdoors but with a touch of luxury. The overall atmosphere was laid-back and family-friendly, making it a memorable stay. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a unique and peaceful escape.

It was our second time staying at Nacpan Beach Glamping, and my whole family loved it just as much as the first! My two kids always have the best time enjoying both the pool and the beach. The service here is always superb. Staying in a tent with air conditioning is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Special thanks to Rica and Glen, the receptionists, for making our stay extra special with the beautiful “Welcome Back” sign made of petals on our beds. We also appreciated the added touch of having plenty of refreshing canned sodas and bottled water prepared for us. Also jerwin is always there to assist us on our luggages. Can’t wait to come back again soon!

Loved our stay! Spacious glamping tents with great air conditioning. Shared bathrooms were clean and enough for the number of guests. The beachfront is stunning — fine white sand and super relaxing. You can hear the waves from your tent, which makes sleeping so peaceful. Staff were friendly, pizza was great, and plenty of sunbeds. About 45 mins from town, but worth it if you want quiet and relaxation. No signal, but Starlink Wi-Fi works well!

As a holiday and staying as a couple. Arriving at the airport you must have airport pick up. Make sure of that! This area has no taxis and only pedicabs. The pedicabs are tiny and for people that are big and with luggage it’s a nuisance as you won’t fit. The resort is nearly an hour from the airport and the roads going into the resort are shockingly bad!!! This needs to be fixed ASAP. My Wife and I stayed in the Glamping Tents. The Tents are super spacious, clean, comfortable and had air con and fans. You are provided with a small fridge with bottled water which was a plus. Also supplied with coffee and tea with a kettle. A safe for your valuables as well as free mosquito repellent which is a must! Don’t worry if you run out just request for more as I did. The staff were always helpful which is appreciated. The surroundings are tropical and beautiful. The beach is one of the best I’ve seen in the world. Just watch out for sand mites! The amenities are good. Shared toilets and shower. Surprisingly clean and taken care of daily. Pool and sauna and even a gym! For gym junkies like myself it’s a plus. The gym was still being built while I was there but had good equipment. One built it will be great! Restaurant for the resort is decent. Overpriced, buf just go for a five min walk down the beach and eat at the local restaurants for cheaper options and better food! I had a great time and experience and would recommend!

We stayed in Nacpan Beach Glamping and booked the Airbnb Villa Oceanfront and we had an amazing time and relaxation. The staff are super great and thanks to Vane and Laurel for always taking care of us. They have the best customer service and superb service and very friendly. We felt welcomed and at home in Nacpan Beach Glamping from checking in, shuttle service and booking our tours. Superb service and highly recommend the great resort and service. Also do the full body massage special mention to Susan and her other 2 ladies who massaged us and it’s great in room service. We had a great time. The resort is oceanfront and a lot of things to do even at night including the bonfire with smores and volleyball too.

Last destination of Tour C. You have to swim for quite some distance to reach this place. Since we arrived late in the afternoon, waves were bigger which made the swimming more challenging but it's all worth it.

Secret Beach is the first stop of Tour C. This is one of four tour packages offered in El Nido, Palawan. The price varies depending on the travel agency or hotel packages. Our group bought hotel stay for 4 nights, van transportation to and fro Puerto Princesa, as well as Tour A and C all for the low and reasonable price of 5250 pesos per head. To access this beach, you got to swim from the boat and enter a relatively small hole. The view underwater is absolutely stunning! I enjoyed snorkeling outside the beach and near the entrance since the beach does not have many fishes. This is a must try for marine life enthusiasts! Definitely a good adventure to try.

Its secret.. Alright? 😜 If you're adventurous enough, you're gonna pass through that hole with big waves.. But if you're not a swimmer, tour guide buddies are there to pull you through 😁.

A beautiful hidden Lagoon which is accessible by path underwater during high tides. It was altogether experience spending time here. Lovely experience

Who would have thought there's a hidden paradise within a paradise?! A smallish entrance will welcome you to this beauty; a white sand beach, crystal clear waters and astonishing rock formations.

A must do if you are visiting Palawan. Suitable for all ages and active levels, just go with a guide who can give you the tips and tricks as you have to enter into a very small hole. Well worth it!!

Only reason not a 5 star rating is because we were only allowed a short amount of time and there were about 200 people there, making it the NOT SO SECRET BEACH! But the overall everything was amazing! I love Palawan and El Nido and our tour was fantastic!

Absolutely stunning spot in El Nido! The water in Cadlao Lagoon is crystal clear with beautiful shades of blue and green. Perfect for kayaking or just relaxing and taking in the view. It's less crowded than other lagoons, which makes it feel peaceful and special. The limestone cliffs surrounding the lagoon are breathtaking. If you’re in El Nido, don’t miss this hidden gem. Highly recommended!

One of the most beautiful lagoons in El Nido is Cadlao Lagoon. Most tours give you the option of renting a kayak, which you should not miss. The place is ideal for some truly stunning photos. The kayak is well worth the extra price.

One of the best stop on our TOUR C It is only accesible using kayak. You have the option to stay at the beach and take photos. 300php for 1 kayak good for 2 person Water is clear and the waves are calm.

Absolutely beautiful lagood to kayak through and take in the incredble landscape and geology. Snorkelling / swimming not reccomended due to jellyfish.

Absolutely heavenly! Cadlao Lagoon is a breathtaking paradise with crystal clear water, dramatic limestone cliffs, and serene beauty. Truly a before you die destination you’ll never forget.

Absolutely stunning place having canoes to look around 💗

My experience riding a small kayak in Cadlao Lagoon, El Nido, Palawan was truly memorable. The water in the lagoon was not too deep, allowing me to observe the enchanting sight of fish swimming beneath the kayak. Navigating through the small lagoon was effortless, making it convenient to explore and capture stunning photos with the breathtaking rock formations as a backdrop. It was an amazing adventure that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area.

Entalula Beach, located on Entalula Island in El Nido, Palawan, is consistently ranked among the top beaches in the world due to its stunning beauty and serene atmosphere. The beach features powdery white sand, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and dramatic limestone cliffs, making it a standout spot on the island-hopping circuit. Its shallow, calm waters are perfect for swimming and snorkeling, with vibrant coral reefs just off the shore. What sets Entalula apart is its relatively uncrowded nature, despite being a popular stop on tours. A private resort exists on the island, but public areas remain undeveloped, preserving the beach’s natural charm. From above, the aerial views are breathtaking, showcasing the perfect combination of sand, sea, and rock formations. This beach is a true must-see. Its beauty is even more impressive in person, offering a level of tranquility and stunning scenery that's hard to match. If you're in El Nido, don’t miss the chance to experience it firsthand.

Entalula Beach, located in El Nido, Palawan, was ranked No. 2 globally and Asia's Best Beach on the 2025 World's 50 Best Beaches list, a prestigious recognition by a panel of travel professionals and influencers. The beach is praised for its powdery white sand, clear turquoise waters, and dramatic limestone cliffs, offering a secluded and untouched natural paradise.

You can easily see how this is rated one kf the top beaches in the world. Crystal clear water, beautiful light colored sand. Absolute paradise!!!

This was our favorite stop. We came here twice, but during low and high tides. it’s better during low tides so you can snorkel and see the corals

Probably the best part of Tour A for us. August 31, 2023. No Surf, No waves almost, just peaceful as it could get, even during stormy time we were there.

One of the best beaches we have been to in the Philippines, just stunning 🙌

What more can I say? The beach is pretty laidback which is great. There was only one vendor selling drinks, which include beer. :) Water is a bit shallow which makes it ideal for kids' swimming.

A spit sand dune walkable at low tide and viewed as light coloured strip when under water. A bit gritty sand not white soft powder and not the most picturesque we've seen but popular.

A cool sandbar clearly named accordingly. Hardly anyone else there When we went whi h was lovely. So pleased to have visited there.

Nice and photogenic causeway that can be easily crossed at low tide. It was past low tide when I visited which was a shame because the sandbank was all under the sea, although I still managed to wade through the water. Ideally the sandbank needs to be visible for ease of crossing as well and for instagram shots. Visit at low tide.

One of the highlights of our adventure was ascending the hill on Snake Island, a task that proved to be both invigorating and rewarding. As we made our way up, the landscape unfolded, offering glimpses of breathtaking vistas that awaited us at the summit. Reaching the pinnacle, we were met with a mesmerizing panoramic view that captured the essence of the island's captivating charm. The vast expanse of the sea, the intricate waterways, and the lush greenery formed a tapestry of beauty that left us in awe. Although the sandbar may not have been at its peak, our exploration of the mangroves and the exhilarating climb to the hilltop provided a glimpse into the captivating allure of Snake Island. It reminded us of the hidden gems that can be found even in unexpected moments, and it served as a testament to the remarkable wonders of nature

This nice sandbar appears at a low tide. However we were at a high tide and it was not at its best. We had our lunch here among mangrove trees. With little effort one may climb the Snake Island’s hill to enjoy the view from the top.

If you climb a little, you`ll reach the view. It is absolutely marvelous. The water is shallow and is not suitable to swim.

It has the best view point after bit of hike. Sand bar is connecting two islands so one has good view point and another has mangroves all over place . Walk on sand bar is also fun. There is a walkway in mangroves island. We had our lunch here on boat after visiting both the islands. Good place for photography too..

Absolutely loved this Island. My husband and I went here after a few days in miniloc island and couldn’t be any happier about how comfortable and beautiful our room and view was. There are several activities by boat and snorkeling right on the island which we really loved. I Highly recommend staying here

A once in a lifetime class experience. Walk 65 yds to your beach, pull on swim fins, mask and snorkel, start swimming immediately in warm water and most impressive array of coral and brilliant tropical fish of every color! Paradise! Morning buffet was not up to standards. Monkeys need to be brought under control...they will enter your room even if you're in there and rob the cookie jar....could be a risk.

Absolute Paradise. Simple as that. View and water and scenery is straight from a movie. Friendliest and most helpful staff ever - special shout outs to Albert, Dennis, Jude, Ags, Mark, Dean, John, Eduard, Joy, Jade, Brian, Cola, Jerica, Amor, and Joven. Activities are all lifetime memories. Food and drinks are incredible. Rooms are spacious and luxurious. What more could you want???

Our stay at the Pangulasian island was disappointing in every way possible. The real let down was giving the hotel constructive feedback (in private) and their poor attitude (particularly from the manager Heidi) who needs to take a course in hospitality. Checking into the hotel felt very rushed. On arrival we were given a 10 minute lecture about the resort which didn’t feel welcoming at all. Why not put this in a pamphlet? The staff provided us with a lot of irrelevant information, for example, talking about the other rooms at the resort and driving straight past our room to show us the bigger family rooms at the end. We didn’t ask for this nor were we interested. We had traveled a long way and on top of a long check-in we were given a tour of our very small room which somehow took another 10 minutes. The air con in our room wasn’t working for the first 4 hours. The staff tried to fix it (only after an hour when we had to ask them twice) but it just wasn’t blowing cold air. This is something the hotel should check before their guests arrive. We were told to move to another room but they only sent one person to help us. We ended up carrying most of our luggage, in the dark and on hazardous, uneven stone steps. The staff member tried to get us to take a short cut by walking under the room (the rooms are on stilts) which was dangerous as we couldn’t see where we were going. Our other room looked like it hadn’t been cleaned properly. There were human hairs on the bathrobes and a large beetle that looked like it had long since been dead. I appreciate that we are on an island and that you will find insects in the rooms but this could have and should have easily been spotted. This was the only hotel in the Philippines we visited where the drinks weren’t complimentary (only two bottles of water). This is really stingy, when you are paying almost £600 a night! This is £100 more than the Two Seasons in Coron (for a similar pool villa room also on an island) but the Two Seasons’ mini bar was free, including snacks. For somewhere so hot (and in our case without air con) they should really include drinks (at least one or two). It all felt mean. The floor in the room is very slippery (even the small carpets move around). I slipped twice before deciding to keep my shoes on. The stone steps going down to the villas are dangerous and it’s easy to twist your ankle because the stairs aren’t level and quite far apart. Exposed plug sockets near the pool? Check! Broken wooden floor decking with sharp bits to go into your foot? Check! Toilet paper that falls apart in your hands? Check! The breakfast buffet was okay but when we asked for an omelette the staff behind the counter who was mopping and cleaning didn’t wash his hands before making us one. I’ll have a ham and cheese omelette with a side of bacteria please. The breakfast was abysmal and a lot of the food isn’t covered so flies were landing all over it. Any request for ‘normal’ juices like orange, or watermelon, are an additional charge. Most of the staff we met were miserable. A smile here or there doesn’t hurt. The WiFi was not working during our entire stay. We ended up having to pay £48 for data on our phone to sort out an issue with our flight (a second time an airline in the Philippines had let us down). The staff said that this was normal. Surely an alleged 5* hotel should have contingencies in place? At checkout none of the staff or the manager Heidi bothered to ask how our stay was so we later raised all the above issues with the hotel’s manager, Heidi who (after several emails) offered us a treatment and a half a day boat tour on our next visit. This was utterly useless to us. Not only do we live half way across the world, but this would mean having to spend more time at this awful place and have the privilege of giving them more of our money to stay there. So do yourself a favour and avoid this hotel. Go to the Shangri-La in Boracay which was worth every penny. Perhaps the staff at the Pangulasian should pay them a visit to see how a hotel should be run.

Friendly staff and gorgeous beach views from rooms. Complimentary activities a massive bonus. Pool area really well designed.

Extremely Disappointed with Pangalusian Resort I recently had the unfortunate experience of staying at Pangalusian Resort, and I must say it was one of the most disappointing vacations I have ever had. From the moment I arrived, I encountered numerous issues that left me utterly dissatisfied. Here are the main reasons why I would rate this resort with only one star: 1. Management is bad: The management at Pangaulasian Resort is incredibly poor. "Sir David" demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism and failed to address even the most basic concerns. The staff appeared disinterested and disengaged, showing little to no regard for guest satisfaction. Their incompetence was evident in their inability to resolve simple issues promptly. It was a frustrating experience to say the least. For example David was always sleeping or "bussy" when we had medical emergency. 2. Unprofessional staff: The unprofessional behavior of the staff at Pangaulasian Resort further added to my disappointment. Instead of being greeted with warmth and courtesy, I was met with indifference and apathy. It seemed like the employees were just going through the motions, lacking genuine interest in providing a positive experience for guests (felt like "get out"). Their lack of training and professionalism was evident in their demeanor and attitude. for example they had an argument between the in front of us. For example when we had a medical emergency for some reason they decided to present our bill not only but also house keeping came to our Villa around 9 pm after they rang the doorbell once they just came inside and saw me naked. 3. Bad food: The quality of food served at Pangaulasian Resort was abysmal. The dining experience was a complete letdown. The limited options available were poorly prepared and lacked flavor. It felt like the ingredients used were of subpar quality, resulting in tasteless and unappetizing meals. To make matters worse, it took them one hour to get the apptisers and entrees. Overall, my stay at Pangaulasian Resort was nothing short of a disaster. The management's incompetence, unprofessional staff, and the poor quality of food all contributed to a truly disappointing experience. I would strongly advise against staying at this resort unless you are prepared for a vacation filled with frustration, dissatisfaction, and regret. Save your time and money and find a different resort that values customer satisfaction and provides a memorable experience, like Miniloc or Lagen.

My first experience of a world class island resort facility!!! Huge rooms with a traditional bahay kubo concept... Very spacious, dreamy and with super comfortable beds, huge walk in bathroom and dressing room and closet area, you can party inside because it is so big!!!! Love the lounging sofas on the balcony. I can live in my cottage forever! But the islands and the beaches beckon!

Immerse yourself in the beauty of this picturesque beach, an integral part of El Nido Island Hopping Tour B. Its pristine shores, adorned with soft white sand, invite you to unwind and indulge in the tranquil surroundings. As you explore the crystal-clear waters, you'll discover captivating snorkeling spots teeming with marine life. Adding to its allure, this beach has served as the backdrop for the iconic ending scene of the Bourne trilogy and hosted a thrilling season of Survivor. Prepare to be enchanted by the sheer natural splendor and serenity of this hidden gem, where breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences await at every turn.

This island and beach is the most beautiful one I had enjoyed this El Nido travel.

I visited Ipil with really bad weather conditions, but this place was still amazing. Maybe the most interesting spot around in El Nido Tour A.

Stunning, with the tall grass you feel as though your in a scene from Jurassic Park

Truthfully it's hard to say. All the islands on this tour we're pretty basic. There all stunning in their own ways but for me after going on all the tours this one was okay I won't go into detail about the other Islands but just know no matter which two are you decide to take all the islands are going to be stunning some more than others it's all in personal preference in my opinion

The day will start with a stop at Ipil Beach, close to El Nido town but accessible only by boat. There, you can swim in its clean and clear water or just relax on the white sand beach, in the shadow of its great palmtrees.

Absolutely must go to. We were happy our boat driver took us there as it was not really part of our tour but he was able to add it in. This island beach is really quiet and hardly any visitors were on it (maybe one small boat with a couple for about 20mins). We pretty much island to ourselves. There were some really cute dogs that waited to greet you when you arrive! We had lunch on the island and did give some water for them. Definitely a must add that most tours don't get in El Nido