El Nido: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
El Nido, at the northern tip of Palawan, faces Bacuit Bay, where some forty-five limestone islands rise straight out of the sea. The bay is a protected area, and the boats leave town each morning on fixed island-hopping tours lettered A to D. This is Tour A, the lagoons. A full day; pay the environmental fee, bring reef-safe sunscreen and water shoes.
The ten best sights in El Nido
1Taraw Canopy WalkA via ferrata up the cliff above town
2Corong-CorongSunset beach and bars south of town
3Marimegmeg BeachLas Cabanas: sunset and a zipline
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4Miniloc Island
The island of the lagoons, on Tour A
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5Big Lagoon
Kayak into a ring of cliffs
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6Small Lagoon
Swim through a gap in the rock
7Secret LagoonCrawl through a hole in the cliff
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8Shimizu Island
Snorkelling and a beach lunch
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9Seven Commandos Beach
A palm beach near town
10Helicopter IslandDilumacad, shaped like a helicopter
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in El Nido →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in El Nido:
Free walking tours in El Nido
The lagoons
El Nido, at the northern tip of Palawan, faces Bacuit Bay, where some forty-five limestone islands rise straight out of the sea. The bay is a protected area, and the boats leave town each morning on fixed island-hopping tours lettered A to D. This is Tour A, the lagoons. A full day; pay the environmental fee, bring reef-safe sunscreen and water shoes.
- Miniloc Island · The island that holds the famous lagoons. In the early 1980s Japanese divers opened the first resort in the bay here, which put El Nido on the map long before roads reached it.
- Big Lagoon · A wide lagoon enclosed by sheer cliffs, entered by kayak through a narrow mouth. Its water shifts from green to turquoise as it deepens; motorboats are no longer allowed inside, to protect it.
- Small Lagoon · A smaller, more enclosed pool reached by swimming or paddling through a low gap in the rock wall, with caves at its far end. Entry is limited to a few visitors at a time.
- Secret Lagoon · A tiny pool hidden behind a cliff on the beach, reached by crawling through a hole in the rock just big enough for one person.
- Shimizu Island · A small island with a beach and a reef for snorkelling, where most boats stop for a grilled lunch. It is said to be named after a Japanese diver who drowned nearby.
- Seven Commandos Beach · A palm-lined beach close to town, the last stop of the day. Local story says it is named after seven soldiers who were stranded here during the Second World War.
The outer islands
Tours B and C go further out, to wilder islands, hidden beaches and a sandbar. Choose one per day; Tour C is rougher in the windy season.
- Helicopter Island · Its real name is Dilumacad, but seen from the town its rounded peak and long low tail look like a helicopter. It has a long white beach and a cave.
- Matinloc Island · A long narrow island on the outer edge of the bay with a Hidden Beach, reached by swimming between rocks, and a Secret Beach entered through a crack in the cliff.
- Matinloc Shrine · A Catholic shrine built in the 1980s by a family after a vision of the Virgin Mary, and later abandoned. A short climb behind it leads to a viewpoint over the sheer limestone.
- Entalula Island · A quiet island with a curved white beach under cliffs, often the lunch stop of the outer tours, with good snorkelling off the rocks.
- Snake Island · At low tide a narrow winding sandbar appears between this island and the next, curving like a snake across the shallow water; from the hilltop its whole shape can be seen.
- Cadlao Island · The largest island of the bay, rising steeply opposite the town, whose jagged peak frames every sunset view from El Nido beach.
Land and long beaches
On land, El Nido spreads along a coast road north and south of town to long empty beaches and jungle waterfalls. A day on a rented scooter or a tricycle, the motorbike-with-sidecar taxi of the Philippines.
- Taraw Canopy Walk · A via ferrata of ladders and hanging bridges up the limestone cliff behind town. El Nido, Spanish for the nest, is named after the swiftlet nests on these cliffs, which are still collected for bird’s nest soup.
- Corong-Corong · The beach just south of town, facing west over the bay, lined with bars and small hotels where people gather to watch the sun set behind the islands.
- Marimegmeg Beach · Better known as Las Cabanas, a long sunset beach with a zipline that flies out over the water to a small island.
- Nagkalit-Kalit Falls · A walk of about an hour up a river valley, crossing the stream again and again, to a waterfall with a cool pool for swimming. Go with a local guide and avoid it after heavy rain.
- Nacpan Beach · Four kilometres of golden sand backed by palms, joined by a narrow neck of land to its twin, Calitang; from the hill at the junction both bays can be seen at once.
- Duli Beach · A wild beach on the far side of the peninsula, facing the open sea, where waves arrive with the north-east monsoon from about November to March — the surf spot of El Nido.
Getting to El Nido and getting around
- El Nido Airport · A small private airport with flights from Manila
- Bus Terminal · Vans to Puerto Princesa, five to six hours
Cheap eats in El Nido
El Nido eats from the sea: kinilaw, raw fish cured in coconut vinegar with ginger, onion and chilli; grilled squid and fish from the boats; adobo, the national stew of meat in vinegar and soy; and halo-halo, shaved ice with beans, jelly, fruit and ube ice cream. A plate at a carinderia, the cheap canteens, costs a couple of dollars.
- El Nido town · Carinderias and seafood grills
- Shimizu Island · The boat crew’s beach lunch
- Corong-Corong · Dinner at sunset
Nature and day trips near El Nido
A bay of limestone islands, coral reefs and lagoons, with jungle and waterfalls on land.
- Big Lagoon · Kayak among the cliffs
- Nagkalit-Kalit Falls · The jungle pool
- Snake Island · The sandbar
Things to do in El Nido with kids
With children: kayaks, a zipline over the sea, a sandbar walk and swimming in lagoons.
- Marimegmeg Beach · The zipline
- Small Lagoon · Paddling through the gap
- Seven Commandos Beach · Calm water and volleyball
Holy places in El Nido
The Philippines is mostly Catholic, and even the islands have their shrines.
- Matinloc Shrine · The abandoned shrine
- El Nido town · The town church
Nightlife in El Nido
El Nido’s nights are beach bars with live music in town and sunset sessions at Corong-Corong and Las Cabanas.
- El Nido town · Beachfront bars
- Corong-Corong · Sunset bars
- Marimegmeg Beach · Las Cabanas at dusk
Frequently asked questions about El Nido
What is there to see in El Nido?
The top sights in El Nido are Taraw Canopy Walk, Corong-Corong and Marimegmeg Beach. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in El Nido?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of El Nido without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in El Nido?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in El Nido, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The lagoons.
How do you get to El Nido and get around?
The main ways are El Nido Airport and Bus Terminal. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in El Nido, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in El Nido that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in El Nido for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.