25.05.2026.
El Nido is the kind of destination that instantly makes you understand why people fall in love with the Philippines. With dramatic limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, turquoise waters and beautiful beaches, every corner feels unreal. Though incomparable to the equally popular Tulum in Mexico or beautiful Koh Samui, try island hopping somewhere else in the world. It could be Santorini, the island of Brač in Croatia or pretty Dominica in the Caribbean. After all, El Nido unfolds a unique experience of the Philippinean adventure.
Literally meaning „the nest“, El Nido is the stunning recharging place to base yourself in the Philippines.
What I loved the most about El Nido is that every day can look completely different. One day you’re island hopping through lagoons, the next you’re relaxing on a quiet beach or hiking to a viewpoint. It has the perfect balance between adventure and island
How to Arrive to El Nido
El Nido has its own airport, which is very convenient. If flying to Puerto Princesa, you can get the lower prices. El Nido is an absolute contrast to Puerto Princesa, which doesn’t have a beach.
If you’re short on time, I would skip Puerto Princesa. It has some lovely attractions, but consider your options wisely.
From Puerto Princesa, you can take a shared van to El Nido at your accommodation. It takes 5h, but you can also choose Port Baron as your next destination. Nestled between, Port Baron has the wonderful beaches to stop the day.
If you’re coming from Coron Island, the Jomalia ferry is much faster than the Atienza. Buying your ticket online will secure you the right ferry, though it’s slightly cheaper in El Nido agency. There’s a wifi on the ferry.
Because of the weather, my ferry to Coron was cancelled and the other day, there were such crowds. That’s why it was difficult to confirm my journey and I got the slower ferry.
Why I chose El Nido
I chose El Nido because of its marvelous scenery that makes the reason it’s so popular. When coming to the Philippines, I had no idea that the beaches here are immensely beautiful. More than I could imagine, El Nido exceeded my expectations and took me on incredible adventures.
El Nido is a destination that perfectly blends beaches, adventure and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s not only about island hopping in El Nido, as people usually think upon arriving. There’s always something happening here, whether it’s sunset watching, enjoying the beach or meeting new people.
One way El Nido feels even more adventurous is how the boat tours start. Instead of walking onto a dock, you usually have to walk through the sea to reach your boat. My Instagram reel will transfer you to El Nido instantly.
Why Would I Return To El Nido
Returning to El Nido has no hesitation to me as there’s still so much to experience. You could easily spend a full week here doing different tours and exploring new beaches. Tour A is one of the best value tour and definitely worth it.
Even if you stay only at the beach, El Nido sparkles with magic. Upon arriving, you’ll plan to stay for an hour but will end up spending the entire day around it.
Island Hopping Tours in El Nido
Island hopping is one of the main reasons that people visit El Nido and Tours A and C are the most popular.
Tour A is famous for the big lagoon, crystal-clear beaches and iconic scenery. You’ll get a chance to go kayaking, which makes it one of the best value tours in El Nido.
Tour C is also extremely popular and consists of the Secret Beach and several islands such as the Helicopter Island. Snorkelling here feels like reaching a parallel world only El Nido knows. Even though these tours are popular, the scenery is still unreal to experience in person.
For me, the Tour D was such a wonderful discovery. After visiting the pretty Cadlao lagoon to go kayaking, our beach adventure finished with amazing Wonderland El Nido. In this dreamy resort, you’ll see the giant sculpture which reminded me of Tulum.
Enjoy the Wonderland El Nido on my Instagram reel.
My Experiences & Tips of Island Hopping
The traditional Filipino boats are beautiful and became one of my favourite parts of this journey. Giving you instantly a tropical feeling, you would need to get the special bags for water protection.
If you have enough time, doing multiple tours is absolutely worth it because each one unfolds a different treasure. Tour D felt less calmer and crowded compared to others. We had some rain on the boat and in the sea, which made the tour even more wonderful.
Though it wasn’t a rainy season, the weather changes and some tours got cancelled or included less places. Depending on the weather, usually the decision about keeping the tour is taken in the morning.
It was fun walking on the edge of the boat, which seemed pretty easy from a distance. Trying to conquer the boat from the water was even more challenging.
The Beaches in El Nido
El Nido honestly has some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.
Vanilla Beach quickly became one of my favourites, because the scenery is breathtaking. It’s a perfect place to spend an entire afternoon and turn on the dreamy mood.
Lio Beach has a stunning vibe, calling to relax, surrounded by expensive restaurants. What makes me love Filipino beaches even more is how easy is to join people playing volleyball. Simply enjoying the sunset by the ocean was transformed into admiring the waves due to the bad weather.
There’s a free transfer from El Nido center to reach the Lio Beach.
Nacpan Beach is another must-visit, absorbing its peaceful and endless beauty, which feels so untouched.
It’s the kind of beach where you can spend the entire day doing absolutely nothing, except swimming and enjoying the view.
Vanilla Beach
Vanilla Beach is one of those places in El Nido that genuinely stays in your memory long after you leave. In the laid-back atmosphere with crystal-clear water, the whole scenery becomes almost unreal.
Upon arriving, you’ll pass by the shopping complex and here you can stop in the restaurants and buy souvenirs. Trying the delicious ice cream made my day even more worthwhile.
Stop by the swings and walk to the islet, where the zipline tour ends.
What makes it special is how easy it is to spend the whole day without even noticing the time passing. You can swim, relax under the sun, or just sit and watch the view change as the light shifts thoughout the day.
At sunset, the whole beach turns golden and it honestly feels like one of the most beautiful places in El Nido.
While I came here by bike, most people will rent a motocycle to Vanilla Beach. You can also take a tuk-tuk or walk about 1h from the center.
Vanilla Beach on my Instagram here.
The Canopy Walk & Dreamcatcher Hike
The El Nido Canopy Walk and Dreamcatcher are definitely one of the must-do experiences in the town. If you want to see the town from above, don’t hesitate to go.
The hike itself is short but exciting (about 1h) because it includes crossing the hanging bridge above the cliffs. It makes the whole experience feel adventurous without being too difficult.
Getting the incredible panoramic views over El Nido town will make you see it beyond the town lines.
The Dreamcatcher viewpoint is especially beautiful and became one of my favourite photo spots in El Nido. Though a bit scary, you’ll forget that upon seeing the views.
A guide is mandatory for the hike and you’ll get one when buying the tickets at the entrance. It can be quite busy during the day, so arriving earlier is definitely a good idea.
How Long To Stay in El Nido
Spending at least 5-7 days is ideal, but I would recommend even 10 to fully enjoy. There’s more to do than island hopping, so you can reserve several days to just relax at the beach. As the weather can be unpredictable, you’ll never get into boring mode in El Nido.
You’ll leave with amazing memories, beautiful photos and probably already thinking about coming back.
Tips for Visiting El Nido
One useful tip is to stay slightly outside the main center if you want cheaper accommodation and food. If you continue from the town center further toward the Calan Beach, the prices become noticeably lower. It’s still close to the restaurants, eateries, and tours, and you can even get cheaper laundry service.
Renting a scooter is also a great idea because it gives you the freedom to explore the quieter beaches.
It also happened to me that the bank machine didn’t dispense the money, so I would recommend the BPI machine.
Where to stay in El Nido
Happiness Hostel– there’s a chain of Happiness Hostels in the Philippines covering El Nido, Boracay and Siargao. It’s very beautifully decorated, central and the staff is amazing. Also, amazing restaurant is downstairs, where you can get a discount.
Besides the hostel, you can choose a Boutique Happiness Hotel, which is a but further from the center. With a beautiful pool, it has an awesome atmosphere and events.
Friendz Hostel is pretty fancy and large, with a rooftop pool but a but more expensive.
Oia Beach Hostel has an awesome vibe, a great beach location a bit further from the center and plenty of events. Visiting its restaurant is a great option for the cheaper food. I was just looking for the beach, came for the food and stayed for having fun and meeting people.
Final thoughts
El Nido is one of those places that truly lives the hype. Between the island hopping tours, hidden lagoons, stunning beaches and unforgettable viewpoints, it’s difficult to choose the favourite activity. It’s the kind of destination where every day feels like an adventure.
What makes El Nido special isn’t just the scenery, but the atmosphere. The relaxed lifestyle and friendly people create the feeling that there’s always another beautiful spot waiting to be discovered.
Whether you come for a few days or a week, El Nido has a way of making you slow down.
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