LAST UPDATE: 06APRIL2022
ELNIDO, PALAWAN is from the towering marble cliffs and enchanting lagoons to its 100 white sandy beaches, lush jungle and mangrove forest, prehistoric caves and waterfalls, El Nido is one of the top tourist destinations in Palawan, which is often reffered to as the "Philippnes' Last Frontier". In the November-December 2007 issue of the National Geographic Traveler's magazine, Palawan was chosen as one of the best travel destinations in the world, and particulary, it recommended El Nido and the Calamianes Island. In 2012, CNNGo, the travel news website of the international news agency Cable News Network, declared El Nido as the Philippines' Beast Beach and Island Destination.
Getting there
By Plane: The fastest and most direct way is to fly from Manila. The flight takes about 1 hour and lands directly at Lio airport, located about 4 kilometers from midtown.Island Transvoyager Inc. (ITI) offers daily flights from Manila to El Nido. Travel time is around 55 minutes on a 50-seater ATR aircraft. From Lio airport, you can take a 20-minute tricycle ride going to El Nido town.
By Boat: Leaves Manila from Pier 4 Fridays at 5pm - arrives at Coron Saturday 7am ( it takes 14 hours) . From Coron – El Nido or El Nido – Coron are operated 4-5 times a week by several big outrigger boats. The journey might be slow and tough and not recommended if you can find another way to come here. As those shuttles are weather dependant, cancellations are quite common on this route. The trip takes 7 to 10 hours and costs P1,800.
Top things to do
Island Hopping:
Lagoons and beaches. A must see sight for all El Nido guests and other travelers alike. It is a place where we can just relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of exploring the hidden wonders of Bacuit Bay.
The El Nido Tours a Lagoons and Beaches tour will take you the most awe inspiring rock formations and Lagoons which can only be found in Bicuit Bay. The tour will take you to the following Lagoons: Secret Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, & Small Commandos Beach.
Secret lagoon: The Secret Lagoon was much smaller than the Secret Beach. The temperature inside was much cooler because it is constantly in the shadows of the limestone cliffs enclosing it.Although the water inside looked shallow, our boatmen warned us that it gets deeper as you go farther so we did not dare.
Shimizu Island: South of Miniloc Island, Simizu Island and its compact white-sand beach is a picnic favorite for both locals and tourists. The corals around Simizu are healthy for now, providing a nice home for a good variety of marine life. The beach is surrounded by limestone outcrops, and a limestone islet sits right across the shore.
Small Lagoon: It is accessible through a gap between two giant limestone rocks that appear to be about to kiss each other. Through this little space, one can swim or kayak into the lagoon. It is actually these cliffs, and the rocks and corals in the shallow part of the area that temper the waves, protecting the water in the lagoon from the all whatever violent events in the open sea.
Big Lagoon: It was like the limestone cliffs parted as your boat glided through to the Big Lagoon. Miniloc Island is like a place straight from a fantasy movie. The towering cliffs are lined up on both sides like sentinels and as you go deeper, you feel like you are sailing into another dimension. Everywhere you look, you are blown away. Whether you try to see what’s beneath the crystal blue fluid blanket or look up to see the sun peeking behind the top of the cliffs, or look around to try to find your way around the limestone labyrinth, Miniloc Island will mesmerize you.
Seven Commandos Beach: Seven Commandos Island was named after the 7 commandos who lived in the island, their names printed on the rocks at the island. El Nido is known for beaches and island views, And 7 Commando never fail to show it. It may not be the best beach in the Philippines, but it can hold Its own. A typical crystal clear water, white sand island, Fresh Buko is available within the island. A good way to refresh yourself from scorching sun while enjoying the views.
Where to Eat
SQUIDOS: This restaurant is not easy to ignore. The queue snaking in front of it at meal time even during off-season will tell you something’s up. What’s up is this: fresh seafood goodness in humongous serving. Their most sought-after dishes? Stuffed squid (duh?) and the mixed seafood platter. Food takes a while to be prepared but it was worth all the wait.
EL NIDO CORNER: Located at the eastern end of the town proper’s beachfront, El Nido Corner offers a great view of nearby Cadlao Island and its peak, the tallest mountain in El Nido. Want the freshest? Ask for the Catch of the Day! Another must try is the Fish in butter and herbs, a simple dish that won me over completely. We didn’t know what kind of fish it was but we didn’t care because it just tasted so good. The meat was soft and each bite was flavorful. In minutes, the fish was gone.
BACUIT GRILL BAR AND RESTAURANT: Situated just beside El Nido Corner, Bacuit Grill Bar and Restaurant is an open-air dining place perfect for those who wish to see the sunset at the bay. Its wooden columns and chairs, bamboo ceiling, and nipa walls and roofs provide that tropical beach ambiance. The sound of the waves rolling made our stay here more relaxing. And the food we tried was great! We had a whole crab in sweet and sour sauce and it was very satisfying.
KAPE PUKKA: Pukka is one of the most popular and happening bars in El Nido. They are located right next to the beach. The live band is very good and the DJ spins very good music too.
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Rosanna's Pension
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El Nido Beach Hotel
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El Nido Four Seasons Resort
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Periking Resort
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El Nido Ipil Suites
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Doublegem Beach Resort and Hotel
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El Nido Cove Resort and Spa
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El Nido Garden Beach Resort
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Cadlao Resort & Restaurant
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Dolarog Beach Resort
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Vellago Resort
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Cauayan Resort El Nido
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Lagoons and Beaches (Tour A)
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Caves and Coves (Tour B)
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Hidden Beaches & Shrines (Tour C)
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Terrestrial Island (Tour D)
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