El Nido, Palawan: Choose Your Tours, Arrival and Travel Budget
Choose El Nido island tours, compare flights, vans and the Coron ferry, and budget for the ETDF, lagoon fees and optional kayak rental.
Contents
El Nido is the gateway to Bacuit Bay: limestone cliffs that rise straight out of turquoise water, hidden lagoons and white-sand island beaches that you reach by outrigger boat. Pick the places you most want to see, choose a tour that visits them, and plan your arrival so that a boat day never collides with a flight.
If you want Big Lagoon, take Tour A. For Cadlao Lagoon and a string of beaches, take Tour D. Tour B adds Snake Island and a cave, and Tour C the Matinloc Shrine and hidden beaches. Leave one spare day in your plan in case rough water cancels a departure, and do not book a flight straight after a sea journey.
Choose your arrival before comparing ticket prices
| Arrival option | What to compare | Time and onward journey |
|---|---|---|
| Flight to El Nido | Airline, departure airport, baggage and fare. | Add the transfer from the Lio airport to your accommodation. |
| Via Puerto Princesa | Flight plus a shared or private van. | The van to El Nido takes about 5-6 hours, with a stop in Roxas or Taytay.[1] |
| Ferry from Coron | Operator, date, port, check-in and change terms. | The crossing takes 4 hours; add the transfers at both ends.[2] |
The former AirSWIFT flights have operated as Cebgo since 1 July 2026, with airline code DG replacing T6. Cebgo flies from Clark to El Nido and links El Nido with Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Coron.[3] Clark is not Manila NAIA, so check the airport code before you book a connection.
By road, the vans run between Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Tickets can be bought online or locally, and booking ahead is advisable in busy periods.[1] Ask where your van drops you off and how you get from the terminal to your hotel.
By sea, Atienza's Coron to El Nido ferry costs PHP2,600, leaves Coron daily at 07:00 and arrives in El Nido at 11:00.[2] Recheck the sailing for your date before you book onward travel.
Things to Do
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GetYourGuide partner offers. GoAsia may earn a commission if you book through these offers. Check whether tickets or transfers are included, and follow the attraction's official booking and admission rules.
Compare the island-hopping itineraries
El Nido Paradise sells the four classic group tours, and the stop lists below follow its itineraries. Other organisers run similar routes, so compare their stop lists and charges before you pay.
| Tour | Stops | Price per person | Choose it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commando Beach. | PHP1,500[4] | Big Lagoon. Small Lagoon is a separate stop. |
| B | Snake Island, Entalula Beach, Cudugnon Cave and snorkeling stops. | PHP1,600[5] | A mix of island scenery, a cave and snorkeling. |
| C | Helicopter Island, Matinloc Shrine, Secret Beach, Talisay Beach and Hidden Beach. | PHP1,700[6] | Hidden beaches and the Matinloc Shrine. |
| D | Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Pasandigan Beach, Bukal Beach and Ipil or Natnat Beach. | PHP1,500[7] | Cadlao Lagoon and beach time. |
Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon are separate stops, so ask whether both are in your tour. A private boat lets you set your own pace, but you still follow the same site rules.
Build a total budget, not just a tour-price budget
Add the tour price, the Eco-Tourism Development Fee (ETDF), the lagoon fee and any optional kayak or hotel transport. The ETDF is PHP400 for visitors who are not Palawan residents and PHP200 for Palawan residents, with lower rates for students, seniors and children. You receive a receipt in your name, which is valid as proof of payment for your other tours.[8]
Tour A, for example, costs PHP1,500 per person. On top of that come the ETDF of PHP400 and an environmental user fee of PHP200 per person for each lagoon you enter, so a day with one lagoon comes to PHP2,100.[4] Pickup and drop-off are not included in Tours A, B and C. Optional kayaks in Big and Small Lagoon are rented on the spot, so bring cash. Show your ETDF receipt on your next outing instead of paying again.
Check what is included and where you meet
Tours A, B, C and D include a bento-box lunch and drinking water.[4] Tours A, B and C do not include hotel pickup; you go to the meeting point yourself. Tour D includes free pickup from your hotel in El Nido town proper and Corong-Corong.[7] Confirm your meeting point, reporting time and return arrangement in your booking, and ask for the boat operator and the safety briefing. Tell the organiser about dietary needs before you go.
Choose a mainland day and a practical base
Nacpan Beach and Las Cabanas give you a mainland alternative to an island boat day. Agree on road transport and the return pickup beforehand, especially if you want to stay for sunset. Choose your accommodation by the journeys you will make: the boat meeting point, restaurants, the airport or the van terminal. A cheaper room far from the centre can cost more in transport, while a room near the meeting point makes early starts easy.
Check the forecast and the organiser's departure advice rather than relying on a season. If a boat trip is cancelled, a day on the mainland is a good plan B. Follow the crew's instructions for boarding and life jackets, tell them how well you swim, and do not touch coral, feed wildlife or leave rubbish. Bring sun protection and a dry bag for your documents.
For wider journey planning, use our Philippines travel guide. Put the arrival route, the one or two outings you most want and the total cost on one plan, and El Nido is easy to enjoy.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Travel-Palawan: September 2026 transfer information: Puerto Princesa and Corong-Corong pickup points. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [2] Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc.: Published Coron to El Nido ferry offer: fare, crossing time and departure. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [3] Cebu Pacific: Official July 2026 transition from AirSWIFT to Cebgo and DG flight codes. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [4] El Nido Paradise: Published Tour A offer: actual stops, per-person price and separate lagoon or kayak charges. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [5] El Nido Paradise: Published Tour B offer: island and cave stops, inclusions and separate cave charge. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [6] El Nido Paradise: Published Tour C offer: beach itinerary, inclusions and separate shrine charge. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [7] El Nido Paradise: Published Tour D offer: Cadlao Lagoon, beach stops and limited pickup coverage. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- [8] El Nido Paradise: May 2026 provider explanation of ETDF categories and receipts. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose by the stops: Tour A for Big Lagoon, Tour B for Snake Island and a cave, Tour C for the Matinloc Shrine and hidden beaches, Tour D for Cadlao Lagoon and beaches. Other organisers may run different routes under the same letters.
El Nido Paradise charges PHP1,500 per person, plus PHP400 ETDF and PHP200 for each lagoon you enter: PHP2,100 per person with one lagoon. Optional kayaks and transport are extra.
Tour A lists Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commando Beach. Small Lagoon is a separate stop, so ask the organiser if you want it.
AirSWIFT flights have operated as Cebgo (code DG) since 1 July 2026. The airline flies Clark to El Nido and connects El Nido with Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Coron. Clark is not Manila NAIA.
The van from Puerto Princesa takes about 5-6 hours, and the Coron ferry takes 4 hours (daily 07:00 to 11:00). Add the transfers at both ends and a buffer before any flight.
Tours A to D include a bento-box lunch and drinking water. Tours A, B and C do not include hotel pickup, and Tour D includes free pickup in El Nido town proper and Corong-Corong.
Plan for the arrival day, the one or two island tours you most want, a mainland beach day and a spare day in case a boat does not leave.
The meeting point and time, the stops, your ETDF receipt, meals and water, and what happens if the tour is cancelled. Follow the crew's safety instructions and leave coral and wildlife alone.
