10 EPIC Things To Do In El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

El Nido is a tropical paradise in the Philippines and has some of the most stunning scenery in the world. Surrounded by dramatic islands and rock formations towering over crystal clear turquoise waters. With abundant white sand beaches, caves, and coral reefs. The vibrant underwater world provides world-class snorkeling and diving filled with incredible marine biodiversity.

In this guide we are going to share the absolute must-do adventures in and around the area. So let’s get into our Top 10 Things to do in El Nido!

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Go On A Boat Tour

Boat Tours to the islands surrounding Bacuit Bay are definitely the best thing to do here. Tour packages are divided into Tours A, B, C, and D. Which, between them, take you to a variety of the best destinations around El Nido.

Honestly, these four boat trips could arguably be the 1 through 4 best things to do in El Nido. But like most people, we only had the time and energy for one tour.

Some other choices to consider are half-day vs full-day tours, group vs private, or what type of boat you are on.

We did Tour A with the company Haqqy Life. Because it takes you to the Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon. Which are definitely two of the most iconic and photogenic destinations around El Nido. You get to kayak and swim through these narrow lagoons that are just stunningly beautiful.

Haqqy Life not a party boat per se, but they are known for their high-energy guides that keep the vibes up all day. And they operate out of the Frendz Hostel, so the groups tend towards a younger backpacking crowd. That Emily and I still sometimes like to think we can keep up with.

And another perk of booking with Haqqy Life was getting invited to a rooftop pool party afterwards, which was definitely an awesome way to cap off the day.

Here’s a list of the tour options and their usual stops. Though I must admit, when you look at different tour companies, the lists for these tours will vary slightly.

But the good news is that, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these tours. Because this whole area is overflowing with incredible beaches, sand bars, lagoons, snorkeling spots, and more.

You can also book this Full-Day Premium Island Hopping Catamaran Cruise, which brings you to a few additional places than the tours listed above.

So it’s nice that tour groups can spread out a bit. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still share spots with other tour groups. But it was still tolerable.

And my guess is that tour A is the most popular. Some spots were definitely a little busier than I would have liked.

And we can’t speak from experience, but from reading other reviews, it seems like Tour B and D are your best chance to avoid crowds.

Also, we were expecting amazing snorkeling. But where we snorkeled at Shimuzu Island, it was surprisingly underwhelming. If you’re looking for the absolute best snorkeling, I would consider finding a tour that’s specifically geared towards that. Or the Scuba Diving around here is incredible as well.

And here’s a little tip. All tours require the El Nido Eco-Tourism Development fee of 400 pesos (≈ $6.60 USD). But it’s valid for 5-days. So if you plan to do several tours over a few days, definitely hang on to your receipt so you don’t have to pay again.

And then there is a separate Lagoon entrance fee of 200 pesos (≈ 3.60 USD) for the small lagoon and the big lagoon. So if you choose a tour with those destinations, be sure to bring cash to pay for these at the start of your tour.

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El Nido Via Ferrata Canopy Walk

Jake and I are always looking for the best viewpoints at every place we travel. And this guided hike is one of the coolest and most adventurous viewpoints we’ve ever been to.

A series of metal steps, bridges, and walkways takes you through the jagged rocks to a dramatic perch overlooking El Nido Bay. They provide harnesses and helmets, but admittedly, compared to a real Via Ferrata, there is no rock climbing at all, and really, the safety equipment is just for the vibes.

We paid 430 pesos each (≈ $7 USD) to do the guided hike to the main viewpoint. And then it’s an additional 300 pesos (≈ $5 USD) for access to the dreamcatcher net, where they take your picture. Honestly, the dreamcatcher has a worse view than the normal viewpoint. So, personally, we think it’s best to save your money in our opinion. And it’s pretty easy to get your guide or some other visitors to snap a picture for you.

The hike is really not very long, and only takes about 10-15 minutes to reach the top. It’s definitely going to be a little scary if you are afraid of heights. But again, anyone reasonably comfortable with hiking won’t have any trouble. But still wear good footwear because the beginning is a steep rocky trail. And bring some water, because it’s hot!

The biggest downside of this experience is that most of the route can only accommodate one-way traffic. And so it doesn’t take many people at all to make it feel overcrowded. You will likely have to wait for groups to pass by in the other direction, and you will also probably have to wait in line to take your picture at the top. For that reason, we recommend going right when they open at 8am. So you have the coolest weather and aren’t stuck behind other groups.

Las Cabanas & Merimegmeg Beaches

These two connected beaches, about 4 km south of El Nido, are one of the best destinations in the area, especially for sunsets. They have great views of the surrounding islands and are possibly the best beaches near El Nido for swimming.

But access to the beach isn’t super obvious. You can park along the road near the McDonald’s, and then walk down through this outdoor mall to get to the beach.

Marimegmeg is the first beach you come to. And Las Cabanas Beach is about a 5-minute walk down to the point. But just know that it’s a little tough to walk there at high tide, because waves crash up against the wall.

Whether you are just looking to get some drinks and a meal or looking for an all-day beach hang, there are a bunch of restaurants, bars, and beach clubs.

One that we checked out and really enjoyed is J83 Beach Lounge. It’s got an upscale and diverse menu, including seafood, Filipino, and Western options.

At the southern tip, there is an island just offshore that is connected to land at low tide by a narrow sandy strip.

And there’s even one of the coolest ziplines I’ve ever seen, that takes you from the hilltop above the beach out to the island offshore. We were tempted to check it out. But while the zipline itself seems incredible, there are mixed reviews on the experience.

And Las Cabanas is the best place to watch the sunset from.

La Plage Restaurant & Beach Bar

If you are looking for a cool beach bar to spend an afternoon, this one was our favorite. It’s located on Corong Corong Beach, and is a great place to spend an afternoon and watch the sunset.

They have a delicious upscale food menu with awesome seafood options.

Plus a full bar with great cocktails, wines, and even cheap local beers like San Miguel for 150 pesos (≈ $2.50 USD).

They have a pool and DJs to set the mood. We just loved the vibe of this place.

I should note that at low tide, it’s not really possible to swim in the ocean. But with the pool always available, it’s less of an issue.

Visit Nacpan Beach

Despite how amazing El Nido is, I must admit that the beaches on the mainland are not the best for having a beach day. They get really shallow at low tide, and with all the boats around aren’t the best for swimming.

So we hopped on a motorbike and headed about 40 minutes north to Nacpan beach. But if you don’t want to rent a motorbike, you can pay for a Tuk-Tuk ride from El Nido.

And wow, was this just the most perfect beach for a day of relaxation. Perfect sand, clear water, and postcard-worthy palm trees. And there were fun, medium-sized waves to play in. Jake loved body surfing them!

This area is quite remote, and there are just a handful of little beach bars and restaurants. So it doesn’t feel overwhelmed by development. But you are welcome to walk down the beach and truly get away from everyone if you please.

There are some reasonable fees for various things, but we found them to be worth the cost. Parking was 20 pesos (≈ 33¢ USD), and we rented two sun chairs and an umbrella for 500 pesos (≈ $8.23 USD) for the day.

And then servers would even bring drinks from the bars right to our chairs.

If you want to explore more, there are a few other remote beaches up this way to explore. The scenery up here is just so beautiful and undeveloped that it’s a great place for a drive.

Explore Downtown El Nido

Come to El Nido for an evening to explore the restaurants and bars. The area along the water is very pedestrian-friendly, so it’s nice to go out for a meal and some drinks in town.

A couple of spots we highly recommend are the Art Cafe and the Happiness Beach bar.

The El Nido Boutique Art Cafe is a community-based gem. With a farm-to-table restaurant, local artisan crafts and artwork, live music, and more. The colorful interior is a fun place to come and get some drinks or a meal.

The Happiness Beach Bar is a trendy Middle Eastern restaurant that also has DJ’s at night.

Explore with Kayaks from Corong Corong Beach

You can rent kayaks from Corong Corong Beach and go out exploring the nearby rocks and beaches. If you just follow the coast, you come to several secluded beaches that the regular tour groups don’t visit. So this was actually one of our favorite experiences of the trip.

We stopped at Lapus Lapus beach 

which is wedged between two tall rock cliffs, and just the most picturesque palm trees, and snorkeling just off shore. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to reach Lapus Lapus beach from Corong Corong Beach.

You also could go up to 7 Commandos Beach, but that’s one of the common tour stops, so there will be other people and infrastructure there.

But just beware that other than the 7 Commandos, these beaches don’t have any amenities. So be sure to bring everything you need, like water, sun protection, and possibly some snacks too.

Masa

We simply couldn’t get enough of this cafe and bakery. They serve a very delicious menu of pastries, sandwiches, other breakfast favorites, and some more unexpected things.

Their coffee was the best I found around El Nido. And it was hard to choose just one thing from the menu, so we came a few times.

The croissants are excellent, and they served perfect bacon.

And maybe a minor detail, but we really like the music they played.

Bella Vita

This Italian Restaurant was another one of our favorite spots on Corong Corong Beach. You wouldn’t expect to find excellent Neapolitan-style pizza in a small town in the Philippines. But this place is legit. That soft and fluffy crust with a slight crisp that I go nuts for.

They also serve delicious pastas and gnocchi, plus beer, cocktails, mocktails, and wine.

The interior is open and airy, creating a laid-back but romantic oceanside ambiance.

And being on the beach, it’s a great place to dine with a view. If you want to enjoy the sunset, we recommend arriving about an hour before sunset, otherwise you’ll probably have to wait for a table.

Multi-Day Boat Trip To Coron

If you’re planning on visiting Coron as well, then we think these multi-day boat trips are the most fun way to get between the two. You get to embark on a 3, 4, or 5-day excursion to embrace the seafaring lifestyle. Bouncing from island to island, camping in huts on the beach, snorkeling at reefs, and more.

And the route we took didn’t overlap with any of the regular tours in El Nido or Coron.

It was a fun adventure, disconnecting from the regular world for a few days. Exploring islands that few people get to visit. You should expect an action-filled itinerary, with a back-to-basics type of comfort.

And the tour company handles everything, including all your transportation, daily activities, 3 meals a day, plus snacks and drinks, and nightly entertainment.

⛴️ 👉 Book the same El Nido to Coron Boat Trip we did!

The scenery isn’t quite as dramatic as the volcanic rocks surrounding El Nido and Coron.

However, the snorkeling we did along this trip was better than anything we saw in El Nido.

If you are interested in this trip, we made an entire video about planning something like this for yourself.

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Where To Stay Near El Nido

From our experience, there are two great areas to stay in El Nido. If you want to be close to the action, tons of great restaurants, shopping, nightlife and easy access to boat tours, then downtown El Nido is the perfect spot for you.

If you want to be a little further away from the action in a quieter area, then we suggest Corong Corong Beach. This is where we stayed and we really enjoyed this area. It was close enough to the action, yet still away for some peace and quiet.

Additionally, you could stay near Merimegmeg Beach, which is the best beach for swimming, but you will likely need to get a taxi when you want to go into town and such.

So here are a few suggestions of places to stay:

• Frienz Hostel: Great budget option in downtown El Nido, awesome rooftop pool
• Panari Lodge (This is where we stayed): on Corong Corong Beach, easy beach access, good value for price
• Bale Cabugao Cottages: Great location near downtown El Nido, epic views, but lots of stairs
• Outpost Beach Hostel: great budget spot on Corong Corong Beach
• El Nido Moringa Resort: upscale option on Corong Corong Beach, great pool
• Morgan Villas: upscale option near downtown El Nido, beachfront
• S Resort: in the heart of El Nido, close beach access, awesome views, upscale option

Use the map below to search for your ideal beach vacation spot in El Nido.

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