The Philippines is a country made up of 7,107 islands, and more than 1,700 of those belong to Palawan. And so it seems fitting that one activity everyone seems to do while in El Nido is to partake in the famous island hopping tours.
Island Hopping Tours from Palawan
El Nido is set in a boat-filled bay with cliffs looming in the background. Though the town is charming in itself, the beauty that we were seeking was just a boat ride away.
The Philippines is a country made up of 7,107 islands, and more than 1,700 of those belong to Palawan. And so it seems fitting that one activity everyone seems to do while in El Nido is to partake in the famous island hopping tours.
There are tons of tour operators in El Nido, and they all offer the same itineraries. Just do a simple Google search, and you’ll find that the best and most popular tours are undoubtedly A and C. Since we only had time for two, we trusted in the advice of others before us, and weren’t disappointed.
Before you set sail on your island hopping adventure, don’t forget to do this… you’ll thank us later.
Though all the companies stop at the same places during their tours, the service and food differs. We did both tours through a reputable company called Caera Travel Tours, and would highly recommend them. They are known for being environmentally conscious and have played an instrumental role in sustainable tourism in El Nido.
Where to stay in El Nido:
Spin Designer Hostel – El Nido: With some of the highest reviews in all of El Nido, this laid back hostel is the perfect place to relax after a long day of island hopping. They have dorm rooms and private rooms at great prices. And with only 600 meters to the beach, what’s not to love!
Tour A – 1,200 PHP per person ($27 USD)
Right away, we met our guide, Brandon, who was funny, professional, and informative – everything you’d want in an island hopping guide!
Our boat set out just a little after the other groups had left. This meant that we had each stop pretty much to ourselves, as the other tours had already moved on.
Here’s a breakdown of tour A:
Small Lagoon – Swim through a small opening to reveal a picture perfect lagoon. Be sure to swim all the way to the other side where there is a small cave to explore.
Big Lagoon – Crystal clear waters make this area great for snorkeling.
Shimizu Island – This island has a small, shaded beach and makes for a perfect lunch spot
Prior to stopping here, we had seen the crew filleting giant fish and cutting fruit with finesse, but we had no idea just how much food we would be served. A large, wooden table was carried onto the sand, along with real plates and silverware. Platter after platter were set on the table, until there was no longer any room. We feasted on crabs, shrimp, fish, chicken, pork, rice, fruit, and my favorite – tomato and eggplant salad. We were certainly spoiled!
Secret Lagoon – Pass through a hole in the rocks and find a shallow lagoon surrounded by huge rock walls.
7 Commando Beach – This beach is a little more developed than the rest on the stops on the tour – it even has cabanas and a volleyball net. Make your way to the smoothie stand and order a coconut (with a splash of rum!) for a refreshing drink to sip as you watch the sun start to set.
Tour C – 1,400 PHP per person ($32 USD)
Here’s a breakdown of Tour C:
Helicopter Island – This beach is packed with beautiful coral, but the abundance of jellyfish makes it difficult to snorkel here for very long.
Hidden Beach – Unfortunately, this beach was closed because Israeli Survivor was being filmed while we were there… or was it Swedish Survivor? There were a few rumors floating around, but it was too bad we couldn’t get a glimpse.
Matinloc Shrine – This old monastery was abandoned because there weren’t enough funds to keep it going. The shrine had sort of an eerie, yet regal feel. Be sure to climb up the rock path beside the shrine. The view overlooking the sea is stunning. There just aren’t words. Tip: On the way there, look for flying fish – we saw tons!
Lunch was served on the boat in a little bay area. The food was just as good as the previous day.
Secret Beach – Let me first dispel the myth that this beach is “secret”. Contrary to its name, many visitors come to this beach every day on island hopping tours, and it is by no means unknown. Even so, this was the highlight of the Tour C.
Jump off the boat and swim through transparent waters to a small opening in the rocks. Pass through and you will arrive in another world. Jagged rock faces tower 50 to 100 meters high and surround a small beach.
Because we weren’t able to see Hidden Beach, we went to another remote cove that is not typically on the tour route. The water was an almost milky turquoise, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We floated and splashed around until it was time to head back to town.
By now you know it’s hard for me to pick favorites, but Alex, Ben and I collectively agreed that we liked Tour A slightly better.
Read more about our time in Palawan.
Our island hopping excursions were complimentary, thanks to Caera Travel Tours. As always, all opinions are our own.
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Have you been to El Nido? Have you tried going island hopping? What did you think? Comment below and we’ll do our best to get back to you!
It is one of the great place in the planet….eco friendly enviroment…If you want a total relax and expect a unique travel with your friends,relatives and your family, don’t think twice. Book your ticket and click your destination to…..THE PHILIPPINES…..
Hi Katie and Ben!
Super helpful blog, just wondering for Tour A, how long was the tour itself and did you guys stay in El Nido or travel up from Puerto Princesa and then back down? Trying to find the best way to maximise the fun and minimise the travel time!
Hey Samantha, the tours take about a half day or so. We stayed in El Nido and would recommend doing so to. It’s a nice little town with so many day trips to go out and do.
Was there a reason you guys chose Tours A and C, instead of B and D. We have about four days in El Nido, and trying to figure out which island hopping tours to do, either 2 or 3 tours.
Hey Mikki, In our opinion, Tours A and C brought you to the best beaches and lagoons. It is hard to choose between all of them, but for us, A & C looked the best (and they were pretty epic!)
GUYS!! I’ll be in the Philippines for 3 weeks… what do I pack?! I always travel with a suitcase so this is a first for me! Thanks
Hey Duda, That’s so exciting that you’re going to the Philippines so soon! We have a packing list article that walks you through all the things we carry with us when we travel. If you have any questions, let us know:
You are so fake
Hi there Ashley, not sure what you are referring to by this. We always appreciate thoughtful and constructive criticism, so if you are able to elaborate what you mean by this we’d appreciate it.
Ben & Katie,
Really nice blog, very informative. We are planning to go for 8 days and we have a 2 year old. We can’t hop too much. What would you recommend we do? I was thinking Boracay for 3 days and Palawan for 3 days with this island hopping tour. Any guidance for us?
Hey Ashish, you’re going to love the Philippines! I actually think your plan is great for the amount of time you have. You’ll be able to see a lot without hopping too fast. Would love to hear how your trip goes!
I really love your blog. Most comprehensive and immersing I’ve ever seen. I just wonder ? Will the tour price vary if we only travel for 2 pax? Have you booked the tour way before you landed on the airport. Or you just booked it after arriving at El Nido already? Thanks.
Hi Kristian, That is such a kind comment – you just put a huge smile on our faces 🙂 As far as the island hopping tours in El Nido go, you can actually just go to the tour company a day or two before you’d like to do the tour. If this company is fully booked, there are plenty of others that seemed relatively similar. If you know exactly what date you’d like to go, however, it isn’t a bad idea to make a reservation in advance. You don’t have to put down any deposit or anything – just your name (at least when we went on the tour that was the case).
I do remember the companies we contacted in El Nido were not so great at getting back to us via email, so if this happens to you, don’t worry! It’s the island life I guess, and you should have no problem booking in person. And the price should be the same per person no matter how many you are traveling with (again, these prices are from January 2015, so they have be slightly different now).
Best of luck planning, and let us know if you have any more questions!
I’ve been reading all your blogs about your Philippine trip and I can help but smile while doing so. I was born and raised in Manila, Philippines but now residing in San Francisco for 2 years now. I honestly got teary eyed while reading your blog – about how beautiful my country is and how hospitable people are to all tourists (we are really like that 🙂 ). I’ve been to Boracay and Bohol many times and I certainly agree that those places are really beyond awesome lol but I have never been to Palawan (sad thing, that I as a Filipino was not able to explore my country yet)
But I am currently planning my 2 weeks vacation in the PH next year and will definitely visit Palawan this time. Thanks to your posts 🙂
I hope you’ll get the chance to visit some other islands in the Philippines. It’s more fun in the Philippines! 🙂
Thanks so much for the kind words, Julie. It’s messages like this that keep us going 🙂 We know exactly how you feel about not having been to places in your home country. There are so many places in the US that we’ve never seen that we hear all about from our non-American friends! Sometimes we joke that it often happens you visit your home country last because it seems like it’ll always be there and be accessible!
Have an amazing time exploring Palawan! I think that was our favorite (if we were forced to choose! haha). Try to make it to Nacpan Beach (Twin Beaches) – it’s a really incredible place!
We can’t wait to get back to the Philippines someday, because we have a really long list of places we still want to visit there (and others that we are dreaming of getting back to).
Thanks again for the sweet message. It really made our day 🙂