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How many days in El Nido? 4 days of lagoons, limestone and island hopping
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
El Nido is a small town at the northern tip of Palawan facing Bacuit Bay, where some 45 limestone islands rise straight out of the sea. Almost everything happens by bangka, the outrigger boat, on numbered island-hopping tours. Give it four days: two boat days on the famous Tours A and C, one on the long sand of Nacpan Beach, and one for arrival and sunset at Las Cabanas. Weather decides everything here, so keep one day flexible.
Short answer
Three days fits two boat tours and Nacpan with an arrival evening. The fourth is a buffer: boats are cancelled in rough sea, and the overland trip from Puerto Princesa eats half a day.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Arrival, El Nido town and Las Cabanas
Morning. Most visitors arrive by van from Puerto Princesa, about 5-6 hours (roughly ₱500-700), or fly direct from Manila to Lio airport, 15 minutes from town, in about 1h15. Pay the Ecotourism Development Fee of about ₱400, valid for 10 days, when booking your first tour.
Afternoon. Walk El Nido town beach and Calle Hama and book tours for the next two days with an accredited agency; prices are set by the municipality, so they barely differ.
Evening. Take a tricycle 15 minutes south (about ₱150-200) to Las Cabanas Beach for sunset over the islands, with a zipline across to Depeldet Island (about ₱700-900). Eat in Corong-Corong on the way back.
ATMs in El Nido often run dry or charge high fees. Bring enough pesos from Puerto Princesa or Manila for tours, fees and tricycles.
Day 2: Tour A: the lagoons
Morning. Tour A (about ₱1,200-1,600 with lunch, 9:00-16:00) goes to the Small Lagoon, where you swim or kayak through a gap in the cliff into a walled pool, and the Big Lagoon, whose entry is limited and needs a slot booked through your agency.
Afternoon. Lunch is grilled fish and chicken on a beach, then snorkelling at Shimizu Island and a stop at Secret Lagoon, reached by squeezing through a hole in the rock, and 7 Commando Beach.
Evening. Back in town by about 16:30; eat at a seafood grill on the beach, where a whole fish costs ₱400-700. Then a drink at one of the bars on the sand.
Kayaks at the Small and Big Lagoons cost extra (about ₱300-500). Water shoes help on the sharp rocks.
Day 3: Tour C: hidden beaches and shrines
Morning. Tour C (about ₱1,400-1,800) heads to the outer islands. Swim through the rocks to Hidden Beach and Secret Beach on Matinloc Island, both enclosed by cliffs and best at mid-tide.
Afternoon. Visit the Matinloc Shrine, an abandoned chapel with a viewpoint over the open sea, then snorkel at Talisay Beach and Helicopter Island, named for its shape from the water.
Evening. Climb or book the Taraw Cliff via ferrata only if you are fit and booked a guided slot; otherwise rest and eat in town, where Filipino plates of adobo or sinigang cost ₱250-400.
Tour C is the roughest crossing and is often cancelled when the north-east wind blows; ask your agency to swap to Tour A or B if it is.
Day 4: Nacpan Beach and Duli
Morning. Ride a tricycle or rented scooter about 45 minutes north to Nacpan Beach (tricycle about ₱1,200-1,800 return with waiting time; scooter ₱500-700 a day). The 4 km curve of pale sand joins the twin beach of Calitang; climb the hill at the south end for the view of both.
Afternoon. Swim and eat grilled squid at the shacks behind the sand. If the swell is up, continue to Duli Beach, where a small surf camp rents boards in season.
Evening. Return for a last sunset at Marimegmeg Beach next to Las Cabanas, then dinner in town.
The road to Nacpan is paved but busy with trucks; drive carefully, and use a helmet even for a short ride.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do Tour A, Tour C and a half-day at Nacpan, with Las Cabanas on the arrival evening. If weather cancels a tour, you will not have a spare day.
Got extra days?
Extra days go to Tour B (Snake Island's sandbar and Cudugnon Cave) or Tour D (quieter beaches near Cadlao Island), or a private boat. Many travellers continue to Coron by fast ferry (about 4 hours) or on a multi-day island expedition camping on beaches between El Nido and Coron.
Where to stay in El Nido
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | El Nido town | Hostels and fan rooms a short walk from the boats and bars. | ₱1,200-2,500 |
| Mid-range | Corong-Corong | Quieter sunset bay 5 minutes from town by tricycle, many tour pick-ups. | ₱3,000-6,000 |
| Mid-range | Lio Beach | Planned beach town by the airport, calm and walkable. | ₱5,000-9,000 |
| Comfort | Private-island resorts (Miniloc, Lagen, Pangulasian) | Resorts inside Bacuit Bay with their own boats and lagoon access. | ₱25,000-60,000 |
Getting around
In town, walk; elsewhere use tricycles, motorbikes with a sidecar, at fixed fares (town to Corong-Corong about ₱100-150, to Lio about ₱300-400). Scooters rent for ₱500-700 a day. The van from Puerto Princesa airport takes 5-6 hours; private vans cost more but leave when you want. AirSWIFT flies Manila to Lio, more expensive but quick. Fast ferries link El Nido and Coron daily in good weather.
What to eat in El Nido
El Nido is a fishing town: eat grilled fish, squid and prawns at the beach grills, picked by weight. Try Filipino classics such as adobo (meat braised in vinegar and soy), sinigang (sour tamarind soup), kinilaw (raw fish cured in vinegar and calamansi) and lechon at weekends. Breakfast is silog, rice, egg and garlic fried meat, for about ₱200-300. Fresh mango shakes are about ₱150. International restaurants in town are pricier, around ₱500-900 a main.
Best time to visit
December to May is the dry season, with the calmest sea from February to April and highs of 30-33°C. June to October is the south-west monsoon: rain, rough seas and frequent tour cancellations, though prices drop. Typhoons pass mostly from July to November. Christmas, New Year, Easter week and Chinese New Year fill the town, so book rooms and the Big Lagoon slot early.
Month-by-month weather for El Nido →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | ₱800 | ₱2,500 | ₱12,000 |
| Food & drink | ₱800 | ₱1,600 | ₱3,500 |
| Sights & tickets | ₱1,200 | ₱1,800 | ₱4,000 |
| Local transport | ₱200 | ₱500 | ₱1,500 |
| Total per person, per day | about ₱3,000 | about ₱6,400 | about ₱21,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Philippine pesos; sights assume one boat tour a day. Every visitor pays the ₱400 Ecotourism Development Fee once, valid for 10 days.
Before you go
Common questions
Which island-hopping tour is best?
If you only do one, take Tour A for the Big and Small Lagoons, the most famous scenery in El Nido. Tour C has the best beaches and snorkelling but rougher water. Tours B and D are calmer and quieter. Many travellers do A and C, and add a private boat if they want to skip the crowds and set their own times.
How do I book the Big Lagoon?
Entry to the Big Lagoon is limited by time slots to protect it. Your tour agency books the slot when you book Tour A, so do it a day or two ahead in high season. Some agencies run Tour A without the Big Lagoon if no slot is free, so ask before you pay.
Is it worth flying into Lio instead of Puerto Princesa?
Flying to Lio saves the 5-6 hour van ride and arrives 15 minutes from town, but flights are fewer and much more expensive than flights to Puerto Princesa. If your time is short, it is worth it. On a budget, fly to Puerto Princesa and take a morning van, or visit the Underground River there first.
Should I visit El Nido or Coron?
El Nido has the lagoons, beaches and nightlife; Coron is quieter and better for wreck diving and freshwater lakes such as Kayangan and Barracuda. The two are linked by a 4-hour fast ferry, so many visitors do both: four days in El Nido and three in Coron, then fly out of Busuanga.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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