A QUICK GUIDE TO EL NIDO, THE PHILIPPINES
El Nido has been at the very top of our Philippines bucket list since the moment we arrived - and I think we left the best for last. This was our final stop on our incredible 19 day tour with TTourRadar and it truly was a trip of a life time!
With crystal blue waters, white sand beaches and delicious food, El Nido is the perfect island getaway destination! We thought we would put together a quick guide to share with you everything from how to get here, where to stay, what to do and (most importantly) where to eat.
Check out our YouTube video we filmed during our time here in El Nido, and keep scrolling for all the info.
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How to get there
1. Fly into Puerto Princesa Airport and travel by land to El Nido. The flight time from Manila to Puerto Princesa is around 1.5hrs and from Puerto Princesa to El Nido will take around 5 to 6 hours by shuttle.
2. Fly directly to El Nido Airport. This is a much faster way, but a little more expensive.
3. Fly to Coron and head to El Nido by ferry. We have heard amazing things about Coron, so it could be beneficial to fly to Coron first and experience that island before heading over to El Nido via the ferry.
Where to stay
$ The Cavern Pod Hotel:This is a super affordable hotel, with each room having a terrace, free wifi, and a choice of private or shared bathroom. It is in the perfect location and offers breakfast.
$$ Spin Designer Hostel: Located in the heart of El Nido, this hip hostel features a shared kitchen, games room, and a common terrace with views of the surrounding lush forest. There is free wifi throughout the hostel and the rooms all have air con & fans. Continental breakfast is also served daily.
$$$ Panorama Resort: If you are looking for a luxurious place to stay this is it! The resort has its very own private beach with mountain views from the rooms. There is an outdoor and an indoor pool, includes your airport transfers and has a bicycle rental service available. Each room at the resort has its own terrace with pool views, private bathrooms and daily continental breakfast.
Things to do
Something that is unique to El Nido is the way they organise their tours. There are currently 4 tours available, named Tour A, Tour B, Tour C, Tour D - each taking you to different islands, lagoons and beaches in the area of El Nido. These day trips average to 1200-1400 pesos per person and you are only allowed to do one tour per day.
If you are looking at booking a tour during your time in El Nido you can book them here.
There are seriously sooo many things to do & see in El Nido, but here are a couple of our favourites.
Kayak in Small Lagoon
This secret lagoon is one of our favourite spots in all of the Philippines. When you arrive you will be told to paddle out to a small opening in between some rocks, and once you enter you will be greeted with the most stunning blue lagoon you have ever seen!
We visited here during our Philippines tour with TourRadar, and you can also get here on the El Nido tour A. They give tourists an allocated time to visit to ensure that the lagoon never gets over crowded.
Visit Twin Beach
In the north of El Nido you will find Nacpan Beach and Calitang Beach, which make up the popular Twin Beaches. To get here hire a tricycle and takes around 45 minutes from El Nido town. This is a really nice area to spend the day, with many restaurants and cafes nearby for lunch.
Sunset at Las Cabanas Beach
Las Cabanas is our favourite beach in all of El Nido. To get here grab a tricycle and tell them the name of the beach - all the locals know this spot! There are a couple of restaurants along the beach, and if you head out during sunset many do buy 1 get 1 free cocktails.
Make sure you walk right to the tip of the beach where you will be greeted to the most epic photo spot ever!
Lunch on a Private Beach
During our tour here with TourRadar they organised the most incredible lunch on our very own private beach. We had our guides cooking fresh snapper on the back of the boat and was one of our highlights from our time in El Nido.
Go Snorkelling
We were so impressed with the snorkelling in El Nido - the amount of fish and coral we saw was incredible! No matter which tour you do they will all include snorkelling, so enjoy!
Zipline between Two Islands
While you are at Las Cabanas Beach we totally recommend you do the zipline. It is one of the most beautiful ziplines we have done with the most incredible views of El Nido! Just be prepared, it is a pretty steep walk to get to the top and costs around 500 Pesos per person.
Where to eat
Happiness Beach Bar: This is a delicious Mediterranean restaurant serving some of the best falafel, hummus and pita we have ever had.
Altrove: If you are looking for the best pizza place in El Nido, this is the spot!
Art Cafe: This cafe serves the best breakfast food and has really good wifi. We basically spent every morning at this cafe.
Angel Wish: If you are looking for fresh seafood we highly recommend this restaurant.
Shaka El Nido: This was our favourite place we ate at during our time in El Nido, however it is not located in town. If you want a nice place to spend the afternoon head to Lio Beach, and this is where you will find Shaka. They serve fresh smoothies, and its all vegan!
IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE ALL THIS AND MORE, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT THE 19 DAY TOUR WE DID IN THE PHILIPPINES WITH TOURRADAR.
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Thanks to TourRadar for inviting Flying The Nest to the Philippines and sponsoring this trip, as always all opinions are our own.