El Nido Tours, The Real Difference | Island Hopping Palawan
El Nido Tours Ultimate Guide, The real Difference
You guessed it, we are in El Nido, Philippines and we love it! My name is Sean Rampersaud and I am in the Philippines with my 2 kids ages 2 and 5 and my beautiful wife.
Prior to going to the Philippines on a 2 month long vacation, we did a ton of research on the top places to go here. When making this decision we took in many factors including ease of use to get to, entertainment, cleanliness, food, facilities and more and El Nido was one location at the top of the list. We watched countless hours of Vlogs on you tube and read over 200 travel blogs about the Philippines.
El Nido looks like a paradise online, something out of a dream. And I can tell you from experience it can be just that if you do it right. The main reason many people travel to El Nido is for the island hopping tours. In total there are 5 main ones that most people go on. In this article I will explain what these tours are like and which ones you should go on.
Please don’t go to El Nido if you are not doing a tour, it is a waste of money. The tours are inexpensive enough that most people can afford to go on them including the backpackers! And it will give you an experience of a lifetime, and instagram worthy pics galore.
El Nido Island Hopping Tours
El Nido Tour A, Island Hopping Philippines
Tour A
Where does it leave from?
Tour A will leave from Bacuit bay in El Nido town. In the morning the boats are all lined up in the harbour and there is literally hundred of them. It can be a mad scramble and the captains will have you line up and hop aboard as fast as you can. There is also optional pickup in the Carong Carong bay.
What time does it start?
You will meet in the harbour at 8am and the boat brings you back at 4pm.
Islands Visited on Tour A + Sean’s Opinionated rating
- Small Lagoon (amazing) Must Go
- Big Lagoon (beautiful, but hard for kids)Must Go
- Secret Lagoon (Hard for kids and non swimmers, potential for injury) Very pristine, but short time
- Shimizu Island (neat area, small beach)
- 7Commando Beach (pristine beach, Must go)
How much does El Nido Tour A Cost?
Cost should be around $1200 Pesos and you can negotiate this if you have a bigger group.
Should I go on El Nido Tour A?
If you are going to El Nido, this tour is the absolute best you will find. It sells out fast so make sure you book as soon as you get there or before you get there depending on your itinerary.
What is included in the tour A price?
A boat with life jackets that will take you and 20 other people from island to island, usually with a crew of 3 people. It also includes your entrance fee’s for every island, your harbour fees, your lunch, snorkel sets and unlimited drinking water.
Helicopter island, Big Lagoon El Nido Private Tours. Philippines travel
Tour B
Where does tour B leave from?
Bacuit bay in El Nido Town or Carong Carong beach.
What time does tour B start?
It goes from 8am to 4pm
Islands visited on El Nido Tour B
- Snake Island (pretty Cool)
- Pinagbuyutan Island (good snorkelling)
- Entalula Beach (Beautiful beach)
- Cudugnon Cave (Kayaking adventure)
- Snorkelling site (poor Visibility)
How Much does tour B cost?
Tour B is $1300 pesos because you are driving further out and this uses more gasoline.
Should I go on El Nido Tour B?
Tour B is the least favourite tour in EL Nido. Don’t get me wrong, they are all amazing. But if you are short on time skip doing this one and do tour A.
What is included in the tour B price?
A boat with life jackets that will take you and 20 other people from island to island, usually with a crew of 3 people. It also includes your entrance fee’s for every island, your harbour fees, your lunch, snorkel sets and unlimited drinking water.
Small lagoon, El Nido Tours. Philippines travel
Tour C
Where does tour C leave from?
Bacuit Bay or Carong Carong.
What time does Tour C Start?
El Nido Island Hopping tour C starts at 8am and goes to 4 pm
Islands Visited On El Nido tour C
- Helicopter island (great beach and snorkelling)
- Matinloc shrine (small but pretty)
- Secret Beach (amazing and Pristine)
- Star beach (looks like a photo, beautiful clear water)
- Hidden Beach (spectacular)
How Much does tour C Cost?
Tour C is $1400 Pesos but negotiable if you have a larger group
Should I go on El Nido tour C?
Hell yeah, this tour is awesome, second to tour A.
What is included in the tour C price?
A boat with life jackets that will take you and 20 other people from island to island, usually with a crew of 3 people. It also includes your entrance fee’s for every island, your harbour fees, your lunch, snorkel sets and unlimited drinking water.
Philippines adventures, El Nido Tour A Private Boat
Tour D
Where does tour D Leave from?
Bacuit bay in El Nido Town or Carong Carong beach.
What time does tour D start?
Starts at 8am goes until 4 pm
Islands visited on El Nido Island hopping tour D
- Ipil Beach
- Cadlao Lagoon
- Paradise Beach
- Pasandigan Beach
- Natnat Beach
- Bukal Beach
How much does tour D Cost?
Tour D Is $1200 Pesos negotiable.
Should I go on El Nido Tour D?
If you have the time, check it out, the locals still recommend tour a and C as the best tours in El Nido.
What is included in tour D price?
A boat with life jackets that will take you and 20 other people from island to island, usually with a crew of 3 people. It also includes your entrance fee’s for every island, your harbour fees, your lunch, snorkel sets and unlimited drinking water.
The Queen and the Princess in El Nido, Philippines
Tour E
Where does tour E Leave from?
Bacuit bay in El Nido Town or Carong Carong beach.
What time does tour E start?
Starts at 8am goes until 4 pm
Islands visited on El Nido Island hopping tour E
Tour E is different, it is an inland tour of beaches and waterfalls. You will not be on a boat but there will be transportation and a guide.
- Nacpan and Calitang Beach (amazing)
- Nagkali-kalit falls (nothing special, Nice hike)
- Makinitn Hotspring (nothing special, but something different)
How much does tour E Cost?
$1200 Pesos per person.
Should I go on El Nido Tour E?
There is no need to take this tour. Read some of our other articles and you will be able to do all of this for 80% off the price of this tour.
What is included in tour E price?
Transportation and Lunch.
El Nido Private Boat Tour. Philippines travel
Common Questions about El Nido Island Hopping Tours
Should I pre-book my tours before I get to El Nido?
If you plan on going on tour A and are staying there less than 4 nights then yes I would pre book your tour.
How Many Island hopping tours should I do?
All of the island hopping tours are awesome, however I would do 2 max if you are staying 4-7 days here. That will also give you enough time to enjoy the local culture and mainland attractions.
Are the El Nido Island hopping tours safe for kids?
Yes they are mostly safe, however some places are hard for kids to get to like the secret cave. You have to enter the water very early in the morning and it is all sharp coral below you to walk on. Both my wife and I were cut up pretty good here and we held our children. I would avoid this spot with young kids as it is very small and there is not much to do here.
Read our article How to teach your kids how to swim fast!
Should I rent a private boat?
Yes I would rent a private boat if you have 5 people or more. The cost is almost the same and you get to pick your itinerary. You will also arrive before the crowds and get these beautiful places to yourself for a period of time. The food is also way better. And there is no rush!
How much does a private boat cost for a day?
$8000 pesos per day. I checked with at least 10 different places before I was able to find this price.
Do they serve food on the El Nido island hopping tours?
Yes they do. It is pork and rice and some seafood. If you go on a private boat they will make you a crazy feast with clams, crab, fish, squid and much more. Check out this picture of our feast at Simizu beach.
Feast at Simizu beach El Nido Tour A, Philippines travel
How long are the Island hopping tours?
They are considered full day from 8am to 4pm
Are the island hopping tour wheelchair accessible?
No, definitely not. I wouldn’t even attempt it.
What kind of food do they serve on the El Nido Island hopping tours?
Pork, Fish, Rice, Salad, Fruit and mixed vegetables. If you take a private boat you will get higher end food.
Big Lagoon El Nido, Palawan. Philippines travel Guide
Do you have to know how to swim to do the El Nido Island Hopping tours?
No you don’t need to know how to swim, there are life jackets, but it does make the experience more fun!
Do I need a dry bag for the El Nido Island Hopping tours?
You don’t need it. They recommend it, but if you are leaving your stuff on the boat you don’t need it. This is a local scam in El Nido town, where the locals push the dry bag. They tell you you need it and everyone ends up buying one. But you don’t.
Do they have snorkel sets on the island hopping tours?
Yes they do but I would still recommend bringing your own, as they do not disinfect these every tour. So you will be basically be putting in a mouthpiece that was just in a strangers mouth.
Read our article How to snorkel like a pro.
Snorkelling On El Nido Island Hopping tour A, Philippines Travel
Are there sharks in the water around El Nido?
Yes there are sharks everywhere in the ocean. The sharks around El Nido are mostly black tip reef sharks and they are not aggressive, so don’t worry about it. I would still not have my kids in the water without me though. I always stay close to them and pay attention to what is happening in the water below. You will be swimming with wild animals, so keep that in mind.
Is scuba diving better than the El Nido island hopping tours?
These are 2 very different experiences. I met some divers while I was scuba diving that said they were doing dives instead of island hopping. I chose to do both and they were very different experiences. El nido is one of the few places on the planet where I find it more beautiful above water than underwater. Just look at the pictures. It is stunning.
What should I bring with me?
- Suntan lotion
- Towel
- Patience for crowds
- gravel if you get sick
- Snorkel set
- Underwater camera like a go pro
- Drone if you are into aerial photography
- Water shoes with good padding for stepping on rocks
- Baby wipes or cleaning wipes
- Hand sanitizer.
Are there public bathrooms on the El Nido Island hopping tours?
NO! There are none. This freaked me out a bit, so before I went I drank a huge coffee to try to stir things up. I also had both of my kids sit on the toilet for 5 minutes. Still when we got to one of the islands, my son had to take a poop. The boat guys were telling us to have him shit in the ocean. He is little so he was not cool with that, so instead he pooped on the beach at Simizu beach behind some rocks. I cleaned it up with a cup and cleaned him up with the baby wipes that we luckily brought with us. I washed his hands in the ocean with sand and a lime wedge and used hand sanitizer on him for double protection.
Secret Lagoon El Nido Tour, Palawan. Philippines travel Guide
Warnings about El Nido Island hopping tours
There are some thing you need to know before you go.
- The boat can be rough, bring gravol if you get motion sick
- There are no toilets
- A lot of anemones and sea urchins that can sting you or poke you.
- There are rock fish that are poisonous. watch your step and wear water shoes
- Simizu island has giant monitor lizards on it. Do Not approach.
- You may get sick from the food on the boats. They cook it well but they may use old meat or wash the salad and fruit in dirty water.
Read the Article I wrote about getting sick in El Nido. Myself and my son both got sick (travellers diarrhea) after eating on tour A.
Your other option is to take a private boat, We did this and it was an amazing experience. Check out the links below for more information on El Nido as well as the private boat rental.
In my opinion the El Nido tours are absolutely epic and they are a great value for the dollar. Our kids loved them and so did we. We had lots of time to relax, as well as plenty of adventure. These places were stunning with giant limestone cliffs shooting out of the ocean and a rich underwater world to explore. Don’t miss this if you are going to El Nido.
The Rampersauds at Lio Beach
Check Out Some of Our Other El Nido Articles and Reviews:
Lio Beach El Nido Philippines Ultimate Guide
