Island hopping in El Nido, Palawan is one of the easiest things to do. Good thing, too, since with over 40 islands to explore, a lack of organization could be abysmal.
Simply by taking a stroll through the town of El Nido, you’ll run across a bevy of small tour companies offering set “island hopping packages.”
These packages basically break down all the islands in the Bacuit Archipelago into smaller groups that you can visit.
The El Nido Island Hopping tours are broken down like this:
Tour A
Places you visit:
- 2 lagoons on Miniloc Island
- Simisu Island
- 7 Commando beach
You get to snorkel and have lunch (not at the same time). The total price is around 700-800PHP, or about $20 per person.
Tour B
Places you visit:
- Snake Island (a must-see island in El Nido!)
- Cudugnon Cave
- Lagen Island
- Inabuyutan Island
- Cathedral Cave
Lunch is included. The total price is around 800-900PHP, or $22.50 per person.
Tour C
- Snorkel around Matinloc Island
- Snorkel around Tapiutan Island and visit the Secret Beach where you’ll have the chance to see sea turles.
Lunch is included. The total cost is around 900-1000PHP, or about $25 per person.
Combination Tours
You can also pick-and-choose the islands you want to go to (within reasonable distance) by combining two or more of the tours. These tours will cost you around 1000PHP, or $25 per person.
All the above tours include lunch, mask and snorkel in the price.
Tours A to C take a whole day and that typically starts at 9 AM and lasts ’til about 4 PM. There will be other people on the tour with you, so be sure not to be late.
The boatmen also double as chefs during lunch time and they’ll prepare a serve a lovely meal of fish, rice, salad, fruit and coffee on a beach:
If you want more activity (say, kayaking), sign up for a kayaking tour.
The Cadlao Kayak and Snorkel Tour will take you from Bocal Island along the wall of Cadlao to Paradise Beach, into the Ubugon Lagoon and then to Helicopter Island. The total cost of the tour is 1,400PHP, or around $35.00.
The Miniloc Kayak Tour is really awesome since you get to kayak the Big and Small Lagoons. These lagoons are beautiful and serene – you can see clear through the calm, aquamarine waters, hear the sounds of the wild around you, and even catch the flight of an exotic bird or two. The cost of the tour is 1,400PHP, or around $35.00
You can also choose to do any of the above tours privately – which I recommend since it’ll give you a much more flexible schedule that allows you to linger in the places you like the most. You can also pick-and-choose the islands you want to visit (within reasonable distance to each other) and the activities you want to partake in (i.e. snorkeling, kayaking, or both).
The private tours cost around 3,000PHP, or $75 – the price is good for 2 people and also includes lunch.
Overall island hopping in El Nido is super easy, thanks to the organized packages and the ubiquitous tour stalls. Just walk around, pick out what you like, and talk to the tour companies. You’ll be on your way in no time!