We travelled this incredible country for 3 months, and this is a town we keep coming back to! It's the most beautiful town (in our opinion) in the Philippines.

In El Nido town, the vibes are unmatched and we felt really safe. The food is excellent, loads of healthy options, local food or western-style food too.

There are heaps of good shopping, spa treatments, nightlife, etc. Plus the town is situated on a picturesque beach and forest with stunning mountains behind!

It's also home to some pretty iconic places, like:

• Big Lagoon

• Snake Island

• Hidden Beach

• Secret Lagoon

• Shimizu Island

HOW LONG TO STAY?

We recommend at least 3 days in El Nido because it's so special. Make sure you have a karaoke night, it's iconic in the Philippines and the locals are SO good at it!

GETTING TO EL NIDO

• Fly from Manila to El Nido Airport. Fastest but priciest way to get there. Don't sleep on booking the ticket, flights are less frequent than to other destinations.

• Fly Manila > Puerto Princesa, then van ride to El Nido. It's how most people get there. It's a 6-hour van ride through a windy road, costs ~$12–$20 AUD pp. Bring sea sickness tablets if you’re prone to nausea.

• Island hopping from Coron to El Nido. This is what we did and was the highlight of our trip! We did a 3D2N all-inclusive island-hopping tour that included hidden gems (Linapacan Islands). ~$300 AUD pp, which is excellent value for money.

MOVING AROUND EL NIDO

Tuk tuks (₱50–₱200 depending on distance), jeepneys (₱10–₱20), or scooter rental (₱500–₱700/day).

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS:

We recommend staying in Barangay Buena Suerte. It's where tours depart and there are heaps of stays for all budgets, restaurants, Taraw Cliff...

We stayed at these spots, 100% recommend them:

• Cuna Hotel, the best hotel in our opinion. It has a rooftop pool and is smack in the middle of town!

• Happiness Hostel, more budget-friendly, has a great vibe and is super social.

Here are other excellent options too:

• Best luxury: The Funny Lion (El Nido). It's a hotel chain, excellent value for money. We stayed at their site in Coron and loved it.

• Best for families and groups: El Nido Coco Resort. This resort is a 5-min trike ride from town. Has apartments, bungalows, and villas, fully equipped. Villas sleep 4-8 people.

Quick tip: Avoid scams by reading reviews first and do not book places without many reviews yet. We have never been scammed in the Philippines thanks to this.

BOOKING ISLAND-HOPPING TOURS

There are pre-made tours (A, B, C, D) and private tours:

• Pre-made tours are cheaper (~20USD pp), but you'll follow a fixed schedule which usually means lots of crowds. Groups are also larger and you get herded quite a bit. Here are the differences between tours A, B, C, and D in El Nido.

• Private tours are a bit pricier (120-150 USD for the day) but you can tailor the itinerary to beat the crowds and even check lesser-known places. It's very affordable if you split the cost with the rest of your group.

MONEY HACK

Book the tours in town!

There are pleeenty of providers and they all quote very similar prices, so you shouldn't get ripped off.

Booking the tours online is usually more expensive, although it might be worth it if you like everything pre-organised and pre-paid.