The Travelista

  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborations
    • Press
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Travel
    • Destinations by World Map
    • Hotels
    • Airlines
    • Restaurants
    • Itineraries
  • Life
    • Yorkshire
    • Style
  • Motherhood
  • Inspire Me
    • Adventure
    • Beach
    • City
    • Culture
    • Mountain
    • Tropical
  • Shop
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

8 Essential Things to Know About El Nido, Philippines

10/11/16 ᛫ 4 Comments

I first found out about El Nido after seeing photos of it on Instagram. I searched the ‘geo-tag’ and was blown away by the collage of paradise coves, limestone cliffs and emerald green waters. Ever since then, I knew that El Nido had to be part of my Philippine travel itinerary.

But when it came to researching online I found very little information about El Nido, so I teamed up with Expedia.com to write the post I wish existed when I was planning my trip. Here are 8 essential things to know before visiting El Nido, on the beautiful island of Palawan.

el-nido-palawan-philippines1

The beach in El Nido Town

  1. Pick your airport wisely

There are two options for getting to El Nido; Puerto Princesa Airport and El Nido Airport. Flights into Puerto Princesa are much cheaper and seem like the obvious choice, but beware this option comes with an additional 5-6 hour van transfer to El Nido upon arrival (600 Pesos return). If you’ve got the extra budget, Air Swift offers daily flights from Manila straight to El Nido Airport (20-minutes from El Nido Town by tricycle).

  1. El-Nido Town

Don’t worry if you feel a little underwhelmed when arriving in El Nido town. With shabby buildings, narrow streets and smelly alleyways, El Nido town is nothing more than a logistical launch pad into the Bacuit Archipelago. It is here you’ll find those jaw-dropping Instagrammable scenes.

  1. Consider Corong Corong for accommodation

When it comes to accommodation in El Nido, travellers naturally search for digs in El Nido town itself, but the surrounding villages can offer a much more relaxing stay. Corong Corong is a small roadside village that you pass through on the way to El Nido town, and offers budget and boutique accommodation at fair price. Travellers can take a tricycle from Corong Corong to El Nido Town, which costs 50 pesos and takes 10 minutes.

  1. Book your Tours in the right order

On arrival in El Nido Town you’ll see that all booking offices are selling the exact same boat trips, for the exact same prices (Tour A, B, C and D). It doesn’t matter where you book, but just make sure you book Tour C first, as this is the only one that gets cancelled due to weather conditions. Following that, Tour A is also a popular choice.

el-nido-palawan-philippines2

  1. Protect yourself from sea urchins

If you’re planning to explore the beaches and bays of the Bacuit Archipelago, make sure you invest in some sea ‘booties’. These will protect your feet from sharp rocks, coral and pesky sea urchins (of which there are plenty). Either buy a pair in advance or hire them from your boat trip operator.

  1. Where to catch the best sunset

The sun always sets to the left of El Nido Town, so you’ll have to go a little further afield to catch an iconic Filipino sunset. The best place to watch the sunset is on the far peninsular of Las Cabanas beach, next to Las Cabanas Beach Resort. Order yourself a banana daiquiri and soak up the magical scene.

  1. The situation on Wi-Fi and cash

There is 1 ATM in the town which is often out of order, so it’s best to bring plenty of cash for your stay – just in case. Whilst most restaurants promote their Wi-Fi, the connectivity is incredibly slow and weak. This can be a blessing and a huge inconvenience at the same time.

  1. Be mindful of the environment

Being an island of incredible beauty, the environment is a hot topic in Palawan. You’ll find that many restaurants don’t offer straws and toilet paper is rationed. Power cuts are also a very frequent thing.

What did you think of my tips for El Nido? Is there anything else you think I’ve missed out? If you found this post helpful or can add any further tips for travellers, please leave a comment in the box below.

Check out my Essential Guide to The Philippines

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Expedia.com. All views are my own.

el-nido-palawan-philippines4

4 Comments

Related Posts

  • Retracing my Footsteps in Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • The Banjaran Hot Springs Resort Ipoh, Malaysia
  • How to Spend 1 Week in Sri Lanka: An Itinerary
« 10 Things To Know Before Visiting Rome
A Christmas Gift Guide for Travel Lovers »

Comments

  1. Gabriela says

    15th November 2016 at 6:37 pm

    Nice article Jessica!
    Where did you stay? 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      16th November 2016 at 6:32 pm

      Thanks Gabriela! I stated at Buena’s Haven which is a hotel in Corong Corong. It’s a friendly, basic and affordable option just outside of El Nido town x

      Reply
  2. Angie Silver (@SilverSpoonLDN) says

    11th November 2016 at 10:18 am

    Ahhh such a beautiful place!!!

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      11th November 2016 at 4:09 pm

      It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I think it would have had even more impact if we hadn’t been to Halong Bay in Vietnam before hand. Both are equally impressive, but El Nido feels more undiscovered. xx

      Reply

Spark a conversation! Cancel reply

Jess is an an award-winning UK travel blogger based in North Yorkshire, providing you with inspiration for both local and global adventures.

Read More

Looking for something in particular?

Subscribe

Never Miss a Post!

Latest Posts

Mediterranean Cruise Itinerary: Visiting 6 ports in 7 days

Family-friendly glamping in the Lake District with Feather Down Farms

An Indulgent Escape at Columbia Beach Resort, Cyprus

Follow on Instagram

What can I say, ya gals a foodie 😝🍴 #trave What can I say, ya gals a foodie 😝🍴 

#travelfoodie #eattheworld #globaleats #worldeatery #eeeeats #worldfood
Hello 2023! 🤍 A clean page, a fresh start. I h Hello 2023! 🤍 A clean page, a fresh start.

I had too many words about 2022 for a caption, so I’ve put them all into a blog post. 

My “2022 year in review” is live on The Travelista. It’s a longer, personal blog post about lessons, learnings, achievements and travels from year just gone, as well as my hopes and goals for 2023. I’ve put a link on stories for anyone interested. 😊

Wishing you a healthy, happy, adventure-filled New Year ✨

Photo: collecting shells on Cleethorpes beach during Twixmas 🐚
My 2022 travel recap ✨ 17 destinations across My 2022 travel recap ✨ 

17 destinations across 9 countries. My son stepped foot in 3 new countries and I got to bring him on 6 trips with me, including his first cruise. Wow ♥️

I’m finding a new rhythm for travelling with (and sometimes without) a little one and can’t wait for what’s to come in 2023.

Whether you’re new here or you’ve followed my journey for years, thank you so much for being here, for every like, comment and share. It is this amazing, supportive and loyal community that has enabled me to quit my job this year and return to doing this full time again post Covid. 

What was the most memorable place you’ve visited in 2022? ♥️

Where I went in 2022: 

Abu Dhabi
Cyprus 
Marbella 
Bruges 
Amsterdam
Guernsey 
Lake District 
Newcastle
Edinburgh 
Whitby
Lake District II
Almuñécar
Barcelona 
Gibraltar 
Marseille 
Rapallo
Florence

That’s a wrap! See you in 2023 🎥
A little snapshot into our Christmas, the first on A little snapshot into our Christmas, the first one in our new home, blending our families and hosting for 9. ☺️🥂 Hope you all had a lovely day 🎄

Merry Christmas from my family to yours ♥️.
Before I sign off for a little Christmas social me Before I sign off for a little Christmas social media break, here’s a festive photo dump of the past week + sharing my favourite poem🕯🎄🥂

Featuring 

➕ A lunch to @bettys with the girls. Making a new tradition. 
➕ A family visit to @castle_howard for their spectacular #IntotheWoods Christmas experience. Phenomenal. We go every year and it just gets better and better.
➕ Carols by candlelight at our local church - magic - but so many layers because the heating was broken!
➕ Dust if you Must by Rose Milligan. The perfect tonic in the (potentially stressful) build up to Christmas. 

We are hosting family this year and I’m excited! I’d love my house to look like a festive show home but it doesn’t, and that’s ok. (I have a 4 year old making mess twice as fast as I can tidy it). 

Fellow hosts, don’t be so busy ‘dusting’ that you miss all the little moments of magic! I’m reminding myself of this too. Swipe to read the poem and you’ll get it. ♥️

Wishing you a perfectly imperfect Christmas 🎄 

Love Jess x
ad Come with me and my Mum to do some last minute ad Come with me and my Mum to do some last minute Christmas shopping at @junction32. 🎁 

We are all feeling the pinch this year with the rising cost of living, so I set myself a challenge to find gifts for under £30. By shopping at outlets like Junction 32, which has over 80 brands offering up to 60% off the retail price, your money truly does go so much further. ♥️

What gifts I bought;

✔️ Slippers from @radleylondon RRP £40 J32 Price £20
✔️Himalayam charcoal gift set from @thebodyshop RRP £36.00 J32 Price £29.50
✔️Wax cheese wheels from independent retailer @themousehouse_lincoln £3 for £16
✔️Children’s cutlery set from @procookuk RRP £10 J32 Price £7

As usual J32 had some brilliant items on offer and a huge amount of choice, even this far into December.

Have you got any last minute Christmas shopping to do? I think I am finally done! 🛍 

#outletshopping #junction32 #junction32shoppingcentre #j32 #yorkshireoutletshopping

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Subscribe for Travelista updates and newsletters

The Travelista on YouTube

  • 3847likes
  • 19680followers
  • 9865followers
  • 2070subscribers

Copyright © 2023 · Design by Gatto

Copyright © 2023 · The Travelista on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Privacy Policy
  • FAQ
  • Contact