El Nido — Lagoons & Island Hopping

El Nido is the jewel of the Philippines — a coastal town at the northern tip of Palawan, framed by dramatic limestone cliffs that rise vertically from the emerald sea. The name comes from the swallow nests (nido) harvested in the rock niches and exported as a delicacy to China.

The highlight is the Island Hopping Tours, divided into four standard routes:

• Tour A (A must!): Big Lagoon (the most iconic — kayak through turquoise water between limestone rocks), Secret Lagoon (swim through a narrow gap), Shimizu Island (snorkeling), 7 Commando Beach (beach with volleyball net and bar). From 1,200 PHP (~20 €) including lunch.
• Tour B: Snake Island (snake-shaped sandbar), Cudugnon Cave (cave with archaeological finds), Cathedral Cave, Pinagbuyutan Island. More adventure, fewer tourists.
• Tour C: Hidden Beach (secluded beach, only accessible by boat), Matinloc Shrine (abandoned chapel on a cliff), Secret Beach (swim through a hole in the rock wall), Helicopter Island. The favorite of many travelers.
• Tour D: Cadlao Lagoon, Pasandigan Beach, Nat Nat Beach, Bukal Beach. The quietest tour with fewer boats.

Away from the tours, El Nido offers spectacular sunsets from the beach (Las Cabanas Beach is the hotspot with a zipline over the water), excellent diving (turtles, rays, coral gardens), and a lively bar scene with beach bars right by the sea.

The town itself is small and walkable: A main street with restaurants, dive shops, and souvenir stores. The infrastructure has massively improved in recent years — there are now ATMs, fast internet, and even a small airport (Lio Airport, flights from Manila with AirSWIFT).