Attractions & day tripsBy Clever Tourists · Published
If you only have time for one El Nido island-hopping tour, pick Tour A: it covers Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commandos Beach, the stops most people come to Bacuit Bay for. Tour C is the best second day if you want snorkeling and beaches, Tour B is about caves and sandbars, and Tour D is the quieter option and the only one that goes to Small Lagoon. Here is what each tour actually includes, what it costs as of 2026, and the fees and weather rules that catch people out.
The four lettered tours are standard routes that almost every operator in El Nido town sells, so the stops are close to identical whoever you book with. Typical stops, based on routes published by operators and guides in 2026:
Tour A (lagoons): Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commandos Beach. This is the most popular tour and the one with the classic limestone-lagoon scenery.
Tour B (caves and sandbars): Snake Island sandbar, Cudugnon Cave, Cathedral Cave, Entalula Beach and Pinagbuyutan Island.
Tour C (beaches and snorkeling): Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine and Talisay (Star) Beach. It goes furthest outside the sheltered part of the bay, which is why it is the first tour cancelled when the sea picks up.
Tour D (quieter coves): Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, Pasandigan Cove, Paradise Beach and a couple of beach stops such as Natnat or Bukal. It is usually the least crowded of the four.
Shared "joiner" tours, where you fill a seat on an outrigger boat with other travelers, were selling for roughly ₱1,200–1,500 (≈ $18.8–24) for Tour A, ₱1,300–1,600 (≈ $20–25) for Tour B, ₱1,400–1,800 (≈ $22–28) for Tour C and ₱1,200–1,500 (≈ $18.8–24) for Tour D per person in August 2026. The same letter sells for different prices at different counters, so it is worth comparing two or three before you pay.
On top of the tour price, budget cash for fees that are usually not included: the Eco-Tourism Development Fee (ETDF) of ₱400 (≈ $6.3) per person, paid once per stay (older guides still quote ₱200 (≈ $3.1), and sources differ on whether it covers five or ten days, so confirm at the El Nido tourism office); a ₱200 (≈ $3.1) lagoon fee for Big Lagoon on Tour A or Small Lagoon on Tour D; and ₱300–400 (≈ $4.7–6.3) per two-person kayak if you want to paddle the lagoon rather than swim it. Keep your ETDF receipt, because operators ask to see it before every tour.
A private boat removes the fixed route and the crowd. Quotes for an outrigger for two were around ₱13,000–14,000 (≈ $204–220) in 2026, with each extra person adding roughly ₱1,200–1,400 (≈ $18.8–22), and smaller local boats from about ₱6,000 (≈ $94). The private market is unregulated, so get the price, the stops and what is included in writing. Private charters are also the only practical way to combine two tours (for example A and C) in one day; joiner operators generally do not sell combinations.
Motorized boats are not allowed inside either lagoon. Your boat anchors at the mouth and you go in by swimming (with a life vest) or by kayak. Big Lagoon is on Tour A and Small Lagoon is on Tour D, and because they sit on different tours with separate daily quotas, you cannot do both on one joiner boat.
Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and Secret Beach all have daily visitor limits, and operators have to reserve slots for their guests in advance. In practice that means booking your tour at least a day ahead rather than walking up on the morning, especially in peak season. The exact caps are not clearly published, so take any specific number you see online with caution. Boats that leave earliest generally find the lagoons quieter.
One day only: Tour A. It has the most famous scenery and the lagoon experience El Nido is known for.
Two days: Tour A plus Tour C for snorkeling, beaches and Matinloc Shrine. Book A first and leave a spare day for C, since C is the most weather-sensitive route.
Avoiding crowds: Tour D, which still includes a lagoon (Small Lagoon) but sees fewer boats. Families and non-swimmers: Tour B's sandbar and beach stops are the easiest, though the cave stops involve some scrambling.
Joiner vs private: Joiner tours are the cheapest way to see everything and are perfectly fine for most travelers. A private boat makes sense if you are a group of four or more, want to start early to beat other boats, or want to mix stops from two tours.
Island-hopping boats can only sail when sea conditions allow. When a gale warning or typhoon signal is in effect, the Philippine Coast Guard has suspended island tours in El Nido and Coron outright, and on rougher days operators may cancel Tour C alone while running the more sheltered routes. If you have only a few days, do your must-see tour on your first full day so you have time to rebook.
Before you pay, ask the operator what happens if the tour is cancelled for weather: a full refund or a free move to another day. Policies vary between operators, and your ETDF receipt stays valid for the multi-day period printed on it.
For the rest of your Palawan trip, see our El Nido guide, how to get between the two islands in El Nido to Coron: ferry vs flight, and our Coron guide for that side's own island tours.
Tour A. It includes Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commandos Beach, the scenery El Nido is best known for.
Not on a joiner tour. Big Lagoon is on Tour A and Small Lagoon is on Tour D, and each has its own daily quota, so seeing both means two tours or a private charter.
The Eco-Tourism Development Fee is ₱400 (≈ $6.3) per person, paid once and valid for several days (check the period on your receipt). It is separate from the ₱200 (≈ $3.1) lagoon fee for Big or Small Lagoon.
Joiner Tour A was selling for roughly ₱1,200–1,500 (≈ $18.8–24) per person in 2026, plus the ₱400 (≈ $6.3) eco fee, the ₱200 (≈ $3.1) Big Lagoon fee and an optional ₱300–400 (≈ $4.7–6.3) kayak.
Yes. Tours are suspended under gale warnings or typhoon signals, and Tour C is usually the first route cancelled in rough seas, so keep a spare day.
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