Tour C El Nido Island Hopping: Everything You Need to Know
Do you want to know if Tour C El Nido island hopping tour is the right tour for you?
Read on to see what you will see on Tour C, the places you will visit, included stops on the standard itineraries, and the additional costs you may not be aware of.
If you are considering an El Nido island hopping tour, but also want to know more about Tour A, Tour B or Tour D, check out these blog posts:
EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOURS – WHICH IS THE BEST ONE FOR YOU?
EL NIDO TOUR A: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
EL NIDO TOUR B: ISLAND HOPPING IN PALAWAN
ISLAND HOPPING IN EL NIDO: TOUR D
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on our affiliates / advertisers links and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but at no extra cost to you. AND, many times, you will receive an offer. Win/win! The products and services we write about and mention are the ones we love. We only recommend items that we feel are of good quality and would be helpful to our readers. While we pay for our travels out of our own pockets, these small commissions do assist in keeping us on the road. Thank you!
“Gee wheeze baby please. Let me take you to an island of the sweet cool breeze.”
– Shaggy –
Where is El Nido?
El Nido is a small, coastal settlement and major tourist destination on the island of Palawan in the Philippines. El Nido is the primary base for exploring the beautiful Bacuit Archipelago, which comprises 45 islands and islets.
How to Get to El Nido
There are a number of ways to get to El Nido:
- The most common and cheapest is flying into Puerto Princesa International Airport and then taking a mini-van to El Nido. The journey by van along windy roads will take between 4 hours and 7 hours depending on the time of day and traffic.
- The quickest way is to fly into El Nido airport with Air Swift airlines flying direct from Manila, Cebu, and Caticlan.
- A third option is to catch a fast boat from Coron. The trip takes about 4 hours and we highly recommend doing this at least one way so you can see what Coron has to offer as well.
El Nido Island Hopping Tours
Bacuit Archipelago is the ideal place for popular activities such as climbing, diving and snorkelling. However, the most popular activity and the reason most choose to visit El Nido is to go island hopping. Tours cost from P1200 (USD$25 / AUD$32) a day including a pork, chicken and seafood BBQ lunch, bottled water and snorkel gear.
There are four basic day trips to choose from named Tour A, Tour B, Tour C, and Tour D; and can be booked from all over town. Each tour offers different destinations but all of the tour boats follow roughly the same schedule. The quality of the boat, guides, food and tour depends on who you book it through.
It is worth mentioning here that all El Nido island hopping tours require some level of swimming ability. In saying this, there were many weak swimmers on our tours who were still able to participate by wearing life jackets all the time.
Summary of El Nido Tour A, Tour B, Tour C, and Tour D
Tour A:
A great mixture of beautiful beaches, lagoons with turquois water, limestone cliffs, and perfect snorkelling. You will see:
- Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon
- Secret Lagoon
- Seven Commando beach
- Shimizu Island
Tour B:
Far more relaxing due to the fewer crowds in each of the locations. Great for those who have an interest in history. You will visit:
- Snake Island
- Pinagbuyutan Island
- Entalula Beach
- Cudugnon Cave
- Cathedral Cave
Tour C:
This tour is the pick for those that love snorkelling and viewing marine life. This was by far our favourite! The places you will visit include:
- Helicopter Island
- Hidden Beach
- Matinloc Shrine
- Secret Beach
- Talisay Beach or Star Beach
Tour D:
For the beach lovers who are looking at more of a relaxing day or for those that have already done the ‘must-sees’. Your tour includes:
- Small Lagoon
- Natnat Beach
- Bukal Beach
- Cadlao Lagoon
- Paradise Beach
- Pasandigan Beach / Cove
- Ipil Beach
N.B. If you have the money and the time, we highly recommend doing more than one of these tours. Tour A and Tour C are the most popular for a reason and we would suggest doing both of these tours.
READ A MORE IN-DEPTH SUMMARY OF EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOURS HERE
El Nido Tour C – Everything You Need To Know
El Nido Tour C is the pick of tours for those that love snorkelling and viewing marine life. This was by far our favourite tour! Be prepared for it to be busy, however, due to its popularity.
El Nido Tour C – General Booking Details i.e. Cost, Duration, Inclusions etc.
- Cost: from 1200 PHP per person (USD$25 / AUD$32)
- Departure Time: 8:30 – 9:00am
- Pick-Up: from any hotels within El Nido town proper
- Duration: approximately 7 hours
- Attractions: Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Secret Beach and Talisay Beach / Star beach
- Availability: Tour C is available on a daily basis.
- Types of Tours: offer both a shared tour and private tour
- Boat (‘bangka”) Capacity: either 12, 15 or 25 passengers (boat type depends on the availability and number of participants)
- Inclusions: BBQ lunch buffet, bottled drinking water, mask and snorkel (depends on tour operator), towel (depends on tour operator)
El Nido Tour C – Stops on the Itinerary
Helicopter Island
Helicopter Island, or Dilumacad Island, so named because from a distance its side profile resembles the shape of a helicopter without rotor blades. One man on our trip swore it resembled the CH-47 Chinook twin-engine heavy-lift helicopter. We, however, struggled to see this resemblance and instead thought it looked more like a camel. You’ll have to see it with your own eyes to decide what it looks like to you.
Once you get closer to the island, its soft white sand and turquoise waters will lure you in and keep you entranced. The best way to explore Helicopter Island is with your snorkel and mask. The best snorkelling area is to walk to the left (when facing the island from the boat), and then snorkel around the corner of the island. If you are lucky like we were, there will very few people here and you will be able to explore some beautiful coral in peace. There are also some unique shelves and rock formations under the cliffs if you go far enough.
We later learned from our tour guide that Helicopter Island is a great place for beginner divers. Its shallow reefs contain a huge variety of corals, schools of fusiliers, and all seven species of anemone or clownfish. There are also underwater tunnels for advanced divers. In summer, it is also possible to spot sea turtles feeding on sea grass at the sea bottom.
This first stop, just 20 minutes away from El Nido, was a beautiful place to relax, unwind, and enjoy the beautiful beachscape.
Hidden Beach
Hidden Beach is yet another beautiful white sand beach in Bacuit Archipelago dominated by two large limestone formations. Boats cannot dock on the beach so to reach this beach you have to swim or walk in waist to knee deep water for five minutes (about 200m).
The view to the beach is blocked by a large limestone cliff but once you get past this, you understand your effort was well worth it as the views to Hidden Beach are magnificent.
Unfortunately, it is usually very crowded at Hidden Beach but if you can block out all the noise and other tourists, it is an incredibly amazing experience.
Matinloc Shrine
Matinloc Island is located in Tapiutan Strait just across from Tapiutan Island. Formerly a Catholic shrine and convent built in the 1980’s, this abandoned area offers an opportunity to explore the ruins which has stunning views of the surrounding areas. The island is now surrounded with legends and the word is that it is haunted by a ghost. N.B. Due to privatisation, the owner of this land now charges a 100 peso entrance fee.
There is also a viewpoint located close to the shrine and offers remarkable views of this part of the Bacuit Archipelago. The viewing deck is quite small so be prepared to be patient to get the best vantage point. The stunning views, however, are well worth your effort.
Some boat Captains will offer an alternative snorkelling / beach visit to one of the many beaches and coves in this area. There are some wonderful snorkelling spots in this area with the possible chance of spotting some turtles.
Secret Beach
Secret Beach, located at another area on Matinloc Island, looks like a lagoon completely enclosed by imposing limestone cliffs. Tour boats stop in front of huge rock and limestone cliffs, and it is only then you see the opening to the Secret Beach. In order to get inside, you have to swim through a narrow gap.
Once inside, you will see a short stretch of white sand beach at the opposite side of the narrow entrance. The water is shallow and the sea bottom is covered in coral with colourful fishes everywhere.
Talisay Beach or Star Beach
Star Beach or Talisay Beach on Tapiutan Island has only a short stretch of white sand compared to Helicopter Island but its underwater riches are the highlight of this stop. It is a fantastic spot for snorkelling!
The coral reef was located very close to shore and in shallow, crystal-clear water. Besides the colourful corals and sea anemones, we observed blue starfish, various varieties of clownfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, triggerfish and many, many more varieties which we could not identify. We later learned that this is also an area favoured by divers.
This underwater wonderland harbours a rich diversity of marine life and was one of our favourite snorkelling spots in El Nido.
Booking El Nido Tour C
If you are looking to pre-book an El Nido Island hopping tour, Trip Advisor offers some great tour packages at very competitive prices.
BOOK YOUR EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOUR NOW
Additional Costs
Eco-Tourism Development Fee:
- 200 pesos per person (mandatory)
- Check with the tour operator whether this has been included in your tour price or not
- N.B. Valid for all tours occurring within a 10 day period. Keep it in a safe place because if you lose or misplace it, you will need to pay this cost again.
Secret Beach Fee (is expected to join the list of ‘premium stops’ eventually, but so far it hasn’t):
- 200 pesos per person (compulsory)
- This fee is in addition to the cost of the tour
Mask / Snorkel Rental:
- Check whether mask and snorkel hire is included free in your tour cost
- If not, rentals start from 200 peso
- N.B. These are a must if you want to get the most out of your tour!
Spending Money:
- Refreshments on one of the islands – coconut water, soft drink, beer etc.
Island Hopping Rules
At the start of each tour, your tour guide will give a brief rundown on some of the island hopping rules. These are the main ones:
- Life jackets are compulsory during boat travel and this is enforced by the Coast Guard. In saying this, we were only required to wear life guards when we left the beach and again upon our return because that’s the only time the Coast Guard seems to be checking.
- You cannot pick up coral, sand, any marine life such as starfish etc. and you should not stand on coral. This rule is one of the basics of marine conservation and helps protect the islands from the multitude of tourists that come here every year.
- Single-use plastic water bottles are prohibited on all boat tours (technically), but again this rule is not enforced and there were many people with plastic bottles.
What to Take on an El Nido Island Hopping Tour?
You don’t need to bring much for any of the island hopping tours in El Nido, but this is what we think are essential items to pack for the day.
- Dry Bag: We highly recommend keeping all your gear in a dry bag, especially those items you do not want getting wet. Everyone on the boat is in and out of the water all day and the boat gets very wet. In addition, if the wind picks up in the afternoon on the way home, it is impossible to stay dry as the water splashes on-board.
- Camera: A waterproof phone (or phone in a good waterproof phone case) or camera is a must on this trip due to how picturesque the area is. We took our GoPro and managed to get some magnificent pictures.
- Sun Block: You’ll be in and out of the sun all day so this is a must! Make sure you reapply at least once during the day to ensure maximum coverage.
- Towel: Some companies provide you with a towel for the duration of the tour but we recommend you also take your own as they get extremely wet. We travel with fast drying microfiber towels so these were dry again by the time we came back from each of our swims.
- Water: Most tour companies will provide you with water throughout the day but we always take our own to ensure we never get thirsty. Just remember, single-use plastic bottles are not permitted on your tour so you will need to have a reusable bottle.
- Money: There are a few extra costs (detailed above) so it is good to have some extra cash on you.
- Mask and Snorkel: If you don’t already have your own, masks and snorkels are readily available for rent (if not included in your tour cost) from 200 pesos. We always travel with our own masks and snorkels because we use these often so for us, it pays off to have own not only because it is more hygienic, but also rented equipment is not often in the best quality.
READ OUR MARES X-VISION DIVE MASK REVIEW or MARES ERGO DRY SNORKEL REVIEW
- Reef Shoes: These are an optional extra which are available to rent for the day. Although there are only a couple of places that are a little rocky on Tour A, these shoes are recommended for the other tours.
New Rules and Regulations for El Nido Island Hopping Tours
Due to the new government regulations mentioned above embracing sustainable tourism, a number of changes are now in place which have effected El Nido tour companies offering the four island hopping tours. These are:
- Government standardised pricing of tours per person
- You can’t do both Small Lagoon and Big Lagoon on the same day
- Pre-registration is now required to visit a Premium stop (Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon or Secret Beach) – to pre-register you must contact your tour operator at least one day ahead of departure. Only a certain number of pre-registered people on a pre-registered boat can go inside each lagoon on a given day, and it’s first-come-first-served to get access. If a given premium tour has hit its limit, you will have to select a non-premium tour that doesn’t have a premium stop.
- The Protected Area Office is charging a 200 peso per person fee for pre-registration to visit a Premium stop. This fee will be in addition to the 200 peso charge for your ETDF (Eco-Tourism Development Fee).
- Premium stops now have time slots
- Boats can’t go in Big and Small Lagoon – To protect their fragile marine ecosystems, when you’re at either Small Lagoon or Big Lagoon, island hopping boats will no longer be going inside the lagoon. Instead, you can rent a kayak from an approved vendor for 300 peso.
Accommodation Options in El Nido
El Nido was once a small fishing village, but in the past 10 years, the word of its beauty is out and has spread far and wide. Nowadays, almost no Philippines itinerary is complete without visiting Palawan and El Nido. In order to satisfy this high demand, you can find many hostels and hotels in El Nido to suit every budget.
Luxury (US$100 and Up)
- Lagun Hotel – Rooms come with all mod cons and the plunge pool on the rooftop has a great view.
- MaryGold Beachfront Inn – Beachfront property with breathtaking views.
- Vellago Resort – Superb ocean views from your beautifully spacious room set on a secluded island.
Mid-Range (US$30 to US$100)
- Forest Camp – Chalet style accommodation with magical views of either the sea or mountains.
- Bulskamp Inn – Centrally located with spacious rooms, great WiFi, and close to lots of great restaurants.
- Inngo Tourist Inn – Very quiet, despite its central location.
Budget (Up to $US30)
- Wilnag’s Guest House – Located in the centre of town and only 50m to the beach, there are a variety of cottages available from share rooms to private rooms with A/C.
- Aleston Secret El Nido Hotel – Large double room centrally located in El Nido town proper with breakfast included.
- Bunakidz Lodge – Rooms are basic, but clean and comfortable and within easy walk of all town amenities.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS IN EL NIDO AND MAKE A RESERVATION!
Where We Stayed in El Nido
We stayed at the Relucio Travellers Pension right in the heart of El Nido town proper and right on the water front. We stayed in a clean private A/C room with our own private bathroom, and paid USD$19 per night. This also gave us a beautiful continental breakfast each morning served on the balcony outside our room overlooking the water. We have recommended this place to many other travellers and none of them have been disappointed. If you are travelling on a budget, we cannot recommend this place highly enough.
In Summary: Tour C El Nido Island Hopping
Of all the island hopping tours available in El Nido, Tour C is definitely is one of the most popular of the four. Unfortunately, this does also mean the stops on the itinerary can be very crowded.
The planned stops on the itinerary are simply breathtaking and the beauty of this part of the Philippines never ceases to astound us. If you love perfect snorkelling, then El Nido Tour C is the tour for you!
I hope you find this El Nido Tour C island hopping guide useful to help you make a decision in deciding what tour to do, and in planning your own time in El Nido.
Have you been on an El Nido island hopping tour? Which tour did you like best and why?
If you are considering an El Nido island hopping tour, but also want to know more about Tour A, Tour B or Tour D, check out these articles:
EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOURS – WHICH IS THE BEST ONE FOR YOU?
EL NIDO TOUR A: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
EL NIDO TOUR B: ISLAND HOPPING IN PALAWAN
ISLAND HOPPING IN EL NIDO: TOUR D
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on our affiliates / advertisers links and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but at no extra cost to you. AND, many times, you will receive an offer. Win/win! The products and services we write about and mention are the ones we love. We only recommend items that we feel are of good quality and would be helpful to our readers. While we pay for our travels out of our own pockets, these small commissions do assist in keeping us on the road. Thank you!
