The Philippines' most celebrated island chain opens its turquoise lagoons and limestone sea caves to island-hoppers from October to May, with beach parties running at El Nido's main strip and a dive season that doubles as a nightlife circuit.
Palawan is the long island province stretching southwest from Manila towards Borneo, with Puerto Princesa in the centre, Coron in the north, and El Nido at the northern tip. The Bacuit Archipelago around El Nido holds 45 islands and dozens of lagoons, sea caves, and coral reefs. The underground river at Puerto Princesa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The entire province was named the world's best island by multiple travel publications for consecutive years in the 2010s, and the infrastructure has adjusted accordingly: El Nido now has a functioning tourist economy with hostels, dive shops, bars, and an airport.
Island hopping is the central activity. The standard tours from El Nido run four routes, each visiting a different cluster of islands and lagoons. Tour A covers the Big Lagoon and Secret Lagoon; Tour C covers the Shimizu Island reef and Helicopter Island; Tours B and D cover the hidden beaches and Matinloc Shrine. Most tours include a beach barbecue lunch on a private island. The beach party scene in El Nido concentrates on Calle Hama, the main street, where a strip of open-air bars running reggae, RnB, and acoustic sets operates from around 7pm until 1am.
Party hostels within reach of 's main celebrations. Ranked by guest rating.
Day-by-day breakdown
El Nido town sits in a bay backed by limestone cliffs. The main beach, Playa de Corong, is in front of the main street and swimming-accessible at high tide. Calle Hama is the main street: 300 metres of bars, restaurants, travel agencies, and dive shops. Book island hopping tours on arrival — the tour boats depart from the beach at 8am and need advance booking. Most tour operators offer all four routes for 3,500–4,500 PHP combined.
Tour A covers the iconic Big Lagoon (entered by kayak between limestone walls) and Secret Lagoon (a hidden pool accessible through a low rock gap at low tide). Shimizu Island reef is often included. Boats depart the main beach at 8am. Bring snorkelling gear, a dry bag for your phone, and sun protection. The tour includes a beach barbecue lunch on a private beach, typically Papaya Beach or similar.
Tour C covers Helicopter Island (the island that looks like a helicopter from above), the Matinloc Shrine cove, and the Hidden Beach. Evening: the bars on Calle Hama build from 8pm. Republica Sunset Bar and the Happiness Beach Bar are the two most reliably busy spots. A bottle of San Miguel beer costs 65–80 PHP. Live acoustic sets run most evenings; the DJ nights are Thursday and Saturday.
Nacpan Beach, 17 kilometres north of El Nido, is a 4-kilometre sweep of pale sand accessible by habal-habal (motorbike taxi) for 300 PHP return. The beach is less crowded than the El Nido town beaches and the swimming is better. A ferry to Coron departs El Nido daily at 8am (2D Travel, 1,200–1,800 PHP, 4–5 hours).