INTRODUCTION TO EL NIDO
El Nido is a true tropical paradise. This is the only destination in the Philippines that made the list of CNN’s “25 of the Most Beautiful Places Around the World”
El Nido is part of the beautiful province of Palawan with fine white powder beaches and crystal clear waters. Off the coast of El Nido are majestic karst limestone formations, empty lagoons, marble cliffs, prehistoric caves and waterfalls. How much beauty can you fit in one place ?
The name El Nido is derived from the edible bird’s nest made by swiftlets called “Balinsasayaw”, which used in making the expensive delicacy “nido soup”
WHERE IS EL NIDO ?
El Nido can be found to the North of the main island of Palawan which is to the far West of the Philippines.
HOW TO GET TO EL NIDO BY AIR
El Nido has a private airport owned by Air Swift, which operates a number of flights a day between El Nido, Manila, Clark, Cebu and Coron. Unfortunately, as there is no real competition from the other main local carriers, the price of flights are usually a little bit higher than to other destinations in the Philippines. But the up side to this is that you will land right in the heart of El Nido and can be in the centre of the resort in no time at all.
For those of us who are more price conscious, the other option is to fly into Puerto Princesa and get a van to take you to El Nido, although this takes around 4 hours, but for those of you who can keep awake there is some beautiful scenery along the way.
SEARCH EL NIDO FLIGHTS
You can search and book the cheapest flights to El Nido or Puerto Princesa in the search engine below. It searches hundreds of airlines to get you the best deal.
HOW TO GET TO EL NIDO BY FERRY
There are no direct ferries from Manila to El Nido, but if you really want to travel on the water then you can get a ferry to Coron and then another to El Nido. However this is a long trip and if you take into account the transfers you are looking at the best part of a day to get there.
For those looking for a 2 centre holiday then a great option is to get the fast ferry from Coron to El Nido which takes around 4 hours
Details of all the ferries and prices can be found at
WHERE TO STAY IN EL NIDO
El Nido was probably regarded as one of the most ‘exclusive’ destinations in the Philippines, as the only aiport is private and doesn’t give access to the main dometic carriers. But things are changing and as more people are visiting the area, the accommodation choices are growing. You have the option of staying ‘in town’ or staying at one of the beautiful beach locations and El Nido again caters to those looking for luxury places to stay and also to those more budget conscious.
Matinloc Resort
Cauayan Island Resort
El Nido Garden Beach Resort
Cuna Hotel
Outpost Beach Hostel
El Gordo's Adventures and Guest house
EL NIDO HOTEL SEARCH
If the above choices don’t meet your needs then please use the search box below to take you directly to Agoda’s site. We have been using Agoda for a number of years, and they always provide a quality service at guaranteed lowest prices, in addition to AgodaCash where you can earn cash on every booking to spend on future trips.
WHERE TO EAT IN EL NIDO
El Nido is a great place to eat, with choices available to meet even the most fussy of customers. As with other beach destinations in the Philippines, the seafood is fresh and superb. For those of you on a budget you can get great local fast food and pizzas.
Here is a list of our favorite restaurants in El Nido, but there are plenty more and our advice is to explore and if you find a good one not mentioned, please let us know and we will be happy to add to the list.
Vellago Restaurant & Beachbar
The Nesting Table
Bella Vita El Nido
EL NIDO DAY TRIPS
This is a selection of excursions available in El Nido that you won’t want to miss. You can also see further trips in our Tours and Day Trips section