El Nido 2024 Travel Guide; The BEST Tour in Palawan Philippines • Tour A, B, C, D • Budget Vlog

The most beautiful island in the Philippines. Let's go! Palawan has been voted the most beautiful island in the world. Not only in the Philippines, but in the entire world. And after visiting Palawan five times already, we finally decided to make the ultimate El Nido travel guide so it can help you have the best El Nido trip possible. In this video, we show you the best islands to visit, the best hotels to stay, and the best food to eat. All in the most beautiful island in the world. So let's go! Hey guys, my name is Angelica Wanders and this is Aileen Wanders and we create budget travel guides all around the Philippines. On this channel, we show you our easy to follow itineraries and also our costs and expenses in every trip. So if you want to travel around the Philippines in the easiest and most affordable way possible, then hit that like button and hit that subscribe button because we make videos just for you. We give you the ultimate four-day budget itinerary and also a cost breakdown so you can get an idea of how much an El Nido trip would cost. And also, as a bonus, we're giving away two free island hopping speedboat tours to one lucky winner. So if you want a chance to win a speedboat tour around the most beautiful island on earth, just keep watching until the end of this video. And without further ado, let's explore El Nido, Palawan. First off, let's talk about how to get here. Option one, you can fly directly to El Nido from Manila. The direct flight is much quicker but it's a lot more pricier. Regular fares cost around 10,000 to 14,000 pesos round trip. If you're a budgetarian like I am, you can try option two. Just fly directly to Puerto Princesa from Manila and then take a six-hour van to El Nido. This route does take a bit longer but it's a lot more affordable. Normal flights to Puerto Princesa cost around 3,000 to 4,000 pesos round trip but if you snag a piece of sail, it's only about 1,700 pesos round trip. And the six-hour van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido costs only 700 pesos one way. Either of these two options will get you to El Nido so it just depends on your time and budget. From our personal experience, we always take the longer route and it's pretty simple. The moment you arrive at Puerto Princesa, you can just walk out of the airport and there will be shuttle vans waiting to take you to El Nido town. We highly suggest pre-booking the van in advance so you can secure a seat. We booked our van transfers from our go-to travel agency called Tripadito. The ride was quite long but it was very scenic and quite comfortable. Now, where to stay in El Nido? There are different accommodation options for every budget. For solo travelers, hostels can go as low as 500 pesos per night. For mid-range hotels, prices can range from 1,500 to 2,500 per night. And for higher-end hotels, prices can go up to 15,000 to 20,000 pesos per night. We chose to stay at the Apartments El Nido which is perfect for people who want a more exclusive and spacious stay in El Nido. They've got a pool, unlimited soft-serve ice cream, unlimited espresso coffee, and they also have their own speedboats so you can book your own private speedboat tour. This is perfect for people who want to explore the islands without sharing the boat with a big group of strangers, but I'll get to that later on. For now, let me tour you around our home in El Nido. Check this out. We stayed at their Kudugnon Cave Room which, to my surprise, was actually two floors. It's a loft-type room, 60 square meters in total, and good for four persons. The first floor was a living room slash dining room area with a fully equipped kitchen. Plus, they have a wide set of cooking equipment, kitchenware, and eating utensils. And right alongside their dining area was, of The entire first floor has air conditioning so it's the perfect lounge for chilling after a long day of island hopping. Now let's go upstairs and check out the bedroom. The room also has air conditioning and another flat screen TV with two double beds. And as a bonus, they even include bath ropes for guests who want to be a little extra and get that fancy hotel feel. The bathroom was pretty sleek and they also provide towels, shampoo, and shower gel for their guests as well. Overall, our stay here was really, really comfortable. And let me repeat, very, very spacious. For the price of their rooms along with their speedboat tour costs and food costs, everything will be broken down at the end of this video. And now, it's time to witness what El Nido is known for. Let's go island hopping. But everyone asked the same question. Which island hopping tour should I book and how much does it cost? Well, there are four main island hopping tours in El Nido. Tour A, B, C, and D. So let me show you the differences between each tour along with their costs so it can help you choose which one is the best one for you. Let's begin. First off, Tour A. This is hands down the most popular tour in El Nido. This shows you exactly what El Nido is famous for. The limestone cliffs, the iconic lagoons, and the beautiful snorkeling spots. Tour A is not only great for snorkeling but it's also perfect for kayaking enthusiasts. You can rent a kayak and paddle through beautiful turquoise waters in one of the most popular lagoons, the Big Lagoon. This is one of the best ways to experience the breathtaking beauty of what El Nido is known for. Another one of my favorite stops in this tour is the Seven Commandos Beach because it looks like paradise on earth. The coconut trees provide shade for the tourists which makes it the perfect place for beach bunning. And if you're feeling a little active, maybe get up and play some beach volleyball with some strangers. I'll pop up the list of islands and prices on the screen so feel free to save this video for future reference. Next up, Tour B offers a more relaxed and laid-back experience in El Nido, including breathtaking caves and serene beaches. But one of the main reasons why people book Tour B is because it includes a very unique attraction called Snake Island. But don't worry, despite its name, there aren't any snakes living on this island. Instead, Snake Island is named after its long snake-like sandbar connecting its island to its mainland. So make sure you have your drone ready when you come here. In Tour B, not only can you grab sight of El Nido's famous rock formations, you can actually walk through them and explore the hidden wonders and natural caverns of their majestic caves. Just make sure you watch your head as you move through their rocky passageways. Now for Tour C. This one will take you on a journey to El Nido's world-famous beaches and most popular snorkeling spots. There will be a lot of swimming in this tour, so expect to witness the gorgeous underwater marine life in these crystal-clear waters. One of the most popular attractions on this tour is the Helicopter Island, and it gets its name from its appearance. Although some may think it looks more like a camel or a dinosaur, so you'll have to see it with your own eyes to decide what it looks like for you. Tour C also gives you the opportunity to visit Matinlok Shrine, where you can climb up the top of a limestone cliff and witness a magnificent view that is semi-literally to die for. Take note that Tour C does take you further out into the open sea, where waves can be a little bit stronger. So just put on your life vest for this long boat ride, but trust me, it's pretty safe and the ride is definitely worth it. Last but not least, we have Tour D, and this is the most underrated one out of all of them. Tour D is quite similar to Tour A, with a mix of lagoons and beaches, but this one is a little more quiet and a little less crowded. You get to witness the famous small lagoon along with the under-the-radar Cadlao Lagoon, which in my opinion is one of my favorite lagoons in El Nido, because it's like we had it all to ourselves. The islands of Tour D are actually the closest ones to the mainland, so the tour boat won't take you as far as the other tours do. This makes it a quicker boat ride, perfect for families who don't want to travel too far with elders or young kids. Tour D is definitely the peaceful tour choice, and the best one to take if you want to avoid the crowds. Take note that all island hopping tours include a buffet lunch setup with a delicious assortment of grilled meats, fresh seafood, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Imagine eating a yummy Filipino feast with paradise as your backdrop. This experience makes you feel like you're living the life. Now, it's time to reveal our personal favorite tour. Okay, that's nearly impossible for us because we have favorites in each one. We like the Big Lagoon of Tour A, Snake Island of Tour B, Hidden Beach of Tour C, and the Cadlao Lagoon of Tour D. In my opinion, there is no best tour because they're all truly breathtaking. But if I was a first-timer, I would highly suggest taking Tour A and Tour C. The turquoise waters of Tour A's lagoons are straight out of a fantasy, and the secret beaches of Tour C look like they're straight out of a Hollywood film. However, Tour A and Tour C are indeed the most popular ones, so do expect heavy crowds during weekends and public holidays. But do not disregard the other tours. If you want to witness the majestic caves of Tour B or the uncrowded, peaceful Cadlao Lagoon of Tour D, you can never go wrong with choosing any of these underrated tours. And now for the tour costs. If you're a budgetarian, you can opt to take a joiner tour. This is the most cost-efficient tour because you share the boat with a bunch of other travelers. We booked our island-hopping joiner tour with Tripidito, which is our go-to tour agency in and their service is spectacular. So if you want a hassle-free trip, they also provide all-in El Nido packages inclusive of accommodation, island-hopping tours, land tours, and van transfers. All you need to do is book with them and they take care of everything for you. Another option is if you travel to El Nido with a big group, like with family and friends, I highly suggest booking your own private speedboat tour. You get to visit each island at your own pace, plus it's faster to get from one place to another because you're on a speedboat. I highly recommend booking your speedboat tour with the Apartments El Nido, which is the vacation rental that we're staying at. We got the entire boat to ourselves and we had the choice to stay longer in the islands we love the most. It's so comfortable because you get to manage your own time and don't have to go along schedule with a big group. But how much does the speedboat tour cost? A private speedboat tour costs 16,000, good for 10 persons. So if you're with a group of 10, it comes out to only 1,600 per head. However, if you've booked a room at the Apartments El Nido like we did, you get a special rate of only 12,000 pesos, good for 10 persons. So it comes out to about 1,200 pesos per head. This is an incredible deal if you're traveling with a big group of people. But what if you want to experience the speedboat tour and you're only two persons? Well, good news because they also offer speedboat joiner tours. So you can share the boat with a very small group of other joiners and they fix the price at only 1,999 pesos per head. What's special about their speedboat tours is that they provide beanbag chairs for beach bobbing on the islands, speakers so you could play music on the beach, and they also take out their portable sea pool which they can open up in the middle of the lagoon. As a bonus, they even lend you a GoPro on board which you can use for your underwater shots. And the best part is you're traveling with lesser people so you'll have lesser photobombers in your photos. And guys, when I say you have more freedom on this tour, I truly mean it. We practically had all the islands to ourselves because we reached the islands faster and avoided the bigger groups. We were practically the only ones at Snake Island, the only ones at the Small Lagoon, and the only ones at Cadlao Lagoon. Seriously, our speedboat experience was amazing. And good news, just a little gift for our viewers. We're giving away two free speedboat tour vouchers for one lucky winner. So if you want a chance to win this amazing speedboat tour in Paradise, just stay tuned for the mechanics at the end of this video. Now, let's compare all the tour options and all their costs. First is the big joiner tour for as low as 1,200 per head with Tripedito. This one is the cheapest option. Second is the private speedboat tour for 12,000 to 16,000 good for 10 packs with the Apartments El Nido. This one is the fastest and most exclusive option. And third is the speedboat joiner tour for 1,999 pesos per head with the Apartments El Nido. And this one is the fastest and semi-exclusive option. All of these tours will give you different experiences, but all of them will leave you equally speechless. Everything depends on your budget and the amount of people you travel with. Also, take note that there is a mandatory environmental fee of 200 pesos per person for island hopping around El Nido. This is for environmental projects that aim to effectively preserve and protect the natural habitats around El Nido, so think of this fee as a good thing. This 200 pesos is a separate payment from the cost of your tours, but the ticket is a one-time fee and good for 10 days, so you'll probably only need to pay it once. Just don't lose your ticket or you'll have to buy another one. Island hopping around El Nido is solid proof of why this place is labeled as the most beautiful island in the world. But aside from the beautiful islands, did you know that El Nido town has really, really good food? Check this out. The fact that El Nido has international tourists from all around the world, the town now offers a wide variety of restaurants with different cuisines to choose from. There's Japanese food, Indian food, Ukrainian food, Italian food, Mediterranean food, and the list goes on and on. And guess what? We got a little taste of everything. All different cuisines. We visited a total of 21 different restaurants around town, and it feels like we took a trip around the world just in the little town of El Nido. Due to the influx of tourists, it is true that some of the restaurants in El Nido can be a bit pricey. But don't worry, because with lots of research, we've put together a list of the top 30 best eats and drinks around El Nido, all under 500 pesos. In this separate video, we ordered all of the best-selling dishes, and we give you our 100% honest reviews and unbiased opinions. We also give you the costs and prices per dish, so you can budget your own El Nido food trip with your friends. Guys, 30 eats under 500 pesos. This video will help you save money on your next El Nido food trip. So don't forget to watch our El Nido food guide, which is up on our YouTube channel, if you want to eat the best of the best food in El Nido without breaking the bank. Now, for the ultimate 4-day sample itinerary and budget breakdown. Feel free to save this video or screenshot this for future reference. So for day one, this will be your arrival to El Nido. And since this is a budget itinerary, let's say you snagged a peso sale and got a flight to Puerto Princesa for 1,700 pesos roundtrip from Manila. And after that six-hour van, you can explore town, maybe eat some really good food, and then call it a night. The total estimated cost for day one would be 3,550 pesos per head. On day two, this can be an island hopping tour. You can choose either tour A, B, C, or D. And this tour would be from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. And then just grab some dinner after the tour and then call it a night. The total estimated cost for day two would be 2,400 pesos per head. On day three, this can be another island hopping tour just like yesterday. And the total estimated cost for day three would be 2,600 pesos per head. On day four, this would be the time to travel back to Puerto Princesa and grab a flight back to Manila. So you can start the day with some breakfast and then walk around town to grab a quick lunch before taking the six-hour van back to the airport. The total estimated cost for day four would be 1,200 pesos per head. So if you add all that together, the four-day, three-night budget El Nido trip would be around 9,750 pesos per head. This is inclusive of flight, hotel, food, transpo, and island hopping. And just a disclaimer, this cost breakdown is considering you snagged a piece of sale and you also booked budget accommodations and tours with Tripidito. However, as I mentioned earlier, we booked our room with the apartment's El Nido because we were craving kind of a classy and exclusive feel. Our Cudugnon cave room cost 14,000 pesos per night and it was a loft type room with our own kitchen, living room, dining room, and of course that pretty pool right outside. Yes, the price may come at a higher end rate compared to a budget hotel, but the price definitely reflects on the five-star quality, comfort, and service that you get. Also, if you're traveling with a big group, I would also say to go for the apartment El Nido's private speedboat tour. It really allowed us to experience El Nido at our own pace and Kuya Bong from the apartment staff, along with all the boatmen from the speedboat, they really took care of us. They truly live up to their saying, we'll take you there fast so you can take it slow. And you're gonna want to take your time because just look at this. Now as I mentioned earlier, we're giving away two free speedboat joiner tour vouchers to one lucky winner and the mechanics are really simple. All you need to do is number one, like and follow the apartments El Nido on their social media accounts. Number two, like and follow Angelica and Aileen Wanders on our social media accounts. And lastly, just comment down below the words never stop wandering around El Nido and we'll choose a lucky winner at random. The deadline for submission is on June 29, 2024 and there is no limit to commenting, so comment away. We'll be announcing the winner on July 1st, so make sure you're following all of these accounts so you will see if you were the one chosen. On this channel, we teach you how to save money when traveling, how to make money when traveling, how to book cheap flights, and just a whole lot of travel hacks. So if this travel guide helped you in any way, please hit that like button and hit that subscribe button. Also, comment down below if you have any questions about El Nido. We'll do our best to reply to every single comment, so don't be afraid to ask. Well, that's it for today. We hope you enjoyed this travel guide and we hope you enjoy your trip to El Nido. This is Angelica and Aileen Wanders. Never stop wandering.