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El Nido

El Nido is the primary base for exploring Palawan’s star attraction, the stunning Bacuit Archipelago. Tiny swiftlets build edible nests out of saliva in the immense limestone cliffs that surround the town proper – hence the name, El Nido (nest in Spanish). The town proper has an ordinary beach, but is home to an emerging restaurant and bar scene. Brooding Cadlao Island looms just offshore.

Many visitors prefer to stay in communities outside the town proper. Nearby options include Corong Corong, a long, narrow beach to the south that faces Bacuit Bay; or Caalan, a rocky strip of quiet resorts immediately to the north. Further afield, more and more resorts are sprouting along El Nido's beautiful north coastline, in places like Nacpan Beach and the east coast villages of San Fernando and Sibaltan.

Explore El Nido

  • Nacpan Beach

    For an easy day trip out of El Nido, head north by tricycle or motorbike to this incredible, golden-hued, 3km-long beach. Development has arrived in…

  • Duli Beach

    This incredibly beautiful, jungle-backed, stretch of golden sand toward the northern tip of mainland Palawan is the centre of El Nido's surfing community…

  • M

    Maremegmeg Beach

    Often called Las Cabanas Beach after a local resort, this is the closest nice beach to El Nido and has a rockin' sunset bar scene centred around Beach…

  • B

    Balay Cuyonon

    You can take a guided tour of this complex of well-preserved traditional Cuyonon houses to learn about ordinary village life. Consider a night in a native…

  • L

    Lio Beach

    The wealthy Ayala conglomerate, in conjunction with Ten Knots Travel, are developing this wide white-sand beach 7km north of El Nido proper into a swanky…

  • N

    Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls

    From a signpost on the National Hwy 3km south of the Nacpan Beach turn-off, it’s a 40-minute walk through several rivers to these gentle falls, with a…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout El Nido.

  • See

    Nacpan Beach

    For an easy day trip out of El Nido, head north by tricycle or motorbike to this incredible, golden-hued, 3km-long beach. Development has arrived in…

  • See

    Duli Beach

    This incredibly beautiful, jungle-backed, stretch of golden sand toward the northern tip of mainland Palawan is the centre of El Nido's surfing community…

  • See

    Maremegmeg Beach

    Often called Las Cabanas Beach after a local resort, this is the closest nice beach to El Nido and has a rockin' sunset bar scene centred around Beach…

  • See

    Balay Cuyonon

    You can take a guided tour of this complex of well-preserved traditional Cuyonon houses to learn about ordinary village life. Consider a night in a native…

  • See

    Lio Beach

    The wealthy Ayala conglomerate, in conjunction with Ten Knots Travel, are developing this wide white-sand beach 7km north of El Nido proper into a swanky…

  • See

    Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls

    From a signpost on the National Hwy 3km south of the Nacpan Beach turn-off, it’s a 40-minute walk through several rivers to these gentle falls, with a…

Guidebooks

Learn more about El Nido

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