Itineraries
El Nido itinerary: how to spend 3, 4 or 5 days
By the El Nido Private Tours team
Updated:
6 min read
Short answer
How many days do you need?
Most travellers spend 3 to 5 nights in El Nido. Getting there takes most of a day from Manila or Puerto Princesa, so count your full days on the ground, not your nights. If you land in Puerto Princesa, a private van to El Nido leaves when your flight lands. Each island-hopping tour takes a full day, roughly 9am to 4pm, and you need one day of good sea conditions for each.
| Full days | Island-hopping | Also worth it |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Tour A + C combined on one private boat | Sunset from Las Cabanas or a sunset cruise |
| 3 | Tour A, then Tour C | A slow beach day and a sunset cruise |
| 4 | Tour A, Tour C, then Tour B or D | One spare day for weather or rest |
| 5 | Tours A, B, C and D | A spare day, Nacpan Beach, or an island overnight |
3 days in El Nido
- Day 1: Tour A. The lagoons around Miniloc Island: Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon and Shimizu Island. See Tour A.
- Day 2: Tour C. The western islands: Hidden Beach, Secret Beach and Helicopter Island. It crosses the most open water, so it is the one to move if the sea is rough. See Tour C.
- Day 3: Slow day. Nacpan Beach or Las Cabanas, then a private sunset cruise.
4 days in El Nido
Follow the 3-day plan and add Tour B for Snake Island’s sandbar and the caves, or Tour D for calm, sheltered beaches close to town, which suits families with young children. Keep one day unplanned near the middle of your stay so a suspended trip can move rather than disappear.
5 days in El Nido
Five days is enough for all four standard tours, a spare day and a beach day. If you want something different, swap one tour for a private island overnight, or continue to Coron by boat instead of flying. See El Nido to Coron by boat.
Tips for planning your days
- Do Tour A early in your stay. Lagoon visits have daily limits, so an early slot gives you room to try again.
- Check the season. From about June to October, swell cancels more trips. See the best time to visit.
- Mix busy and slow days. A full day in the sun is tiring. A beach day between tours keeps the trip relaxed.
- Book boats ahead in peak season. Christmas, New Year and Holy Week fill up early.
Tell us your dates and we will plan the days around them
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