El Nido Guide
El Nido is famously known as the gateway to the beautiful limestone islands located in the Bacuit archipelago. Whilst most visitors are here to embark on boat trips and island hopping tours, the town itself has a quirky chilled-out vibe. It’s easy to get around by foot and is buzzing with great dining options, relaxed bars and boho chic boutiques. This guide serves as an introduction to this beautiful corner of the earth and covers what to do in the town as well as out at sea.
Canopy Walk
For beautiful views overlooking the town and the bay, head to Canopy Walk. Safety precautions are taken very seriously and you’ll be asked to where a helmet and harness to embark on the short walk to the summit, but it’s a really easy walk considering the impressive view.
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Las Cabañas Beach
Everyone is heading to Las Cabañas for sunset. Flop onto a beanbag at one of the mellow beach bars and order a homemade piña colada made with fresh pineapple and coconut milk. It’s hard not to have a smile on your face as your foot taps along to the feel-good tunes blasting out from the speakers.
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Taraw Cliff
If you prefer to work for your view, then you can hike to the highest limestone karst in El Nido. It’s a challenging two-hour ascent to reach the top, but the views are worth every drop of sweat shed.
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Nacpan Beach
This beach is a bit of a drive out of town, however you’ll be rewarded with a much quieter beach for making the effort. Grab a coconut and beach chair and let the afternoon pass you by as you listen to the crashing waves.
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Big Lagoon
This is where most of the iconic photos of El Nido were probably taken. Crystal clear waters turn to deep emerald shades as you sail deeper and deeper into the lagoon. We ate our lunch on deck inside the Big Lagoon and it was easily the most scenic place I’ve ever eaten lunch.
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Cadlao Lagoon
Cadlao Lagoon is a peaceful oasis away from the popular tour boat routes, which is suprising considering how breathtaking it is. The shallow waters glisten like turquoise-tiled pools and limestone rocks jut out.
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Hire a boat
There are plenty of group boat trips on offer in El Nido, but we found it much better to hire a private boat and plan our own route. The difference in price is not as big as you might think, we only paid an additional £32 for the private boat with lunch included. It was so much more intimate being taken to secret beaches without a soul around and limestone islands where no other boats were docked.
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Snorkeling
The islands surrounding El Nido are home to beautiful underwater life with colourful coral and exotic fish. Make sure to pack your snorkeling mask when heading out on your boat trip, or you can easily borrow one from the friendly crew.
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Happiness
I usually feel guilty eating anything other than the cuisine of the country I’m visiting, but at Happiness I felt no guilt at all. The food served inside is a dream for any lover of Middle-Eastern food. On the menu you’ll find dreamy hummus, flavourful falafel and spicy shakshuka. If you like things extra hot, ask for zhoug on the side but be warned that it is blow-you-head-off spicy!
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Other dining options
For the best pizza outside of Naples, head to Altrove where everything is cooked to order using their wood-fired oven. The queue snaking down the street must be a good sign! For Italian and Greek food with a beautiful view over the harbour, opt for Mezzanine.
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Laura says:
April 10, 2017 at 4:56 pm
Your pictures are SO beautiful! El Nido looks pretty much like paradise too – I’d love to visit one day.
I also love that that restaurant is called Happiness, so cute! x
Laura // Middle of Adventure