El Nido is a picturesque city in Palawan, and it’s no wonder that it is flooded with tourists! During the day you’ll find that the heart of the city is quite empty as boat tours and island hopping are in full swing! By night the streets are packed and everyone is enjoying their night away in this tropical paradise. Wondering what fun things there are to do in El Nido? Read on!
Go on a Private Boat Tour
One of the most popular things to do in El Nido is to join a boat tour. You’ll have PLENTY of tour agencies to choose from while you’re here. If you go with a regular boat tour, you’ll likely choose between 4 different tours named A, B, C, D. Now while these are decent options, they boats are usually quite full and the locations they take you are packed with others tourists. For a little extra $$ hiring a private boat tour is what you want to do! You’ll have a boat to yourself, skip the crowds, and have an unforgettable day on the water!
The Flexibility of your own Private Boat Tour!
Our private boat tour took us to beautiful locations and most of the time we had these locations to ourselves. It was one of the best day trips that have ever experienced and at 8000php for our group of 3 we were extremely happy with our knowledgeable and friendly boat captain and crew! We went snorkelling, kayaking, had lunch on the water, and also helped clean up the ocean as we found some areas with litter.
El Nido does a great job limiting plastic bottle consumption while on the ocean, as it is not permitted to have any plastic bottles on board. We learned that this law came into effect about 5 years ago. We were surprised at one of our snorkelling sights as we found many plastic bottles littering the shallow ocean bottom. We joined with the captain and his small crew to pick up what we could and take the plastic away in order to properly dispose of it. It was certainly an eye opening experience to see first hand the waste in the ocean.
Travel Tip: If you go on a boat tour you’ll have to get an Eco Tourism Pass. This pass will cost you 200php and is a necessary purchase if you go on a boat tour. Just check with your boat tour agency/boat captain on of they will purchase it on your behalf or if you are responsible for picking it up. We picked up our own and the stand was located right on the beach near the MaryGold Beachfront Inn.
Go Scuba Diving
El Nido has beautiful waters and marine life and what better way than to see them up close! I was all set to go, but my cold and congestion said otherwise. Luckily Ru and his friend got to experience two dives and came back with epic stories about seeing whitetip and reef sharks, cuttlefish, and sea turtles! They were very happy about diving with the Ranmarc Dive Center and approved this recommendation!
Have a Relaxing Beach Day
El Nido has beautiful clear waters, beautiful sunny weather, and a beautiful sandy shore. A layout on the beach certainly is a great way to spend a few hours.
While the sun is out, you’ll certainly want to spend your time either on, in, or near the water! El Nido has beautiful sandy shores, stunning clear waters, and great marine life for diving! There are many fun things to do in El Nido, it truly offers something for everyone!
