Visiting the Philippines (El Nido) was my first time back in Asia since 2017 when I went to Thailand. This trip was my second time traveling with my longtime IG friend (and boss) Saba. I also traveled with a new friend, Kayla, who is a talented photographer, and business coach.
Saba and Kayla met me in El Nido after a retreat they went to in Bali, Indonesia. With a total of seven days, we spent our entire time in the municipality located on Palawan Island.
Below, I’m sharing where to eat, play and stay in El Nido, Palawan.
What to know before going
I typically don’t include a section like this on my eat, play, and stay posts. However, there are some things I wanted to inform you about El Nido before you go.
- Infrastructure is still being developed: There is a lot of construction and unpaved roads in, and around, the town. So expect to encounter bumpy roads and development happening around.
- Water quality is poor: Only brush your teeth with bottled water! Every hotel will, and should, provide this for you daily. Or, they’ll have filtered water fountains around their property to refill bottles. When dining out, ensure the restaurant uses filtered water in its ice before ordering beverages.
- Cash is king: Almost every place we went to only accepted cash, including the island hopping tours and one of our hotels. So be sure to take out money before arriving. There are ATMs in El Nido town, but some run out of cash so keep that in mind.
- Power outages are common: Most hotels have generators to combat this problem but expect power outages at sporadic times. At our first hotel, the power went out but only lasted two minutes, tops. Most hotels will also notify you of power outages when booking.
Getting to El Nido from Manila
There are a couple of options here, including:
- Flying to Puerto Princesa: There are a few airlines that go to Puerto Princesa, and from there you’ll take a van to El Nido. However, just note that the ride to El Nido can range from 5-7 hours depending on traveling.
- Flying directly to El Nido: The Lio Airport serves the El Nido area and is the quickest way to get to the municipality. Since Airswift is the only airline flying to Lio airport, prices are a little pricier than flying into Puerto Princesa. Also, because of this, flights sell out fairly quickly so buy your tickets in advance.
Where to stay
Bahala Na Villas
A legit paradise in El Nido offering eight 2-bedroom villas with a private pool, fully equipped kitchen, and more. There are many things I loved about my stay here from the aesthetics, to the impeccable customer service. In fact, I was so sad to leave this property. Breakfast is included during your stay, which is delivered to your room on a floating tray. So you can have the infamous floating breakfast in the plunge pool.
Through Bahala, you can book tours, in-room massages, and order dinner from a nearby restaurant (86’d Gourmet). You can communicate with Bahala at their front desk, or through Whatsapp (their response time is VERY quick).
Charlie’s El Nido
There are many things I love about Charlie’s, from the plunge pools to the yoga studio, it’s a true oasis. The customer service was flawless, they’ll help you book tours, massages on-site, laundry service, and much more. I got massages daily because they were cheap and relaxing after the island hopping tours!
They have a restaurant and bar with an extensive (and delicious) menu. You can try traditional Filipino cuisine and drinks like chicken adobo, halo-halo, and calamansi. Or eat American food like chicken wings, a burger, or a brownie.
I also loved their gift shop, filtered water foundations around the hotel, and free shuttle service into El Nido town. They truly thought of everything at Charlie’s.
Where to play
Island Hopping
Obviously, the main thing you’ll probably do in El Nido is island hopping. There are four main tours (A, B, C, and D) you can go on. Each tour runs every day from 9 am-4 pm and includes lunch. Outside of the tour price, you’ll also have to pay a one-time environmental fee that’s valid for 10 days.
I did tours A, B, and C, and tour A was (hands down) my favorite. However, I’d highly suggest doing a couple of tours during your time because each provides a different vibe.
Go shopping
El Nido town is the place to go for all your shopping and souvenir needs. There will be tons of people walking around trying to sell you goods (e.g. sunglasses, dry bags, and more).
Get a massage
There are many spas and wellness centers to get a massage in (and around) El Nido. Like most SEA countries, the massages in the Philippines are cheap and amazing! The most I paid was $18 for an hour-and-a-half full body massage. Most hotels also offer massages in-room and/or have a designated area to get them. In fact, both hotels I stayed in provided them.
Where to eat
There are tons of restaurants to choose from in El Nido town, from authentic Filipino and Thai to Italian and American cuisines. I honestly, ate most of my meals at the hotels I stayed at since they both offered free breakfast. Also, after island hopping all day, it was convenient to eat dinner at the hotel after showering and unwinding.
Although I rarely ate at restaurants, I did, however, try one place in El Nido town:
Dayo Cafe
The perfect brunch spot offering traditional Filipino dishes and brunch classics. This includes omelets, chicken adobo, halo-halo, souffle pancakes, chicken and waffles, and egg benedicts. I tried their souffle pancakes with Ube ice cream and lemonade mint slushy, which were both delicious! Dayo Cafe also provides vegan dishes (e.g. vegan coconut matcha pancakes with hibiscus syrup and vegan tofu scrambled)
This restaurant has two levels, which provide enough space to dine in, and they only accept cash.
