El Nido Tour A – Big Lagoon Premium Tour (Private / Shared)

Big Lagoon is the reason to book this day on the water. Dark limestone cliffs rise around narrow, clear blue-green channels, creating the sort of scenery that can look almost unreal. You can swim, snorkel, and kayak here, although the required lagoon fee is extra.

I like the mix of five very different stops and the included picnic lunch, fruit, drinking water, life jacket, and boat transport. I also like that the crew can adjust Payong-Payong Beach for weather, rather than forcing a stop in rough conditions. My main concern is the unclear private versus shared format, plus several reports of denied hotel pickup and cramped boats.

Key points to know before booking

• Big Lagoon gets the best scenery: Plan your expectations around the dark cliffs, narrow waterway, and bright water that make this stop special.
• Five stops fill roughly seven hours: You get beaches, snorkeling spots, a cave entrance, and lagoon scenery rather than one long beach break.
• Extra charges add up: Pay PHP 200 for Big Lagoon, PHP 400 for the environmental fee, and PHP 150 for a snorkeling mask if you need one.
• Private and shared wording needs checking: The activity is described as private, but the title and some booking experiences suggest that the exact boat arrangement may vary.
• Pickup is not guaranteed for every hotel: Confirm your pickup point before the day of the tour, especially if you are staying outside central El Nido.
• The weather can change the plan: Payong-Payong Beach may be replaced, and poor weather can lead to a new date or refund.

Why Big Lagoon is the main event

El Nido’s famous karst scenery is at its best around Big Lagoon. The waterway is narrow and enclosed by tall, dark limestone walls, with bright water cutting through the rock. The setting feels more dramatic than a standard beach stop, and the hour and a half scheduled here gives you time to take in the view rather than rush straight back to the boat.

You can swim, snorkel, or kayak in the lagoon. Kayaking is included only with the private tour, so confirm your booking type if paddling is important to you. A kayak lets you move at your own pace through the calm water and look up at the cliff faces without the noise and movement of a boat beneath you.

Big Lagoon is not fully included in the advertised price. You pay a PHP 200 admission charge per person, and the PHP 400 environmental fee applies for five days. That environmental fee can be useful if you plan other El Nido island trips during the same period, but it still makes the real cost higher than the headline price.

The schedule gives Big Lagoon 1 hour 30 minutes, the longest single stop. That is sensible. You have enough time for photos, water activities, and the scenery, but the lagoon can feel busy when several boats arrive together. If you are choosing this tour mainly for a quiet paddle, ask how early the boat leaves and how the private or shared arrangement works.

Shimizu Island brings the classic beach break

Shimizu Island offers the familiar El Nido combination of powdery white sand, clear water, forest, and limestone views. The stop lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes, so it is not just a quick photo stop. You can swim in shallow turquoise water, rest on the beach, and snorkel in the area.

This is likely to be the most relaxed part of your day. Big Lagoon is about cliffs and enclosed water, while Shimizu Island gives you open beach time and a chance to dry off between water activities. The combination helps keep the tour from feeling like five versions of the same stop.

Snorkeling equipment is not included. A mask costs PHP 150 per person, or you can bring your own if you have one. The tour does provide life jackets, but the information does not say that fins or other snorkeling gear are supplied, so do not assume a full equipment set is waiting on the boat.

Lunch is served during the day and includes fruit, with seafood and pork or chicken available according to the booking experience. The food has received positive comments for variety and taste, though one account described the portions as limited. Think of it as a practical picnic lunch, not a restaurant meal.

Payong-Payong Beach depends on the weather

Payong-Payong Beach is scheduled for about an hour. It is described as a scenic place for rest and snorkeling, with clean water and a quiet beach setting. This is the stop where you should keep your expectations flexible.

The tour may skip Payong-Payong if conditions are not suitable. In that case, the crew will take you to another spot for snorkeling in El Nido’s clear water. That change can be disappointing if you chose the tour for this exact beach, but weather-based changes are sensible on a boat day.

I like the fact that the schedule openly allows a substitute. A fixed promise can sound attractive at booking time, but it is less useful if wind or waves make a beach uncomfortable. Bring a dry change of clothes and protect your phone, since the day moves between beaches, boats, and water activities.

Secret Lagoon requires a small cave entrance

Secret Lagoon is the most unusual stop in the lineup. You reach the hidden water area through a small cave, then spend about an hour sightseeing. The entrance itself is part of the appeal, since it gives the stop a little more character than a simple beach landing.

The cave access also means this is not the easiest place to rush through with bulky belongings. Keep your valuables secure and follow the guide’s instructions as you enter. The supplied information does not give details about the cave’s size, water depth, or access conditions, so you should be ready for a narrow passage rather than expecting a broad entrance.

This stop gives the day some variety. You have the open views of Shimizu Island, the cliff-lined water of Big Lagoon, and then a more enclosed setting at Secret Lagoon. The hour is enough to see the site without allowing it to take over the whole trip.

Seven Commando Beach ends the day gently

Seven Commando Beach is the final stop, with about an hour for scenery and a beach break. Expect white sand, clear turquoise water, palm trees, rock formations, and a beach bar. After a full day of swimming and boat transfers, the relaxed setting makes a useful final pause.

This is not presented as the main snorkeling stop. Its appeal is the combination of sand, palms, water, and a place to sit. You can enjoy the view, swim, or simply let the day slow down before returning to El Nido’s floating dock.

The beach bar is worth noting because any purchases there are not included in the package. The included drinking water and lunch cover the basics, but carry some money if you want anything beyond the supplied meal and purified water.

The boat, guide, and private package need careful checking

The package includes hotel pickup, boat transport, an experienced crew, a licensed guide, a life jacket, purified water, and a picnic lunch with fruit. On a private booking, a kayak is included as well. These inclusions make the $40 per person starting price look reasonable at first glance, especially for a seven-hour day with five stops.

The strongest praise has gone to the crew’s attention. Guide Jerry is specifically noted for helping everyone have a good day, and the driver and boat crew have also been described as attentive. That matters on a boat trip because a good crew affects the small details: moving people between stops, helping with equipment, and keeping the day organized.

The trouble comes from the wording around the boat arrangement. The product is presented as private, yet the title includes private and shared, and some booking experiences describe a shared trip with a cramped boat. Another account said the boat was not as comfortable as those used by other operators.

For that reason, I would ask one direct question before paying: Is the boat reserved only for my group, and what happens if the booking is placed on a shared boat? The answer matters more than the label. A private boat gives you more control over timing and more room for a kayak, while a shared boat may offer less flexibility.

Hotel pickup also needs confirmation. Pickup is offered, but some accommodations have been treated as too far from the central pickup area, even when they appeared in the pickup selection. If your hotel is outside central El Nido, confirm the exact meeting point and whether you need to arrange your own short ride to the dock.

The real price is higher than $40

At $40 per person, the tour can be good value if you want a full day that combines transport, a guide, lunch, water, and five major El Nido stops. You are not paying separately for each boat transfer, and you avoid having to organize the route yourself.

Budget for the mandatory extras:

• Big Lagoon admission: PHP 200 per person
• Environmental fee: PHP 400 per person, valid for five days
• Snorkeling mask: PHP 150 per person if needed

That adds PHP 600 before the mask, or PHP 750 if you rent one. Kayaking is included only on the private option, so check the package details rather than assuming it comes with every booking.

The value depends heavily on the boat setup. If you receive a genuinely private boat, hotel pickup works as promised, and kayaking matters to you, the package may justify the price. If the trip becomes a shared outing with limited room and no useful pickup, the same price looks less attractive because local operators may offer similar routes at lower rates.

One booking account described paying more than double the price available from operators in town. I would not treat that as proof that this particular price is always poor, since convenience, advance booking, pickup, and online payment can carry a premium. Still, compare the final price, not just the advertised $40, and ask what private means before committing.

Timing and weather can shape the day

The experience lasts about seven hours, but the exact start time may change. One booking was promoted with an 8:00 a.m. start, then the departure time was changed to match weather conditions. That kind of update can affect your plans, especially if you are connecting to another activity or arriving in El Nido the same morning.

An earlier start can help you reach the lagoons before some later boats, but the operator may adjust the schedule for safe and favorable conditions. Confirm the departure time shortly before the trip and leave room in your plans for a change.

Poor weather can cancel the outing. In that case, you are offered another date or a full refund. For any other cancellation or amendment, the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed. That is a strict rule, so do not book this as a casual placeholder while waiting to decide on your wider El Nido schedule.

The route itself can also change at Payong-Payong Beach because of weather. This is normal for a boat excursion, but it is worth remembering that the exact five-stop day is not guaranteed in rough conditions.

Who will enjoy this El Nido day

I would choose this tour if you want to see the main sights in one organized outing and prefer having boat transport, lunch, water, and a guide arranged together. It suits people who want a full mix of cliffs, beaches, snorkeling, and a cave rather than a single slow beach day.

It also works well for a group that can confirm a private boat and use the included kayak. Families and mixed groups may appreciate the range of activities, since one person can swim while another rests on the beach or takes photos.

I would be more cautious if you need guaranteed hotel pickup, a quiet boat, or strict control over departure time. The private versus shared wording and the pickup complaints are not minor details. They can change the feel and value of the entire day.

The tour is described as suitable for most people, but some activities involve swimming, snorkeling, and moving through a small cave. If those conditions are not comfortable for you, the beach and sightseeing portions still offer options, but the information does not promise a separate non-swimming program.

Should you book El Nido Tour A?

Book it if Big Lagoon is your priority and you want the convenience of a planned seven-hour route through El Nido’s major sights. The scenery is the real payoff, Jerry has been singled out for attentive guiding, and the lunch, water, life jacket, and boat transport keep the day simple.

Before booking, confirm three things in writing: your exact pickup point, whether your boat is fully private, and whether the kayak is included in your selected package. Add PHP 600 to the advertised price for the lagoon and environmental fees, and another PHP 150 if you need a mask.

I would call this a potentially worthwhile tour, but not a blind bargain. The route is excellent, yet the boat comfort, pickup service, and private arrangement appear to matter greatly. If the provider answers those questions clearly, this is a practical way to see El Nido’s best water scenery in one day.

FAQ

How long does El Nido Tour A last?

The experience lasts approximately seven hours.

Which places does the tour visit?

The planned stops are Big Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Payong-Payong Beach, Secret Lagoon, and Seven Commando Beach.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel pickup is included, but pickup availability can depend on your hotel’s location. Some accommodations outside central El Nido may require a separate meeting point.

Is the boat private?

The activity information describes it as a private tour for your group, but the title refers to private and shared options. Confirm the exact boat arrangement before booking.

Is kayaking included?

Kayaking is included for the private tour only.

What fees are not included?

Big Lagoon admission costs PHP 200 per person. The environmental fee is PHP 400 per person and remains valid for five days. A snorkeling mask costs PHP 150 per person.

Is lunch provided?

Yes. The package includes a picnic lunch with fruit, along with purified water.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you can receive a different date or a full refund. Payong-Payong Beach may also be replaced by another snorkeling location when conditions require it.