El Nido Island Tour D

El Nido Island Tour D trades the busiest island-hopping route for five stops that feel more peaceful, including Small Lagoon and Cadlao Lagoon, two of Palawan’s signature limestone-framed water sites. I like the chance to swim, snorkel, sunbathe, eat lunch, and even play volleyball without packing separate plans for the day.

I also like the price: $22 per person covers the boat, guide, permit, life vest, picnic lunch, and pickup within El Nido Town. The main catch is timing. You meet at 8:30am, may wait until the boat leaves between 9:00am and 10:00am, and the boat may be smaller than those used by other operators.

Key points to know before booking

• Five destinations in one day: Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Bukal Beach, and Pasandigan Beach are all included.
• Small Lagoon costs extra to explore by kayak: Kayak rental is 300 pesos per hour, and it is not included in the $22 price.
• Expect a late-morning departure window: Coast Guard clearance controls the boat dispatch, so the advertised start is not a guaranteed sailing time.
• The route can feel quieter than Tours A and C: This makes Tour D appealing if you prefer less crowded stops.
• Lunch and basic equipment are included: You receive a picnic lunch, life vest, boat permit, and licensed guide.
• There are several extra charges: A 400-peso environmental fee and 200-peso lagoon fee are collected at the booking office.

Why Tour D is worth considering in El Nido

El Nido is famous for pale beaches and towering limestone cliffs, but the feel of a boat day changes sharply from one route to another. Tour D is a good choice if you want the famous rock scenery with a quieter rhythm than the better-known Tour A route.

The day is built around five stops rather than one long stay at a single beach. Each visit lasts about 40 to 50 minutes, which gives you time to swim, take photos, sit on the sand, or look around without turning the whole day into a race. You will still need to watch the clock, though. Five destinations in eight hours means every stop has a clear limit.

The licensed guide is available if you need help, and the tour operates in English or Tagalog. That matters when you are getting on and off the boat, handling a life vest, finding the lunch area, or checking where snorkeling is allowed.

Meeting at 8:30am, then waiting for the boat

The meeting point is the Cliffside Travel and Tours booking office beside El Nido Cliffside Cottages. You should arrive before 8:30am, even though the boat itself may not leave until sometime between 9:00am and 10:00am.

That gap is caused by Coast Guard clearance. It is a normal part of the morning schedule as presented here, but you should treat the eight-hour duration as a flexible estimate rather than a minute-by-minute promise. The boat reaches the first stop about 20 to 30 minutes after departure.

Hotel pickup is included within El Nido Town only. If you are staying outside town, do not assume the same pickup service applies. Confirm the meeting arrangement before booking, since the office is the stated starting point.

One practical note comes from the way this tour operates: you may meet at the office, walk or travel as a group to El Nido Town Beach, and then wait before boarding. One past booking described roughly 30 minutes of waiting at the beach. If you dislike standing around in the morning, bring water, sun protection, and patience.

Small Lagoon: the day’s main extra-cost choice

Small Lagoon is likely to be the stop that shapes your decision about Tour D. The site combines steep limestone walls with calm water and a small beach where you can stop when renting a kayak.

Kayaking costs 300 pesos per hour and is paid separately. The tour price does not include it, so bring enough Philippine pesos if paddling through the lagoon is important to you. The boat package includes a life vest and guide, but not the kayak or snorkeling mask.

You can also enjoy Small Lagoon without renting a kayak, depending on the day’s arrangements and the guide’s instructions. The key point is that the kayak is an optional add-on, not part of the advertised $22 price. If you want to keep spending controlled, decide in advance if the extra charge is worth it.

A 200-peso lagoon fee is also collected at the booking office. That fee is separate from the kayak rental and the 400-peso environmental fee, so the final cost is higher than the headline price.

Cadlao Lagoon and the limestone views

Cadlao Lagoon brings another dose of El Nido’s most recognizable scenery: pale rock walls rising around clear water. The value here is visual as much as physical. You get the kind of setting that makes the boat ride worthwhile, even if you spend much of the stop taking photos and swimming near the boat.

Your stay is expected to last around 40 to 50 minutes. That is enough for a short swim and a look around, but not enough for a slow, unhurried afternoon. Listen carefully when the guide gives the return time. The boat must keep moving to reach the remaining beaches.

The two lagoon stops also show why Tour D is not simply a beach-hopping trip. The lagoons give the day a more enclosed, cliff-framed character, while the beach stops offer open sand, sun, and room for easy swimming.

Paradise Beach, Bukal Beach, and Pasandigan Beach

The three beach stops give the itinerary its variety. Paradise Beach is included as one of the named destinations, followed by Bukal Beach and Pasandigan Beach. Each visit is short enough that you should think of them as separate pauses rather than full beach days.

At these beaches, you can swim, sunbathe, snorkel, or simply sit on the sand. Volleyball is also listed as an activity, and one stop may have a restaurant. The exact order of the beaches and the lunch location can vary with the day’s operation, so do not plan around eating at one particular site.

This part of the tour suits you if you enjoy moving between several scenic places. You can see more of the El Nido area in one outing and compare different beaches instead of spending the whole day in one cove.

The tradeoff is time. Forty minutes can pass quickly once you account for getting off the boat, finding a safe place for your belongings, swimming, and returning before departure. I would choose one main activity at each beach rather than trying to snorkel, swim, photograph everything, and play volleyball at every stop.

Lunch, snorkeling, and the pace of the day

A picnic lunch is included and is served at one of the islands. That keeps the day simple and saves you from arranging a separate meal between stops.

The lunch is useful, but the amount may not satisfy every appetite. One past booking found the meal less generous than lunches on other island tours. If you normally need a substantial midday meal, carry a small snack that can handle heat and boat travel.

Snorkeling is available, but the mask rental is not included. You can rent a snorkeling mask at the beach during boat dispatch, according to the tour details. Ask about the price before taking one, since the cost is not listed here.

The boat experience itself deserves attention. One past booking found the boat small and less comfortable than other boats, with restrictions on sitting on the benches. That may not happen every day, but it is a useful reason to keep expectations practical. Tour D’s appeal is the route and the scenery, not a luxury boat ride.

What the $22 price really covers

At $22 per person, Tour D is priced as a basic, full-day island outing rather than a private charter. The included items have real value:

• Boat transportation for the island route
• Licensed tour guide
• Life vest
• Boat permit
• Picnic lunch
• Free pickup within El Nido Town

You still need to budget for the 400-peso environmental fee and 200-peso lagoon fee. Kayaking at Small Lagoon costs 300 pesos per hour, and snorkeling equipment is rented separately.

That makes the tour good value if you want a ready-made day with transport, lunch, and a guide. It is less attractive if you want every activity included in one payment. One past booking specifically preferred paying more upfront rather than being asked to pay extra for kayaking at the lagoon.

The $22 price also does not guarantee the exact route in every case. One booking was changed from Tour D to Tour A shortly after confirmation. That replacement route was described as more crowded and did not visit the places originally selected. If Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, or the three named beaches are the reason you are booking, confirm the route again before departure.

Crowds, comfort, and guide service

Tour D’s strongest practical advantage is that it can be less crowded than Tours A and C. That matters in El Nido, where a beautiful beach feels very different when several boats arrive at once.

A quieter route gives you more breathing room for photos and swimming. It may also make the short 40 to 50 minute stops feel less rushed. Still, crowd levels depend on the date, weather, Coast Guard clearance, and how many boats are operating.

The service is not guaranteed to feel polished on every departure. One past booking praised the tour staff and called the guides cool, while another found the staff less welcoming and the guides less engaging than on earlier trips. I would expect functional assistance and route guidance, but not necessarily a highly animated, performance-style guide.

The guide speaks English or Tagalog and is available for assistance. That is enough for the practical needs of the day, especially when boarding, snorkeling, swimming, eating, and returning to the boat. If lively storytelling is your top priority, you may want to ask the booking office how many people will be on your boat and who will lead it.

The return to El Nido Beach

The boat returns to El Nido Beach, with the tour ending between about 3:00pm and 5:00pm. That broad window is important if you have dinner reservations, an evening ferry, or another timed activity.

Do not book a tight connection after this tour. The late departure window, Coast Guard clearance, changing sea conditions, and five-stop route all make the finish flexible. The same timing also lets the tour adapt to the day’s operating conditions.

By the end, you will have spent most of the day moving between lagoons and beaches, with a lunch break and time for swimming or snorkeling. It is a full outing, not a quick morning cruise.

Who will enjoy Tour D most

I would recommend Tour D to you if:

• You want five destinations in one island-hopping day.
• You prefer a route that may be quieter than Tours A and C.
• You are happy with a simple boat, shared service, and flexible timing.
• You want lunch and basic equipment included.
• You like choosing between swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, volleyball, and kayaking.
• You are staying within El Nido Town and can reach the booking office by 8:30am.

I would be more cautious if you need a guaranteed route, a generous lunch, a larger boat, or a polished guide with lots of commentary. You should also reconsider if you have a strict afternoon schedule or dislike extra charges for popular activities.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Palawan plans are still shifting, but they do not remove the need to confirm the route and departure details.

Should you book El Nido Island Tour D?

Book Tour D if your priority is seeing Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, and three beaches in one reasonably priced day, with a chance of fewer crowds than the more common routes. The scenery is the main reward, and the included lunch, guide, permit, and boat make the base price attractive.

Before paying, ask two direct questions: Is Tour D definitely operating on your date, and what extra fees and rentals should you expect? If the operator can confirm the route, Tour D is a sensible choice for an active day around El Nido’s limestone cliffs and beaches.

If you need comfort, a larger meal, or certainty that kayaking is included, this is not the strongest fit. For most independent visitors who can accept flexible timing and a few add-on costs, however, it offers a lot of Palawan scenery for the money.

FAQ

How long does El Nido Island Tour D last?

The tour duration is about eight hours. It usually ends between 3:00pm and 5:00pm, depending on the departure time and the day’s operation.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at the Cliffside Travel and Tours booking office beside El Nido Cliffside Cottages. You should arrive before 8:30am.

When does the boat leave?

Boat dispatch is between 9:00am and 10:00am, depending on Coast Guard clearance. The boat ride to the first destination takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Which destinations are included?

Tour D includes Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Bukal Beach, and Pasandigan Beach.

Is kayaking included in the tour price?

No. Kayak rental is available at Small Lagoon for 300 pesos per hour.

What extra fees are not included?

A 400-peso environmental fee and a 200-peso lagoon fee are collected at the booking office. Snorkeling mask rental is also separate.

Is hotel pickup available?

Free hotel pickup is available within El Nido Town only. The tour ends at El Nido Beach, and the guide speaks English or Tagalog.