El Nido is one of those places where the landscape almost doesn’t look real. Massive limestone cliffs rise directly from incredibly clear turquoise water, with beaches and lagoons hidden between them. Much of the experience is about exploring the area by boat, kayaking through the lagoons and discovering different beaches and islands along the way. It is simply one of the most beautiful tropical landscapes I have ever seen.
Visiting El Nido was one of the greatest beach escapes I have ever done. I am usually a bit “hesitant” to do beach trips, not because I don’t like them, but because there is always this feeling that you can find beautiful beaches in many other parts of the world. I normally prefer to experience other cultural aspects, especially coming from a sunny country with thousands of kilometers of coastline. That being said, the Philippines is a whole different level when it comes to pristine and beautiful beaches.
Let´s start by putting together all my landscape format videos into one, 10 minutes of amazing memories for inspiration 😉
I keep saying this in all my video attempts. El Nido beauty was not simply in their beaches, but all the surroundings that are everything but boring. This post is mainly a visual one, with some fun facts to remember later the actual places I visited, but mainly, I just want to remember how beautiful every corner was.
How El Nido ended up on my radar
El Nido? Not long ago, a paradise like this was not even on my mental radar. My curiosity to visit new countries in Southeast Asia brought my attention to the Philippines, and after just some basic research, I could not believe the landscapes I was seeing, even just in photos.
Still, Indonesia was “first in line”, so I never realistically thought I would make it to the Philippines in 2026. Then certain things in life happened… and there you go!
Spoiler! There will be several lagoons!
Island Hopping in El Nido
With so many islands, beaches and lagoons around El Nido, island hopping is naturally the main way to explore the area. The most common options are known simply as Tours A, B, C and D, each covering a different combination of highlights. Tour A is probably the most popular, especially if you only have one day, as it includes the famous Big Lagoon among other stops.
I chose Tours A and C, which gave me a great mix of lagoons, beaches, snorkeling and those incredible limestone landscapes. For Tour A, I decided to hire a private boat, mainly because I wanted to leave very early and reach the Big Lagoon before the crowds. For Tour C, I joined a regular group tour instead. Both experiences were quite different, and I’m glad I did it that way.
Most of the island hopping is done on the traditional Filipino bangka, the characteristic outrigger boats that quickly became part of the El Nido scenery themselves.
The Big Lagoon
The Big Lagoon was one of the places I was looking forward to the most before visiting El Nido. It is one of its most famous sights, and after seeing so many photos of those massive limestone cliffs surrounding turquoise water, I definitely had high expectations. And yes, it delivered! What I didn’t know yet was that El Nido would surprise me with other places that I found just as impressive — or perhaps even more.
The best way to explore the lagoon is by kayak, entering through a narrow passage before the landscape gradually opens up around you. Being surrounded by those enormous cliffs while paddling through incredibly clear water is quite an experience
Expert advice? Hiring a private boat and leaving El Nido at 6:30 am to get there around 7 am was absolutely worth the investment — and the early wake-up! I had the lagoon almost to myself before most of the Tour A boats arrived. Since I really value having some space, especially for photography and simply enjoying the place in peace, I definitely recommend it.
What amazed me the most was how much the colors changed depending on the sunlight, the depth of the water and whether you were paddling right next to the towering cliffs or through the more open parts of the lagoon. The place almost feels like it changes as you move through it.
The reflections on the water, especially captured with the craziness of 360 camera still blows my mind! The picuture below makes me feel happy every time, I swear. (just me?)
The water is so clear and so still, by the end of the lagoon you can clearly see the corals, it´s amazing!
More photos! This is what I mean by the different colors you get to experience in the same lagoon.
The Big Lagoon from every possible angle… because one picture was definitely not enough! 😉
The Secret Lagoon
This place also blew my mind! And strangely enough, it was not even the actual Secret Lagoon that impressed me the most, but the beach and landscape just outside it. This was another stop on my private Tour A, so I had the luxury of deciding how much time I wanted to spend here — and this was definitely a place where I was in no hurry to leave
I remember telling the guide: “It’s one of the most beautiful spots I have seen in my life!” And he looked at me like… OK… 😅 I swear! He was very nice, but let’s just say he did not look particularly impressed by my revelation. I guess that happens when you live in paradise… 😉
The Secret Lagoon really is hidden. When you arrive, you cannot see it from the beach because it is completely surrounded by huge limestone cliffs. The only way in is through a tiny opening in the rock, which you have to squeeze through to reach the water inside. I was told that depending on the tide and conditions, getting through can be much more difficult. Based on how small that opening already looked to me, going through it underwater would have been a big NO!
I borrowed a drone picture, and it just confirms why I was so astonished by this place. The almost circular lagoon on the left is the famous Secret Lagoon. It looks completely surrounded by huge cliffs because… it is!
The Secret Lagoon is pretty wild. You have to crawl through a small hole in a giant rock wall. Inside, you find a hidden pool surrounded by huge cliffs. It feels like a secret room made of stone. The water is cool and shallow. It is a very unique and adventurous spot.
But again, the best part for me was not the Secret Lagoon itself, but the beaches outside. The cliffs divide the coastline in a way that makes it feel like three secluded beaches right next to each other.
Choosing just one picture is clearly not an option, so sharing more of my favorite views!
Any wishes to visit yet? 😉 Well, there is still a lot more!
The small lagoon
I did warn about the several lagoons names!
Our boat arrived early, and I was literally the first one to get off, so I grabbed the first kayak… and the rest is history!
The Small Lagoon has a different feeling from the Big Lagoon. You enter by paddling through a narrow gap between the limestone cliffs, and once inside, everything feels much more enclosed and intimate. The water was incredibly calm, and being there before it became busy made the experience even better.
This was one of those places where having a kayak and some time to yourself was really all I needed. Just paddle, stop, look around… and take far too many photos.
Some video version, sometimes I still don´t believe it.
Hidden Beach
And apparently the beaches were not going to make the names any easier… 😉 (Tropical place problems!)
Hidden Beach was another incredible stop on Tour C. What impressed me the most here was actually the approach from the boat: huge dark limestone formations, a small beach hidden between them and an almost unreal combination of green vegetation and incredibly clear water.
The different shades of green in the sea were particularly beautiful, especially with the coral and shallow water visible below. This was another place where simply looking around from the boat was already part of the experience.
This area was also one of our snorkeling stops. The boat stayed quite far from the shore, so I simply jumped into the water with my Insta360 and started swimming towards Hidden Beach. There were some fish and coral along the way, although for me this was definitely not the best snorkeling spot of the trip.
What impressed me much more was the view from the water. There were quite a few people near the beach at the time, so I actually enjoyed staying farther away, where you could really appreciate the scale of the huge cliffs, the green vegetation and those incredible colors in the sea. Sometimes the distant view is even better!
Finally, some evidence “finding the secret beach”, which was funny because my boat accessed directly on the side of the beach. But it was still fun to cross on the oppossite direction, and then come back and imagine you are surprised by the beautiful beach 😉
Honestly, I would totally sell it that way if I was Filipino. It is cool!
Helicopter Island
Helicopter Island gets its name from its unusual shape, which from a distance is said to resemble a helicopter. With its long sandy beach, clear water and the limestone cliffs covered in vegetation, it was another one of those places where the landscape itself was enough.
This was the final stop of my Tour C and another unexpected favorite by the end of the day.
After a full day of exploring, swimming and being on the boat, it was the perfect place to slow down, walk along the beach and simply enjoy the scenery for a while before heading back to El Nido.
Matinloc Island
Matinloc Shrine was another stop on Tour C, located on a beautiful island surrounded by the dramatic limestone cliffs and clear waters that seem to be everywhere around El Nido. The shrine itself is an abandoned religious site, but to be fair, that was almost secondary for me.
What I really remember is the setting. The combination of the cliffs, vegetation, turquoise water and views around the island was absolutely beautiful. Once again, El Nido managed to make the actual “attraction” almost irrelevant compared with the landscape surrounding it.
Anti-fan fuct: In this place I had to swim to the shore, my water bag was likely not properly sealed.. and that caused a nightmare going forward with my technology hehe. My phone, my drone died, ughh… yeah sometimes bad things happen in paradise. The worst? For sure the drone. Ever since I am extra careful with my high tech and water!
Talisay Beach
Talisay Beach was another gorgeous stop during my private Tour A. It is a popular place for the boat tours to stop for lunch, but I had opted out of having a full meal prepared for me and brought something very basic instead — cookies or something equally exciting! 😉 I preferred to use the time to swim, explore and enjoy the beach.
There were quite a few people around when I arrived, but this was one of those places where I was happy to be patient. Little by little, the tour groups started leaving and the beach became much quieter. I stayed longer simply because it was too beautiful to rush away from — another advantage of having the boat to myself and being able to decide when it was time to move on.
John Ervin, that was the name of my private boat. Bangkas are definitely part of the picturesque landscape, from cozy small boats for a few people like this one, to the bigger ones intended for bigger groups. Simplicity, luxury, etc but once again, for me the real luxury was everything surrounding the boat, everwhere you looked 😉
My best independent kayaking ever!
By now, I have mentioned doing kayaking during the boar tours but these were all accessed on site when reaching the lagoons, but this version I am about to share is different. I cannot stress this enough: renting a kayak in El Nido, more specifically in the Corong Corong area, was one of the best things I did there!
The map below shows the coasline and the different beaches you can go to, starting from Corong Corong area. The map shows my hotel and the beaches. It may not give the sense of distance but it´s a cool memory for me
I know I am biased because it is no secret that I love kayaking. But you really don’t need to be as enthusiastic about it as I am. Think of the kayak simply as your own private means of transportation: it gets you to incredible beaches at your own pace, you can stay as long as you want, wait for people to leave (if there are any!), stop wherever you feel like… and basically have complete freedom. Plus, renting a kayak for the entire day cost me around 5 euros. Nothing!
I stopped at every beautiful beach I found along the way, and apparently I was the only one that day who decided to keep going a little further… until eventually my tired arms started suggesting it might be a good idea to turn around. 😉
Lapus Lapus Beach
The first small beach was only around 25 minutes away by kayak, which by my standards is still nothing. I had been advised to avoid crossing open water and instead follow the coastline as much as possible. With good weather, doing that made the route quite straightforward.
I was wearing a life vest the whole time when kayaking. It felt a little mehh when everything was calm, but it was the responsible thing to do especially when kayaking alone. The water was delicious and warm, which I have not emphasized a lot.
Perhaps paradise is simply a place where you wish time would stop
Papaya Beach
Bonus point for the name!
Continuing along the coast, Papaya Beach was another beautiful stop on my kayaking route. Small, peaceful and surrounded by that typical El Nido scenery, it was exactly the kind of place that made having my own kayak so worth it. I could simply pull it onto the beach, stay for as long as I wanted and leave whenever I felt like continuing.
Every time I stopped, there were maximum 2 other kayakers. I visited right after Easter week so it was not the highest season either, but still they told me there were not as many tourists as other years. While the war was not in this region, it was the time with a lot of uncertainty with the fuel prices affecting aviation (2026)
Seven Comandos Beach
When I first passed Seven Commandos Beach, there were a lot of people arriving with the day tours. I still enjoyed seeing all the activity from the water, but since I had the freedom to choose… I just continued paddling.
On my way back, it was a completely different place. The tour boats were gone, the afternoon sunlight was softer, and I could finally “park” my kayak on the beach. I ended up sharing this long beach with maybe four people — and a dog.
I met a Spanish couple there who told me I was very brave for kayaking the route alone. Haha. They had a double kayak and were already tired, so I was like… OK, thanks! 😉 We actually spoke in English for a while before realizing they were Spanish and I was Mexican. Not the first time that has happened!.
Something I mentioned briefly was the presence of dogs in some beaches or at least those closer to human activity, not that many but it was always interesting to share their paradise. One pic above captured it!
Ipil Ipil Beach
My last stop.. before paddling all the way back!
By this point, there were no other kayakers or people around. Scary? At the time, not really. Retrospectively… maybe a little. 😉 Not because I felt the area was dangerous, but spending a full day kayaking alone does require some confidence in your skills — and in your ability to keep paddling in that heat.
Still, just a fun fact, because I would totally do it again!
Getting back with low tide
Fun fact: Depending on the tide, the water can recede quite a bit, so you might end up getting out and pushing your own kayak for a while. 😉
I was so tired by then that I actually tried asking for help… but there was no one nearby. ;( So, one last push and off I went!
Insta 360 kayak gallery
To close this inspiring kayaking day, some selection of my Insta360 selfies while on the kayak!
No more kayaks in this post 😉 Promise!
Lovely sunsets
What kind of paradise would be complete without a great sunset? The best part was being able to enjoy this directly from my modest beachfront accommodation. Staying around 15 minutes away from the busy and crazy town center turned out to be an excellent trade-off.
“Sunsets are proof that endings can often be beautiful too.” — Beau Taplin
I was incredibly lucky with the weather during my whole week in the Philippines, which also meant amazing sunsets almost every evening. So blessed!
Beaches in El Nido
El Nido is famous for its island-hopping tours, and for me that is really where the magic of the place was: the huge limestone cliffs, lagoons, kayaking, snorkeling and all those incredible beaches accessible by boat. But there are also several beaches on the mainland if you want a different and more relaxed experience.
One of the best known is Lio Beach, with resorts, restaurants and a more developed, higher-end atmosphere. I actually thought I would have time to visit it… but instead I spent a full day kayaking and beach hopping. ZERO regrets! So, I owe you the pictures from Lio. 😉
There is also a beach directly in El Nido town, right next to the area where all the island-hopping boats depart. Around departure and arrival times, with dozens of boats and hundreds of people, it doesn’t look particularly inviting. But I passed by again at a quieter time before leaving and was surprised by how nice it actually was without all the fuss.
Still, the places I explored by boat and kayak were much more my style: raw, beautiful, sometimes almost empty, and with little more than sand, palm trees and those incredible cliffs around you. Exactly what I wanted.
For someone with more time — or simply looking for a less adventurous few days — there are definitely options to enjoy El Nido without spending every day jumping on a boat or kayak.
El Nido ended up being much more than the beach destination I was initially hesitant to prioritize. Between the lagoons, cliffs, kayaking and those almost unreal colors, it became one of the highlights of the entire trip. And yes… apparently sometimes a beach trip is absolutely worth it. 😉
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