El Nido Island Hopping Tour A with Lunch

Beautiful water, simple choices, real island time. El Nido Tour A combines white-sand beaches, clear swimming spots, a lagoon, lunch, and boat transfers for about $24 per person. I like the generous meal and the helpful crew, with guides such as Ariel earning special praise for attentive service. I also like the option of seeing the islands in a less crowded order.

The main catch is the extra cost. You may pay for the environmental fee, lagoon access, kayaking, snorkeling gear, and aqua shoes after booking. The boat can also involve chest-high water when boarding, and the day may feel disorganized at busy stops. Still, for a full day on Palawan’s coast, this is a strong-value outing if you arrive prepared.

Key things to know before booking

• Five island stops: The tour is built around five islands, with a mix of beaches, lagoons, caves, or coves depending on the selected option.
• Secret Lagoon is the visual highlight: You reach a white beach and enter a small lagoon hidden inside the island.
• Lunch is a real part of the experience: Expect rice, fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken, and pork, with vegan meals arranged in at least some cases.
• Extra fees can change the budget: The environmental fee is listed at ₱400 per person, while Big Lagoon access costs ₱200 and kayaking costs ₱350.
• A maximum of 30 people: This is a shared boat tour, not a private outing, so timing and crowd levels matter.
• Boat boarding may be wet: Be ready to wade through water, sometimes as high as the chest, to reach the boat ladder.

What El Nido Tour A actually offers

El Nido Tour A is a classic full-day island outing from downtown El Nido. You meet at Mabuhay Sports Bar at 9:00 a.m., then spend roughly six to eight hours moving between beaches, lagoons, and limestone islands before returning to the same meeting point.

For about $24, the basic package includes boat transfers, a local guide, and lunch. That is a good starting price for a day on the water, especially since round-trip transport from central El Nido is included. You are not simply paying for a boat ride. The price also covers the guiding, the shared trip structure, and a meal served during the day.

The tour description presents three related options. One focuses on hidden beaches and shrines, another on lagoons and beaches, and another on caves and coves. The itinerary supplied for this Tour A includes Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, and Seven Commando Beach, while the broader Tour A program is described as visiting five islands.

That difference matters. Before you pay, confirm the exact five stops for your chosen departure. Island tours can adjust their route based on weather, boat traffic, and local conditions. The named stops give you a clear picture of the day, but they may not tell the whole route.

Starting at Mabuhay Sports Bar at 9:00 a.m.

The meeting point is Mabuhay Sports Bar in downtown El Nido. The tour ends there too, which makes the arrangement easy if you are staying in the central area. The experience is also near public transportation, so you do not need to arrange a complicated transfer across town.

The departure time is practical but not early enough to guarantee empty beaches. El Nido’s famous stops can get crowded, particularly during good weather. One useful detail is that the crew may run the route in reverse order from other boats. When that happens, you can reach some stops before the main rush.

Do not expect a quiet private cruise. The maximum group size is 30 people, and the boat is shared. That can mean a lively ride, less flexibility at each stop, and some waiting when people are boarding or moving between the boat and shore. It also keeps the price low.

Boarding deserves attention. One particularly blunt account described wading through chest-high water to reach the ladder. Conditions can change with the tide, but you should protect phones, wallets, and cameras in a waterproof bag. Wear clothing that can get wet, and do not assume your first step onto the boat will be dry.

Secret Lagoon, a short walk into the island

Secret Lagoon is scheduled for about 30 minutes. The setting begins with a pristine white beach and clear water, then shifts to the small lagoon hidden within the island.

The appeal is the contrast. From the open beach, you move toward an enclosed pocket of water surrounded by limestone. It is a compact stop, so the visit is less about spending a long afternoon swimming and more about seeing one of El Nido’s unusual natural formations.

The 30-minute schedule is enough for a look, some photographs, and a quick swim if conditions allow. It may feel rushed if the entrance is crowded or if you want to linger on the beach. This is one reason comfortable footwear helps, especially if the route to the lagoon is wet or uneven.

Secret Lagoon can also create one of the day’s extra charges. Big Lagoon and Secret Lagoon are separate places, but the supplied cost details list a Big Lagoon user fee of ₱200 and a kayak rental of ₱350. Confirm which lagoon your route includes and which fee applies before handing over cash. The environmental fee is listed separately at ₱400 per person.

Shimizu Island for shade and swimming

Shimizu Island is another 30-minute stop, but its character is more relaxed. The white-sand beach is lined with lush trees, giving you a place to sit in the shade between swims.

The water is clear and suitable for swimming. You can also use this stop to slow down after the boat ride, take photographs, or simply enjoy the view without trying to fit too much into a short visit.

Thirty minutes goes quickly. If you want to swim, take pictures, and find shade, choose one priority before stepping off the boat. The beach is not presented as a long, quiet beach break. It is a brief island visit within a busy route.

This stop also shows why the included lunch and shared boat matter. You are not responsible for finding food on a remote beach, and the guide helps keep the group moving. The trade-off is that you follow the day’s timetable rather than your own.

Seven Commando Beach, the longest listed stop

Seven Commando Beach receives about one hour, making it the most generous of the three named stops. Its limestone mountain and thick greenery create a dramatic setting, while the beach gives you time to swim and refresh.

I would save your energy for this stop. After two short visits, an hour gives you room to enjoy the water instead of rushing straight back to the boat. If you prefer beach time to quick photo stops, Seven Commando is likely to be the most satisfying part of the listed route.

The same practical warning applies: the beach may be busy, and the tour is shared. You might find more people arriving from other boats at the same time. The crew’s route choice can help, but it cannot guarantee an empty beach.

The phrase Seven Commandos refers to a local wartime story, but no historical interpretation is promised as part of this experience. Expect scenery and beach time first, not a formal history tour.

Lunch is one of the strongest reasons to choose this tour

The meal receives unusually warm praise. The spread can include rice, fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken, and pork, giving you more than a basic packed lunch. Several accounts describe the food as delicious and generously presented.

That matters on a six to eight-hour boat outing. You need a proper meal, and buying food at each beach would be inconvenient or impossible. The lunch also adds a social moment to the day, with the group eating together before returning to the water.

Vegetarian and vegan needs require care. A vegan option was arranged for at least one booking, but you should state your dietary requirement clearly when booking and confirm it at the meeting point. Do not assume a special meal will appear without notice.

Lunch is included, but drinks and any personal snacks are not listed among the inclusions. Because the day is long, carrying water in a secure container is sensible. Keep it in a bag that can handle spray and wet boarding.

Snorkeling, kayaking, and the cost of extras

The tour description highlights free snorkel equipment rentals, but the itemized exclusions list snorkeling equipment at ₱150 per person. That is an important inconsistency. Ask the operator which policy applies to your departure before you rely on included equipment.

A Big Lagoon visit may require a separate ₱200 user fee. Kayaks are listed at ₱350 per person, and aqua shoes are available to rent for ₱150. These costs are not large individually, but they can push a low advertised price noticeably higher.

The environmental fee is listed at ₱400 per person. One unhappy booking experience involved confusion over this charge and the lagoon fee. The operator explained that the ₱400 payment covered a ₱200 environmental fee plus a ₱200 lagoon user fee, but the written cost information supplied here lists the environmental fee itself as ₱400.

The practical lesson is simple: ask for a full breakdown before the boat leaves. Confirm the environmental fee, lagoon charge, kayak price, snorkeling equipment, and aqua shoes. Keep small Philippine peso notes available if possible.

You do not need every extra. If you are happy swimming from the beach, you can skip the kayak. If your footwear is sturdy and comfortable, you may not need aqua shoes. Snorkeling gear is worthwhile if the route includes a good reef stop, but the actual conditions depend on the day and the selected route.

Guides and crew can shape the whole day

The most consistently praised part of the service is the crew. Guides are described as friendly, helpful, attentive, and service-minded. Ariel is singled out for being especially attentive, while the crew connected with LoveLynne Tours received strong praise for organizing the day and caring for the group.

The named provider for this experience is Corazon Travel and Tours, so confirm the operating crew at booking. Tour arrangements in El Nido can involve local partners, and the guide’s name may not be known until the day itself.

Good crew service is valuable on an island tour because small problems are common. You may need help boarding, carrying gear, finding the lagoon entrance, or sorting out lunch. A calm guide can make a shared boat feel far easier.

The service is not always perfectly organized. One account described the tour as disorganized but still praised the crew’s kindness and willingness to help. I would expect a functional group outing rather than a clockwork operation. Build patience into your day.

Who will get the most from this $24 tour

This tour suits you if you want to see several famous El Nido sights in one day without arranging a private boat. It is also a good fit if you value a substantial lunch, hotel-area convenience, and a guide who helps manage the route.

Families and mixed groups may like the range of activities. One person can swim, another can photograph the limestone cliffs, and another can simply rest in the shade. Most people can participate, according to the supplied information, but wet boarding and boat movement can still be tiring.

It is less suited to you if you dislike crowds, need a slow pace, or want complete control over each stop. A private charter would offer more freedom, but it would not match this price.

Strong swimmers should still take care. Clear water does not remove the need to follow local instructions. If you are not comfortable kayaking, do not pay for a kayak simply because it is available. One account found the kayaking portion less enjoyable because the participant was not a kayaker.

Timing, weather, and cancellation

Plan for six to eight hours, not a short half-day outing. The 9:00 a.m. start and return to Mabuhay Sports Bar make the day easy to fit into a wider El Nido schedule, but you should avoid booking an evening commitment too close to the expected return.

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather cancels the trip, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead are not accepted for a refund.

That policy is fair for a weather-dependent boat trip, but check the forecast before your final day. Keep your schedule flexible if the sea looks unsettled.

Is El Nido Tour A worth booking?

I would book it if you want a low-cost introduction to El Nido’s beaches and lagoons, especially with lunch and boat transfers included. The scenery is the main attraction, but the meal and the crew service improve the value. A helpful guide such as Ariel can make a real difference when boarding, eating, and moving through crowded stops.

Book with your eyes open about the extras. Confirm the environmental fee, lagoon fee, kayak rental, snorkeling equipment, and aqua shoes before departure. Also prepare for wet boarding, a group of up to 30 people, and a day that may run closer to eight hours than six.

Choose this tour for variety and value, not solitude. If you want a smooth, affordable day that covers several well-known El Nido sights, it is a sensible choice. If you want an unhurried beach day or a private route, spend more for a private boat instead.

FAQ

How long does El Nido Island Hopping Tour A last?

The tour lasts approximately six to eight hours. It begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends back at Mabuhay Sports Bar in downtown El Nido.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The meeting point is Mabuhay Sports Bar in El Nido, Palawan. The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

What is included in the tour price?

Lunch, a local guide, and boat transfers are included. Round-trip transport from downtown El Nido is also included.

What fees are not included?

The listed exclusions include a ₱400 environmental fee per person, a ₱200 Big Lagoon user fee, kayak rental at ₱350 per person, snorkeling equipment at ₱150 per person, and aqua shoes at ₱150 per person.

How many people can join the boat?

The maximum group size is 30 people. This is a shared group experience rather than a private tour.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather causes the operator to cancel, you are offered another date or a full refund.