You can fly straight to El Nido, landing at the airport in the Lio area, or fly into Puerto Princesa and continue by road. Flight routes do change, so check with the airline before you book. Our guide on how to get to El Nido covers the routes from Manila, Clark and Cebu.

The airport is about 5 km from town, around 15–20 minutes by tricycle. Expect to pay around PHP 300 per ride as of 2026, and agree the fare with the driver before you set off. If you’d rather take the Lio Beach Shuttle, you’ll need to walk to Lio Beach first, about 15 minutes on foot from the airport. Our El Nido Lio Airport guide covers transfers and what’s inside the terminal.

The dry season runs from December to May and the rainy season from June to November. Crowds follow a slightly different calendar (peak season is November to April, crowds start to ease in May and low season is June to October), so November can bring both late rains and the start of the busy season. Typhoons vary from year to year, so check the forecast a few days before you arrive, and see our guide on when to visit El Nido for more.

Shared tours cost PHP 1,500 for Tour A or Tour D, PHP 1,600 for Tour B and PHP 1,700 for Tour C (2026 prices), all with lunch included, and these are standard rates across El Nido. Tour A includes Big Lagoon and Tour D includes Small Lagoon. Both lagoons charge a PHP 200 per-person fee (free for children under 6), and kayak hire is extra. Tours A and C tend to be busier while B and D are quieter, and our El Nido island-hopping guide walks you through all four routes.

The ETDF is PHP 400 for ages 14 and over, PHP 250 for ages 6–13 and free for children under 6, and one receipt is valid for 5 days. If you book your next tour with a different operator within those 5 days, ask your original operator for the receipt (or a photo of it) so you aren’t charged again. Our Tour A guide also covers the fees you’ll pay on top of the tour price.

Yes, bring some. On island-hopping days, small vendor boats come alongside selling snacks and beer (you can pay when you’re back on your boat), and you’ll want small notes to tip your guide at the end. Tricycle rides within town usually cost PHP 50–100, and our island-hopping guide has a packing list for your day on the boat.

Stay in El Nido Town if you want bars on your doorstep, as the main bars are along Hama Walking Street. Lio is quieter, with no real nightlife: it’s about 5 km (around 15 minutes) from town, roughly PHP 300 by tricycle, and there’s also a Lio Beach Shuttle, which as far as we know is currently free, with a pick-up point in town that you can find on Google Maps. Our guide to where to stay in El Nido compares the areas by type of trip.

Boats only go out once the coast guard clears them on the day, and a typhoon usually means trips are cancelled. Refund rules differ between operators: with H Hospitality Travel & Tours, a weather cancellation gets you a full refund or a new date, but the ETDF, government-collected fees and payment processing charges are non-refundable. On a wet day in town, a massage is an easy plan (an hour at H Signature Spa starts from PHP 1,500), and our rainy-day guide has more indoor ideas.