El Nido Island Tour D

Five lagoons, one unforgettable day. El Nido Island Tour D is a smart way to see limestone cliffs and white-sand coves without overthinking it, and I really like the excellent tour service and the variety across Small Lagoon through Pasandigan Beach. The one thing to watch is that the boat can feel small and seating can be more structured than you might expect, so plan for a tighter ride than the bigger, more relaxed outings.

This is a great format for first-timers in Palawan because you get multiple water stops in an 8-hour day, plus time for swimming and snorkeling. You also get a picnic lunch served at one of the islands, which keeps the schedule moving instead of turning into a snack hunt.

If you care about kayaking, budget ahead, too. Kayak rental is only mentioned for Small Lagoon, and it is priced separately, along with the extra environmental and lagoon fees collected at the booking office.

Key Things That Make Tour D Worth Your Time

• Five destinations in one loop: Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Bukal Beach, Pasandigan Beach
• Big scenery, not just one beach: limestone cliffs plus multiple swim and snorkel-worthy stops
• Service that stays on your side: a licensed tour guide is available if you need help
• A practical midday break: picnic lunch is served during the tour
• More breathing room than the most crowded loops: this one tends to be less packed than the biggest sellers
• Extra costs are real, but manageable: environmental fee and lagoon fee are collected separately

Getting Oriented: Meeting Point, Timing, and the Day Flow

Tour D runs as a classic island-hopping half-tourday turned full-day. You meet the team at the Cliffside Travel and Tours booking office beside El Nido Cliffside Cottages, and you should be there before 8:30am. The guide meet-up happens there first, then the boat dispatch goes out from El Nido town beach sometime between 9:00am and 10:00am depending on Coast Guard clearance.

Here’s why this matters: with coast guard timing, you do not want to show up late or you risk missing the instructions that help the day go smoothly. Once the boat leaves, travel between the first stops is typically short, about 20 to 30 minutes to the first destination.

After that, the pace is built around short, energizing visits. You usually get about 40 to 50 minutes at each destination. That is enough time to swim, snorkel, take photos, and move on without feeling like you are waiting all day for one view.

The tour ends around 3:00pm to 5:00pm, and you finish at El Nido Beach. Net result: it feels like a full day on the water, but it is broken into bite-size segments.

Price and Value: What $22 Covers, and What to Budget Next

The headline price is $22 per person, which is attractive for a five-stop island hopping day in El Nido. What you get for that price is also fairly solid: life vest, a tour guide, boat permit, and picnic lunch. There is also free pick-up in your hotel within El Nido Town only, which can remove one headache.

Now, the part you must plan for: the tour excludes two fees that are collected at the booking office. You should budget an environmental fee (400 pesos) and a lagoon fee (200 pesos). Those are not huge individually, but together they are the kind of add-on that can catch you off guard if you only remember the $22 rate.

Then there are the optional extras. Kayak rental is available in Small Lagoon only, at 300 pesos per hour. Snorkeling mask rental is mentioned as available at the beach during boat dispatch. So if snorkeling matters to you, pack light but do expect to pay on-site for gear.

My value take

This is good value if you want variety more than you want long beach lounging. If your dream is kayaking in multiple lagoons, the separate kayak pricing becomes a tradeoff. But for most people, five stops plus lunch plus guide support is a fair deal.

Tour D’s Core Stops: What Each Place Is Like, and What to Do There

Tour D includes five destinations: Small Lagoon, Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Bukal Beach, and Pasandigan Beach. You do not just pass by, either. You get a real chunk of time at each spot, roughly 40 to 50 minutes, with activities like swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling at the stops where conditions allow.

Also, the tour guide is set up to help. A licensed guide is always available if you need assistance, which is useful if you are not super confident in open-water swimming.

1) Small Lagoon: the stop for swimming, photos, and kayaking

Small Lagoon is the place most people will think about first, and for good reason. It is one of the main swimming and snorkeling areas on the route, and it is also the only stop that explicitly offers kayak rental.

If you want to add kayaking, this is where it happens. The kayak option is 300 pesos per hour, so you can decide on the spot whether to do it for a short session or skip it. There is also a small beach area used for quick stops when you rent a kayak, which makes the stop feel practical, not just scenic.

Practical tip: use the first minutes here to get your bearings. If you are planning to rent a mask or kayak, do it early in the visit window so you do not lose your best water time.

2) Cadlao Lagoon: another lagoon fix with that classic El Nido vibe

Cadlao Lagoon is the next big signature-style stop in the loop. Like the other lagoon areas, it is built for short sessions where you can snorkel, swim, and enjoy the visual contrast of water against limestone formations.

Because your time is limited per stop, I suggest you treat Cadlao as a “do the essentials” stop. Swim first if conditions are calm, then snorkel if you have the gear, then take photos before you move on. It keeps you from feeling rushed, even when you are on a tight schedule.

3) Paradise Beach: the “sit down and enjoy it” stop

Paradise Beach is exactly the kind of pause you want in a day like this. This is where you switch from active exploring to relaxing, sunbathing, and swimming at an easy pace.

Even if you do not snorkel, you can still get a lot out of the short stop by simply slowing down for the light and the scenery. El Nido tends to look different at different angles, and those 40 to 50 minutes are often enough to catch the best color.

If you like beach games, keep an eye out for the volleyball option on the tour. It is a small thing, but it is one of those moments that makes the day feel social without turning into a party.

4) Bukal Beach: another photo-and-swim option

Bukal Beach keeps the loop going with a mix of swimming and photo time. The tour format supports snorkeling and sunbathing here too, and this stop is a good chance to get some water time without feeling like it is a repeat of the first lagoon.

Practical tip: wear your swim-ready gear so you can move quickly. With many stops in one day, getting changed becomes the silent time thief.

5) Pasandigan Beach: a final dose before the ride back

Pasandigan Beach is your last listed stop. By this point, you have already built your rhythm, so you are usually better at judging how long to stay in the water and how much time to spend on shore.

This is often a great moment to do a final round of photos and quick swims before heading back and closing out the tour around late afternoon.

Lunch and On-Water Comfort: How the Picnic Fits the Schedule

Tour D includes a picnic lunch, served at one of the islands. This is a big deal for two reasons.

First, it keeps the day from turning into meal chaos. You do not need to guess where to eat while the weather and boat timing decide everything for you.

Second, it is time-efficient. Since each destination is only about 40 to 50 minutes, having lunch integrated into the day means you lose less beach time and less overall energy.

One more practical note: picnic lunches can vary in portion and style based on how the day is running. If you know you eat like an athlete, I would plan to snack lightly before the tour or after. Not because the lunch is terrible, but because the itinerary is busy, and you will burn through energy.

Boat Ride Reality: What You Might Like, and What to Prepare For

The boat ride is part of the fun, but it can also be the one part that catches you off guard.

Some people find the boat on the smaller side and notice that seating or where you can sit may be more restricted than on other tours. That can make the ride feel more structured. If you are prone to motion sensitivity, think about bringing simple comforts like sunglasses and planning where you prefer to sit once boarding happens.

Timing can also create a bit of waiting. Boat dispatch depends on Coast Guard clearance, so it is normal for the day to feel “organized, then paused, then suddenly moving.” If you do not love waiting, pack patience. You will still get your full set of stops once you are underway.

The Tour Service Side: Licensed Guides and Helpful Support

This tour is operated by Cliffside Travel and Tours, a tourism accredited agency based in El Nido. The tour includes a guide, and a licensed tour guide is always available if you need assistance.

In practice, that support is what keeps the day from feeling like you are simply thrown on a boat and told to have fun. You get help around safety gear like the life vest, and you have someone to ask questions when you want clarification about what to do next.

The tour guide is listed as English and Tagalog, which is handy because you can understand instructions clearly. It also makes it easier to ask quick questions mid-day instead of waiting until the end.

Who Tour D Fits Best (And Who Should Consider Another Plan)

Tour D is a strong match if you want:

• A full-day island hopping experience in El Nido with multiple stops
• A route that includes both limestone scenery and time to swim and snorkel
• Picnic lunch and guide support without needing to plan anything in advance
• A day that ends by mid or late afternoon, so you can still do something in El Nido afterward

It is less ideal if:

• You really dislike boats that feel tight or you need maximum freedom to move around
• You want to kayak repeatedly, because kayak rental is only mentioned for Small Lagoon and is priced separately
• You are counting on the lowest possible out-of-pocket cost, because environmental and lagoon fees are collected on-site

Also, if you want to avoid the most crowded loops, this tour can feel calmer. One thing that comes up in the way people describe Tour D is that it can be less crowded than the highest-demand alternatives, which matters for photos, swimming, and just getting a little breathing room.

Small Money Details That Change the Experience

A few costs and rules can shift your day from smooth to mildly annoying, so plan for them.

• Environmental fee and lagoon fee: budget the 400 pesos plus 200 pesos collected at the booking office.
• Kayak rental: only in Small Lagoon, at 300 pesos per hour. If this is a must-do, decide early how long you want to spend.
• Snorkeling mask rental: available at the beach during boat dispatch. If you have your own gear, you can avoid the rental queue and expense.
• Pick-up: free pick-up is within El Nido Town only, so if you are staying outside that area, you might need another plan.

Should You Book El Nido Island Tour D?

Yes, if you want a straightforward, five-stop El Nido island hopping day that mixes lagoons and beaches with swimming and snorkeling time, and you appreciate having a licensed guide plus lunch handled for you. The $22 base price is compelling, and even with the extra environmental and lagoon fees, the overall structure is still good value for the number of stops.

I would book with eyes open if you are sensitive to tight boat seating or you expect unlimited included extras. Bring a little flexibility for waiting around coast guard clearance and for the fact that kayak and mask rentals are not included in the base price.

If you want an easy win in Palawan, this one is a solid choice.