Shared El Nido Tour A

Secret lagoons are the main reason this day exists. I like the Secret Lagoon snorkeling and kayaking setup, and I also like that lunch is included so you are not hunting for food mid-day. The main drawback to plan for is that shared boats can run late and get crowded, so arrive early and keep expectations flexible.

If you want one day that mixes famous lagoons with calmer swim stops, this itinerary does the job. You get a licensed English-speaking guide, boat crew support, and life vests, plus guided sightseeing at each destination. It is a solid “see a lot of El Nido in one go” option.

Budget note: the tour price starts at $24, but you still need to cover the environmental fee and the Big Lagoon entrance fee for Tour A. During rainy weather, destinations can shift for safety, so your exact sequence may vary.

Key highlights before you go

• Secret Lagoon time on the water with swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking options
• Big Lagoon is a star stop, but it has an additional entrance fee for Tour A
• Included lunch plus break time during the island hopping day
• Five island destinations you can compare in a single day pass
• Shared-group realities like waiting if guests board late, and a boat that can feel full

Your one-day El Nido game plan, five stops, one boat day

Shared El Nido Tour A is built for people who want the headline locations without spending extra days on logistics. In one long outing, you visit five destinations: Secret Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Payong-Payong Island/Beach, and Seven Commando Beach. That matters because El Nido’s best scenery is spread out, and jumping between islands by boat is where the day becomes worth it.

What you get is not just “look from the boat.” The schedule is designed around short bursts of water time at each stop. Expect guided sightseeing, then a mix of snorkeling and swimming, and in lagoon areas also kayaking (with note: kayak and other water gear rentals are not included).

The tone of the day is active but not complicated. You do not need to be an expert swimmer, and the boat crew provides life vests. If you are comfortable being in the water for stretches, you will have a much better time than someone who wants everything to stay dry.

Meeting at Mabuhay Sports Bar, and why early matters

Your meet-up point is Mabuhay Sports Bar, a few minutes’ walk from the El Nido wharf area. This is where the team handles paperwork and verification before you board. Coast Guard documentation happens before departure, so there is a built-in bottleneck even when everything goes smoothly.

Timing is the big practical thing here. The tour lists a meet-up window between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM, and departure is often treated like a hard start. In real-world operations, late arrivals can throw the group off, and one booking flagged that the day must really mean 9:00 departure. My advice is simple: show up closer to 8:30 than 9:00, and do not assume you can stroll in later.

Language can also affect how fast you get oriented once you are with your group. The tour guide is English-speaking, but if you share the boat with multiple nationalities, you might still find communication around instructions less smooth than you want. The good news: the guide’s job is to run the tour, so once you understand the basics for each stop, it becomes easier.

Stop 1: Secret Lagoon, snorkeling and kayaking with guided help

Secret Lagoon is the kind of place that makes El Nido feel special fast. In this itinerary, you get a guided tour plus sightseeing, then time for swimming and snorkeling, and kayaking is part of the activity mix.

Why this stop is worth it:

• Marine life viewing is specifically part of what you do here, not just a pretty photo moment.
• Kayaking can help you see more than a single surface pass, especially in calmer lagoon water.
• The guide’s presence helps you time your swim windows and understand what you are looking at.

What to watch for:

• This is a lagoon stop on a shared itinerary, so you may be operating in a group rhythm rather than having full freedom.
• Kayaks and other aqua gear rentals are not included, so if you want kayaking equipment, plan extra cost.

Also, remember you are on a shared boat day. If the boat is running behind schedule, lagoon time is the area most likely to feel compressed. That is why early arrival is your best “hack” for getting the best version of this stop.

Stop 2: Big Lagoon, the entrance fee moment for Tour A

Next up is Big Lagoon, another guided sightseeing stop with swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking options, plus scenic views on the way. This is where you get the bigger-feeling lagoon scenery, and it’s a major reason people book Tour A instead of only doing a shorter island loop.

Big Lagoon has a catch: there is an additional entrance fee for Tour A, listed as ₱200 per person. In other words, the headline price is not the whole number.

Why it still makes sense:

• You get the lagoon experience twice in one day, first in Secret Lagoon and then in Big Lagoon. If you care about comparing what different lagoons look like and how the water feels, this is efficient.
• The itinerary includes snorkeling time and kayaking time at both lagoon destinations, so you can decide what worked best for you.

Practical drawback to plan for: Big Lagoon is popular. If your group booking fills the boat, it can feel more crowded than you expected. One booking described a boat so full it was hard to even board smoothly from the beach, plus delays. You cannot control boat capacity, but you can control your readiness, like being organized with your swim gear and moving at the same pace as the group when it is time to board.

Stop 3: Shimizu Island, break time and lunch onboard

Shimizu Island is where the day gets a little more human. The itinerary includes break time and guided sightseeing, plus swimming and snorkeling. You also have meal time here, described as meal onboard.

This stop matters because it breaks up the intensity. After lagoon time, it can be refreshing to shift to a different rhythm: fewer big transitions and a clearer break point in the middle of the day.

What you will likely enjoy:

• The combination of guided sightseeing and water time gives you both “I saw it” and “I got in the water.”
• Meal onboard means you are not stuck searching for food after a swim.

What to bring into your planning:

• Snorkeling gear rentals are not included. If you rely on rental masks or snorkels, you may need to allocate time and accept that availability can vary.
• Boat days can bring sun exposure and splash. Even if you do not use fancy swim gear, just plan for getting wet and drying off between stops.

Stop 4: Payong-Payong Beach, another swim-and-snorkel window

After Shimizu, you move on to Payong-Payong Beach, again with guided tour, sightseeing, swimming, and snorkeling. This portion of the day is more about enjoying beach access and water time than long explanations.

What makes it a smart stop in a one-day tour:

• It keeps the day varied. You are not only dealing with lagoon water.
• It gives you another chance at seeing fish and underwater life without needing a separate day trip.

Possible consideration: since kayaking and certain rentals cost extra, your “must do” time might be snorkeling and swimming. If that is you, arrive mentally ready to make the most of the window you get, because the day stays scheduled.

Stop 5: Seven Commando Beach, plus the built-in break

Seven Commando Beach is one of the five official destinations in Tour A. In the route description, there is also a break time listed later in the day, right before the tour returns to the meeting point.

I treat this as your last major chance to enjoy the water and scenery before the boat run back. If you are prone to seasickness, this is not the time to push it. The tour is listed as not suitable for people who are prone to seasickness and those with pre-existing medical conditions, so if you fall into that category, you will be safer picking a different activity.

In a practical sense, the late-day stop is also when you should decide if you are going to do another snorkeling session or keep it simple and swim. You will still get the view without needing to overdo it.

Lunch and included value: what you pay for with the $24 price

The headline price is $24 per person, and the inclusions are meaningful for a day like this. Your tour includes:

• Lunch
• A licensed tour guide
• Boat crew/boatmen
• Life vest use
• Boat transfers

That is real value because boat transfers and guide time add up quickly when you compare it to buying each part separately. For many people, the biggest advantage is not “cheap,” it is convenient. You show up at one place, and the day runs as a package.

Where the money can add up is not in the base price, but in the extras you must plan for:

• Environmental fee: ₱400 per person
• Big Lagoon entrance fee: ₱200 per person for Tour A
• Kayak and other aqua gear rentals
• Snorkeling gear rental
• Tricycle fare to the meet-up location

My advice is to budget the mandatory fees up front and then decide whether you want kayak time and snorkeling gear rentals. If you already own snorkeling gear and you are set on kayaking, you can estimate your true cost more accurately. If you do not, the rental costs can take you from “good deal” to “maybe I should have booked a different option.”

Boat capacity, departure timing, and comfort on a shared tour

This is where I want you to be realistic. Shared tours are a trade-off: lower cost usually means more mixing of groups, tighter space, and more variability.

A few themes show up that matter to your comfort:

• Timing can be a sore spot. One booking noted that 9:00 departure should really mean 9:00, and delays happened due to late-arriving guests.
• Communication between booking platform and operator can be messy, and one booking described a departure delay of about an hour and twenty minutes.
• Capacity can be tight. One booking described a boat that was so full it was hard to board, even requiring swimming from the beach area.
• Non-smoking rules can be imperfect. One booking said the boat is non-smoking but the crew smoked and the smell lingered.

So, what should you do with that information?

• Arrive early at Mabuhay Sports Bar and be ready when it is time to board.
• Keep your expectations flexible. If you care most about water time, early arrival is your biggest lever.
• If smoke bothers you, sit as far from crew areas as possible and be prepared for wind to carry smells on open water.
• If you hate tight space, pick another style of tour where boat capacity is smaller. For this one, assume you will share the day with a lot of people.

None of this ruins the experience, but it changes how you should mentally approach it.

What to bring, and what to skip (so you do not get turned away)

El Nido boat tours can be strict about items. Based on the tour rules, bring:

• ID card (a copy is accepted)

Skip these items:

• High-heeled shoes
• Weapons or sharp objects
• Luggage or large bags
• Mobility scooters
• Intoxication
• Red wine
• Non-folding wheelchairs and non-folding strollers
• Bikes and surfboards
• Alcohol and drugs
• Plastic bottles
• Valuables and glass objects
• Littering
• Unaccompanied minors
• Skates, fireworks
• Alcoholic drinks in the vehicle
• Electric wheelchairs, scooter
• Fire making

You can treat this as a packing checklist: travel light, keep valuables secured at your hotel, and plan for wet conditions with footwear you can handle around boats and sand.

Also, consider what is not stated but implied: since snorkeling gear rental is not included, if you want to snorkel with a mask and snorkel you trust, think about your gear plan before you arrive.

Safety and who should reconsider this day

This tour is not suitable for:

• People with mobility impairments
• Wheelchair users
• Visually impaired people
• People prone to seasickness
• People with pre-existing medical conditions
• People over 95 years

That list is not “extra cautious,” it is practical for a day that involves boarding, water time, and open-water boat transfer. If you are on the edge for any of those categories, your best move is to choose a different activity that matches your comfort level.

Weather matters too. During rainy season, tours may divert to alternative destinations or options depending on weather conditions and availability. That means you should be okay with the plan changing slightly if the sea state demands it.

Should you book Shared El Nido Tour A?

Book it if:

• You want the classic El Nido destinations in one day: Secret Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Payong-Payong, and Seven Commando Beach.
• You are comfortable with group schedules and water-based activities like snorkeling and swimming.
• You value convenience, especially with lunch included and life vests provided.

Consider skipping or choosing another style of tour if:

• You hate tight boats, you are sensitive to delays, or you need very predictable departure timing.
• You get seasick easily.
• You are trying to keep costs ultra-low and do not want to add the ₱400 environmental fee and ₱200 Big Lagoon entrance fee.

If your goal is a memorable El Nido day without complex planning, this tour can be a strong choice. Just go in with a practical mindset, show up early, and focus on the water time, not the clock.

FAQ

How long is Shared El Nido Tour A?

The tour typically lasts 6 to 7 hours.

When does the tour meet up?

Meet-up is scheduled between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM.

Where do I meet for this tour?

You meet at Mabuhay Sports Bar, near the El Nido wharf area.

What is included in the price?

Included are lunch, a licensed tour guide, boat crew/boatmen, life vest use, and boat transfers.

What fees are not included?

You should budget for an environmental fee of ₱400 per person and a Big Lagoon entrance fee of ₱200 per person for Tour A.

Is kayak or snorkeling gear included?

No. Kayak and other aqua gear rentals and snorkeling gear rental are not included.

What language is the tour guide?

The live tour guide is English-speaking.

What should I bring and what is not allowed?

Bring an ID card (a copy is accepted). The tour rules also list items and behaviors that are not allowed, including luggage or large bags, alcohol and drugs, plastic bottles, glass objects, intoxication, and littering.