EL Nido Tour A

El Nido Tour A packs the area’s most famous lagoons and beaches into one boat day. You’ll reach places that cannot be visited by road, swim in clear water, eat lunch on the shore, and return to El Nido with a long list of photographs. Shimizu Island and Papaya Beach are the easy crowd-pleasers, while Secret Lagoon brings the more unusual stop.

I like the low $21 starting price and the fact that lunch, a guide, boat transport, and a life vest are included. I also like the simple pickup within El Nido Town, which saves you from arranging a separate ride to the pier. The main catch is important: Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon cannot both be visited on the same day, and the exact lagoon included needs to be confirmed before you book.

Key points to know before you book

• The lagoon choice matters: The itinerary allows Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon, not both on one day.
• Shimizu Island and Papaya Beach provide the classic beach stops: Expect time for swimming and photographs.
• Secret Lagoon is the unusual stop: It adds a more enclosed, tucked-away setting to a day otherwise centered on open water.
• The $21 price is a useful starting point: Lunch, national park admission, boat transport, and a guide are included, but several extra fees are not.
• The full outing takes 7 to 9 hours: The listed El Nido stop itself is about five hours, with the rest taken up by boat operations and transfers.
• This is a group boat day: The maximum group size is 100, so do not book it expecting a private or quiet cruise.

Why Tour A remains El Nido’s standard first boat day

El Nido’s appeal is easy to understand once you leave the pier. The limestone islands break the sea into small bays, beaches, and lagoons that are reachable only by boat. Tour A is designed to gather several of the best-known sights into one outing rather than make you choose just one destination.

That makes it especially useful if you have only a short stay in El Nido. You can see several major locations in roughly one day, with the basic transport and food handled for you. I like that practical setup. You are not spending your morning comparing boat routes or trying to work out how to reach a beach that has no road access.

The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends back at El Nido. Pickup is offered within El Nido Town, followed by land and boat transfer to the island-hopping route. The total outing is listed as about seven to nine hours, while the El Nido sightseeing portion is listed at five hours. That difference is a reminder that loading, sailing, moving between stops, and returning to the pier take real time.

The group can reach as many as 100 people. That is a large possible group, so I would set expectations properly. You are booking an efficient shared excursion, not a private sailboat with a flexible schedule. The upside is the low price. The tradeoff is less control over how long you stay at each place.

Shimizu Island brings the classic beach stop

Shimizu Island is one of the most recognizable names on the route, and it fits the easygoing middle of a boat day. The stop is suited to swimming, beach time, and photographs of El Nido’s dramatic rock formations.

I would think of Shimizu as a place to slow down for a while rather than a site that demands a long explanation. The attraction is the setting itself: small-island scenery, open water, and the chance to step off the boat and enjoy the shore. A full lunch is also included, described as a picnic meal on the beach.

That meal adds real value to a $21 excursion. Food at a remote island stop is not something you need to arrange separately, and eating on the beach helps break up the boat time. The lunch has been described as a full meal rather than a token snack, though the supplied details do not specify the exact menu.

The practical issue is time. With several stops on one route, you should expect a shared schedule rather than an open-ended beach visit. Bring your camera, but leave room for swimming and simply looking around. The scenery is the main event here.

Papaya Beach offers simple swimming and photographs

Papaya Beach is another straightforward stop, and that is part of its appeal. You can expect more sand, open water, and a chance to swim or take photographs without needing a long walk or complicated activity setup.

I like having a beach stop alongside the lagoons. The lagoons offer enclosed water and rock walls, while Papaya Beach gives you a more open coastal view. Together, the stops create a better mix than a day spent only moving between similar swimming areas.

Papaya is also the sort of place where the shared-tour format is easy to accept. You do not need specialist equipment to enjoy it. A life vest is included, and the basic island-hopping setup lets you step ashore, swim, and return to the boat according to the guide’s schedule.

You may find the beach busy, especially with a route that can accommodate up to 100 people. The tour’s value comes from seeing several places in one day, not from having each beach to yourself. If quiet beaches are your main aim, ask about group size and the day’s exact route before paying.

Secret Lagoon adds the day’s most distinctive setting

Secret Lagoon changes the mood. Instead of another open beach, you visit a more enclosed natural space reached as part of the island-hopping route. It is one of the stops that gives Tour A its name and helps explain why this route is so popular.

I would expect the experience here to be more about the setting than a long list of activities. The lagoon offers a different view of El Nido’s limestone formations and gives you a chance to see one of the area’s best-known natural features by boat.

The stop is also a good reason to bring a waterproof phone pouch or another way to protect your camera, though the tour information does not state that such equipment is supplied. Swimming and photographs are central parts of the day, so it is sensible to keep anything important secure around the water.

As with the other stops, the shared schedule limits your freedom. You cannot assume you will have enough time to linger until the crowds thin out. Still, for a first look at El Nido, Secret Lagoon gives the route variety and a clear sense of why the islands are visited.

Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon is the booking question

The most important detail is the lagoon choice. The route describes a visit to Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon, with both unable to be visited on the same day. In practice, that means you should not assume Tour A automatically gives you both famous lagoons.

This distinction matters most if you are bringing children or booking specifically to see one particular lagoon. A family could arrive expecting Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon and discover that the day’s arrangement does not include the one they had in mind. The safest step is to ask CTPH TOUR which lagoon is scheduled for your date and exactly how the extra user fee is handled.

Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon also have separate user fees that are not included in the $21 price. Kayak rental is not included either. You may need to pay extra if kayaking is part of your plan, so the headline price is not the final cost for every version of the day.

The listing information is not perfectly clear about the exact lagoon allocation, which makes direct confirmation worthwhile. The itinerary names Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon but says they cannot be visited together. A separate customer account described being told that neither lagoon was included, despite expecting at least one. I would not ignore that warning. Confirm in writing before booking, especially if the lagoon is the main reason you are choosing this tour.

What is included, and where the $21 price can change

At $21, Tour A offers strong basic value. You receive a guide, land and boat transfers, island hopping, a life vest, free pickup within El Nido Town, picnic lunch, and national park admission according to the tour details.

That is a lot of the day’s structure for a low starting price. You do not need to hire a boat separately, arrange a guide, or pack a full meal. For a first visit, I find that simplicity useful. You pay for the core day and let the operator handle the route.

The extras deserve equal attention:

• Eco Tourism Development Fee is not included.
• Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon user fees are not included.
• Kayak rental is not included.

The eco fee is a separate charge associated with the destination, while the lagoon user fee and kayak rental depend on the route and activity you choose. The tour details do not state the amounts, so you should ask for the current total before booking. Do not compare $21 with a more expensive tour until you know which fees each operator includes.

There is also a national park admission fee listed as included, which helps offset the extra charges. In plain terms, the tour covers the basic shared outing well, but the final bill can rise if you want a specific lagoon and a kayak.

The guide and crew shape a long boat day

The tour includes a guide and boat crew, and that matters more than it might on a short city walk. You spend much of the day moving by water, getting on and off the boat, and following a shared schedule. Clear instructions and steady handling make the day easier.

The most positive account of the outing praised the crew for being attentive and experienced. It also described the lunch as a full beach meal and the scenery as a strong point. Another account praised the guides for friendliness and experience. Those details suggest that the human side of the tour can be a real benefit when the day is busy.

No guide names are supplied, so I cannot tell you to expect a particular person. I would judge the tour by the operator, route confirmation, and included costs rather than by promises of a named guide.

The life vest is included, which is essential for an island-hopping day. Most people can take part, according to the tour information, but no detailed accessibility information is provided. If you have mobility concerns or need a specific boarding arrangement, ask before booking rather than assuming the boat and islands will be easy to manage.

Timing, pickup, and the shared-boat tradeoff

Pickup is free within El Nido Town, with the start point connected to the El Nido Pier dispatching and docking area. The stated start time is 9:00 a.m. You should treat that as the day’s official departure time and allow enough time to be ready for pickup or reach the pier as instructed.

The full duration is about seven to nine hours. That is long enough to make the tour your main activity for the day, so avoid scheduling another fixed excursion immediately afterward. Weather, boat movement, and the pace of a large group can affect the exact return time.

A possible group of 100 is the clearest sign that this is a mass-market boat outing. That is not automatically bad. The price depends on sharing the boat, and the group format lets you see several famous sights without paying for a private charter.

I would book it if you want the main El Nido highlights in one affordable package. I would hesitate if your top goal is a quiet beach, a private boat, or a flexible schedule. In those cases, a smaller group or private trip may suit you better, though the price will likely be different.

Weather and cancellation rules matter in El Nido

This tour requires good weather. If poor weather forces cancellation, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund. The same applies if the minimum number of people is not met and the operator cancels the trip.

You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund. The cutoff uses local time.

I like this policy because it gives you some protection when the sea makes the route impossible. It also means you should avoid waiting until the last minute if your plans change. The weather rule protects the safety of the outing, but it does not guarantee the exact route on a day when conditions affect the lagoons.

Who should book El Nido Tour A

I would choose this tour for a first visit, a short stay, or a budget-conscious day on the water. It covers the signature mix of lagoons, beaches, lunch, and boat travel without asking you to organize each piece yourself.

It also suits families who want a full day of scenery and swimming, provided they confirm the lagoon choice first. The life vest and guide are useful inclusions, but the large possible group and shared schedule may test young children who need lots of quiet time or frequent breaks.

Photographers should find plenty to work with at Shimizu Island, Papaya Beach, Secret Lagoon, and the selected major lagoon. Just remember that the boat schedule controls your time. You will get variety, not unlimited time at every viewpoint.

I would not choose it without clarification if Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon is your one essential sight. Ask which one is included, ask about the user fee, and ask if kayaking is available on your date. Those three questions can prevent the main disappointment associated with this outing.

Should you book Tour A?

Book El Nido Tour A if you want the famous island sights at a low starting price and you are comfortable sharing a boat with a potentially large group. The included lunch, guide, transfers, life vest, island hopping, and national park admission make the basic package useful.

Before paying, confirm the exact lagoon, the separate eco fee, the lagoon user fee, and the cost of a kayak. That small bit of planning matters more here than the booking itself. If the operator confirms the lagoon you want and the extra charges fit your budget, this is a practical first boat day in El Nido. If you need privacy or guaranteed access to both major lagoons, choose a different arrangement.

FAQ

Where does El Nido Tour A start and finish?

The tour starts in El Nido, Palawan, and ends in El Nido. The boat operates from the El Nido Pier dispatching and docking area.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 9:00 a.m.

How long does the experience last?

The full experience takes approximately seven to nine hours. The El Nido sightseeing stop is listed as about five hours.

Is pickup included?

Yes. Free pickup is offered within El Nido Town.

Which places does the tour visit?

The route includes Shimizu Island, Papaya Beach, Secret Lagoon, and either Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon. Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon cannot both be visited on the same day.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A picnic lunch is included, with the meal served on the beach.

Are the lagoon fees and kayak rental included?

No. The Eco Tourism Development Fee, Big or Small Lagoon user fee, and kayak rental are not included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.