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UPDATED: Itinerary & Expenses in El Nido

El Nido was one of the best places I've visited to date. Its white sand beaches, limestone karst formations, rustic atmosphere, and hidden lagoons were all memorable.


Here is an outline of my expenses and itinerary during my 4 days and 3 nights in El Nido and Puerto Prinsesa:
P700 - Fort Wally van to El Nido
P600 - Eulen Joy van to Puerto Prinsesa
P150 - Transportation for the whole stay
P1,000 - Two nights in Alternative Inn in El Nido (shared with another person)
P350 - Overnight in Palawan Village Hotel in Puerto Prinsesa (shared with another person)
P600 - Food and drinks
P800 - Tour A with snorkeling gear
P900 - Tour C
P200 - Environmental fee                                                                                                      
P5,350 - Total for 4 days 3 nights in El Nido/Puerto Prinsesa

P2,200 - Airfare

P7,550 - Total Expenses including airfare

*I would recommend Palawan Village Hotel because of its close proximity to the airport, especially for travelers who arrive late in the evening and for early morning flight departures. The airport is only a 5 minute walk from this hotel. We got a fan room for only P700 including breakfast.

*There is a routine power outage from 6AM to 2PM. Unless your hotel has a generator you will have no electricity during these times.

*There is only one newly opened bank in El Nido with an ATM machine. Unless you have an account with that bank, you will be unable to withdraw money. Bring cash to pay for everything.

There are several ways to cut down on your expenses through booking cheaper accommodations, staying at a friend's place, eating cheap food, and others. I wouldn't mind paying extra for some comfort and better food.



Contact Information for Van Transfers

Fort Wally: 09172762875
Eulen Joy: 09494498858, 09266998700, 09197162210

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Puerto Prinsesa
Van ride to El Nido

Walking around town

Day 2
Tour A
Walking around town


Day 3
Tour C
Van ride back to Puerto Prinsesa proper
Overnight in Palawan Village Hotel

Day 4
Departure for Manila 

UPDATED (Visited November 2014)


I returned to my favorite place in the Philippines, El Nido, in November 2014. I couldn't resist on passing up the opportunity to return to this paradise. A lot has changed since my first visit. There are now more buildings but the town managed to keep its small town vibe despite the changes. Most importantly, there is now 24 hours electricity in town <back flips, then front flips, then sings in Russian (I don't speak a word of Russian, but it was that miraculous)>! But sadly there was still no ATM machine for cards issued outside of town. Also, there is now a mini-store on Seven Commando Beach that served desserts such as halo-halo!

There are now two more hostels that offered dorms for travelers who are into the hostel experience and want to meet other people. The two hostels I saw were Hakuna Matata and Our Melting Pot. There's more people visiting El Nido now but it still provides the small town feel and beautiful landscapes and underwater ecosystems as it did before. Thankfully, it's nowhere near Boracay or other famous travel destinations in various parts of Southeast Asia, yes!

Expenses

I spent pretty much the same as I did during my first time in El Nido:

P600 - Van to El Nido
P1200 - 2 nights in Our Melting Pot Hostel
P1191 - Food & drinks
P1000 - Tour B
P700 - Tour A
P600 - Trip to Nacpan Twin Beach
P200 - Environmental fee
P350 - Van out of town to San Vicente Junction
P5841 - Total (excluding airfare)


I managed to get the tours almost at the same price during my first visit. It was said that all the tours have increased their price by around P300-P500 since I was last here, but if you look around long enough, you can find tour operators offering tours at the same price as before or at least close to it.

As always, you can reduce your expenses by eating at local restaurants, I indulged in good food more often during my return trip.

Read my latest guide here: budget and itinerary for El Nido


20 comments:

  1. very nice guide post for anyone wish to visit El Nido . May I ask , the 1k stay in El Nido is per person or for both of you ?

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  2. I think P7,500 for a trip to El Nido is a good deal. Great budgeting.

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  3. Thanks for sharing this. I seriously want to visit El Nido with my daughter sometime this year or early next year. It's paradise on earth, isn't it?

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  4. Very informative especially for those of us who haven't gone to Palawan yet. I like it that the hotel rooms are quite cheap!

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  5. @lovemindanao: 1000 per person, the room costs 1000 per night then my friend and I split it for 500 per person per night

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  6. 7,500 pesos, wow that's a great bargain for a great trip1

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  7. Pretty cheap for a 4-day stay in El Nido! Ang galing mag-budget! Idol na kita! :)

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  8. Thanks for this awesome travel info....I wish I could have the time to really go there....your photo makes me dreamy now!!! :)

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  9. Wow. Dream destination ko to this year. I hope I can save for me and my whole family:> Thanks sa info. Anyways, saan ka naka-avail ng travel package wandering juan?

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  10. what's included in Tour A and Tour C? Any other option for this? Thanks in advance!

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  11. @Lui B.: we just went their on our own we didn't avail of a travel package
    @Anonymous:
    Tour A - Seven Commando Beach, Paradise Beach, Secret Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Payong-Payong Beach
    Tour C - Las Cabanas, Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island, Talisay Beach

    There's also Tour B and D that I have yet to do. You can also go up Taraw Cliff, go to the Ille Caves, visit Nacpan Beach, go diving, and a bunch of other stuff :D

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  12. @Anonymous: Tour C also includes: Makinat Beach, Cadlao Lagoon

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  13. That budget sounds good to me. I could take my kids over there since we never step on that beautiful island.

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  14. my bf and his family went here 2 weeks ago I think. and they super enjoy the place. anyway, you have awesome budgeting power huh. hehe.

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  15. Im going to el nido this AUgust. This blog helps me plan my tour. THanks!

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  16. Hey can u tell me what is the name and contact of the agent or boater for the Tour? Thanks

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  17. @Jack: there are a lot of service providers in town, selling the same services at almost the same prices, you won't have a hard time finding one thanks for dropping by!

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