We arrived in El Nido brimming with high hopes—pristine views, dreamy islands, and adventures galore. What we got was… a harsh reality check. The town looks like it survived a WWII bombing raid, complete with lingering poverty and unfinished construction projects everywhere. The infrastructure? Let’s just call it “aspirational.”
- While there’s no shortage of restaurants, most are overpriced, especially by local standards. Exceptions? A fantastic little Mexican place that didn’t break the bank and a Japanese spot with decent tonkotsu noodles. Breakfast at a cozy café was a treat too. But then came the burger place—the most expensive meal we had—and it betrayed me. While Marat and Daniel walked away unscathed, I spent the next day nauseous, and barely functional. My timing couldn’t have been worse, as I had to drag myself through the island-hopping Tour C with zero energy and chills by nightfall. I didn’t feel human again until the morning of our departure.
- Our accommodation? Dimly lit, run-down, and depressingly “decent” by local standards. The vibe screamed “you deserve better,” but alas, options were limited. Tours offered some escape, but even they have their limits—days of swimming, volleyball, salty water, and nonstop socializing can leave you quite drained.
Our tours in El Nido:
- Tour A – PHP 1,200/person plus fees (a running total of so many fees), adding up to about $37 each. Lunch surprised us by being genuinely good—maybe we’re adapting to the local cuisine? The crew was lively, and we bonded with travelers from Poland, a lovely English-Portuguese couple, and others. Kayaking, snorkeling, and island-hopping made for a memorable day.
- Tour C – PHP 1,400/person plus fees, and I was too sick to appreciate much of it. Daniel loved the water, and I’ll admit spotting clownfish at Secret Beach was a highlight, but fighting the strong currents to get there? No thanks. The group wasn’t as engaging this time, though we did meet a Russian-speaking family with an interesting background. Looking at the gorgeous pictures now, I realize how beautiful the nature is there but I was too sick to appreciate it at the time.
- On our last day, we took a stroll along Coron-Coron Beach during low tide. Swimming was almost impossible—it was so shallow—but we salvaged the evening with a surprisingly good roasted chicken from a vendor near the Old Market (PHP 330, around $5.50).
- El Nido was an exhausting and overpriced ordeal. By the end, we couldn’t wait to leave. The one silver lining? El Nido Airport, which turned out to be surprisingly charming. The best coffee we had in the Philippines was served there—a much-needed consolation prize as we said goodbye to this place for good.
