What to Expect from El Nido Island Hopping Tour B
Island hopping tour in El Nido, on Palawan Island in the Philippines, is an absolute must-do activity. Are you undecided what boat trip to choose when planning on island hopping in El Nido? Read our unbiased review of tour B, including tips and up-to-date information, and accompanied by stunning photos.
El Nido on Palawan Island in the Philippines has changed a lot in the past decades.
Originally a small fishing village started to receive more and more travelers from all around the world, and the way of living has changed rapidly here.
Do you ask what is the reason? The answer is simple.
The word has spread about mesmerizing beauty of white sand beaches, high limestone jagged cliffs towering above crystal clear turquoise water, and one of the world's best snorkeling opportunities.
One of the best ways how to see the most what El Nido has to offer is island hopping.
There are several tours combining the most beautiful spots in the area, named A, B, and C, and it is hard to choose only one as all of them offer highlight or two which will make you want to visit it. For some reason, tour B is the least popular out of those three island hopping tours, in spite of the fact it includes many incredible spots. Yes, tour B lacks otherworldly lagoons or swimming with turtles, but it still has attractions which would have been top rated anywhere else in the world.
If you have more time to explore Palawan Island, we definitely recommend you to take tour B as well, you will have an amazing day and time to enjoy it thanks to fewer crowds.
THINGS TO SEE AND DO ON ‘B’ TOUR
B tour is not that popular such as tour A and C, but honestly, we have no idea why.
You are still in El Nido which belongs among the most beautiful places in the Philippines, and every single island, beach or cave is out of this world. Tour B combines a bit of everything, including snorkeling, and we believe you will enjoy the full day tour (normally from 9 AM to 4 PM) as we did. Here is, in short, all the things you will see on the B tour.
ENTALULA BEACH
The first stop on B tour is Entalula Beach, a fine white stretch of sand great for chilling and admiring a photogenic isolated piece of a large rock standing in the water. It is also a place where you can snorkel off the beach, only pay attention to strong currents - this rule basically applies to all snorkeling points on Palawan Island.
SNAKE ISLAND
The highlight of tour B was for us without any doubt Snake Island, and if you cannot decide whether to take this island hopping tour or not, we advice you to do it solely for this island.
Although Snake Island is a lunch spot, this is not the main reason why you should be looking forward to visiting this place. The name of the island comes from the long sandbar snaking from one island to another, the best visible at low tide. You can walk between the islands on this beautiful stretch of sand, but to get an even better view and perspective, walk a bit uphill to the viewing point.
CUDUGNON CAVE
Tour B has two caves on the itinerary, Cudugnon Cave is the first in line.
The boat stops on a small beach, and from here you need to crawl through a small hole to the cave which is not super big, but all the rock formations are pretty photogenic.
CATHEDRAL CAVE
The other cave you will visit that day is Cathedral Cave, a high cavern resembling arching ceilings of cathedrals.
The cave is high but not very wide, and bigger boats cannot get in without damaging stalagmites and stalactites inside the cave, so if you want to explore it further, you need to swim.
PINAGBUYUTAN ISLAND
Pinagbuyutan Island is one of the most photogenic places in El Nido when looking from above, so it is a paradise for all drone fliers, but even for us (travelers without drone), visiting this island was a pleasant experience.
The island has yet another pristine beach, many coconut trees (you can even buy a coconut here, so bring some cash), and if you still have enough energy, you can swim and snorkel here.
HOW TO BOOK 'B' ISLAND HOPPING TOUR
Unlike tour A, you can still see all stops on tour B, and don't have to choose between places you want to visit.
Every tour operator offers tour B, so you should be able to book it without any problem one day before your departure date, but in case you want to arrange everything for your holiday in advance, you can do it via this link.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
HOW MUCH 'B' ISLAND HOPPING TOUR COSTS
Prices of all tours tend to be very similar, especially now when the tourism board and the government stepped in, in order to prevent over tourism.
We visited El Nido a couple of years ago, and it was quite easy to bargain and secure a better rate, but now prices are fixed for group tours, and you should not be able to get a lower rate than 1300 PHP for B tour. B island hopping tour is slightly more expensive than A and C tour, but we think the only reason is that this tour is altogether with D tour the least popular, therefore higher cost.
It is also necessary to pay 200 PHP per person environmental fee, but you must pay it only once, in case you plan on doing more island hopping tours (this fee is valid for ten days, you need to pay it again in case you stay for longer, and your tours are further apart).
FOOD ON 'B' TOUR
We must say that there was never a difference between food on tour A, B or C.
Every lunch was delicious, and we always looked forward to it. Preparation of lunch starts already in the morning on the boat, and we always watched our guides cooking rice, cutting vegetables, making fruit plates, getting ready meat, and so on.
On the B tour, the place for lunch was absolutely special - it was on Snake Island, which is a very picturesque place, and we found lunch here the best out of all three tours we've done not because of the food itself, but because of the settings and laidback atmosphere. Drinking water is usually included but ask in the office when booking the tour to make sure you don't need to bring your own.
GROUP TOURS VERSUS PRIVATE TOURS
It is never easy to decide whether it's worth paying three or four times more for a private tour, or if it is sufficient to take a regular group tour.
In the case of island hopping in El Nido, from our point of view, we advise you to save money here and splurge on something else. Private tour B costs anything between 5000 PHP to 6500 PHP, but what we see as a problem is a fact, that even you are alone on the boat (or it is you and your friends or family), you will be always following the same schedule as other groups.
You might be able to ask the boat captain to do the tour in reverse order or to stay at some places a bit longer than at others, but you will be still meeting other boats, and we think the risk that your tour won't be exactly private is high.
WHERE TO STAY IN EL NIDO
El Nido was once a small fishing village, but the word about its beauty has already spread out. Nowadays, almost no Philippines itinerary is complete without visiting Palawan and El Nido, that's why you can find here many hotels and hostels for every budget trying to satisfy the high demand.
Budget | ElBimbo Travellers Lodge - If you are looking for a clean private room with private bathroom and traveling on a budget, this is the place to go. Wifi also works well, which you should not take for granted in this part of the world.
Mid-range | Amakan - Bed | Bunk | Breakfast - Centrally located hotel offers a wide range of accommodation, great breakfast, air-conditioning, comfortable beds, and helpful staff. Best value for your money in El Nido.
Luxury | Panorama Resort - Excellent rooms set on a private beach are the main reason why to spend your time in this resort. This place has a modern look, offers an outdoor swimming pool and great food as well.
Alternatively, search for your accommodation via Hostelworld.
WHAT TO PACK FOR EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING
You don't need to bring much for island hopping near El Nido, but here are a couple of things we think are essential to pack as the tour lasts 8 hours.
Waterproof Bag | This is our favorite water-resistant bag we use to protect our electronics during water activities.
Snorkel Mask & Fins | You can rent snorkeling gear for 150 PHP, but we think it pays off to have own not only because it is more hygienic, but also rented equipment is not often in the best quality.
Water Bottle | El Nido works to cut down on single plastic use, but ask your tour operator if drinking water is included. If yes, take your own reusable water bottle.
Phone Waterproof Case | We don't know anyone who leaves the phone on the room when setting off for a day trip, so buy a waterproof case to protect your phone.
GoPro | Adventure underwater camera is perfect when traveling around the Philippines as snorkeling is perfect here.
Sunscreen | Sun is way too strong in Asia, especially when you spend all day in the water, so having a quality sunscreen is a must.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
