El Nido Island Hopping Tours A, B, C and D Compared (Checked Oct 2026)

How this page is built: we compile operator timetables, government and park notices, and booking-platform listings. Each figure names its source and the month we checked it. Nothing here is first-hand. Route stops vary between operators, so we show one operator's published list and flag where others differ.

Figures marked "reported by" come from secondary guides or booking platforms; confirm them with your tour operator or the El Nido Municipal Tourism Office before you rely on them.

At a glance

Tour	Main stops (El Nido Paradise list)	Price per person	Fees on top	Source, checked Oct 2026
A	Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, 7 Commando Beach	PHP 1,500	ETDF PHP 400; Big Lagoon PHP 200; kayak PHP 350 optional	El Nido Paradise, Tour A page
B	Snake Island, Entalula Beach, Cudugnon Cave, two snorkeling stops	PHP 1,600	ETDF PHP 400; Cudugnon Cave PHP 150	El Nido Paradise, Tour B page
C	Helicopter Island, Matinloc Shrine, Secret Beach, Talisay Beach, Hidden Beach	PHP 1,700	ETDF PHP 400; Matinloc Shrine PHP 200	El Nido Paradise, Tour C page
D	Ipil (Natnat) Beach, Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Pasandigan Beach, Bukal Beach	PHP 1,500	ETDF PHP 400	El Nido Paradise, Tour D page

The ETDF is paid once for your stay, not once per tour. The cave and shrine charges on Tours B and C are listed by El Nido Paradise as entrance fees at privately run sites.

Direct link El Nido Tour A (Lagoons and Beaches) on GetYourGuide

What each tour covers

Tour A is the lagoon day. It is the only standard route that enters Big Lagoon, and motorized boats are barred from the lagoon under the 2018 carrying-capacity rules reported by Rappler. El Nido Paradise includes a bento lunch, drinking water, mask and snorkel, but not hotel pick-up.

Tour B leans toward caves and sandbars. El Nido Paradise lists Snake Island, Entalula Beach and Cudugnon Cave. Klook's Tour B descriptions name Cathedral Cave and Pinagbuyutan Island instead of some of these, which shows how much the "same" tour can differ by boat.

Tour C is the beach-and-snorkel route around Matinloc Island, with Hidden Beach, Secret Beach and the Matinloc Shrine. Its add-on is the PHP 200 shrine entrance.

Tour D stays closest to town around Cadlao Island. El Nido Paradise includes a buffet lunch and free pick-up in town and in Corong Corong on this route only.

Where Small Lagoon sits is the one point the sources disagree on. Rappler reported in Dec 2018 that Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon were taken out of the regular Tour A and "can no longer be visited on the same day". El Nido Map (reported Jul 2026) and Klook's listing descriptions put Small Lagoon on Tour D, while El Nido Paradise's Tour D list does not include it. Ask your operator which tour, if any, carries a Small Lagoon slot that week. The Small Lagoon fee is PHP 200, the same as Big Lagoon.

Lagoon slots and permits

Rule	Detail	Source, checked Oct 2026
Big Lagoon capacity	60 people every 90 minutes	Rappler (Dec 2018), reporting the DENR protected area office policy
Small Lagoon capacity	30 people every 60 minutes	Rappler (Dec 2018)
Lagoon hours	7 am to 4 pm	Rappler (Dec 2018)
Advance booking	Operators book lagoon slots ahead; extra slots open after 3 pm on the eve of the tour	Rappler (Dec 2018)
If Big Lagoon is full	You visit a different spot or get a full refund	GetYourGuide Tour A listing (Corazon Travel & Tours)
Permits	Operator collects names, ages and nationality to prepare permits; 25% deposit	El Nido Paradise

The capacity figures come from the 2018 policy launch and we found no newer official text, so treat them as the published baseline rather than a current count. El Nido Map reports, Jul 2026, that Tour A should be booked at least a day ahead in peak season.

Prices on booking platforms

Platform	Tour	Listed price	Duration	Source, checked Oct 2026
GetYourGuide	Tour A: Lagoons and Beaches (Corazon Travel & Tours)	From USD 25, as listed on GetYourGuide in USD	6 to 8 hours	GetYourGuide t217227
Klook	El Nido Island Hopping Tour A	Price not captured	7.5 to 9 hours	Klook activity 4168
Local shared tours, all routes	Tours A to D	PHP 1,200 to 1,400 with lunch	Full day	Reported by El Nido Map

The GetYourGuide Tour A listing names the PHP 400 ETDF and the PHP 200 Big Lagoon fee and says the ETDF has to be paid before boarding. Klook's Tour A page states the tour "does not include mandatory and optional fees, which must be paid on-site". El Nido Map reports a first Tour A day costs about PHP 2,100 to 2,500 once fees and kayak rental are added, with kayaks at PHP 300 to 500.

Partner link El Nido Tour A on Klook

Partner link El Nido Tour C listings on Viator

Choosing between them

Tour A carries the lagoon permit and is the one people book first, which also makes it the one most exposed to slot limits. Tour C is mostly beaches and snorkeling, with a PHP 200 shrine fee. Tour D has no site fee on El Nido Paradise's list and includes pick-up, and Tour B adds only the PHP 150 cave charge. Fee totals for each route, and how the ETDF works if you arrive from elsewhere in Palawan (PHP 200), are on Palawan fees.

If you are deciding where to sleep around tour days, Where to stay in El Nido compares town and the beach areas by distance to the pier.

Season note

Boats do not sail when the Philippine Coast Guard suspends sea travel, which El Nido Map reports happens with some regularity from Jun to Oct. PAGASA's rainy season runs Jun to Nov. Month-by-month rainfall is on Best time to visit Palawan.

Last checked Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. If you run a tour in El Nido and your published route differs, send us the link and we will update the comparison.

FAQs

What is tour ABCD in El Nido?

They are the four standard shared island hopping routes around Bacuit Bay, labelled A to D. El Nido Paradise prices them at PHP 1,500 to 1,700 per person in Oct 2026.

Which is better, Tour A or C in El Nido?

Tour A is the only route that enters Big Lagoon, while Tour C covers beaches and snorkeling spots around Matinloc Island. Tour A carries the lagoon fee and slot limits; Tour C has the PHP 200 Matinloc Shrine fee.

How much does Tour A cost in El Nido?

El Nido Paradise lists Tour A at PHP 1,500, and GetYourGuide shows it from USD 25, as listed on GetYourGuide in USD. Add the PHP 400 ETDF, the PHP 200 Big Lagoon fee and PHP 350 if you rent a kayak.

What is the best tour to take in El Nido?

It depends on the stops you want: Tour A is the Big Lagoon route, Tour C covers hidden beaches around Matinloc, and Tours B and D carry lower add-on fees. Each operator's stop list differs a little, so compare inclusions before paying.

Do I need to book El Nido Tour A in advance?

Big Lagoon slots are capped, so operators book them ahead, and El Nido Map reports booking at least a day ahead in peak season. If the lagoon is full, the GetYourGuide listing says you get a different stop or a refund.