Seven Commando Beach, El Nido: Tour A stop, fees and how to get there
Seven Commando Beach is a palm-lined white sand beach on the El Nido mainland, just south of town in Bacuit Bay, and there is no road to it: you arrive by boat, almost always on island hopping Tour A, or by kayak from Corong Corong. None of the tour pages we checked lists an entrance fee for the beach itself; you pay the PHP 400 El Nido Eco-Tourism Development Fee once for 5 days, and El Nido Paradise sells Tour A at PHP 1,500 per person (checked Oct 28, 2026).
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How this page is built: we compile operator pages, municipal notices and dated traveler reports. Each figure names its source and the month we checked it. Nothing here is first-hand, and we do not rank tours or beaches.
Stop order, time on the beach and the stalls on the sand change from boat to boat. Figures marked "reported" come from blogs or traveler reviews; confirm prices with your operator and pay the eco fee at an official counter.
At a glance
| Question | What the sources say | Source, checked Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Where is it? | On the El Nido mainland, south of town around the corner from the port, next to Papaya Beach | Kate and Mike's Travels; Torn Tackies |
| Road access | None; the bay beaches need a boat | El Nido Tours; Tripadvisor listing |
| Which tour stops there | Tour A, with Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon and Shimizu Island | El Nido Paradise, Tour A page |
| Tour A price | PHP 1,500 per person with a bento lunch, water, mask and snorkel | El Nido Paradise |
| Typical shared price | PHP 1,200 to 1,400; first Tour A day about PHP 2,100 to 2,500 with fees and kayak | El Nido Map (Jul 30, 2026) |
| Beach entrance fee | None listed; the eco fee covers El Nido's tourism sites | El Nido Paradise; El Nido Map |
| Eco fee (ETDF) | PHP 400 from outside Palawan, PHP 200 from within Palawan, valid 5 days | El Nido Map (Oct 17, 2026); ETDF Management Board |
| Without a tour | Kayak from Corong Corong beach, about PHP 500 to rent | Reported by Kate and Mike's Travels |
| Time on the beach | About 45 minutes to an hour on a tour | Reported by Jonny Melon (Feb 2026); Kate and Mike's Travels |
| Overnight camping | Currently forbidden in El Nido municipality | El Nido Paradise camping page |
Partner link El Nido Tour A on Klook
Which tour goes to Seven Commando Beach
Tour A is the shared route that stops here. El Nido Paradise lists its Tour A stops as Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and 7 Commando Beach, and Jonny Melon's Feb 2026 guide says Tour A is the only one of the standard tours that visits the beach. Small Lagoon used to be on Tour A, but El Nido Map reports that, as of Jul 30, 2026, it has moved to Tour D.
The beach can be the first stop or the last. Jonny Melon and Tripadvisor reviewers from Jul 2024 and Oct 2026 had it first; Kate and Mike's Travels and a Dec 2025 reviewer had it last, and the Philippine Beach Guide (2019) says it is usually the last stop. Tours A to D and their fees are compared on the El Nido island hopping tours page.
| Tour A seller (source, checked Oct 2026) | Price per person | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| El Nido Paradise, shared | PHP 1,500 | Lunch, water, snorkel gear |
| Local shared tours (reported by El Nido Map, Jul 30, 2026) | PHP 1,200 to 1,400 | Lunch on the boat |
| El Nido Paradise, private Tour A | From PHP 12,700 | Private boat |
El Nido Paradise takes a PHP 375 deposit per person online, packs the lunch in a bento box and does not include hotel pick-up.
Fees: what you pay on top
None of the operator pages we checked lists a fee for Seven Commando Beach itself, and The Backpack Adventures (2017) wrote that there is no admission fee. The charges on a Tour A day come from elsewhere:
| Charge | Amount | Source, checked Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Eco-Tourism Development Fee (ETDF), from outside Palawan | PHP 400 | El Nido Paradise; El Nido Map; ETDF Management Board |
| ETDF, from within Palawan | PHP 200 | El Nido Map; ETDF Management Board |
| Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon environmental user fee | PHP 200 per lagoon | El Nido Paradise (DENR protected area office) |
| Kayak at the lagoons, optional | PHP 350 for a two-seater (El Nido Paradise); PHP 300 to 500 (El Nido Map) | Operator and secondary |
El Nido Map says one ETDF payment covers all of El Nido's tourism sites for 5 days and that older guides quoting 10 days are out of date. The ETDF Management Board's Dec 2025 bulletin says the ordinance bars carrying tourists by land or water without a valid ETDF receipt, so keep the receipt with you even on a kayak day. Every El Nido and Coron fee is on the Palawan fees page.
Getting there without a tour: the kayak route
El Nido Tours groups Seven Commando with the bay beaches that can only be reached by boat, and Torn Tackies notes that, although it is on the mainland and not an island, it has no land route. Kate and Mike's Travels describe renting a kayak on Corong Corong beach for about PHP 500 and paddling over, and suggest going before 11:00 am or at sunset to avoid the tour boats. Corong Corong is the beach area just south of El Nido town; how far it sits from the pier is on Where to stay in El Nido.
Boats and kayaks share the water here, and El Nido Map reports that the Coast Guard suspends sailing for weather with some regularity from June to October. Check the day's conditions before paddling out.
Partner link Seven Commandos Beach and El Nido Tour A listings on Viator
On the beach
Reports describe a long curve of soft white sand under coconut palms, with a bar and food stalls:
- Drinks and food. A beach bar selling buko (young coconut) and drinks is reported by Kate and Mike's Travels, Torn Tackies (2020) and a Tripadvisor reviewer (Apr 2025). Jonny Melon reports coconuts from about PHP 50 (Feb 2026). The Philippine Beach Guide (2019) calls the refreshments "a little bit pricey".
- Things to do. A volleyball net (Kate and Mike's Travels; Jonny Melon), a tree swing (Torn Tackies; Jonny Melon) and a basketball hoop (Torn Tackies, 2020).
- Snorkeling. A Tripadvisor reviewer (Aug 2022) found live coral at least 20 m out from the beach. Kate and Mike's Travels warn of sharp rocks and sea urchins at the edges and suggest water shoes.
- Next door. Papaya Beach lies to the east, around a large limestone rock (Torn Tackies).
- Litter. Kate and Mike's Travels saw some litter toward the back of the beach and ask visitors to take their rubbish with them.
Crowds and timing
Tour A is the busiest of El Nido's four shared tours, according to El Nido Map, and reviewers describe the beach filling up when the boats arrive. A Tripadvisor reviewer in Apr 2025 found it often overcrowded in the middle of the day; one in Nov 2023 suggested a private boat around lunchtime, when the tour boats are elsewhere; and a Dec 2024 reviewer reported that the other groups left about 30 minutes after they arrived. Month by month weather is on Best time to visit Palawan, and January sea conditions on Palawan in January.
Camping on Seven Commando Beach
Older blog posts describe overnight camping here: Torn Tackies (Dec 2020) wrote that campers were dropped off around 5:00 pm after Tour A and picked up at 10:00 am the next day. El Nido Paradise's camping pages now say that all overnight camping is currently forbidden in El Nido municipality, so treat those older trips as history and ask the Municipal Tourism Office before planning a night on any El Nido beach.
Why is it called Seven Commando Beach?
Nobody we found can confirm the story, and the sources give at least four versions:
| Story | Source |
|---|---|
| Seven soldiers were stranded on the beach during or after World War II | Philippine Beach Guide (2019, "yet to be confirmed"); Torn Tackies (2020, "questioned by the Filipino locals") |
| Seven Japanese commandos took refuge there after their submarine sank | Kate and Mike's Travels, who add that boat captains "sometimes make up their own myths" |
| A stranded fishing crew stayed for months and left "Seven Commandos" written on a rock | The Backpack Adventures (2017), retelling another blogger's boatman |
| The owner liked anything military and chose the name | The Backpack Adventures (2017), quoting its own boatman |
You will also see it spelled Seven Commando, Seven Commandos and 7 Commandos; Tripadvisor uses "Seven Commando Beach" and El Nido Paradise "7 Commando Beach".
Other El Nido beaches
Nacpan Beach, north of town, is the long beach you reach by road; shuttle times and fares are on Nacpan Beach. If you are still choosing between bases, El Nido vs Coron compares El Nido and Coron.
Related pages
- El Nido island hopping tours
- Palawan fees
- Where to stay in El Nido
- Nacpan Beach
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido
- El Nido vs Coron
- Best time to visit Palawan
- Palawan in January
Last checked Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Prices and fees are as each operator, guide or notice showed them on Oct 28, 2026; beach details are reported by the dated blogs and reviews named next to them.
FAQs
What is Seven Commando Beach in El Nido?
A palm-lined white sand beach on the El Nido mainland in Bacuit Bay, just south of town. It has no road access and is best known as a stop on island hopping Tour A, with a beach bar, a volleyball net and swimming off the sand.
Is there an entrance fee at Seven Commando Beach?
None of the operator pages we checked lists one (checked Oct 28, 2026). You do need the El Nido Eco-Tourism Development Fee: PHP 400 from outside Palawan or PHP 200 from within it, valid 5 days across El Nido's tourism sites, according to El Nido Map.
Which El Nido tour goes to Seven Commando Beach?
Tour A. El Nido Paradise lists it with Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon and Shimizu Island at PHP 1,500 per person, and El Nido Map reports shared prices of PHP 1,200 to 1,400. It can be the first or the last stop, depending on the boat.
Can you get to Seven Commando Beach without a tour?
There is no road. Kate and Mike's Travels describe renting a kayak on Corong Corong beach for about PHP 500 and paddling there, and El Nido Paradise sells a private Tour A from PHP 12,700. Keep your ETDF receipt with you either way.
Why is it called Seven Commando Beach?
No one has confirmed it. The stories include seven soldiers stranded around World War II, Japanese commandos from a sunken submarine, a fishing crew who left "Seven Commandos" written on a rock, and an owner who liked military names.
Can you camp on Seven Commando Beach?
Not at the moment, according to El Nido Paradise, whose camping pages say all overnight camping is currently forbidden in El Nido municipality (checked Oct 28, 2026). Blog posts from before then describe overnight trips on this beach.
How long do tours stay at Seven Commando Beach?
Reports range from about 45 minutes (Jonny Melon, Feb 2026) to about an hour (Kate and Mike's Travels). To avoid the tour boats, Kate and Mike's Travels suggest arriving before 11:00 am or at sunset.
Sources
- El Nido Paradise, Tour A booking page (stops, price, inclusions, fees on top, private Tour A) (checked Oct 2026)
- El Nido Map, Island hopping tour prices guide (secondary; last checked by the site Jul 30, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- El Nido Map, Eco-Tourism Development Fee guide (secondary; last checked by the site Oct 17, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- El Nido ETDF Management Board bulletin, New Eco-Tourism Development Fee Ordinance Increases Fee to Php 400 (Dec 24, 2025) (checked Oct 2026)
- El Nido Paradise, Overnight Beach Camping page (camping notice) (checked Oct 2026)
- El Nido Tours, El Nido beaches guide (land and boat beaches) (checked Oct 2026)
- Tripadvisor, Seven Commando Beach traveler reviews (secondary; reviews dated Jul 2022 to Oct 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- Tripadvisor, Seven Commando Beach Q&A, Why is it named like that? (checked Oct 2026)
- Kate and Mike's Travels, Seven Commandos Beach El Nido Palawan guide (kayak from Corong Corong, facilities, name legend) (checked Oct 2026)
- Jonny Melon, Seven Commandos Beach in El Nido (Feb 2, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- Torn Tackies, The truth about camping on Seven Commandos Beach (Dec 20, 2020) (checked Oct 2026)
- The Backpack Adventures, 7 Commandos Beach, Palawan (Jan 9, 2017) (checked Oct 2026)
- Philippine Beach Guide, 7 Commandos Beach, El Nido: important travel tips (Feb 21, 2019) (checked Oct 2026)