El Nido Island Hopping Tour A: Four Lagoons and Snorkeling

Four limestone lagoons and a snorkeling reef in a single day on the water

Island Hopping Tour A is an eight-hour boat tour from El Nido, Palawan, where you kayak into lagoons, swim off white-sand beaches and snorkel a reef, stopping at Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Payong-Payong Beach and Seven Commandos Beach. The tour includes lunch, environmental fees, a live English or Filipino-speaking guide and transport by traditional outrigger boat (bangka). Children from age one are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Big Lagoon45m · entry included
2. Payong-Payong Beach45m · entry included
3. Secret Lagoon45m · entry included
4. Seven Commandos Beach45m · entry included

Explore El Nido's iconic islands

• Visit Big Lagoon
• Relax at Payong-Payong Beach
• Explore Secret Lagoon
• Snorkel at marine life spot
• Rest at Seven Commandos Beach

The experience

The tour departs from El Nido and travels by bangka, a wooden outrigger boat, to four separate islands and lagoons. Big Lagoon is a majestic expanse ringed by towering limestone cliffs where you swim and kayak; Secret Lagoon is a secluded basin accessible through a narrow rock opening; Payong-Payong Beach is a powder-white crescent framed by dramatic karst cliffs; and Seven Commandos Beach is the snorkeling stop, where the reef holds diverse marine life. The route covers multiple untouched islands in a single day, most of them reachable only by boat.

You spend the day moving between stops by water, with time to swim, kayak and snorkel at each one. Lunch is included and served on the boat or at one of the beaches. The guide handles the navigation and timing. You bring or rent snorkeling gear and decide how long to stay in the water at each site. The pace is relaxed (the tour is designed as much for floating and taking photographs as for active exploration), and the boat waits for the group at each stop.

The environmental use fee and eco-tourism development fee are included in the price, so there are no additional park charges at the lagoons. The tour runs eight hours total, which accounts for travel time between islands and the lunch break. Families with young children can join. The boat ride itself is the main physical demand, and swimming and snorkeling are optional at every stop.

What’s included

• Lunch.
• snorkeling at Seven Commandos Beach.
• kayaking at Big Lagoon and Secret Lagoon.
• swimming at all four stops.
• environmental use fee and eco-tourism development fee.
• live guide in English or Filipino.
• transport by traditional outrigger boat.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to14h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 75 years) · Youth (8 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 7 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Filipino

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Elsa's Isle Travel and Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs eight hours with frequent stops for swimming, kayaking and snorkeling, so the day is active but not strenuous. You control how long you spend in the water at each site. Families with children from age one can join, and the boat pace suits a range of fitness levels.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Filipino.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 17 years); Child (4 to 7 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Big Lagoon like when we get there?

Big Lagoon is a majestic expanse surrounded by towering limestone cliffs that rise straight from the water. You kayak and swim in the lagoon itself. The cliffs are the defining feature, and the water is calm and sheltered.

Can I snorkel on this tour, or is it just swimming?

Snorkeling is included at Seven Commandos Beach, which is a designated snorkeling spot with diverse marine life. The other stops are for swimming, kayaking and wading. Snorkeling gear is not needed at those sites.

How do we get between the four islands during the day?

You travel by bangka, a traditional Filipino outrigger boat, which takes you from one island to the next. The boat waits at each stop while you swim, kayak or snorkel, then moves on to the next lagoon or beach.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch is included in the tour price and is served on the boat or at one of the beaches, depending on the day's schedule. No additional meal costs apply.

What is Secret Lagoon, and how do we get inside?

Secret Lagoon is a secluded lagoon accessible through a small rock opening in the cliff face. You kayak or swim through the opening to enter the sheltered basin inside.