El Nido Island Tour A: Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon & five stops

Swim through a hidden lagoon, kayak beneath limestone cliffs, snorkel coral reefs across five islands

Island-hopping Tour A in El Nido, Palawan takes you by boat to five destinations in a single day: Big Lagoon (the main highlight with limestone cliffs and water sports), Secret Lagoon (a seawater lagoon hidden inside towering cliffs, accessed through a narrow opening), Payong-Payong Beach, Shimizu Island and Seven Commandos Beach. A licensed tour guide in English or Filipino leads the group. Lunch is served island-picnic style. The eco-tourism fee (400 pesos per person, valid five days) funds environmental preservation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Big Lagoon1h · entry included
2. Secret Lagoon1h · entry included
3. Payong-Payong Beach1h · entry included
4. Shimizu Island1h · entry included
5. Seven Commandos Beach1h · entry included

Island hopping tour in El Nido

• Visit Big Lagoon for swimming and kayaking
• Explore Secret Lagoon through narrow opening
• Relax and snorkel at Payong-Payong Beach
• Snorkel in calm waters of Shimizu Island
• Enjoy beach and photos at Seven Commandos Beach

The experience

Big Lagoon anchors the day. The lagoon sits ringed by marvelous limestone cliffs, and you'll swim, kayak and snorkel while exploring it. The water is clear enough to see the formations below. There's about 30 to 40 minutes of travel time between stops, so the pace is built around the boat ride itself, not rushed transitions.

Secret Lagoon is the day's most unusual stop. It's a seawater lagoon sealed inside towering limestone cliffs, reachable only through a narrow opening. Depending on the tide, you may have to crawl through it to enter. Once inside, you soak and swim in turquoise water while the limestone walls loom around you. Payong-Payong Beach (payong is Tagalog for umbrella) has white sand and small limestone formations shaped like umbrellas. The surrounding waters hold coral fish and undersea formations worth snorkeling. Shimizu Island's calm turquoise waters are also good for snorkeling, and Seven Commandos Beach is a long, wide island with coconut trees and cliffs, built for the photos.

Lunch arrives island-picnic style, the way Filipinos eat on the beach. A licensed tour guide accompanies the group and speaks English or Filipino. Lifevests are provided, and kayak rentals are available at Big Lagoon if you want to explore on your own. The full-day boat ride and lagoon fees are included. The eco-tourism development fee (400 pesos per person) is valid for five days, so you can use it on other island tours in El Nido.

What’s included

• Full-day boat ride to all five islands.
• lifevest.
• licensed tour guide in English or Filipino.
• lunch served island-picnic style.
• lagoon fees and eco-tourism development fee (400 pesos per person, valid five days for other El Nido tours).
• kayak rentals available at Big Lagoon for an additional cost.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (10 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (6 to 9 years) · Child (3 to 5 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish and Filipino

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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.

Paid on siteUS$ 7.80

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by El Nido Island Tours by Cliffside Travel & Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Filipino, so you follow the commentary comfortably in either language. The six to eight hour day is built around the boat ride and the stops themselves, not a rushed schedule, making it suitable for all fitness levels.

Traveler reviews

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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 (6 to 9 years); Child (3 to 5 years); Infant (under 3).

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 the main highlight of the tour: a lagoon surrounded by marvelous limestone cliffs where you swim, kayak and snorkel. The water is clear and the cliffs rise dramatically around you.

How do we get into Secret Lagoon?

Secret Lagoon sits inside towering limestone cliffs and is only accessible through a narrow opening. Depending on the tide level, you may have to crawl through the opening to enter the lagoon.

Is kayaking included, or do I have to rent one?

Kayak rentals are available at Big Lagoon if you want them, but they are not included in the tour price. You can swim and snorkel without renting.

How much travel time is there between the five stops?

There is about 30 to 40 minutes of travel time between each destination, so the day includes both boat time and time in the water at each island.

What does the 400-peso eco-tourism fee cover?

The eco-tourism development fee (ETDF) of 400 pesos per person funds environmental preservation and sustainable tourism initiatives in El Nido. The fee is valid for five days, so you can use it on other island tours during your stay.