Bacuit Archipelago
El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago: Limestone Karst Meets Clear Water
The Bacuit Archipelago in northern Palawan, Philippines, is about 100 islands and islets of limestone karst – walls of rock rising directly from flat turquoise water in formations that look constructed rather than geological. They are not. They are the remnants of an ancient coral reef system uplifted and eroded over millions of years. The specific combination of colour – that particular Philippine turquoise, which differs from other tropical waters – and the vertical limestone profiles produces the photographs that have made El Nido internationally famous. The real thing, seen from a boat, is genuinely as good as the photographs.
El Nido town is the base for exploring the archipelago. It has grown from a small fishing village to a functioning tourist infrastructure – resorts, restaurants, tour operators, a small airport with connections to Manila – while retaining enough of its original character to still feel like a place rather than a resort complex.
Island Hopping Tours
The standard way to see the archipelago is through the labelled boat tours (Tour A, B, C, and D), each covering different island groups and sites. Tour A covers the most famous sites: Big Lagoon (enclosed by limestone walls, emerald water, navigable by kayak), Small Lagoon (narrower, reached by kayaking through a gap in the rock), and Secret Beach (entered by swimming through an opening in the cliff face to a hidden white sand cove). These are genuinely extraordinary places, and in peak season they are shared with many other boats.
Tours C and D reach more remote sections of the archipelago with smaller crowds in exchange for longer boat journeys. For snorkelling, the outer reef sections on these tours are generally better than the inner lagoons of Tour A.
All tours include lunch, snorkelling equipment, and a local guide. Book through your accommodation or directly with the licensed operators at the town pier; prices are relatively standardised.
Snorkelling and Diving
The marine environment around El Nido supports sea turtles, reef sharks, rays, and significant coral coverage. Snorkelling is accessible from most tour boats and from some beaches. Certified divers have access to the tunnel and arch systems beneath the karst formations, where the submerged limestone structures are as dramatic as the surface ones.
Cadlao Lagoon
Less visited than the standard tour sites and reachable without joining a group tour, Cadlao Lagoon at the island immediately north of El Nido town is worth the short kayak or boat trip for those who want a quieter version of the lagoon experience.
Getting There
El Nido has a small airport served by direct flights from Manila (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes). Alternatively, fly to Puerto Princesa (the main Palawan airport) and take a van or bus up the national road – roughly 4 to 5 hours depending on the route. The Puerto Princesa option is significantly cheaper and gives you the Palawan landscape overland.
Staying and Eating
Accommodation ranges from resorts with overwater rooms to guesthouses in the town proper. The town has a main street of restaurants serving seafood, Filipino standards, and international food at reasonable prices. Booking accommodation in advance is necessary for the December-April peak season.
May through November is the wet season with rougher seas that close some tour sites; December through April is the dry season with the best conditions. January and February represent peak demand.