El Nido Tour A vs B vs C vs D: Which One Should You Book in 2026?

When you arrive in El Nido and start asking about island hopping, everyone will tell you there are four tours: A, B, C, and D. What nobody tells you is that Tour A and Tour C are excellent, Tour B has one spectacular stop and several forgettable ones, and Tour D is mostly for divers. This guide tells you what you are actually getting at each stop, in real terms, so you can decide how to spend your limited time on the water without wasting a day on the wrong boat.

The Basics: How El Nido Tours Work

All four tours operate on shared bangka (outrigger boats), typically carrying 10-20 passengers. Each tour runs 8-9 hours, leaving El Nido town beach at around 9 AM and returning by 5:30-6 PM. A guide accompanies every boat. Lunch is served on a beach stop and is generally included in the price. Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins) is provided.

Prices in 2026 for shared tours: ₱1,500-2,000 per person, including the entrance fees to protected areas (usually ₱200 added on top). Book through any of the licensed tour operators in El Nido town — the guys with proper storefronts and printed receipts, not the ones who approach you on the beach. For a private boat: ₱6,000-8,000 total for the boat (fits up to 8 people comfortably), regardless of group size.

Important: El Nido Tours are operated under a permit system. The local government caps the number of boats per site per day. During peak season (December-March), Tour A boats are limited — book a day in advance, not the morning of departure.

Tour A: The Classic (Do This First)

Tour A is the right answer to the question of which tour to do on your first day. It hits the four best-known sites in the Bacuit Archipelago and the combination of experiences — lagoon swimming, beach lunch, hidden cove, snorkeling — is the complete El Nido introduction.

Tour A Stops:

• Big Lagoon: The iconic El Nido image — flat, jade-green water enclosed by vertical limestone cliffs 100-150 meters high. You paddle in by kayak (kayaks included in the tour price). Inside, the water is glassy and the cliffs reflect perfectly. You have 45-60 minutes here. Do not rush the kayak — paddle to the far end and then float. This is the most impressive single thing you will see in El Nido.
• Small Lagoon: Accessible through a low cave entrance in the rock face. You swim through (2-3 meters wide, about chest-high during low tide) and emerge into a smaller enclosed lagoon. The walls are draped in greenery, the water is shallow and bright, and the scale of the surrounding cliff is disorienting. When the light is right — late morning — it is extraordinary.
• Secret Beach: Not on all Tour A itineraries — some boats include it, some substitute with another stop. To enter: you swim underwater through an opening in the base of the cliff (about 2 meters down, the passage is 3-4 meters long) and emerge inside a completely enclosed circular cove with its own small beach. You are literally inside a rock. Ask your guide whether your specific boat includes this stop.
• 7 Commandos Beach: The lunch stop. A long white beach with clear water, good snorkeling on the right side of the bay, and shade from palm trees. The beach itself is not El Nido's best, but it is spacious and the water is good for swimming after lunch. Lunch here is usually grilled fish, rice, and vegetables — decent, not exciting.
• Shimizu Island: Sometimes included as an extra stop. An excellent snorkeling spot with healthy coral and a variety of reef fish — parrotfish, angelfish, occasional sea turtles. If your boat goes here, do not stay on the boat.

Verdict on Tour A: Do it on Day 1. It is popular for a reason. Go on a private boat if you can — the difference between 20 people on the boat and 6-8 is enormous when you are trying to float quietly inside a lagoon.

Tour B: The One with the Hidden Beach

Tour B is the weakest of the four in terms of overall consistency, but it contains one stop — the Secret Lagoon with its hidden cave-beach — that many travelers consider their single favorite El Nido experience. If you can only do two tours, do A first and then C (better overall) over B. If you are doing three tours, B is absolutely worth it for the Secret Lagoon alone.

Tour B Stops:

• Entalula Beach: A small beach with a sandbar connecting two rock formations at low tide. Pretty, peaceful, good for the first stop of the morning. Not spectacular on its own.
• Pangalusian Sandbar: A white sandbar that appears and disappears with the tide. Best at mid-tide when a strip of white sand extends into the turquoise water. Worth 30 minutes, not much more.
• Cudugnon Cave: A large sea cave you swim into at the waterline. Inside, prehistoric cave paintings have been found (not visible from the tour). The cave itself is impressive in scale. Worth a visit — 20 minutes.
• Cathedral Cave: Sometimes called the Cathedral because of the ceiling height and the way light enters through fissures in the rock. You enter by boat and there is a guided short walk inside. The acoustics are strange and beautiful.
• Secret Lagoon (the highlight): Different from Tour A's Secret Beach — this is a full lagoon, not a cove. To enter: you squeeze through a crack in the limestone base of the cliff (no swimming required — it is a walkable gap, just very narrow). Inside: a calm lagoon surrounded by vertical walls, starfish visible on the sandy bottom, and the sensation of being in a completely hidden world. Genuinely memorable.
• Pinagbuyutan Island: Lunch spot. A beach with a small hill behind it. The view from the hill over the surrounding islands is excellent if you make the 10-minute climb.

Verdict on Tour B: Third choice after A and C. Do it if you are spending 3+ days in El Nido and want variety. The Secret Lagoon is legitimately special.

Tour C: The Scenic Route (Best Snorkeling)

Tour C covers the southern part of the Bacuit Archipelago — farther from town, less crowded, better snorkeling than Tour A, and a completely different visual style. Where Tour A is all dramatic enclosed lagoons, Tour C is open water, white sand beaches, and underwater life. If you are a snorkeler or diver, Tour C is your priority.

Tour C Stops:

• Helicopter Island: Named because of its shape when seen from above. A beautiful beach with clear snorkeling on the reef that wraps around the southern point. Sea turtles are regularly spotted here — stay in the water for at least 45 minutes and you have a reasonable chance of seeing one.
• Secret Beach: (Same stop as sometimes featured on Tour A.) If you have not done the underwater entrance yet, this is the one you remember for the rest of your life.
• Star Beach: A small beach with extremely clear water. Named for the brittle stars and sea stars visible on the sandy bottom while snorkeling. The coral around the rocks at either end of the beach is healthy and diverse — more species here than at many Tour A stops.
• Three Islands / Matinloc Shrine: The shrine is an abandoned Catholic chapel built on a clifftop with a stunning view of the surrounding archipelago. The boat anchors and you hike 15 minutes up to the shrine. One of El Nido's best viewpoints, and almost no one is up there even when the beach below is crowded.
• Tapiutan Island: The lunch stop on most Tour C routes. Less developed than 7 Commandos Beach, more local feel.

Verdict on Tour C: Do this as your second tour after Tour A. Better snorkeling, fewer boats, one of the best viewpoints in El Nido. If you only have time for one tour and you care more about snorkeling than lagoons, do Tour C first.

Tour D: For Divers and the Bacuit Bay North

Tour D covers the northernmost parts of the Bacuit Archipelago, farther from town and with the longest boat rides. The headline attractions are for divers and experienced snorkelers — coral gardens at depth, drift snorkeling through channels between islands, and the Dilumacad (Helicopter) area from a different angle. Non-divers can still enjoy Tour D, but the shallower sites are less impressive than what you see on Tours A and C.

Tour D Stops:

• Cadlao Lagoon: The largest lagoon in the El Nido area. Kayak through mangroves into a large internal lagoon. Not as dramatically beautiful as Big Lagoon on Tour A, but more peaceful (fewer boats) and the mangrove section is unique on the tour circuit.
• Bulalacao Island: A small coral island with good snorkeling around the reef. One of the better snorkel spots in El Nido for non-divers on Tour D.
• Pasandigan Cove: A sheltered cove with starfish scattered across the sandy bottom at snorkeling depth. Good for beginners.
• North Beaches: Various operators hit different beaches in the north — ask your specific operator which stops they include. Ille Cave (with prehistoric burial jars) is sometimes included as an optional add-on.

Verdict on Tour D: Fourth priority for non-divers. If you are a diver, combine Tour D with a dive operator who can take you to Dilumacad Drop-off and the coral walls of the north — the diving here is genuinely world-class. For snorkelers, Tours A and C offer better value.

Which Tours Should You Book?

• 2 days in El Nido: Tour A (Day 1) + Tour C (Day 2). This covers the best of both the lagoon experience and the snorkeling/scenic route. You will not feel you missed anything essential.
• 3 days in El Nido: Tour A, Tour C, then Tour B (Day 3). By Day 3 you know the boat routine and will appreciate the Secret Lagoon freshly.
• 4 days in El Nido: All four tours. But consider spending Day 4 on land — rent a motorcycle, ride to Nacpan Beach (40 minutes north), and see El Nido from the terrestrial side. Four consecutive boat days is tiring.
• Diver doing 4 days: Tour A on Day 1 (see the lagoons as every visitor should), then 3 days of diving through a dive shop — they will take you to the best sites independently, including sites not on the standard tour circuit.

Practical Tips Before You Book

• Morning light is better: Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon look best with the sun at a low angle. The 9 AM departure on Tour A puts you at Big Lagoon around 10-10:30 AM. Good light. By noon the light is flat and the colors less saturated.
• Wear reef-safe sunscreen only: Traditional sunscreen is banned in El Nido's protected marine areas and damaging to the coral. Bring your own reef-safe sunscreen (mineral-based) — it is not reliably available in El Nido shops.
• Motion sickness: The boat crossing to some sites can be choppy, especially in the afternoon. Take medication if you are prone. The way back to El Nido town at 4-5 PM can be rough if the wind picks up.
• Crowd management: Tour A is the most crowded, especially December-March. Private boat solves this problem completely. If you must do shared, Tour C typically has fewer boats than Tour A at the same stops.

Frequently Asked Questions: El Nido Tours

Do I need to book El Nido tours in advance?

During peak season (December to March, and Holy Week in April), Tour A boats fill a day or two in advance. Book the evening before at a minimum. During off-peak months (May-November), same-day booking at a local operator is usually fine. Never book El Nido tours through international booking platforms — you pay 20-40% more and the local operator still runs the same boat.

What is included in the tour price?

Standard inclusions: bangka, guide, snorkeling equipment, and lunch on a beach. Typical exclusions: entrance fees to protected areas (₱200 per person, usually collected on the boat), kayak fees at Big Lagoon (₱200-300 per kayak), drinks beyond water. Ask your operator specifically what is included before you pay.

Is there a difference between shared and private boats?

Yes, and it matters for your experience. Shared boats carry 10-20 people and follow a fixed schedule. Private boats (₱6,000-8,000/day) let you set the pace, linger longer at your favorite spots, skip stops you do not want, and have the lagoon entrance or beach more to yourselves. For honeymooners or small groups of 4+, private boats often work out cheaper per person than shared once you factor in the experience improvement.

Can I do island hopping if I cannot swim?

Yes. Life jackets are available on every boat and required in certain areas. The lagoons and beaches are accessible without swimming. The underwater cave entrances (Secret Beach, Small Lagoon) do require basic swimming ability and comfort with water. Notify your guide before departure if you cannot swim — they will advise on which stops are accessible for you and ensure you have a life jacket throughout.

Which tour has the best snorkeling?

Tour C, specifically at Helicopter Island and the reef around Star Beach. The coral health, fish diversity, and water visibility at these stops are consistently better than the Tour A snorkel sites. If snorkeling is your priority, book Tour C first.