7-Day El Nido & Coron Island Hopping: Best of Palawan Group Tour

Tour Overview

Data source: asiaodysseytravel.com — AOT-PHG-004 7 Days El Nido Coron Group Tour

Day 1: Arrive El Nido — Welcome to Palawan Paradise

• Arrive at El Nido Airport (Lio Airport) — the gateway to the Bacuit Archipelago, one of the most stunning seascapes on Earth. Limestone karst cliffs rise vertically from turquoise water as far as the eye can see
• Meet your guide and group for orientation. Transfer to your beachfront accommodation
• Free afternoon: Explore El Nido town, walk Las Cabanas Beach (famous for its 750m zipline from a hilltop to a small island), or enjoy a fresh seafood dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants. Try kinilaw (Filipino ceviche with coconut vinegar and ginger) and grilled squid stuffed with tomatoes and onions

Overnight in El Nido.

Day 2: El Nido Island Hopping Tour A — Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon & Shimizu Island

• Big Lagoon — The icon of El Nido. Enter through a narrow channel between towering limestone cliffs into an emerald-green lagoon. The water is so clear you can see 10m down. Rent a kayak (450 PHP) to explore the far reaches where the water turns from green to deep blue. The acoustics inside — the echo of paddle strokes off the 200m cliffs — create an almost cathedral-like atmosphere
• Secret Lagoon — Swim through a small opening in the limestone wall (duck your head!) to enter a hidden cove. Inside: a perfectly circular lagoon surrounded by vertical walls, open to the sky. Like your own private swimming hole carved into a mountain
• Shimizu Island — Named after a Japanese diver, this island has some of the best snorkeling in the Bacuit Archipelago. Coral gardens teem with parrotfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, and if you’re lucky, sea turtles grazing on seagrass. Enjoy a beach barbecue lunch here — grilled fish, chicken adobo, tropical fruits
• 7 Commando Beach — Legend says 7 stranded Japanese commandos lived here after WWII. The reality: a perfect crescent of white sand backed by coconut palms, with shallow waters ideal for swimming. The beach’s swing (tied to a palm tree) is the most Instagrammed spot in El Nido

Overnight in El Nido.

Day 3: El Nido Island Hopping Tour C — Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach & Secret Beach

• Helicopter Island (Dilumacad Island) — Its distinctive shape (like a helicopter from a distance) makes it instantly recognizable. The real magic is underwater: the fringing reef is a turtle highway. Snorkeling here often yields encounters with green sea turtles, and if you’re very lucky, hawksbill turtles
• Hidden Beach — A crescent of sand completely enclosed by limestone cliffs, accessible only by swimming through a narrow opening. Once inside, you’re in a natural amphitheater of rock with a sliver of sky above. The water inside is impossibly calm — like a private infinity pool designed by nature
• Matinloc Shrine — An abandoned shrine on Matinloc Island with panoramic views of the Bacuit Archipelago. Climb the 200 steps to the Virgin Mary statue for the best photography vantage point in El Nido — multiple limestone islands receding to the horizon in layers of blue and green
• Secret Beach — The most famous hidden beach in Palawan, believed to have inspired Alex Garland’s novel “The Beach.” Access requires swimming through a keyhole-shaped opening in the rock wall. Inside: a perfect pocket of white sand, crystal water, and the feeling of discovering something only a handful of people have ever seen
• Tapiutan Island — Your last stop, with its dramatic cliffs and a long stretch of golden sand. Perfect for a final swim and snorkel as the afternoon light turns golden

Overnight in El Nido.

Day 4: Ferry from El Nido to Coron — Across the Sulu Sea

• After breakfast, take the public ferry from El Nido to Coron (approximately 4-5 hours). The journey crosses the northern Sulu Sea — watch for flying fish skimming the waves and, if you’re extraordinarily lucky, dolphins riding the bow wave
• Approaching Coron: the jagged limestone islands of the Calamianes archipelago emerge from the sea like a drowned mountain range. The water shifts from open-ocean blue to the distinctive turquoise of shallow coral gardens
• Arrive at Coron Town on Busuanga Island. Check into your accommodation
• Optional afternoon: Climb the 700 steps to Mt. Tapyas for sunset. The view from the summit (210m) encompasses Coron Town, Coron Island, and the entire Calamianes archipelago. The giant cross at the summit lights up at dusk. Bring water — it’s steep, but the 360° panorama is worth every step
• Dinner: Coron’s specialty is cashew nuts (Busuanga is a major producer) and fresh seafood. Try the local dish lato (sea grapes — tiny green bubbles of seaweed that pop in your mouth like natural caviar)

Overnight in Coron.

Day 5: Coron Island Hopping — Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon & Coral Gardens

• Kayangan Lake — Voted “Asia’s Cleanest Lake.” A 10-minute climb over a limestone ridge reveals the most photographed viewpoint in Coron: the iconic shot of turquoise water framed by jagged limestone pinnacles. Then descend to the lake itself — a freshwater body 70% surrounded by rock walls, with water so clear you can see the rock formations 15m below. Swim through underwater caves and rock arches. The water is a mix of fresh (top) and salt (bottom) — creating a thermocline effect where warm freshwater floats on top of cold saltwater. Surreal and unforgettable
• Twin Lagoon — Two lagoons separated by a limestone wall. At high tide, you swim through a small opening between them. At low tide, you climb a wooden ladder over the wall. The inner lagoon is completely enclosed — like swimming in a natural cathedral. The water temperature shifts dramatically between the two lagoons
• Barracuda Lake — Another thermocline lake with a dramatic temperature shift at about 14m depth (from 28°C to 38°C). Advanced snorkelers and divers can explore the underwater rock formations. The lake is named after a large barracuda that once lived here (harmless to humans)
• Siete Pecados (Seven Islands) — A cluster of seven small islands with exceptional snorkeling. The shallow reef is packed with hard and soft corals, giant clams, and a kaleidoscope of reef fish. This is a marine sanctuary — the fish here are unusually abundant and unafraid
• Skeleton Wreck — A 25m Japanese WWII supply ship sunk in 1944. The bow sits in just 5m of water — snorkelers can clearly see the entire wreck structure. Lionfish, scorpionfish, and schools of yellowtail fusiliers have made the wreck their home

Overnight in Coron.

Day 6: Coron Coral Reef & Wreck Expedition — Pass Island, Lusong Coral Garden & Gunboat

• An approximately 2-hour boat ride takes you to the outer islands for Coron’s premium snorkeling experience
• Pass Island — A postcard-perfect tropical island with blinding white sand, coconut palms, and water so clear it looks like a swimming pool. This is your base for the day’s activities. Enjoy a beach barbecue lunch under the shade of palm trees
• Lusong Coral Garden — Coron’s largest and most vibrant coral garden. In just 2-3m of water, you’ll drift over table corals the size of dining tables, brain corals, staghorn corals, and massive sea fans waving in the current. The diversity here rivals any reef in Southeast Asia. Clownfish (Nemo!) in their anemones, moray eels peeking from crevices, and if you’re lucky, a passing sea turtle
• Lusong Gunboat Wreck — A WWII Japanese gunboat resting in 1-10m of water. The shallowest wreck in Coron, accessible even to first-time snorkelers. The bow gun is still visible, encrusted in corals. The wreck is completely colonized — corals, sponges, and schools of batfish have turned a weapon of war into a thriving ecosystem
• East Tangat Wreck — A 40m-long Japanese vessel (possibly a tugboat or submarine chaser), sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Navy aircraft. The stern sits in about 3m of water at low tide — you can literally stand on it. The bow is in deeper water, making this a two-level wreck accessible to both snorkelers and divers
• Return to Coron in the late afternoon, the sun setting behind the Calamianes islands. Farewell dinner: fresh lobster (if available), grilled tuna jaw (a Filipino delicacy), and San Miguel beer on the waterfront

Overnight in Coron.

Day 7: Depart Coron — Farewell to Palawan

• Morning at leisure. Visit the Coron Public Market for last-minute pasalubong (souvenirs): Busuanga cashew nuts (roasted, honey-glazed, or adobo-flavored), dried mangoes, and handmade shell jewelry
• Transfer to Busuanga Airport (USU) — your flight path takes you over the Calamianes islands, one last aerial view of the limestone karst archipelago

Palawan isn’t just an island — it’s a landscape that exists somewhere between dream and reality. The Bacuit Archipelago’s limestone karsts, Coron’s crystal lakes, and the warmth of Filipino hospitality will stay with you long after you’ve left.

What’s Included

• 6 nights accommodation (El Nido + Coron, twin-sharing), all island hopping tours (Tours A, C, Coron Ultimate, Wreck Expedition), English-speaking guides, all meals as per itinerary (B=6, L=4), snorkeling gear (mask and snorkel), all entrance fees and environmental permits, El Nido-Coron ferry, airport transfers