Where to stay in El Nido with video and comparative table
El Nido has some of the most spectacular islands and snorkelling tours in the Philippines, a must-visit place. I absolutely had a blast.
However, what I found difficult on my first visit was deciding on where to stay in El Nido, and what would have worked best for me.
In fact, besides El Nido town, there are other areas that may work better based on your type of trip: on a budget or luxurious, quiet or with nightlife, family trip or a romantic gateway trip.
I explored the area quite extensively, and I have organised a video as well as a handy comparative table to easily and quickly compare the main areas of El Nido
But let’s start with it
Where to stay in El Nido – in a nutshell
El Nido is a small town right in the north of the Palawan Region in the Philippines.
El Nido Town is today the major tourist centre in Palawan, famous as a starting base for the magnificent tours all around, visiting incredible pristine beaches, gorgeous snorkelling, unique lagoons and so much more.
However, you will not be alone. El Nido is a popular destination with both Filipinos and foreigners.
In the table below you will find the 4 major areas where you can stay in El Nido and nearby villages/settlements
The rating is in the 1-5 range with 1 being the lowest value.
I have also added a column with the distance to El Nido Town, which is important if you plan to take any tour leaving from there.
Click on the area name to discover more pros and cons, restaurants, bars, cafes and hotel suggestions
| Area Town | Best for | Avg. Cost | Suggested Hotel | Km from El Nido Town | Beach | Highlight | Nightlife Bars/Rest. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Nido Town | Practical Bars/Restaurants | $-$$$ | SANSE Boutique or Frendz Hostel | NA | 1 | Tours | 5 |
| Corong Corong | Budget | $-$$ | Kame House or Country Inn | 2-4Km | 2 | Budget | 2 |
| Las Cabanas | Relaxing, Romantic | $$$-$$$$ | Mua Tala Hotel | 5Km | 4 | Sunset | 1 |
| Lio Beach | Seclusion Beach | $$-$$$$ | Seda Lio | 7Km | 4 | Beach | 1 |
Before getting deeper into the best areas to stay in El Nido I suggest checking out this video I made during my last trip.
I explain how you can organise your trip with reference to a map as well.
This will help immensely to orientate yourself.
El Nido Town
If it’s the first time you visit El Nido and you are looking for a practical place to stay then look no further than the town itself.
In El Nido, you can walk everywhere you want, from the starting points of the tours to the restaurants and bars at night.
However, during the day most of the people leave for the tours and El Nido suddenly becomes quiet, almost empty, till 4-5 pm when the tours are all back.
The town is located in a small valley, with a long beach and small hills on both sides.
Unfortunately, the beach is not a swimmable one. The sewage system is still under work and it’s not safe to spend a long time in the water.
In saying that, take any of the tours and in 20-30 minutes by boat, you will find yourself in a real paradise of white beaches and turquoise water.
You will find here great nightlife, mostly on the street parallel to the beach (stay away from there for a quiet night).
There are plenty of bars, restaurants and clubs where you can have drinks till late at night, with live music too.
The farther you are from the beach the quieter it will become.
Ideally, stay closer to the hills if you are looking for a peaceful sleep.
The SANSE Boutique Hotel is a lovely place with an amazing design inspired by Mother Nature (see photos here).
It’s a great value-for-money option, perfect for people looking for affordable accommodation, but still wanting to have a unique experience.
The Frendz Hostel is the new star in town (see photos here). It’s a social accommodation, which means they have plenty of activities and possibilities to meet other travellers.
There is a lovely, although small, pool on the rooftop where they also offer happy hour in the evening. The rooms are super clean and the whole environment has such a great vibe. Highly suggested.
When in El Nido Town, I suggest dining at Tuk Tuk Thai. They are located right in front of the beach and they offer lovely curry at a very affordable price.
For drinks head to Calle Hama, the epicentre of all the bars and nightlife.
Corong Corong
Corong Corong is a village that is today an extension of El Nido Town.
It’s located on a long 3 km bay with a scenic beach that is absolutely gorgeous at sunset.
It’s a short beach, very shallow too, and for this reason not swimmable.
The village itself is quite small and only 500m from El Nido. There is a shopping centre and a nice local market where you can stock up on fruit and veggies at a fraction of the prices you see in El Nido.
The van/bus station is also located in Corong Corong and this is where you will arrive if you come from Puerto Princesa or any other destination in the south of Palawan.
There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars. A much wider choice than it looks on Google Maps.
You should go to the new Pops District, a small lane with plenty of bars and restaurants, of which the Pizzeria Altrove is one of my favourites.
For a quieter stay, you should book your accommodation facing the beach.
If you stay along the main road you will most likely experience the noise from the traffic which, however, is minimal after 10 pm but it starts quite early in the morning, between 6 and 7 am.
Hotels and hostels facing the beach tend to be more expensive.
Accommodation in Corong Corong tends to be cheaper, however, you need to budget the cost of the tricycle, in case you want to go to El Nido (budget US$3/5).
Usually, when you book a tour leaving from El Nido they include also the pick-up, but they do not include the drop-off.
Be aware that there are also tours leaving from Corong Corong beach which could be actually handier.
Corong Corong is definitely much quieter than El Nido, however, there are still plenty of bars to spend the night, but in a much cooler and relaxed way.
The Kame House Backpackers is an amazing place to stay (see photos here), very well priced, super clean and with great service too.
It’s one of the most popular places in Corong Corong, therefore book well in advance.
The Country Inn El Nido is another great hotel to be based (see photos here).
It’s on the main road, however, it’s very quiet. Service is excellent and the breakfast offers a wide choice of Filipino and Western-style food.
I was here on one of my last trips with my small kid and I enjoyed it so much.
Check availability at Country Inn
The only drawback about Country Inn is the slow internet but that’s quite common in the whole county.
In fact, I suggest having a local SIM card which is offered for free at the Manila terminal.
Are you still unsure if either Thailand or The Philippines is a better destination? Read my full comparison.
Las Cabanas
This beach is famous for one of the most spectacular sunsets in the Philippines.
It is a very quiet place till 5 pm when people from all around El Nido come to experience this amazing show of mother nature.
It almost seems that the whole of El Nido moves to Las Cabanas for sunset and leaves as it becomes dark.
It’s without any doubt a very romantic part of El Nido.
Las Cabanas is located at the end of the same bay of Corong Corong, about 5km from El Nido town.
The council is developing Las Cabanas with more shops and restaurants, with Western standards facilities.
McDonald’s, in fact, has recently opened in Las Cabanas, on the main road, around 200 meters from the beach.
You find here also one of the best zip lines in the Philippines where you literally fly over the sea across to a small island facing Las Cabanas.
Budget US$5/7 for a tricycle to El Nido (up to 3 people)
I personally suggest renting a scooter ($10-15/day) if staying in Las Cabanas. It’s more practical if you want to move around, although driving in the Philippines is an art by itself.
Las Cabanas is definitely the best place to stay in El Nido for a romantic time with your partner. The amazing sunset will stay in the memory for a long time.
The Mua Tala Hotel is one of the most unique and romantic spots in El Nido with a view that is, well, one of the most amazing in the country (see photos here).
They have also a restaurant and bar at a very reasonable price, besides a stunning boutique pool.
Lio Beach
This is a nice swimmable beach 5-6km from El Nido.
It’s an area located next to the Airport, very practical if you fly in for just 2/3 days.
There are a few resorts and hotels with beach bars along most of the beach, all at a reasonable price I must say.
This is where I also had my best internet connections, otherwise always so unbearably slow in all of the other areas.
There is a free hourly bus that goes to El Nido, a very practical way to explore the town, have a few drinks, have dinner and back to the hotel.
Lio Beach is a very quiet place so you will be assured a relaxed stay with peaceful nights, no loud music around.
The swimmable beach itself is mostly under the palm trees with free sunbed scattered here and there.
Single-use plastic is not allowed on the beach. You will not be able to buy water in plastic bottles, for example.
In fact, I always suggest taking a water bottle with you. Many restaurants offer refills, for a small charge, from a drinkable water supply.
Interestingly, they even organised a fenced 9sqm area on the beach for smokers.
If travelling with children, you will find also small playgrounds for kids (mostly made with recycled materials).
The pier is a lovely spot for a nice walk.
Transportation from the airport to the hotel is free of charge.
If you need a tricycle to El Nido, budget US$9-15 (remember however that there is a free hourly bus)
The hotels in Lio Beach tend to be more expensive than anywhere else, however, they are all new and nicely secluded
The Seda Lio is an accommodation with a lovely design (see photos here) literally meters from the beach.
It’s a very handy choice for families and at a reasonable price too. Super clean, with spacious rooms and great service.
For a sunset drink, go to the Jungle Bar. You will be still able to supervise your kids playing at the beach and at the same time enjoy the cool environment and the relaxed vibe.
- Where to stay in Coron, the best 5 areas including the islands
- Best areas to stay in Puerto Princesa (beach, airport or city centre)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best areas to stay in El Nido?
There are essentially 4 areas. El Nido Town, Corong Corong, Las Cabanas and Lio Beach (close to the airport). You can easily move between them either with a rented scooter or a local moto-taxi.
Where to stay in El Nido on a budget
The easiest and cheapest place to stay is El Nido Town, however, it can be quite noisy. Corong Corong is quieter and cheaper too.
Best place to stay in El Nido with family and kids
With small kids, I would suggest staying in Lio Beach for the wide nice beach. If you are travelling with grown-up kids then Corong Corong may also be another solution, much closer to El Nido Town.
Where to stay in El Nido as a couple
If you are in a romantic mood then look no further than Las Cabanas where you will experience one of the most beautiful sunsets of the Philippines.
Best place to stay in El Nido first-time
El Nido Town is the solution if you are looking for a practical place to stay, close to everything.
The coolest place to stay in El Nido
Las Cabanas is the most relaxed, cool-down area to stay in El Nido. Tough to beat such an amazing sunset
Most unique accommodation in El Nido
This is most definitely The Birdhouse. You will have a boutique tent for yourself which opens up to one of the most amazing views you can find in the country, not just El Nido (see photos here). The accommodation is part of the surrounding nature with minimal impact on the ecosystem.
Must-try restaurant in El Nido
My favourite places are Altrove (Italian pizza and pasta), with one restaurant in El Nido and one in Corong Corong, and the Happiness Beach Bar, for Middle Eastern food, so yummy.
What are the best tours in El Nido?
Tours are offered everywhere, all at the same price (aka. there is no competition). My suggestion is to not buy online. Go instead to one of the agencies. It’s much easier to deal with them directly in case of cancellation (rain or rough sea) and they include a free pick-up from the hotel. My favourite tour is “Tour D”, not as busy as the others and great value for money.
How to reach El Nido
There are three possible ways to reach El Nido:
- a direct flight from Manila (expensive)
- flight to Puerto Princesa and van to El Nido (longer but much cheaper)
- boat or local flight from Coron, the other major destination in Palawan
It must be said that the boat from Coron to El Nido is not the best as the sea is quite wavy, so probably not great if you easily feel seasick.
The van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido takes between 5 and 7 hours, and, together with a flight to Puerto Princesa, is the cheapest way to go to El Nido.
You can see more about the van trip in the below video.
Thanks so much Stefano.
It was the information that I was looking for..
Really helpful.
No worries. Enjoy El Nido
This has been very very helpful thank you!! Jenny & Johnny.
No worries, so glad it was helpful