A slower day in town. We relaxed at our hotel’s rooftop bar, then wandered around the little shops, the busy street markets and the beach bars that give El Nido its laid-back feel.
The town sits on Bacuit Bay, with tall limestone cliffs right behind it. The biggest, Taraw Cliff, rises above the town. The name El Nido is Spanish for “the nest”, after the edible swiftlet nests found in cracks in those cliffs, and the waters around the town have been a protected marine reserve since 1991.
Good to know
- Planning your own trip: our Philippines Things to Know and packing list cover the practical side.
We checked these details in October 2026. Times, prices and rules do change, so it’s worth a quick look at the official sites before you go.