Lio Villas Resort
Lio · Boutique resortOur own 12-room boutique resort. We are biased, so judge it against the others.
Mid-rangeCheck availabilityThe areas, north to south
Distances are by tricycle or van from El Nido town, where most restaurants are and where the island-hopping boats leave.
45 minnorth of town
Nacpan
A four-kilometre sweep of sand with very little built on it. You come here to switch off, and you will eat where you sleep most nights.
Best for couples, beach puristsWatch for the long ride to town and tours
15 minnorth of town
Lio
A planned beach estate beside the airport, with a long clean beach, paved paths and its own shops and restaurants. The easiest area with children.
Best for families, comfort, short transfersWatch for higher prices than town
0 minEl Nido town
El Nido town
The busy centre. Restaurants, bars, dive shops, tour desks and the boat beach are all on foot. It is noisy at night and the town beach is for boats, not swimming.
Best for first visits, solo travellers, tight budgetsWatch for noise and peak-season crowds
10 minsouth of town
Corong-Corong
A quieter west-facing bay with the best sunsets of any area close to town. The sea is shallow and the tide goes a long way out.
Best for couples, mid-range staysWatch for low-tide swimming
15 minsouth of town
Marimegmeg and Las Cabañas
A swimmable sunset beach with beach bars and a growing strip of restaurants behind it. A good middle ground between beach and evening life.
Best for beach days, sunset drinksWatch for busy afternoons
Or stay on an island in Bacuit Bay
A handful of resorts sit out among the limestone cliffs of Bacuit Bay. They are the most expensive beds in El Nido and you reach them by the resort's boat, trading freedom to explore for scenery and seclusion.
Hotels worth a look
A handful across the areas and price levels. We own one of them and have marked it clearly.
Angkla Beach Club & Boutique Resort
Nacpan · Boutique resortThirty rooms on the sand with a pool and beach club.
LuxuryCheck availability
Cauayan Island Resort and Spa
Islands and boat-access · Private islandOverwater bungalows, a spa and several pools.
LuxuryCheck availabilityMaremegmeg Beach Club
Marimegmeg and Las Cabañas · Beach resortBungalows opening straight onto the sunset beach.
LuxuryCheck availabilityFrangipani El Nido
Corong-Corong · Boutique hotelSeven suites on the beach, with a pool.
UpscaleCheck availabilitySeda Lio
Lio · Resort hotelThe big beachfront resort on the estate, with 153 rooms.
UpscaleCheck availabilityThe Funny Lion El Nido
El Nido town · Boutique hotelPool, spa and a rooftop bar.
UpscaleCheck availabilityFrendz Hostel El Nido
El Nido town · HostelSocial hostel with a rooftop pool over the bay.
BudgetCheck availabilityWhen to go
Dry season runs roughly December to May. Boat tours run all year but are cancelled more often in the wet months.
JanDry
FebDry
MarDry
AprDry
MayDry
JunMixed
JulWet
AugWet
SepWet
OctWet
NovMixed
DecDry
Plan the rest
Getting to El Nido
Fly direct, drive up from Puerto Princesa, or take the ferry from Coron. What each route costs you in time.
Compare the routes
Island-hopping tours A to D
Every operator sells the same four lettered routes. Which two to pick, and what the day is like.
Choose your tours
Who we are
We run Lio Villas Resort and have hosted guests in El Nido for eleven years. How we pick hotels and how the site earns.
About this guide