The 4 Best Beaches in El Nido Palawan I Actually Visited (+ My Honest Opinion)

El Nido Palawan is known for having some of the most spectacular beaches and limestone rock formations in the Philippines. White sand beaches, crystal clear water, dramatic cliffs, that’s exactly what you’d picture, right?

Well, you’re not wrong. But here’s the catch: all those stunning beaches and stunning scenery you see in photos is mostly part of the day tours or multi-day expeditions from El Nido to Coron.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t any good beaches you can visit on your own though, you just have to know where to go. I visited quite a few beaches in and around El Nido, and in this guide on the best beaches in El Nido Palawan, I’ll tell you exactly which ones I think are actually worth going to.

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The 4 Best Beaches in El Nido Palawan I Actually Visited (+ My Honest Opinion)

Best Beaches in El Nido Palawan – My Experience

Let me start this guide with a bit of my own honest experience. I don’t know why no one ever mentions this, but the beach in El Nido town is absolutely awful. You never see it on Instagram or in travel blogs, probably because it’s so ugly.

It’s full of tour boats, trash, scooters literally driving on the sand, and the tides make it nearly impossible to even sit or lie down. I was genuinely shocked (and kind of sad) when I saw it for the first time.

Of course, I also did a couple of the classic day tours, and yes, those take you to the insanely beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and limestone cliffs you’ve seen in all the photos. But I kept thinking: surely there must be some nice beaches you can just scooter to, like I did in so many other places in the Philippines.

So I did a bit of digging and found a few great ones. My favorite, an absolute hidden gem, was Duli Beach. It’s about a 40-minute scooter ride from El Nido town, and when we got there, we were almost the only ones on the beach. There was a tiny beach bar selling cold drinks and beers, the water was crystal clear, and honestly, it ended up being one of the most beautiful stretches of beach I’d seen anywhere in the Philippines. I was so glad I made the effort to go explore a bit.

1. Nacpan Beach El Nido Palawan

Let’s start this list with probably the most well-known beach near El Nido and that’s Nacpan Beach in El Nido Palawan. It took me around 30 minutes on a scooter to get there, and I actually combined it with a visit to Duli Beach on the same day.

Nacpan is super popular and even has its own Mad Monkey Hostel, along with a few beautiful (and slightly pricey) beach resorts. When I first followed Google Maps, it actually led me to Twin Beach, which is basically the southern end of Nacpan. That area was packed with plastic sunbeds, restaurants, shops and I honestly kind of hated it. It was super busy and just not the vibe I was looking for.

So, I started walking down the beach and the further I walked, the better it got. Twin Beach and Nacpan Beach are really just two ends of the same long stretch of sand, but the more you head north, the quieter and prettier it becomes.

Eventually, I found myself on this gorgeous, peaceful part of the beach with just a couple of quiet resorts, palm trees, golden sand, and beautiful turquoise water. It was amazing.

Definitely worth the extra effort to walk further down, don’t just stop where the crowds are.

2. Duli Beach

My personal favorite beach I visited in El Nido was definitely Duli Beach. It’s about a 40–45 minute scooter ride from El Nido town, but I’m pretty used to riding, so I just made a whole day out of it and honestly, I didn’t mind the journey at all.

When we got to Duli Beach, we were basically the only ones there. Maybe 20 people total on a massive stretch of sand, so it felt super peaceful. The beach itself is golden sand with crystal-clear water, and there are a couple of small resorts and a chill little beach bar where we bought a coconut and grabbed some cold beers later in the day.

What made Duli Beach my favorite was that it actually felt clean, so no trash lying around, which sadly isn’t a given in the Philippines. And there were barely any tourists. It was the kind of quiet, paradise beach I had imagined when dreaming about Palawan.

Apparently, Duli Beach is also a bit of a hidden surfing spot. Not many people know this, but during the right season, you can actually surf here. The waves are usually small, so perfect for longboarding and beginners, so that’s pretty cool if you’re looking for something a bit different in El Nido.

3. Lio Beach

Lio Beach is also super popular, probably just as popular as Nacpan, but it feels a little less built up. It’s much closer to El Nido town too, only about a 15–20 minute scooter ride.

I actually really liked this beach. It’s a beautiful stretch of white sand with crystal-clear water, and it’s an amazing spot to watch the sunset. There are quite a few restaurants and sunbeds here as well, but to me, it looked a bit nicer and more natural than what you get at Twin Beach.

We came later in the afternoon to catch sunset, so I can’t say for sure how busy it gets during the day. But I do know that some inland El Nido tours include this beach, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets a bit crowded earlier on. That said, for sunset beers sitting between palm trees with a cold one in hand, it was perfect.

One thing to know is that the airport is pretty close to here. I’ve seen some people complain about that, but honestly, there are so few flights in and out of El Nido Airport that it didn’t bother me at all.

4. Las Cabanas Beach

Las Cabañas Beach was actually the very first beach I visited in El Nido since it’s super close to town. Depending on where you’re staying, you could even walk there. From what I saw, it’s a pretty popular spot, especially because of the iconic zipline that runs over the water.

I liked this beach for a different reason though. There are a bunch of beach bars lined up right along the shore, so compared to somewhere like Duli Beach, Las Cabañas is definitely more built up. But that’s something you just have to expect here.

I already knew what the vibe would be before we came, so I didn’t go expecting a remote or untouched beach. My plan was just to hang out at a beach bar, order some food and a drink, and enjoy the view instead of laying out on a towel. For that, it was perfect.

Definitely a great alternative to the beach in El Nido town, especially if you don’t want to go far.

FAQs About Beaches in El Nido Palawan

What is the best beach in El Nido Palawan?

Well, aside from the popular ones like Ipil Beach and Entalula Beach (which you can only reach by boat), I’d say Duli Beach was definitely my favorite.

What is the best beach resort in El Nido Palawan?

I obviously can’t speak for every beach resort, but we stayed at Angkla, which is a boutique beach resort, and it was incredible. I’ve got a full review of that hotel too if you’re interested you can check it out down below.

Is El Nido worth visiting?

For sure. You can’t deny how stunning this part of the Philippines is, with remote beaches, dramatic limestone cliffs, and turquoise water. Just expect it to be overly touristy.

What’s better – El Nido or Siargao?

Uff, don’t ask me that. Overall vibe? Siargao by a mile. If I had to live somewhere in the Philippines, it’d be Siargao. But for sightseeing and island-hopping I’d pick El Nido.

Final Thoughts on El Nido Beaches

Alright, that’s a wrap on my best beaches in El Nido Palawan. I know there are way more beaches around El Nido town, the further you drive, the more you’ll find, but I was super happy with the ones I made it to in my limited time.

Especially Duli Beach and the quieter end of Nacpan Beach, I thought they were amazing.

Honestly, I think you just have to come to El Nido with the right expectations. What almost irritated me was how many influencers still sugarcoat the experience and only post pictures from the perfect angle. No one talks about how El Nido town actually kind of sucks. But maybe I’ll just start that trend. Maybe if more people are honest, things will shift. Who knows.