Private El Nido Island Hopping with Entalula

El Nido's island-hopping tours are usually sold as fixed routes, and most of them put you on a boat with other groups. This one is private: the boat, the crew and the guide are for your group alone, and the route combines highlights from several of the standard El Nido tours, as the name of the listing on GetYourGuide suggests, with Entalula Island among the stops. The operator is Alexzus Travel and Tours, and the figure shown on GetYourGuide's El Nido listing in October 2026 was US$259 per person.

El Nido lies on the northern tip of Palawan, at the edge of Bacuit Bay, where limestone cliffs rise straight out of turquoise water and small islands, lagoons and beaches are scattered across the bay. The standard tours are lettered A to D and each takes in a different set of places. A private boat lets you build your own mix, which is why the order of the day can be shaped by your preferences and the weather.

The day centres on the Big Lagoon, where you can paddle a kayak, and on snorkelling stops, with Entalula Island as one of the highlights. You can choose a traditional boat or a speedboat. The traditional boat is slower and more atmospheric, while a speedboat covers more ground and gives you more time at each stop. The tour lasts about seven hours and starts from El Nido town.

The price includes the licensed tourist boat, a captain and a local guide, a mask and snorkel, life jackets, one kayak at the Big Lagoon, a picnic lunch and drinking water. The listing mentions hotel pickup and drop-off within El Nido town; the meeting point is Mabuhay Sports Bar, formerly Marber's Resto Bar, on Calle Hama on the beachfront, so confirm with the operator which of the two applies to you.

Some costs are paid in cash on the day and are not included. The environmental fee is Php 400 per person, mandatory and valid for five days. The Big Lagoon fee is Php 200 per person and also mandatory. Entry to the Matinloc Shrine costs Php 200 per person and is optional. Bring cash and water shoes.

What most booking pages do not tell you is how much the weather decides. The dry season runs roughly from November to May, with the calmest water and the clearest views in the later months. The rainy season brings stronger winds and rougher sea between June and October, and boats may be held in port when conditions are poor. If your trip falls in those months, plan a spare day. The sun is strong all year, so a hat, a rash guard and sunscreen help, and a dry bag protects a phone and wallet from spray.

The common mistakes are small ones. Visitors arrive without cash and find that fees must be paid in pesos. They bring a bag of valuables on a small boat. They expect every cove to be empty, when the Big Lagoon draws many boats in the middle of the day. A private boat gives you the chance to go early or late and avoid most of the crowd, and it is worth asking the captain when the quietest hours are.

The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or heart problems. The listing page did not show a price when we read it, so the figure on this page comes from the GetYourGuide city listing; confirm it on the booking page.

A few habits protect the bay and your day. Do not touch or stand on corals, wear a rash guard or a sunscreen that is kind to reefs, and keep your rubbish with you rather than leaving it on the beach. The environmental fee exists to support conservation in the area, which is why it is mandatory. Seasickness is rare on the traditional boats in calm weather but not unknown, so take a tablet beforehand if you are prone to it. Pack a dry bag for your phone, a towel, a hat and water shoes, since beaches can be rocky. If you have more than one day, pair this tour with a visit to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, which is covered in the Palawan listing on this site, and remember that El Nido town is small, so book dinner in advance in the high season.

Confirm the meeting time the evening before and arrive a little early, so that the crew can leave before the main wave of boats on a busy morning. Mobile reception is weak on the water, so agree a plan with the captain about where to meet again if you split up for a swim or a kayak.

It suits couples, families and friends who want an island day at their own pace, without sharing a boat with strangers. For a longer, more adventurous version around the Phi Phi islands, the overnight private longtail trip on this site is the comparable idea in Thailand.