El Nido Tour C heads out to the open sea for Helicopter Island, hidden beaches, the best snorkelling in Bacuit Bay and Matinloc Shrine. Here’s every stop, what it costs and what to expect when the weather changes the plan.
El Nido Tour C is the wild one. While Tour A stays in the sheltered lagoons, Tour C sails west out of Bacuit Bay to the outer islands, where the cliffs are higher, the beaches are hidden and the snorkelling is the best of any El Nido tour. It’s also the tour most at the mercy of the sea, so the day you get may not be quite the day on the brochure.
I did Tour C the day after Tour A, at the end of May, and it turned out to be one of my favourite days in the Philippines. I flew my drone over Helicopter Island, kayaked alone in a lagoon when the crew swapped a stop for the weather, ate lunch on a beach, snorkelled over a reef drop-off and met some surprise dolphins. This is everything you need to know about El Nido Tour C, from the stops and the fees to booking the right tour.
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Tour C at a glance
- Stops: Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine and a beach for lunch, such as Talisay or Star Beach. Stops change with the weather.
- Length: A full day, meeting between 8 and 9am and back in the late afternoon.
- Price: Around ₱1,400 to ₱1,800 for a shared tour, with lunch, snorkel gear and a life jacket.
- Fees on top: The ₱400 environmental fee and ₱200 to ₱300 for Matinloc Shrine, in cash, plus a kayak if your boat stops at a lagoon.
- Best for: Beaches, snorkelling and anyone who has already done Tour A.
Helicopter Island
Tour C starts at Helicopter Island, or Dilumacad, which is said to look like a helicopter from the right angle. Whether or not you see it, it’s a very dramatic approach, with a big limestone rock rising at one end of a long white beach.
I sent my drone up first, and the view from above is the best way to see the shape of the island. It was possibly the hottest drone flight I’ve ever done, and I was very glad to jump into the water afterwards. The snorkelling is around the big rock at the end of the beach, where the crew told us turtles are sometimes seen.
Top tip
Charge your batteries the night before, and check them. I charged all three of my drone batteries, and only one had actually charged, which meant I had to choose my shots very carefully on the day.
Secret Beach and Hidden Beach
The most famous stops on Tour C are on Matinloc Island. Secret Beach is a small white-sand beach completely enclosed by cliffs, reached by swimming through a hole in the rock, and Hidden Beach is a cove tucked away behind a wall of limestone. Both need calm water to land.
On my tour, the sea was too choppy to get into Secret Beach safely, so the crew changed the plan. This happens a lot on Tour C, and it’s worth going in with an open mind. I didn’t feel short-changed at all, because of what they swapped in.
Cadlao Lagoon (the swap)
Instead of Secret Beach, we went to Cadlao Lagoon, which is usually on Tour D. I rented my own kayak for ₱300 and paddled out into the middle of a still, green lagoon below the cliffs. It’s much easier to explore on your own than to coordinate with a whole group, the water was calmer than the day before, and floating out there it felt incredibly peaceful. I will never get over the colour of the water in the Philippines.
Lunch on the beach and snorkelling
Lunch on Tour C is served on a beach, and ours was laid out on the sand by a crew who couldn’t have been lovelier. Afterwards, we snorkelled by the rocks at the edge of the beach, where there’s a really nice drop-off, and before the day was out we had a surprise visit from dolphins.
Top tip
My operator warned that crews in El Nido can no longer cook on board, so lunch is prepared in advance and may be served cold. Bring snacks and plenty of water if you’re a big eater.
Matinloc Shrine
The last stop on Tour C is Matinloc Shrine, an abandoned shrine to the Virgin Mary on Matinloc Island, with white buildings in a cove and a viewpoint over the cliffs and the sea. There’s an entrance fee of ₱200 to ₱300.
I went ashore but skipped the shrine itself to fly my drone and take photos instead, and from above you can see how the shrine sits in a little cove beneath the sheer grey cliffs. Most people go for the view from the top. If you’d rather swim or relax for the last hour, it’s the easiest stop to miss.
How to book El Nido Tour C
I booked my Tour C in advance through GetYourGuide with Corazon Travel and Tours, the same local operator I used for Tour A, and I’d recommend them. The team were lovely from start to finish. We met at Jarace Grill in El Nido town between 8 and 9am, bringing photo ID, cash, water, a change of clothes and a dry bag, and set off after the guide had sorted the permits and coastguard clearance.
Do
Book the shared El Nido Tour C: Hidden Beaches and Shrine, the tour I did. Snorkel gear can be hired on the beachfront if you’d like your own, along with water shoes.
Because Tour C crosses open water, it’s the first El Nido tour to be cancelled or rerouted in rough weather. Book it for early in your stay so you have a spare day if it doesn’t run, and if you travel outside the dry season, expect the stops to change.
What to bring on Tour C
- Cash for the environmental fee, Matinloc Shrine and a kayak.
- Water shoes for the landings and rocks.
- A dry bag and a change of clothes.
- A floating strap for your camera. I bought a new float for my GoPro in town on the morning of Tour C, so I didn’t have to use its clunky waterproof case.
- Reef-safe sun cream and a hat. The beaches have little shade, and it’s hot.
My Philippines packing list has everything else.
Tour C or Tour A?
Tour A is all about the lagoons, and Tour C is all about beaches, snorkelling and the open sea. They felt completely different, which is exactly what you want, and after doing both I felt I’d really seen the islands around El Nido. If you have two days, do both. If you can only do one and the sea is calm, Tour C will give you the most varied day. If the forecast is rough, choose Tour A.
My verdict: Tour C was a success, even with a stop swapped out, and it was exactly what I’d hoped for from a trip to the Philippines. If you’re thinking about coming to the Philippines, I’d say just do it.
Map
Read next
- El Nido island hopping: Tours A, B, C and D compared
- El Nido travel guide
- The perfect 3-week Philippines itinerary
- Getting around the Philippines
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