Keelooma review: island hopping from El Nido to Coron by boat

My Keelooma expedition review: three days and two nights sailing from El Nido to Coron, with every stop I made, from a shipwreck snorkel and a hidden cave pool to two remote beach camps. What it costs, what it’s really like and whether it’s worth it.

There are two ways to get from El Nido to Coron. One is a fast ferry that takes about three and a half hours. The other takes three days, stops at remote islands along the way, and sleeps at beach camps that you can only reach by boat. I chose the slow way, with an operator called Keelooma, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of my whole trip to the Philippines.

I did the expedition at the start of June, after my time in El Nido and before my last few days in Coron. I’d booked it months in advance, and so many people I’d met had told me it was one of the real highlights of their trip. Even so, after days of island hopping, I’d wondered whether to skip it and take the ferry instead. I’m so, so glad I didn’t. This review takes you through the trip day by day, then covers the price and booking, the camps, the food and what I’d want to know before going.

Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to purchase through one of my recommended partners.

Quick verdict

Keelooma’s El Nido to Coron expedition is a brilliant way to travel between the two, especially if you love snorkelling, beaches and meeting other travellers. The guides were amazing, the food was amazing and the camps, though basic, are in beautiful, well-thought-out spots. It costs far more than the ferry, but it turns a travel day into three of the best days of your trip. As I said when I stepped off the boat in Coron: next level.

The route

The trip I booked is the three-day, two-night El Nido to Coron route, which Keelooma calls El Nido, Linapacan, Coron. It leaves from the Keelooma office in Barangay Villa Libertad, in the Lio area of El Nido, at 8am on the first day, and arrives at Coron Port at around 5.30pm on the third.

• Day 1: East El Nido and southern Linapacan.
• Day 2: Central Linapacan.
• Day 3: Culion and on to Coron.

There are two or three island stops a day, for snorkelling, swimming and beaches, and you sleep at Keelooma’s own base camps on the islands.

Day 1: El Nido to the first camp

Setting off

I dropped my laundry off in El Nido the day before so I’d have clean clothes for the trip, and packed that evening. The next morning, my first glimpse of the boat had me excited straight away: it looked really cool, and the group looked like a good one. At the start, the crew introduced themselves: Bam, our lead guide; Randy, who looked after the snorkelling, swimming and kayaking; and Alvin, Alden and Junjun, the boat crew.

It was baking hot from the off. Before we’d even left, I was thinking: three days on the water, and I already need some shade.

Snorkelling a shipwreck

Our first stop was a shipwreck, and it was my first time snorkelling around a wreck. There was so much coral and so many fish. After hours in the heat, jumping off the side of the boat into the water was the most refreshing feeling. You feel raging hot, and then you’re in.

Jumping off the boat

Getting in the water means jumping off the boat, and it quickly became a group event, with countdowns and the crew cheering on anyone who was nervous. If you dive, it’s a different feeling from the backward roll or giant stride you’re used to: you just go.

A beach, volleyball and lunch

The second stop was a small island with a beach to walk along, a volleyball net for anyone who wanted a game, and coral just offshore for snorkelling. The crew served lunch here before we explored.

Climbing into a hidden pool

Next, the crew took us to an amazing swimming spot where we climbed through a cave and came out into the most idyllic little pool. It felt like our own personal paradise, and I was absolutely there for it. From inside the cave, you can swim all the way through to the exit.

The sandbar, and my drone

At one point we were right by a sandbar, and I thought I’d get some drone footage. A gust of wind caught the drone, blew it into the side of the boat and it sank. We weren’t very deep, so the crew retrieved it, but there’d be no more drone footage for the rest of the trip.

Arriving at camp

Even that was hard to be too sad about when we pulled up at the first camp. It was so spectacular, with a blue sky that promised a cracker of a sunset. By the end of the day, my verdict was clear: really incredible snorkelling, and such an amazing start to the expedition.

The evening was great food, really nice chat and a few drinks: beers, then rum and Coke, then rum and Sprite, which I’d never thought of but which kind of worked. The sun had left me feeling a bit dazed, so I went to bed really early, and I felt much better for it in the morning.

Day 2: central Linapacan

Morning on the beach

I had my morning coffee right by the beach, steps away from where I’d woken up, which is a pretty special way to start the day. The night had been hot, but the cabin was cosy.

Losing the drone had an upside, too: it took the pressure off. With nothing to fly, I took photos and video, but I wasn’t stressing about getting the shot, and I could just enjoy the day.

Island hopping through Linapacan

Day two promised more snorkelling and more gorgeous beaches as we island hopped through central Linapacan: more of the same, and I was totally up for it.

The second camp

In the afternoon we pulled into our second camp, on another island, where the crew welcomed us in. Dinner was pancit bihon noodles, chicken curry, rice and Java rice, and the night that followed was a pretty wild one. By then, the group had become such a class bunch of people. I remember thinking: I’ve loved this trip, and there’s still a whole day to go.

Day 3: Culion and on to Coron

One last snorkel

Day three began after a pretty wild, very fun last night, at a snorkel spot that looked pretty perfect. It was baking hot again, which is exactly what we’d signed up for, and I couldn’t wait to hop in and cool down, then dry off on the deck. The weather was really perfect for the whole trip.

A last lunch, and Coron

Our final lunch was a feast of fried fish with garlic sauce, a pork dish, tomato pasta, macaroni salad, a Filipino dessert and fruit, plus a birthday cake for one of the group. Then it was on past Culion to Coron Port, where the trip finishes at around 5.30pm.

Price and booking

I paid ₱17,100 per person. Keelooma asked for a 50% deposit when I booked, which for me was ₱8,550, paid by card through a PayPal invoice, with the balance due before departure. When you book, they ask for your name, age, nationality and any food restrictions.

The cancellation policy at the time was clear: cancel more than 72 hours before departure and you get a refund, less an admin fee and bank charges; cancel 24 to 72 hours ahead and you get back half the deposit; cancel within 24 hours or don’t turn up and you lose everything. If the coastguard suspends sea travel because of bad weather, Keelooma cancels and refunds your deposit. Prices and policies change, so check the current rates when you book.

The camps

Both nights are spent at Keelooma’s beach camps on remote islands. They’re basic, but in beautiful, well-thought-out spots.

At my first camp, there were individual cabins, four at the front and four at the back, so I had my own space. The cabins are simple, and my first night was hot, so expect to sleep in very little. My bag stayed on the boat that night, pyjamas and all, so keep your sleepwear and a change of clothes in a small bag you can take ashore.

The food

The food was a highlight. Every meal was a Filipino feast, and the crew announced each one with a list of dishes and a cheer.

• One lunch: Mussels and fresh fruit.
• One dinner: Grilled pork, grilled chicken and grilled tuna, adobo, pancit canton noodles, stir-fried bok choy, cucumber salad and fresh fruit.
• Dinner on the second night: Pancit bihon noodles, chicken curry, rice and Java rice.
• Lunch on day three: Fried fish with garlic sauce, a pork dish, tomato pasta, macaroni salad, a Filipino dessert, fruit and a birthday cake.

Tell Keelooma about any dietary requirements when you book.

What I loved

• The people. Bam, Randy and the boat crew were amazing, and my group were the most amazing bunch of people you could hope to share a boat with.
• The snorkelling. A shipwreck, coral and plenty of fish.
• The hidden cave pool. Climbing through the rock into our own little paradise.
• The food. Proper Filipino feasts at every meal.
• The camps. Basic but beautifully placed, with coffee on the beach in the morning.

Things to know

• The camps are basic. You get a simple cabin and a bed, and it’s hot at night. If you need air conditioning, this isn’t the trip for you.
• It’s a lot of sun. Three days on the water in the heat takes it out of you, and I caught the sun. On the first night I went to bed early and felt much better for it.
• Keep your drone in its case on the boat. Mine was blown into the side of the boat by a gust of wind and sank by a sandbar. The crew got it back, but that was the end of my drone footage.
• The weather matters. I did the trip just before the rainy season set in. A few days later, Coron had heavy rain and the loudest thunder I’ve ever heard, and the same trip in that weather would have been an absolute nightmare.
• It’s sociable. You’ll spend three days with the same group. For me that was a huge part of the fun, but it’s worth knowing if you’d rather travel quietly.

What to pack

Keelooma’s own list is a good start: a dry bag, reef shoes, swimwear, sun cream, sunglasses, a towel and toiletries, a scarf or sarong, insect spray and travel insurance. I’d add a hat with a brim, a long-sleeved top for the boat, a head torch for the camps and a power bank. Keep a change of clothes and your sleepwear in a small bag you can take ashore.

My Philippines packing list has the rest.

Is the Keelooma expedition worth it?

If you have the time and the budget, yes, absolutely. The fast ferry gets you from El Nido to Coron in an afternoon, but the expedition gives you three days of the Philippines that most visitors never see. It was one of the highlights of my trip, and something I hope I remember forever.

If you’re short of time or money, the ferry is fine, and my guide to getting from El Nido to Coron compares all the options.

Read next

• Coron travel guide: the best things to do in Coron
• How to get from El Nido to Coron
• 3 days in El Nido: the perfect El Nido itinerary
• Getting around the Philippines
• El Nido travel guide
• The perfect 3-week Philippines itinerary

Love this? Save and share on Pinterest