El Nido on a Budget

Not a lot of tourists go to El Nido because it is relatively expensive compared to the other beach destinations in the Philippines. A 3 days 2 night all inclusive ( airfare, accommodations, food, and tours) at the premier resorts in the area, Lagen and Minoloc, cost about US$ 700 per person during the off season.

However, you can still enjoy El Nido on a budget. There are actually resorts/ small hotels in El Nido town which are reasonably priced. Depending on the location and quality of accommodations, you can get a room from US10 to US 50 per night. Food is also cheap in the town where you will find a number of restaurants offering international dishes and fresh seafood.

The fastest way to fly to El Nido from Manila is to take the Island Transvoyager plane. But this 1 hour flight cost US$314 round trip. But if you are not willing to spend that much on transportation and find no problem with taking a long land trip on bad roads then there is a much cheaper option of flying instead from Manila to Puerto Princesa.

Flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa is a reasonable US $46 round trip on budget fare. From Puerto Princesa you will have to take a bus or van for the 8 hour trip to El Nido by land. Bus fare is only US$7 one way.

It is not easy to go to El Nido if you are on a budget. But the awesome scenery and natural beauty of the place is well worth the extra effort to get there.