The Philippine islands are among the most beautiful in the world. While it may seem by looking at a map that the islands are clustered relatively closely together, it can actually be a pain to move from one island to another – either involving lengthy ground travel, or flying – which can be surprisingly expensive and/or inconvenient. Both Coron and El Nido were on my to-go list for my trip to the Philippines, and when I found out that I can actually combine transport with a leisurely sailing trip from Coron to El Nido, I was immediately onboard (pun intended)! This post will outline what to expect from the Coran to El Nido island hopping boat tour in the Philippines as well as day-trip options in case you cannot commit to a multi-day sailing trip.
This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of these links, I may receive a small percentage at no extra cost to you.
Content
- What is included in the 3 day 2 night island-hopping boat tour
- What to expect
- What to bring (packing list)
- Annoyances
- Day-trip options
- Final Thoughts
What is included in the 3 day 2 night island-hopping boat tour
The 3 day 2 night island-hopping boat tour can go in both directions, either from Coron to El Nido, or from El Nido to Coron. We chose the Coron to El Nido direction because Coron has an airport nearby (USU), and we were going to head out to Puerto Princesa (PPS) after El Nido for our outward flight, so we decided to save the longer ground travel for after the cruise rather than before it. El Nido also has an airport (ENI), but it is a private airport, so flights are generally double to triple what it costs to fly out of Puerto Princesa (PPS)
The cruise includes all activities, food and beverages – including unlimited rum, gin and mixers – as well as nightly hut accommodations on various beaches along the route. All water-activity gear like snorkel, kayaks, SUPs are also included.
What to Expect
Expect a stunning sailing journey through some of the most remote and beautiful islands in the world. Each day, there will be multiple opportunities for snorkeling and other water activities. You’ll sometimes island-hop to remote islands where you may have an afternoon on the beach and/or have lunch there before sailing on. Enjoy outstanding meals – that generally feature a lot of fresh-caught seafood – both on-board the ship, as well as on the islands where you’ll spend each evening at hutted beach camps. The rustic huts at the beach camps feature basic beds and mosquito nets. Each night you’ll be served an island feast and the crew will generally set-up a makeshift bar where you can get whatever drinks you like (all included in your package price), and enjoy the evening under the stars. If conditions allow, the crew may also build a campfire.
What to bring (packing list)
The tour company can help you store any unnecessary items in the hold of the boat – so when you check into the tour, you’ll have your bags to be “checked” so to speak, and then the items you’ll actually be using during the cruise as well as on your nightly hut accommodations.
Make sure your dry bags are large enough to fit the items that you plan to bring with you on the boat and to the nightly island accommodations, as those will be transported by kayak to the island (you will be expected to snorkel the 20 – 30 meters or so to the island accommodations – although they will also kayak you over if you don’t feel up for the swim).
- 1 or 2 swim suits
- Sunglasses
- Brimmed hat or ballcap
- Multiple dry bags for your clothing and valuables
- Snorkeling gear I use: low-volume snorkel mask (also suitable for free-diving) and compact foldable snorkel to save space as I travel carry-on only (the tour also provides gear free of charge)
- Waterproof camera or GoPro. I used an Akaso Brave 4 and a Shellbox Underwater Diving case for my Phone
- Sunscreen (I recommend Safe Sea – in case of jellyfish or sea lice in the water)
- Insect repellent. I prefer Picardin-based repellents.
- Insect bite healer, or after bite treatment – whatever works best for you after a bite
- Antihistamines in case of allergic reaction
- Hydrocortisone cream (for bites/stings/skin reactions)
- Pure silk sleeping sack. I use a 100% natural silk sleep sack as it weighs just 100g and keeps me cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. There are cheaper options available but other materials will not have the temperature-regulation features of pure silk and tend to be heavier. Definitely bring some type of sleep sack though.
- Soap (expect a bucket shower situations on the beach campsites – so forget anything too fancy). I brought a shampoo bar so I could also use the soap to wash my hair as well.
- Toiletries (toothbrush toothpaste etc).
- Sealing Coffee Mug (I love my Contigo Mug). Keeps your drinks cold and spill-proof on the boat.
- Vinegar in a spray bottle (more on why in the “Annoyances” section)
- Watershoes or watersandals like Tevas
- Flip-flops
- Ultralight Travel Towel
- Compact lightweight beach blanket or sarong
Annoyances
You’ll be very well taken care of on your trip, as the crew are excellent. However, there are a few annoyances of which you should be aware. In recent years jellyfish blooms have been increasingly pervasive in the warm calm waters of SE Asia. This can lead to either unpleasant encounters with jellyfish themselves or their larvae – which can cause seabather’s eruption – a rash that occurs underneath your bathing suit if the invisible larvae get stuck in your bathing suit and die – usually upon exposure to fresh water (ie: a freshwater shower after a swim) or if you sit in your bathing suit for too long after swimming in waters where the larvae may be present. Having endured jellyfish and jellyfish larvae encounters I now use Safe Sea – which has been proven to prevent or mitigate jellyfish and larvae stings.
If you get stung by a jellyfish, you should spray or douse the area with vinegar and wait at least 10 minutes before rinsing off with clean salt water, before rinsing with any fresh water. I’ve heard anecdotally that fresh pineapple also works (I assume it’s because of the acid in the fruit). Note that the vinegar/acid solution does not work for stings from Portuguese Man-of-War, so if you think you’ve been stung by one of those, avoid vinegar, and rinse with seawater instead. To avoid seabather’s eruption – avoid rinsing with fresh water right after swimming in the ocean. Instead, change out of your bathing suit as soon as possible, and wash it – ideally with hot water and soap – and wear a different one while the one you swam in dries. This is why I recommend bringing two swim suits.
Day-trip options
The 3 day, 2 night island-hopping trip does not come cheap in the grander scheme of how much things cost in SE Asia – but in my opinion, it is well worth the experience if you can afford to go. If the price is too high for you, and/or if you can’t commit to a multi-day boat tour, you can also visit some of the islands on various day trips. There are actually 4 day-trip circuits, all starting from El Nido, that cost about $25 – $30USD each.
Day trip A, visits Secret Lagoon and allows for time for relaxation on the beaches at Shimizu Island and the Seven Commandos beach. Day trip B, takes you to visit beaches and caves of Bacuit Bay on an island-hopping cruise to Popolkan Beach, Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave, Cathedral Cave, and Entalula Island. Day trip C takes you to visit Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Helicopter Island, and Tapiutan Beach. Day trip D takes you to Cadlao Island, Small Lagoon, Nat Nat Beach, Paradise Beach, and Bukal Island. In my opinion, you get the most bang for your buck on Day trip B and Day trip D, but all are worth exploring if you’re not able to do the full 3 day 2 night island-hopping excursion.
Final Thoughts
The Coran to El Nido or El Nido to Coran 3 day, 2 night island-hopping trip is a great way to immerse yourself in the stunning scenery of the region between the two destinations while simultaneously also getting a useful transfer. El Nido in particular is not particularly simple to get to. You either take an expensive flight into El Nido Airport (a one-way trip from Coran can run you about $300 – $400USD), or it is about a 5 hour bus transfer from Puerto Princesa.
If you decide you still want a sailing option between El Nido to Coran, but do not have time to do the multi-day island-hopping trip, then the best option by far will be the ferry option, which costs about $40USD, and takes just 3 – 4 hours from Coran to El Nido and vice-versa, there are also a variety of day-trip options that you can do once you arrive in El Nido – of course, if you have the money and time, I would strongly recommend this 3 day 2 night island-hopping trip.
