Do you want to know how to have an epic island adventure in the Philippines? Want to see paradise on Earth? Are you busy with limited time off and don’t mind travelling to see paradise? My 3 day and 2 night travel itinerary to El Nido is perfect for you.

El Nido is located in one of the Philippines islands called Palawan. El Nido is made famous by the Money Heist TV series & The Bourne Legacy movie.

I was on a business trip to Manila, Philippines for two weeks. During the weekend I wanted to venture out & experience the popular island in the Philippines called El Nido.

I travelled from Manila to El Nido in the month of February. I flew to El Nido on a Friday night & back to Manila on Sunday night. I was blown away by the natural beauty. A must visit place & a perfect trip for a solo female traveler!

My Travel Itinerary to El Nido, Philippines

Day 1

I flew in from Manila international airport & roughly after 1.5 hours of flight journey, I landed in El Nido’s Lio international airport.

In El Nido, I stayed at a beautiful hotel called H Hotel El Nido for 3 days & 2 nights. The hotel was just a 2 minute walk to El Nido beach. H Hotel has a vegetarian / vegan restaurant called Ver De where they serve complimentary breakfast every morning . As a semi-vegetarian, it was perfect hotel for me.

Pro Tip #1: Ask for the hotel to arrange for airport pickup in advance. The hotel will do it for you free of charge.

View from my hotel room – H Hotel, El Nido.

The location felt very safe for a solo female traveler. I had dinner at the hotel restaurant called Ver de, delicious vegan fare.

Shortly after dinner, I booked El Nido’s island hopping tour through the hotel.

There are 4 types of El Nido island hopping tours:

• Tour A (with lagoons & beaches – ideal for first timers & most popular)
• Tour B (with caves & beaches)
• Tour C (with hidden coves & beaches – second most popular)
• Tour D (with small lagoons & beaches)

I picked the most popular Tour A since I only had a weekend. It’s perfect for first timers!

Pro Tip #2: The hotels in El Nido can organize & book an island hopping tour. They can also get you packed lunch for your trip. Take advantage of that!

Day 2

I started my day early with breakfast at 7:30 am in H hotel’s Ver De restaurant. The restaurant served up delicious, fresh, healthy vegan fare. Eat up because you will need the energy for island hopping.

Your El Nido island hopping tour guide will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 8:30 am. Check for latest timing with your tour company. Enjoy the stunning paradise & capture plenty of photos.

Pictures of my tour in El Nido – Island Hopping Tour A

I kayaked my way into big lagoon & did not carry my phone with me because I had forgotten to carry a waterproof phone protector, hence my pro tip below:

Pro Tip #3: Bring a waterproof phone protector when kayaking & exploring the island – you will thank yourself!

I concluded the tour at approximately 4:30 pm. I headed back to my hotel room to freshen up & grab a drink at H Hotel’s roof top bar.

Picture of me from H Hotel’s roof top bar

Day 3

I had a few hours before my hotel check-out time. I ventured out to a nearby beach called Lio beach. Take the local tricycle / tuk-tuk for a fun experience! Lio beach is approximately 20 minutes ride from H Hotel. Checkout my YouTube video on El Nido to see how tricycles / tuk-tuk’s look like in the Philippines.

Pictures of me at Lio Beach

I got back to my hotel room at approximately 10:30am. I checked out of my hotel & headed back to El Nido, Lio international airport to fly back to Manila. The hotel was nice enough to get me a complimentary airport drop off.

I really enjoyed my stay in El Nido. Serene & crystal clear waters, great weather, delicious food & welcoming people. I felt liberated & relaxed!

To get my detailed travel guide to El Nido, Philippines, go to my Wander Guides tab. It includes full details on hotels, dining, transit, visa & pre-arrival information.