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A bangka resting in turquoise water below a sheer limestone cliff

Bacuit Bay · Palawan 11.18° N · 119.39° E

El Nido. Limestone, lagoons and long golden hours.

Wake up a few steps from the beach, board a bangka after breakfast and come home salty, sun-warm and happy. Quiet villas by Corong Corong, or the social hostel in town. Same island, two atmospheres.

Book your staySee the island day

Photo: Carla Cervantes, Unsplash

The bangka log · one El Nido day

Boat out. Jump in. Repeat.

  1. Kayaker paddling a yellow kayak across a turquoise El Nido lagoon

    First boat out

    Coffee, sunscreen, bangka. The bay is glass at this hour and the cliffs still hold the morning shade.

  2. Clear emerald water at the foot of tall limestone walls

    Lagoon hour

    Slip through a gap in the limestone into water so clear you can count the pebbles. Kayak it, float it, stay quiet.

  3. Aerial view of a white sandbar curving into turquoise water

    Sandbar lunch

    Toes in white sand, lunch on the boat, one more swim before anyone checks the time.

  4. Coconut palms leaning over a long empty beach

    Corong Corong golden hour

    Back on the beach with a drink in hand while the sky does its thing. Dinner can wait.

Island hopping

Into the cliffs.

The best of El Nido is on the water. We set up shared or private island hopping on Tours A to D, plus van transfers and Coron ferries, so you can simply show up.

Browse El Nido toursAll trips
View from a bangka gliding past El Nido's limestone cliffs Film · Nothing Ahead, Pexels

Where you sleep

Two ways to feel El Nido.

Quiet Corong Corong mornings, or Serena Street energy a few steps from the beach. Pick the atmosphere that fits your trip.

Bangkas at sunset off Corong Corong with limestone islands on the horizon

Serena Street · Happiness Hostel

Arrive solo. Leave with a crew.

Right in El Nido Town, a few steps from the beach. Dorms and private rooms, a shared kitchen, a co-working corner and morning yoga at our Boutique Resort, open to hostel guests. Strong 5G WiFi if the laptop insists on coming too.

  • Yoga at the resort
  • Dorms + privates
  • Co-working
  • Steps to the beach
See the hostel
Guests hanging out at the colorful Happiness bar
A packed Happiness bar in El Nido town at night, guests laughing and dancing

Eat & drink

Fed like family.

Colorful plates of fresh food and drinks at Happiness Restaurant

Happiness Restaurant

Farm to table, Middle Eastern soul

Fresh from the local market every morning, mostly vegetarian and plant based, open daily from morning till night.

The yellow Happiness Food Truck on Hama Street

The Food Truck

Asian street food, draft beer

Hama Street corner Osmeña, right in the hustle of town. Look for the signature truck art.

What to do

Pick your adventure.

All tours
  • Limestone islands rising from deep blue water seen from above

    Island hopping

    Shared or private, Tours A to D. Lagoons, caves and beaches you will talk about for years.

  • A single forested limestone island ringed by white sand and reef, seen from above

    Beaches with no road

    Some sands you can only reach by boat. Bring a snorkel and nowhere to be.

  • View from a jungle hilltop over a turquoise bay to the limestone peaks of Cadlao

    Taraw Peak and the Canopy Walk

    Hike up for sunrise and watch El Nido town and the bay wake up below you.

  • Two bangka outrigger boats pulled up on a pale beach

    Nacpan, waterfalls, Duli

    Rent a bike: long beaches, jungle waterfalls and surf at Duli Beach. Lucky timing at Nacpan can mean baby turtles.

Rows of bangka boats anchored off El Nido town below limestone cliffs

Getting here

Easier than it looks.

From Lio airport
About 15 minutes by tricycle to Happiness Hostel, roughly 400 to 500 pesos.
From Puerto Princesa
Local van, roughly 550 pesos and 4 to 6 hours, or a private taxi. We can book van transfers for you.
In town
Hop on a tricycle: every driver knows Happiness on Serena Street. Villas and resort are about 5 minutes away in Corong Corong.

Good to know

Before you pack.

Check-in and check-out?

Check-in 14:00, check-out 11:00. Early check-in or late check-out may be possible depending on availability, sometimes with an extra charge. Message us to plan ahead.

Which plug do I need?

The Philippines uses types A, B and C at 220V, 60Hz. Type C (two round pins) is the most common, so bring that adaptor.

Is the WiFi good enough to work?

We run strong 5G WiFi and plenty of guests work online jobs comfortably while they stay.

What about power outages?

They happen in El Nido, but all our stays have generators, so you keep electricity and hot showers.

Four friends jumping mid-air on a white sandbar

Come play in El Nido.

Secret lagoons, limestone cliffs, long golden hours. Book a Happiness stay and wake up inside the story.

Book your stay
Book your stay